Panama Update #77
October 31, 2008
As they say, when one door closes another opens. Yesterday I wrote that the apartment deal we were waiting for fell through. Last night I put "Apartment Needed" ads on several of the Yahoo Panama internet sites . Today I got an email from someone who has a newly renovated apartment that is connected to their house. It is in Balboa, which is still walking distance to where Nikki works and is in a nice neighborhood. We went over there this afternoon. Both of us thought it was good enough and probably about the best we are going to find. It is in our price range ($775 per month) for a two bedroom. It has windows but is a little dark because greenery is blocking some the light (or maybe it was a cloudy day). It does not have washing machines and we are not sure about the internet, but there is a laundromat near-by. We would also have to buy our own furniture. They thought it would be ready for move-in by November 15. They seem like they would be good landlords. They are a retired couple from Florida and they seem to be very happy living in Panama.
Friday, October 31, 2008
Thursday, October 30, 2008
Panama Update #76
Panama Update #76
October 30, 2008
We just heard that the apartment we have been waiting for will not be available. We know the person who lives there now and he was waiting to move into another apartment. We had everything arranged with his landlord that when he moved out, we would move in. It is a 2 bedroom very close to where our dorm room is now. It turns out that the apartment he was waiting to rent is has been rented out from under him. The person who owns the building decided to rent it to someone else for a higher price and they didn't check with him first to see if he would match it. The same thing happened to us a couple of months ago with a different apartment we were looking at. We'll keep looking and maybe it will work out for the best.
On Saturday I am going out to the field with Nikki and a group from her office for 3 nights. She wants to do some research near the mouth of the Chagres River. The river feeds into the canal and was a critical piece when the canal was being built. It is on the Carribean side of the country. We have arranged for housing through the agency that Nikki works for. It is supposed to be very beautiful there. I plan to keep up with the blogs and if we have internet access I will post them right away. If there is no internet I will plan to post them when we return on November 5.
October 30, 2008
We just heard that the apartment we have been waiting for will not be available. We know the person who lives there now and he was waiting to move into another apartment. We had everything arranged with his landlord that when he moved out, we would move in. It is a 2 bedroom very close to where our dorm room is now. It turns out that the apartment he was waiting to rent is has been rented out from under him. The person who owns the building decided to rent it to someone else for a higher price and they didn't check with him first to see if he would match it. The same thing happened to us a couple of months ago with a different apartment we were looking at. We'll keep looking and maybe it will work out for the best.
On Saturday I am going out to the field with Nikki and a group from her office for 3 nights. She wants to do some research near the mouth of the Chagres River. The river feeds into the canal and was a critical piece when the canal was being built. It is on the Carribean side of the country. We have arranged for housing through the agency that Nikki works for. It is supposed to be very beautiful there. I plan to keep up with the blogs and if we have internet access I will post them right away. If there is no internet I will plan to post them when we return on November 5.
Wednesday, October 29, 2008
Panama Update #75
Panama Update #75
October 29, 2008
Yesterday afternoon (Tuesday) at work I had a few extra minutes and went out to the playground to play frisbee with the students during their gym class. The skies got real dark, as it does here at some point on a daily basis. Life just goes on normally with the rain, as it does in Minnesota with the snow in the winter time. But every once in a while people really stop what they are doing and take notice. Yesterday afternoon was one of those times. As we were out in the field playing catch there was a super loud crack of thunder as if it were right above us. It turned out to be right above us because a second later we saw smoke coming from across the street. A large tree was struck by the lightening and it fell on and smashed a car. This caused the car's alarm to go off and for smoke to come out of the engine. It rained incredibly hard for about the next hour. It rained so hard that the drainage ditches around the school overflowed a bit and water started coming in the front door of the school. The custodians did a good job of sweeping it out and there was no damage. All this happened at the time of dismissal, so loading the students on the buses took twice as long as usual because they had to cross a newly formed (and temporary) small creek to get to their bus.
October 29, 2008
Yesterday afternoon (Tuesday) at work I had a few extra minutes and went out to the playground to play frisbee with the students during their gym class. The skies got real dark, as it does here at some point on a daily basis. Life just goes on normally with the rain, as it does in Minnesota with the snow in the winter time. But every once in a while people really stop what they are doing and take notice. Yesterday afternoon was one of those times. As we were out in the field playing catch there was a super loud crack of thunder as if it were right above us. It turned out to be right above us because a second later we saw smoke coming from across the street. A large tree was struck by the lightening and it fell on and smashed a car. This caused the car's alarm to go off and for smoke to come out of the engine. It rained incredibly hard for about the next hour. It rained so hard that the drainage ditches around the school overflowed a bit and water started coming in the front door of the school. The custodians did a good job of sweeping it out and there was no damage. All this happened at the time of dismissal, so loading the students on the buses took twice as long as usual because they had to cross a newly formed (and temporary) small creek to get to their bus.
Monday, October 27, 2008
Panama Update #74
Panama Update #74
October 27, 2008
On Saturday morning Nikki tried an Auyurvedic therapeutic massage place here that was recommended by someone we know. Massages here are cheaper than in the states, ranging from about $25-35. Nikki rode over there with a friend who has a car and who was also getting a massage. I think she enjoyed it quite a bit. On Saturday night we went out to eat with another couple we have become friends with. Both of them also work for the Smithsonian and live near us. On Saturday we were also invited to a person's house for dinner that I work with, but we had already made the other plans. On Sunday night we went with the same couple as Saturday to a film festival. It was billed as a European film festival and they have movies from all over the world. We saw the English movie called Atonement. We didn't realize until later that we had already seen it in the US a few months ago. We didn't recognize the name in Spanish so we didn't know. It seems like a funny movie to have at a film festival since it was widely distributed before and is not by an independent filmmaker like the others.
Today (Monday) is the first day where I really feel like Panama is becoming home and I am not just visiting here. It is getting close to 4 months that I have been here now. My work situation is varied and keeping me comfortably busy and we are getting better with the language, where to find things, and making more friends.
