Having missed Spanish class last week because of the holiday we doubled up and went to class on Mon. Wed. and Thurs. To celebrate our accomplishments ( limited as they were) we once again hosted our class here at our home. It also was a goodbye to our teacher Itsy. She is returning to her home in Santiago ( this is the town that is the bus stop between Panama City and David) She is not sure if she is returning to teach or not. The pay here for teachers of any type is very low. She was asked to teach in the International School in Boquete but the pay is only $450 a month - really quite high for here as teachers are very lowly paid- but when you figure in rent etc it is not enough to live on without having a family home to live in. She feels that if she could earn $600 she could make it. It is hard to conceive that one can actually live on that amount of money for an entire month. We are in hopes that she can find a job and returns to Boquete.
Our fiesta was a blast - we learned more about Itsy's and Rinske's lives a true insight into life in Panama from a true Panamanian and from a gal from Netherlands that travels for adventure. I will miss our time with both girls.
Thursday was Mothers Day. I read that Panama is the only country that does not celebrate this holiday in May. It has something to do with a past Presidents wife who felt it should be closer the Christmas and in correlation with the Virgin Mary. This is a huge holiday here in fact one of the top 3 days of the year. Most stores are closed - downtown was very quiet. I told my own kids that it was Mothers day ( yea I think I deserve 2 days a year) but one of their responses was that it was too bad that I did not have some Panamanian kids to honor me.
We are approaching Christmas and many houses are decorated - most Panamanian homes have huge real trees on their porches plus more in the house-, They are beautifully decorated but not our red and greens but in mauve, blues, purples and they are gorgeous. I am going to miss Christmas here this year as I am returning to Iowa for 3 weeks. I did like the fact that they shot of fireworks all over the mountains at midnight. This year I will have a red and green Christmas and be surrounded by family but Bud will remain here. I am looking forward to family but not looking forward to the cold. I am going to freeze my hind end off after not experiencing the Iowa cold for 2 years. So it had better be at least a white Christmas. So look out Iowa I will be return on Dec 21st just in time for Christmas and for the arrival of a new Gage baby - I am hoping that Kyle and Emily make sure that little guy waits for me to make his appearance. I am not traveling that far for him to beat me to Iowa!!!
I am really excited for my return to Boquwete though as I am bringing my grandson Kaiden back with me for a month. I will get to see Panama through an 8 year olds eyes!!! He will go on a plane ride, see the ocean, zip line, but most importantly he will lean how different life is in another country, I have permission to take him to the orphanage with me. I am hoping that he will be able to interact with children his own age.
He will than have the experience of returning to the US as an accompanied minor - an extra fee of $100 has to be paid so that he is taken care of - placed on and off flights and returns safely to the arms of his parents.
This week I also returned to the optometrist for my annual eye exam. I did this last year and found that their technology equaled if not surpassed what I can get at home. I was also able to make the appointment and pick out frames mostly in Spanish. But then they called yesterday morning to confirm my appointment and I discovered that my Spanish on the phone sucks. I went yesterday and had a different doctor from last year but a great middle aged man. He was running late and came in the door carrying a printer that he took into the exam room and I presumed hooked it up only to have it not work when he tried to print out my prescription. It was funny he spoke a little English I spoke a little Spanish and I had a great appointment- he was so careful on everything he did - he even joked with me. After my exam I paid my bill and once again it amazed me that my new glasses will be here on Tuesday. As slow as everything and every day life here is Panama for some reason new prescription glasses move at the speed of light!!!!!
I am continuing to work out at Milly's gym and do the vibration- or my case jiggle - machine-and am hoping a little less jiggling is going on.
I am taking in many sunrises and sunsets that have colors that are fantastic. Our Balcony here is great for views especially in the early mornings and evenings.
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