October 27, 2008
On Saturday morning Nikki tried an Auyurvedic therapeutic massage place here that was recommended by someone we know. Massages here are cheaper than in the states, ranging from about $25-35. Nikki rode over there with a friend who has a car and who was also getting a massage. I think she enjoyed it quite a bit. On Saturday night we went out to eat with another couple we have become friends with. Both of them also work for the Smithsonian and live near us. On Saturday we were also invited to a person's house for dinner that I work with, but we had already made the other plans. On Sunday night we went with the same couple as Saturday to a film festival. It was billed as a European film festival and they have movies from all over the world. We saw the English movie called Atonement. We didn't realize until later that we had already seen it in the US a few months ago. We didn't recognize the name in Spanish so we didn't know. It seems like a funny movie to have at a film festival since it was widely distributed before and is not by an independent filmmaker like the others.
Today (Monday) is the first day where I really feel like Panama is becoming home and I am not just visiting here. It is getting close to 4 months that I have been here now. My work situation is varied and keeping me comfortably busy and we are getting better with the language, where to find things, and making more friends.
Saturday, October 25, 2008
Panama Update #73
Panama Update #73
October 25, 2008
Last night (Friday) we went to the Teatro Nacional for the first time. We had been wanting to go there for some time to see what it was like inside. They have all sorts of theatrical shows there along with ballet and music. It is difficult to find out information about the shows there since they don't seem to have a website. This is strange for such an important theatre. Yesterday I saw in one of the bilingual newspapers here called The Visitor/El Visitante that there was a world-wide piano competition being held there this week. So we decided at the last minute to catch a taxi and check it out. It is pretty close to us, in the section of town called Casco Viejo. Tickets were $14 and there weren't very many people there. My guess is 5o people at the most were there and it looks like the theatre holds about 300 people. It is very fancy on the outside and inside. On the outside there are busts of famous playwrights. On the inside there are seats in the middle, which are very close to the stage, and then there are about 4 levels of private boxes behind the main section. It was built in 1907, shortly after the US took over building the canal and a few years before the canal was completed (1914). It has been completely renovated back to that time period, including ornate decorations and a detailed and colorful ceiling fresco done in the style of Michelangelo. The painter who did the ceiling was a famous Panamanian artist called Roberto Lewis. The piano competition was interesting and Nikki liked it a lot. There was one competitor from Spain who really stood out, but since this was only a preliminary round, we don't know who will end up winning.
October 25, 2008
Last night (Friday) we went to the Teatro Nacional for the first time. We had been wanting to go there for some time to see what it was like inside. They have all sorts of theatrical shows there along with ballet and music. It is difficult to find out information about the shows there since they don't seem to have a website. This is strange for such an important theatre. Yesterday I saw in one of the bilingual newspapers here called The Visitor/El Visitante that there was a world-wide piano competition being held there this week. So we decided at the last minute to catch a taxi and check it out. It is pretty close to us, in the section of town called Casco Viejo. Tickets were $14 and there weren't very many people there. My guess is 5o people at the most were there and it looks like the theatre holds about 300 people. It is very fancy on the outside and inside. On the outside there are busts of famous playwrights. On the inside there are seats in the middle, which are very close to the stage, and then there are about 4 levels of private boxes behind the main section. It was built in 1907, shortly after the US took over building the canal and a few years before the canal was completed (1914). It has been completely renovated back to that time period, including ornate decorations and a detailed and colorful ceiling fresco done in the style of Michelangelo. The painter who did the ceiling was a famous Panamanian artist called Roberto Lewis. The piano competition was interesting and Nikki liked it a lot. There was one competitor from Spain who really stood out, but since this was only a preliminary round, we don't know who will end up winning.
Thursday, October 23, 2008
Panama Update #72
Panama Update #72
October 23, 2008
I have been at this part-time job in the school here for about a month now and the more I am there the more I like it. The schedule is flexible and fits what I was looking for and so far they seem glad to have my help. I am getting to know the students and teachers a bit better also. I mostly have been helping in the 5th and 7th grades classes, tutoring in the classroom or pulling out small groups of students. Today I attended my first staff meeting after school. The principal wanted me to present an idea I had about organizing a cross-grade tutoring program where the older students go into the younger classes and assist the teachers. The meeting went a long time and reminded me of the things I don't miss about working in schools. What I mean by that is all the time it takes to come to decisions in schools that have shared decision making model like they have there. By the time the meeting finished, I had to catch a ride with someone quickly to get back to give the Yoga class. The principal assigned the school secretary (who is also her daughter) to drive me back to town. Otherwise I have been catching a taxi out to school and then taking the school bus home with the students since it is hard to find a taxi in that area.
Nikki found out today that her poster presentation on the Panama project was accepted today for the American Geophysical Union (AGU) conference in San Francisco. She was pretty happy about that and prefers to give a poster than a talk for this particular topic and conference.
October 23, 2008
I have been at this part-time job in the school here for about a month now and the more I am there the more I like it. The schedule is flexible and fits what I was looking for and so far they seem glad to have my help. I am getting to know the students and teachers a bit better also. I mostly have been helping in the 5th and 7th grades classes, tutoring in the classroom or pulling out small groups of students. Today I attended my first staff meeting after school. The principal wanted me to present an idea I had about organizing a cross-grade tutoring program where the older students go into the younger classes and assist the teachers. The meeting went a long time and reminded me of the things I don't miss about working in schools. What I mean by that is all the time it takes to come to decisions in schools that have shared decision making model like they have there. By the time the meeting finished, I had to catch a ride with someone quickly to get back to give the Yoga class. The principal assigned the school secretary (who is also her daughter) to drive me back to town. Otherwise I have been catching a taxi out to school and then taking the school bus home with the students since it is hard to find a taxi in that area.
Nikki found out today that her poster presentation on the Panama project was accepted today for the American Geophysical Union (AGU) conference in San Francisco. She was pretty happy about that and prefers to give a poster than a talk for this particular topic and conference.
Wednesday, October 22, 2008
Panama Update #71
Panama Update #71
October 22, 2008
Today was another holiday so I did not go into the school again. Nikki invited a friend over for lunch and served "make your own tacos." I had a chance to catch up on some Spanish study and other reading. While in Houston I found a book at the Half Price Bookstore called El Libro de la Nada by Osho. It is about Zen philosophy, translated to Spanish. As I try to read through it I have a Spanish dictionary next to me where I can look up the words I don't know and just try to get the general idea of what they are saying. I can now see why people use those electronic translators that they sell in Target. It is much quicker to translate words from one language to the other. Maybe I'll pick one up when we go to the states in December. The other book I am reading is called Brave Companions by David McCullough. He wrote The Path Between the Seas that I just finished about the building of the Panama Canal. Brave Companions is a series of essays on people throughout history who did great things. So far I have read about Humboldt, Harriet Beecher Stowe, Roosevelt, and Remington. It is a pretty inspirational book.
October 22, 2008
Today was another holiday so I did not go into the school again. Nikki invited a friend over for lunch and served "make your own tacos." I had a chance to catch up on some Spanish study and other reading. While in Houston I found a book at the Half Price Bookstore called El Libro de la Nada by Osho. It is about Zen philosophy, translated to Spanish. As I try to read through it I have a Spanish dictionary next to me where I can look up the words I don't know and just try to get the general idea of what they are saying. I can now see why people use those electronic translators that they sell in Target. It is much quicker to translate words from one language to the other. Maybe I'll pick one up when we go to the states in December. The other book I am reading is called Brave Companions by David McCullough. He wrote The Path Between the Seas that I just finished about the building of the Panama Canal. Brave Companions is a series of essays on people throughout history who did great things. So far I have read about Humboldt, Harriet Beecher Stowe, Roosevelt, and Remington. It is a pretty inspirational book.
Tuesday, October 21, 2008
Panama Update #70
Panama Update #70
October 21, 2008
The last couple of days we spent a lot of time on the itinerary for our trip to the states in December. Nikki has a conference in San Francisco from Dec. 15-20. We extended our return trip to Panama until December 27, thinking Nikki's mom and Red might come visit us in San Francisco. In the end we figured out a reasonable flight for us to visit them in Coeur d'Alene, Idaho (we fly into Spokane, Washington). We plan to spend 3 nights there then go to Los Angeles to visit my Aunt Betty (who is celebrating her 85th birthday this year). We could only fit in 2 nights in LA becasue we have to return to SF on the 26th to catch our flight back to Panama. The airlines would not let us change our departure to Panama to LA. It is a lot of flying again, like the last trip I did to Florida and Texas, in a short amount of time, but we thought it was important enough to go through with it. I am hoping Nikki can get some rest on the various stops since she is usually exhausted after her conferences.
October 21, 2008
The last couple of days we spent a lot of time on the itinerary for our trip to the states in December. Nikki has a conference in San Francisco from Dec. 15-20. We extended our return trip to Panama until December 27, thinking Nikki's mom and Red might come visit us in San Francisco. In the end we figured out a reasonable flight for us to visit them in Coeur d'Alene, Idaho (we fly into Spokane, Washington). We plan to spend 3 nights there then go to Los Angeles to visit my Aunt Betty (who is celebrating her 85th birthday this year). We could only fit in 2 nights in LA becasue we have to return to SF on the 26th to catch our flight back to Panama. The airlines would not let us change our departure to Panama to LA. It is a lot of flying again, like the last trip I did to Florida and Texas, in a short amount of time, but we thought it was important enough to go through with it. I am hoping Nikki can get some rest on the various stops since she is usually exhausted after her conferences.
Sunday, October 19, 2008
Panama Update #69
Panama Update #69
October 19, 2008
On Friday night we went to the Ancon Theatre Guild to see a play for the first time since we came here. It is within walking distance of where we live. It is the only English speaking theatre in Panama City. It is an amateur community theatre that has been around since 1950 at its current location and probably longer before that at another location. I don't remember the exact name of the play but it was a comedy, murder mystery set in the 1940s. It is a nice, intimate theatre that seats about 150 people. Only about 20 people showed up on the night we were there. They don't advertise much and it seems like the auditions are closed to a small group of friends. We were not too impressed with the talent level, but it was something different to try out.
Yesterday (Saturday) we went back to a large, fancy Chinese Restaurant called Lung Fung. We had gone there a couple of months ago to a Sunday brunch that specializes in dim sum. They didn't have any vegetarian items for the brunch, so we wanted to go back and try out their regular menu. They had several vegetarian items and we ordered a a spicy tofu dish and another dish with black mushrooms and greens. Both of us liked the food and were filled up when we left. There is a branch of a supermarket we like that is located across the street from the restaurant so we went there after to do some shopping. It took a long time to catch a taxi that would take us back to our room in Ancon, but finally we found one that would go that direction. We stayed in last night and got to sleep early. This morning (Sunday) we took an early walk to the top of Ancon Hill (the hill where we live). Normally you can get a full panoramic view of Panama City and the Pacific entrance to the canal, but this morning it was very misty and had a low visibility.
October 19, 2008
On Friday night we went to the Ancon Theatre Guild to see a play for the first time since we came here. It is within walking distance of where we live. It is the only English speaking theatre in Panama City. It is an amateur community theatre that has been around since 1950 at its current location and probably longer before that at another location. I don't remember the exact name of the play but it was a comedy, murder mystery set in the 1940s. It is a nice, intimate theatre that seats about 150 people. Only about 20 people showed up on the night we were there. They don't advertise much and it seems like the auditions are closed to a small group of friends. We were not too impressed with the talent level, but it was something different to try out.
Yesterday (Saturday) we went back to a large, fancy Chinese Restaurant called Lung Fung. We had gone there a couple of months ago to a Sunday brunch that specializes in dim sum. They didn't have any vegetarian items for the brunch, so we wanted to go back and try out their regular menu. They had several vegetarian items and we ordered a a spicy tofu dish and another dish with black mushrooms and greens. Both of us liked the food and were filled up when we left. There is a branch of a supermarket we like that is located across the street from the restaurant so we went there after to do some shopping. It took a long time to catch a taxi that would take us back to our room in Ancon, but finally we found one that would go that direction. We stayed in last night and got to sleep early. This morning (Sunday) we took an early walk to the top of Ancon Hill (the hill where we live). Normally you can get a full panoramic view of Panama City and the Pacific entrance to the canal, but this morning it was very misty and had a low visibility.
Thursday, October 16, 2008
Panama Update #68
Panama Update #68
October 16, 2008
Things have been pretty busy for me this week. I have a couple of more tutoring clients and I am continuing the work at the school. I have also been asked to start a night English class for the maintenance workers here like I did for the guides. That may start next week. I also have been in touch with a physical therapist in a near-by section of the city who is interested in possibly offering Biofeedback or Yoga at her office. I am scheduled to meet with her next week. Nikki also may need help out in field in a couple of weeks, so I may go with her for 3 or 4 nights as she does some research on a major river on the other side of the country. Nikki has also been putting in long hours this week while trying to keep up with all the research and projects she has from Panama and also Ethiopia.
The apartment we have been waiting for is still up in the air. The person who is moving out of that apartment is still waiting for the other apartment that he is moving into to be repaired. It could be delayed for a month and who knows beyond that. Fortunately we can stay in the dorm until it gets figured out or something else comes up.
October 16, 2008
Things have been pretty busy for me this week. I have a couple of more tutoring clients and I am continuing the work at the school. I have also been asked to start a night English class for the maintenance workers here like I did for the guides. That may start next week. I also have been in touch with a physical therapist in a near-by section of the city who is interested in possibly offering Biofeedback or Yoga at her office. I am scheduled to meet with her next week. Nikki also may need help out in field in a couple of weeks, so I may go with her for 3 or 4 nights as she does some research on a major river on the other side of the country. Nikki has also been putting in long hours this week while trying to keep up with all the research and projects she has from Panama and also Ethiopia.
The apartment we have been waiting for is still up in the air. The person who is moving out of that apartment is still waiting for the other apartment that he is moving into to be repaired. It could be delayed for a month and who knows beyond that. Fortunately we can stay in the dorm until it gets figured out or something else comes up.
Wednesday, October 15, 2008
Panama Update #67
Panama Update #67
October 15, 2008
The school where I work has been closed yesterday and today because of the Jewish Holiday Sukkot. They are also off 2 days next week for Simchat Torah. The week after that all the Panama Independence Holidays start so it seems like all through October and November there is a holiday every week. This week it has given me a chance to catch up on some things and also a little rest and recovery time from the trip. I went to the huge fruit and vegetable market near us today to stock up on some fresh vegetables and fruits. The fresh papaya are abundent here and both of us have developed a taste for them. They seem to help quite a bit with digestion and are high in a lot of the other vitamins. If anyone is not familiar with them, here is a description I found on the web: Deliciously sweet with musky undertones and a soft, butter-like consistency, it is no wonder the papaya was reputably called the "fruit of the angels" by Christopher Columbus. Besides having a lot of the tropical fruits, the huge open air market has a large variety of vegetables so I picked up some green peppers, lettuce, carrots, tomatoes, and green onions and made a big salad for lunch. I brought up a salad for Nikki to her office since I had the time today. I don't even try to negotiate a price with the merchants anymore. If they overcharge me a bit, it is still much lower than I would get in the supermarket and is not worth the trouble. Also, I am finding if you go to the same merchants and they start to recognize you, they seem to give you a fair price.
October 15, 2008
The school where I work has been closed yesterday and today because of the Jewish Holiday Sukkot. They are also off 2 days next week for Simchat Torah. The week after that all the Panama Independence Holidays start so it seems like all through October and November there is a holiday every week. This week it has given me a chance to catch up on some things and also a little rest and recovery time from the trip. I went to the huge fruit and vegetable market near us today to stock up on some fresh vegetables and fruits. The fresh papaya are abundent here and both of us have developed a taste for them. They seem to help quite a bit with digestion and are high in a lot of the other vitamins. If anyone is not familiar with them, here is a description I found on the web: Deliciously sweet with musky undertones and a soft, butter-like consistency, it is no wonder the papaya was reputably called the "fruit of the angels" by Christopher Columbus. Besides having a lot of the tropical fruits, the huge open air market has a large variety of vegetables so I picked up some green peppers, lettuce, carrots, tomatoes, and green onions and made a big salad for lunch. I brought up a salad for Nikki to her office since I had the time today. I don't even try to negotiate a price with the merchants anymore. If they overcharge me a bit, it is still much lower than I would get in the supermarket and is not worth the trouble. Also, I am finding if you go to the same merchants and they start to recognize you, they seem to give you a fair price.
Monday, October 13, 2008
Panama Update #66
Panama Update #66
October 13, 2008
We both arrived back in Panama City yesterday as scheduled. I arrived on-time at about 7:00 PM and the immigration line was huge (about 100 people or more) and moving very slowly. It took about an hour and a half to move through it. I wasn't in a hurry, but our poor taxi driver was waiting for me very patiently. He then drove me back to our apartment and said he would have some dinner and drive back to get Nikki, who was supposed to arrive at midnight. He said he would take a nap in his car until she arrived. We really like this driver a lot so we gave him a cap and a shirt we had gotten at the Geology convention in Houson.
While in Texas I started thinking about when we would return to Minneapolis. I talked it over with Nikki and it looks like I will make a return reservation for June 6, 2009. We don't know yet if Nikki will stay a little longer or not. I have been here a little over 3 months now and while I was in Houston realized how emotionally challenging for me it has been to live here. Before I left for Panama I didn't think it would be a big deal to be away for a year, but now I am realizing that it has not been easy. I think the biggest challenges are being at a long distance from friends and the convenience of transportation and finding what you need easily in the stores. Also, we had a comfortable house and I had a nice job. These are all adjustments that I am adapting to. The people in Panama that I have met, for the most part, have been very welcoming. I want to make good use of the year down here and not feel like I am just killing time. It is really a nice opportunity to learn a language, catch up on some reading, and do some writing. My goal for today was to stay positive so I jumped in right away and went out to the school where I have helping out for a couple of hours a day. That helped me feel purposeful and the Yoga classes begin again tomorrow. It is a really a sort of strange experience to make another country your home and feel comfortable and find what you need. It causes you to think about what is really important to live a purposeful life.
October 13, 2008
We both arrived back in Panama City yesterday as scheduled. I arrived on-time at about 7:00 PM and the immigration line was huge (about 100 people or more) and moving very slowly. It took about an hour and a half to move through it. I wasn't in a hurry, but our poor taxi driver was waiting for me very patiently. He then drove me back to our apartment and said he would have some dinner and drive back to get Nikki, who was supposed to arrive at midnight. He said he would take a nap in his car until she arrived. We really like this driver a lot so we gave him a cap and a shirt we had gotten at the Geology convention in Houson.
While in Texas I started thinking about when we would return to Minneapolis. I talked it over with Nikki and it looks like I will make a return reservation for June 6, 2009. We don't know yet if Nikki will stay a little longer or not. I have been here a little over 3 months now and while I was in Houston realized how emotionally challenging for me it has been to live here. Before I left for Panama I didn't think it would be a big deal to be away for a year, but now I am realizing that it has not been easy. I think the biggest challenges are being at a long distance from friends and the convenience of transportation and finding what you need easily in the stores. Also, we had a comfortable house and I had a nice job. These are all adjustments that I am adapting to. The people in Panama that I have met, for the most part, have been very welcoming. I want to make good use of the year down here and not feel like I am just killing time. It is really a nice opportunity to learn a language, catch up on some reading, and do some writing. My goal for today was to stay positive so I jumped in right away and went out to the school where I have helping out for a couple of hours a day. That helped me feel purposeful and the Yoga classes begin again tomorrow. It is a really a sort of strange experience to make another country your home and feel comfortable and find what you need. It causes you to think about what is really important to live a purposeful life.
Saturday, October 11, 2008
Panama Update #65
Panama Update #65
October 11, 2008
Yesterday we made the driving trip from Houston to Austin in a little over 3 hours and brought Nikki directly to her conference at the University of Texas. While she was busy with that, I explored the town of Austin. It has changed a lot since I had lived there from '83-'85, but of course a lot was still the same such as the State Capitol building. I rented a bike and rode around Town Lake, which is similar to the lakes in Minneapolis that are near downtown. I went to look at Barton Springs, which is 71 degrees year round and fed by a natural spring. It is 1000 ft. long and a lot of people go there to swim laps or for recreation. It is called the "soul" of Austin. I also visited the largest Whole Foods store, which has its headquarters in Austin. The very first Whole Foods started in Austin about 3o years ago before they became a national franchise. Around the corner from Whole Foods was an REI, so we had a chance to do any last minute shopping before returning to Panama. After Nikki's conference yesterday I showed her some of the sites around town and we went to a vegetarian, macrobiotic restaurant called Casa de Luz which we both liked a lot. Today I drove Nikki to her conference again from her Uncle Frank's house. It is in a suburb of Austin and about a 30 minute drive to UT. I saw a matinee movie at a theatre on campus and as I was leaving the theatre I heard a bunch of horns honking. There were carloads of people waving Texas flags and shouting "Go Longhorns." I figured out that the football game with #1 Oklahoma had just ended with a Texas victory. People love football in Texas and were out celebrating. Tonight we went out to eat with Frank and his wife Jessica and daughter Brandee and tomorrow we drive back to Houston early in the AM to catch our flights back to Panama. Another day, another city.
October 11, 2008
Yesterday we made the driving trip from Houston to Austin in a little over 3 hours and brought Nikki directly to her conference at the University of Texas. While she was busy with that, I explored the town of Austin. It has changed a lot since I had lived there from '83-'85, but of course a lot was still the same such as the State Capitol building. I rented a bike and rode around Town Lake, which is similar to the lakes in Minneapolis that are near downtown. I went to look at Barton Springs, which is 71 degrees year round and fed by a natural spring. It is 1000 ft. long and a lot of people go there to swim laps or for recreation. It is called the "soul" of Austin. I also visited the largest Whole Foods store, which has its headquarters in Austin. The very first Whole Foods started in Austin about 3o years ago before they became a national franchise. Around the corner from Whole Foods was an REI, so we had a chance to do any last minute shopping before returning to Panama. After Nikki's conference yesterday I showed her some of the sites around town and we went to a vegetarian, macrobiotic restaurant called Casa de Luz which we both liked a lot. Today I drove Nikki to her conference again from her Uncle Frank's house. It is in a suburb of Austin and about a 30 minute drive to UT. I saw a matinee movie at a theatre on campus and as I was leaving the theatre I heard a bunch of horns honking. There were carloads of people waving Texas flags and shouting "Go Longhorns." I figured out that the football game with #1 Oklahoma had just ended with a Texas victory. People love football in Texas and were out celebrating. Tonight we went out to eat with Frank and his wife Jessica and daughter Brandee and tomorrow we drive back to Houston early in the AM to catch our flights back to Panama. Another day, another city.
Thursday, October 9, 2008
Panama Update #64
Panama Update #64
October 9, 2008
Yesterday morning I checked out of the hotel early and then called a taxi to move me and our suitcases to the Bed and Breakfast for our last two nights in Houston. They let me store our luggage there until the check-in time at 3:00 PM. After that I took a bus back to the Convention Center to hear Nikki's second talk. This time it was on the research she did in Ethiopia. She stayed up all night preparing and practicing and the talk went well. It was only 15 minutes long like the other one. It was in a bigger room this time with about 50 other scientists listening. I guess that is what they do at these conventions. They listen to other people's research reports and then talk informally to try to learn something and see if their findings are consistent with the other person.
We left the convention center about 2:00 and took a bus to the B & B. It is a huge mansion in a very nice neighborhood with a lot of large mansions that is still convenient to all the activities downtown. It is a pleasant change from the other hotel, although that one was nice too but in a more industrial area of town. We found a great restaurant last night within walking distance of the hotel. It was a Mediterranean style buffet which had hummus, baba ganoush, tabouli, pasta, spinach salad, and quite a few other dishes. We enjoyed it and both of us were stuffed.
Today we had planned to do a little sight seeing at one of the museums, the zoo, or Rice University but Nikki decided it would be very helpful for her to go to a 2 day conference in Austin, so we spent the day switching our flights around, renting a car, etc. Nikki has an Uncle Frank in Austin that I haven't met yet and she hasn't seen for several years. I haven't been back to Austin since I worked for their school district in the '84-'85 school year. We drive to Austin at 4:00 AM tomorrow (Friday) and then back to Houston on Sunday and our flights to Panama leave at 3:00 PM on Sunday (from Houston). I go directly to Panama City and arrive at 7:00 PM but Nikki has to go to Panama via El Salvador and Costa Rica and doesn't arrive until midnight. We called our taxi driver in Panama to let him know about the changes.
October 9, 2008
Yesterday morning I checked out of the hotel early and then called a taxi to move me and our suitcases to the Bed and Breakfast for our last two nights in Houston. They let me store our luggage there until the check-in time at 3:00 PM. After that I took a bus back to the Convention Center to hear Nikki's second talk. This time it was on the research she did in Ethiopia. She stayed up all night preparing and practicing and the talk went well. It was only 15 minutes long like the other one. It was in a bigger room this time with about 50 other scientists listening. I guess that is what they do at these conventions. They listen to other people's research reports and then talk informally to try to learn something and see if their findings are consistent with the other person.
We left the convention center about 2:00 and took a bus to the B & B. It is a huge mansion in a very nice neighborhood with a lot of large mansions that is still convenient to all the activities downtown. It is a pleasant change from the other hotel, although that one was nice too but in a more industrial area of town. We found a great restaurant last night within walking distance of the hotel. It was a Mediterranean style buffet which had hummus, baba ganoush, tabouli, pasta, spinach salad, and quite a few other dishes. We enjoyed it and both of us were stuffed.
Today we had planned to do a little sight seeing at one of the museums, the zoo, or Rice University but Nikki decided it would be very helpful for her to go to a 2 day conference in Austin, so we spent the day switching our flights around, renting a car, etc. Nikki has an Uncle Frank in Austin that I haven't met yet and she hasn't seen for several years. I haven't been back to Austin since I worked for their school district in the '84-'85 school year. We drive to Austin at 4:00 AM tomorrow (Friday) and then back to Houston on Sunday and our flights to Panama leave at 3:00 PM on Sunday (from Houston). I go directly to Panama City and arrive at 7:00 PM but Nikki has to go to Panama via El Salvador and Costa Rica and doesn't arrive until midnight. We called our taxi driver in Panama to let him know about the changes.
Tuesday, October 7, 2008
Panama Update #63
Panama Update #63
October 7, 2008
I remembered where I was when I woke up this morning. I am in Houston, Texas. The hotel is very nice. It is one of those Extended Stay Suites with a kitchen and work area. I spent the day at the Convention Center, looking around and listening to Nikki's talk. The light rail line costs $1 and takes about 20 minutes from our hotel to within 5 blocks of the Convention Center. There are roughly 6000 geologists in town for the convention. There are several hundred talks scheduled over the course of about 3 days. The talks are short, only about 15 minutes each, with several scheduled in the same room right after each other, on the same general topic area. People interested in that topic (such as sediment distribution in river systems) can stay in the same room all morning and see several speakers. After hearing her talk I walked through the exhibition area and got some free pens, etc. That part of it reminds me of the state-wide teacher conventions. They had software and book displays and state of the art equipment. Because it is a geology convention they also had a lot of shiny crystals, gems, and various rocks for sale. They were very beautiful and I think they were selling them for a good price. Some of the stones were made into jewelry and others were polished and for decorative purposes. I found a nice Vietnamese restaurant on the internet that was right off the train line so I stopped on the way back and brought some food back to the apartment for dinner and we ate while sitting around the pool. Tomorrow we switch to a Bed and Breakfast for the last two nights in Houston. We decided before we left to do that for something special for the Yom Kippur Holiday. It is a lot of moving around, but this whole trip is kind of mixed up. On Friday we leave on different airlines and different flights. I go directly to Panama from Houston and she goes to Miami first and then to Panama. She leaves 3 hours before me but we arrive at the same time.
October 7, 2008
I remembered where I was when I woke up this morning. I am in Houston, Texas. The hotel is very nice. It is one of those Extended Stay Suites with a kitchen and work area. I spent the day at the Convention Center, looking around and listening to Nikki's talk. The light rail line costs $1 and takes about 20 minutes from our hotel to within 5 blocks of the Convention Center. There are roughly 6000 geologists in town for the convention. There are several hundred talks scheduled over the course of about 3 days. The talks are short, only about 15 minutes each, with several scheduled in the same room right after each other, on the same general topic area. People interested in that topic (such as sediment distribution in river systems) can stay in the same room all morning and see several speakers. After hearing her talk I walked through the exhibition area and got some free pens, etc. That part of it reminds me of the state-wide teacher conventions. They had software and book displays and state of the art equipment. Because it is a geology convention they also had a lot of shiny crystals, gems, and various rocks for sale. They were very beautiful and I think they were selling them for a good price. Some of the stones were made into jewelry and others were polished and for decorative purposes. I found a nice Vietnamese restaurant on the internet that was right off the train line so I stopped on the way back and brought some food back to the apartment for dinner and we ate while sitting around the pool. Tomorrow we switch to a Bed and Breakfast for the last two nights in Houston. We decided before we left to do that for something special for the Yom Kippur Holiday. It is a lot of moving around, but this whole trip is kind of mixed up. On Friday we leave on different airlines and different flights. I go directly to Panama from Houston and she goes to Miami first and then to Panama. She leaves 3 hours before me but we arrive at the same time.
Monday, October 6, 2008
Panama Update #62
Panama Update #62
October 6, 2008
Yesterday I was in Florida and Panama and today I have been in Panama and Texas. I told the taxi driver in Panama that I may not know what country I am in when I wake up tomorrow. We both laughed about it. The same driver is bringing me back and forth to the airport in Panama City 4 times this week for a total of $100. I tried to explain to him why I am going back and forth so much and I think he got it, even with the language difficulties. I purchased the Miami ticket because I couldn't find a cheap Houston ticket, where Nikki has her conference. I have to leave town for 72 hours every 90 days because of the tourist visa I have. The day after I made the non-refundable Miami reservation, Northwest Air had a promotion where I could trade my miles for a free trip to Houston, so I did that also. Both reservations were non-refundable and couldn't be changed, so I had couldn't go directly from Miami to Houston. Fortunately all the flights have been on time and going through customs on both ends has gone smoothly. the flight to Miami was a little over 2 hours and the flight to Houston was closer to 4 hours. I can see why Northwest had the special. The plane was only about 25% full. And I was the only person on the Express Bus from the airport in Houston to downtown. Very strange. The bus brought me to the light rail and I took that to meet Nikki at a Chipotle for dinner near our hotel. By that time it was dark, so I didn't see much of downtown. The bus driver talked a lot about the mess from the recent Hurricane Ike and that the coastal towns like Galveston are still recovering.
I think this is my first time in Texas since 1985. I lived here for 3 years ('82-'85) and worked for Dallas and Austin Public Schools. My teaching license here is still valid but have no plans to use it again unless Nikki gets a job here someday. Tomorrow I plan to go to the convention center to see the exhibits and Nikki's talk and who knows what else.
October 6, 2008
Yesterday I was in Florida and Panama and today I have been in Panama and Texas. I told the taxi driver in Panama that I may not know what country I am in when I wake up tomorrow. We both laughed about it. The same driver is bringing me back and forth to the airport in Panama City 4 times this week for a total of $100. I tried to explain to him why I am going back and forth so much and I think he got it, even with the language difficulties. I purchased the Miami ticket because I couldn't find a cheap Houston ticket, where Nikki has her conference. I have to leave town for 72 hours every 90 days because of the tourist visa I have. The day after I made the non-refundable Miami reservation, Northwest Air had a promotion where I could trade my miles for a free trip to Houston, so I did that also. Both reservations were non-refundable and couldn't be changed, so I had couldn't go directly from Miami to Houston. Fortunately all the flights have been on time and going through customs on both ends has gone smoothly. the flight to Miami was a little over 2 hours and the flight to Houston was closer to 4 hours. I can see why Northwest had the special. The plane was only about 25% full. And I was the only person on the Express Bus from the airport in Houston to downtown. Very strange. The bus brought me to the light rail and I took that to meet Nikki at a Chipotle for dinner near our hotel. By that time it was dark, so I didn't see much of downtown. The bus driver talked a lot about the mess from the recent Hurricane Ike and that the coastal towns like Galveston are still recovering.
I think this is my first time in Texas since 1985. I lived here for 3 years ('82-'85) and worked for Dallas and Austin Public Schools. My teaching license here is still valid but have no plans to use it again unless Nikki gets a job here someday. Tomorrow I plan to go to the convention center to see the exhibits and Nikki's talk and who knows what else.
Sunday, October 5, 2008
Panama Update #61
Panama Update #61
October 5, 2008
Today's Panama Update is actually from Panama rather than writing from Miami like the last 3 entries. It still boggles my mind how strange modern travel is. This morning I was in Miami and then a short plane ride and a nap and I am back in Panama. Both places are warm and Miami was rainy yesterday like in Panama, but to be back in the rain forest in Panama is a little shocking at first, but not as shocking as I thought it would be. It actually felt like I was coming home. I never in my life could have imagined that going to Panama would feel like going home, but it is my home, at least for now. I think almost every person I came in contact with in Miami spoke Spanish or was bilingual, so in that regard it felt like Panama. The shuttle driver, hotel workers, taxi driver, store clerks, and restaurant workers all seemed to speak Spanish. I did not expect to be so immersed in Spanish when I went to Florida. I did a google search today when I got home and found this out: According to the 2000 census, some 47 million Americans speak a language other than English at home. The major city with the highest proportion of Spanish speakers is Miami, where two-thirds (67 percent) speak Spanish at home; a full three-quarters (75 percent) of Miami residents speak a language other than English at home.
The trip back went so smooth that I couldn't have asked for anything more. The plane arrived on time with my luggage and the taxi driver was waiting for me. My job after getting back was to eat, and restock my little suitcase with clean clothes and more vitamins. The taxi driver is scheduled to pick me up at 11:00 AM tomorrow and it's back to the US and meeting up with Nikki in Houston.
October 5, 2008
Today's Panama Update is actually from Panama rather than writing from Miami like the last 3 entries. It still boggles my mind how strange modern travel is. This morning I was in Miami and then a short plane ride and a nap and I am back in Panama. Both places are warm and Miami was rainy yesterday like in Panama, but to be back in the rain forest in Panama is a little shocking at first, but not as shocking as I thought it would be. It actually felt like I was coming home. I never in my life could have imagined that going to Panama would feel like going home, but it is my home, at least for now. I think almost every person I came in contact with in Miami spoke Spanish or was bilingual, so in that regard it felt like Panama. The shuttle driver, hotel workers, taxi driver, store clerks, and restaurant workers all seemed to speak Spanish. I did not expect to be so immersed in Spanish when I went to Florida. I did a google search today when I got home and found this out: According to the 2000 census, some 47 million Americans speak a language other than English at home. The major city with the highest proportion of Spanish speakers is Miami, where two-thirds (67 percent) speak Spanish at home; a full three-quarters (75 percent) of Miami residents speak a language other than English at home.
The trip back went so smooth that I couldn't have asked for anything more. The plane arrived on time with my luggage and the taxi driver was waiting for me. My job after getting back was to eat, and restock my little suitcase with clean clothes and more vitamins. The taxi driver is scheduled to pick me up at 11:00 AM tomorrow and it's back to the US and meeting up with Nikki in Houston.
Saturday, October 4, 2008
Panama Update #60
Panama Update #60
October 4, 2008
Today my plan was to get up early and take the Metro train to Miami Beach. I wanted to see the downtown area and the beach. It was pouring rain most of the day today, so I got off to a later start when the rain slowed down. They have a main train line and then they have a smaller train line that you can transfer to that runs around downtown. I finally figured it out and made it to the stop I was looking for, but it was still raining so I decided to turn around and head back to the hotel. Not a great day for a bike ride and a walk on the beach. It rained steady for most of the day. I am used to the rain from Panama, but the difference is that Panama rains harder for less time, normally not all day long. At least I got a tour of the city from the train. I am surprised at how enormous the downtown is. I am scheduled to go back to Panama tomorrow for one night before heading out to Houston to meet Nikki.
Hasta Houston
October 4, 2008
Today my plan was to get up early and take the Metro train to Miami Beach. I wanted to see the downtown area and the beach. It was pouring rain most of the day today, so I got off to a later start when the rain slowed down. They have a main train line and then they have a smaller train line that you can transfer to that runs around downtown. I finally figured it out and made it to the stop I was looking for, but it was still raining so I decided to turn around and head back to the hotel. Not a great day for a bike ride and a walk on the beach. It rained steady for most of the day. I am used to the rain from Panama, but the difference is that Panama rains harder for less time, normally not all day long. At least I got a tour of the city from the train. I am surprised at how enormous the downtown is. I am scheduled to go back to Panama tomorrow for one night before heading out to Houston to meet Nikki.
Hasta Houston
Friday, October 3, 2008
Panama Update #59
Panama Update #59
October 3, 2008
Today I took the Miami Metro Rail to the Whole Foods to stock up on a few items that we can't get in Panama or are really expensive there. For example, we found a place that has Cliff Bars in Panama City but the selection is small and they are about double the price. Specialty items like the organic raw food protein bars that Nikki likes can't be found there at all. Items like shampoo and soap that we like cannot be found there either. Another big bill to pay for it all, but that's what happens when you buy a lot of supplements, vitamins, etc. The plan is that the items will last until our next time out of the country in San Francisco in December. Of course we can live without those items, but as long as we have a chance to get them we may as well.
When I was walking to the store from the train station I saw a sign for the University of Miami, which I didn't realize was in that area. I took a detour and walked around the campus at that time since I had planned to go look at it anyway. It is a huge campus with a big pond located in the middle that is surrounded by all the classroom buildings and various departments. It is very modern looking and I imagine they can dress in shorts and t-shirts for all of the school year, rather than the multiple layers of clothing in the Minnesota winters. A large part of the campus is devoted to all the athletic facilities for the teams. The Miami Hurricanes have been very successful in recent years with many of the sports and it looks like they have put a lot of money into the facilities.
October 3, 2008
Today I took the Miami Metro Rail to the Whole Foods to stock up on a few items that we can't get in Panama or are really expensive there. For example, we found a place that has Cliff Bars in Panama City but the selection is small and they are about double the price. Specialty items like the organic raw food protein bars that Nikki likes can't be found there at all. Items like shampoo and soap that we like cannot be found there either. Another big bill to pay for it all, but that's what happens when you buy a lot of supplements, vitamins, etc. The plan is that the items will last until our next time out of the country in San Francisco in December. Of course we can live without those items, but as long as we have a chance to get them we may as well.
When I was walking to the store from the train station I saw a sign for the University of Miami, which I didn't realize was in that area. I took a detour and walked around the campus at that time since I had planned to go look at it anyway. It is a huge campus with a big pond located in the middle that is surrounded by all the classroom buildings and various departments. It is very modern looking and I imagine they can dress in shorts and t-shirts for all of the school year, rather than the multiple layers of clothing in the Minnesota winters. A large part of the campus is devoted to all the athletic facilities for the teams. The Miami Hurricanes have been very successful in recent years with many of the sports and it looks like they have put a lot of money into the facilities.
Thursday, October 2, 2008
Panama Update #58
Panama Update #58
October 2, 2008
I stepped back on US soil today for the first time in 3 months. They let me through customs very easily. The taxi driver from Panama is supposed to pick me up again on Sunday for the next leg of the trip. There will be a lot of back and forth this week. It was only about a 2 hour flight from Panama City to Miami. I got a lot done here in only one afternoon. You forget how easy it is to navigate a city when you speak the language and understand the system. I am staying at a very nice hotel call the Mayfair in a section of town called Coconut Grove. There are a lot of restaurants and stores near-by and the Marina is only 2 blocks away. I picked the hotel from studying it on the internet and I think it worked out. I already have a pay-by-the-minute cell phone to use for the next week and I have figured out how to get to the Whole Foods market on the public transportation system. I found a nice juice bar that makes wholesome sandwiches and a papaya shake and spinach pie for lunch. There is a movie theatre across the street but none of them look appealing. There is a large screen TV in the room and for tonight will probably watch the VP debate and whatever else is on.
October 2, 2008
I stepped back on US soil today for the first time in 3 months. They let me through customs very easily. The taxi driver from Panama is supposed to pick me up again on Sunday for the next leg of the trip. There will be a lot of back and forth this week. It was only about a 2 hour flight from Panama City to Miami. I got a lot done here in only one afternoon. You forget how easy it is to navigate a city when you speak the language and understand the system. I am staying at a very nice hotel call the Mayfair in a section of town called Coconut Grove. There are a lot of restaurants and stores near-by and the Marina is only 2 blocks away. I picked the hotel from studying it on the internet and I think it worked out. I already have a pay-by-the-minute cell phone to use for the next week and I have figured out how to get to the Whole Foods market on the public transportation system. I found a nice juice bar that makes wholesome sandwiches and a papaya shake and spinach pie for lunch. There is a movie theatre across the street but none of them look appealing. There is a large screen TV in the room and for tonight will probably watch the VP debate and whatever else is on.
Wednesday, October 1, 2008
Panama Update #57
Panama Update #57
October 1, 2008
I had an appointment this morning at the home of the family that home schools their 6 children. It was raining heavily at the time that I was getting ready to leave so I called the family and told them I would be late. I have learned that it is very difficult to find a taxi in the rain and the woman understood. They are looking for someone to help the 3 younger kids (ages 6, 7, 9) with their home school internet curriculum. I arrived with an umbrella in hand and felt like the nanny in Sound of Music. They live in a beautiful house in a nice neighborhood that I had never been before called El Dorado. It is on a hill with a beautiful view of the city. The 3 older kids seem to be able to follow the curriculum on their own and are apparently doing fine. I sat on the shaded deck out in the back of the house with all 6 kids and the two parents. They have a view of the area from their deck with a pool and lawn. Each child introduced themselves and gave their age and what subjects they liked. I wrote down all their names as they talked to help me learn them. I stayed for about an hour and a half and tried to figure out if it is a job I want. At this point, as I've written before, I am interested in working more with adults. It has been long time since I have helped a first grader learn to read. But I also have a feel now for what is available in Panama and will have to decide accordingly. The job I accepted last week at the private school, along with some private tutoring, is probably enough, but I wanted to see what this job was all about.
Since we are leaving the country tomorrow for several days, I told them I would get back to them after I returned.
October 1, 2008
I had an appointment this morning at the home of the family that home schools their 6 children. It was raining heavily at the time that I was getting ready to leave so I called the family and told them I would be late. I have learned that it is very difficult to find a taxi in the rain and the woman understood. They are looking for someone to help the 3 younger kids (ages 6, 7, 9) with their home school internet curriculum. I arrived with an umbrella in hand and felt like the nanny in Sound of Music. They live in a beautiful house in a nice neighborhood that I had never been before called El Dorado. It is on a hill with a beautiful view of the city. The 3 older kids seem to be able to follow the curriculum on their own and are apparently doing fine. I sat on the shaded deck out in the back of the house with all 6 kids and the two parents. They have a view of the area from their deck with a pool and lawn. Each child introduced themselves and gave their age and what subjects they liked. I wrote down all their names as they talked to help me learn them. I stayed for about an hour and a half and tried to figure out if it is a job I want. At this point, as I've written before, I am interested in working more with adults. It has been long time since I have helped a first grader learn to read. But I also have a feel now for what is available in Panama and will have to decide accordingly. The job I accepted last week at the private school, along with some private tutoring, is probably enough, but I wanted to see what this job was all about.
Since we are leaving the country tomorrow for several days, I told them I would get back to them after I returned.
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