You gonna just walk into my house like that?

Its rainy season here in Panama, my favorite time of the year. There is a cool breeze and overcast for the majority of the day that makes it feel like a autumn day back in the states. If the weather was like this every day it would be hard for me to leave. So I take advantage of the weather and leave my door open so I can catch the breeze. Unfortunately had no idea what would happen if I left my door. I guess having my door open is an open invitation to walk into my house. I recently have acquired two new neighbors. I think before I started leaving my door open I talked to them maybe twice, and that was just a short conversation. I guess within those two conversations they worked up the confidence to feel that we are best friends. Last week I was in the kitchen and homeboy from next door scared the hell out of me. He just walked in and said I smell coffee, you making coffee. When he walked in, he did it with soo much confidence and authority I thought I was in the wrong apartment. For a second I started to think maybe I invited him over and forgot. Two days later he walked in on me on a Sunday and smelled me cooking pancakes and eggs and asked can he have some eggs. I happen to actually made too much food for me and gave him the extras but DAMN, really, you’re going to just walk in like that. That same day the little boy from the other side of the apartment walked in while I was watching football on the computer and said hey who’s playing while he took off his shoes and made himself comfortable to watch. My door has been shut since that Sunday.

Getting along since the other volunteers left has been actually different than I expected. Its as if my time here has completely changed. My boredom has become busyness and my rush to go back to the states has disappeared. Between working in the high school, volunteering at the language institute and sometimes sitting in on the classes at the university my schedule has been pretty packed. And because I am constantly out the house I have met a bunch of cool and interesting people. The food no longer time bothers me and I eat beans and rice like a champ now. I’ve even started to pick up eating the meat that they serve on the street corners. I was kinda scared at first to mess with it, now I’m looking for the street meat carts every time I’m in the downtown area. Man I still can’t believe you can find meat on a stick for 25 cents apiece,, and its gooooood. People say that the meat may be stray cats, but I don’t care, it’s delicious. It seems the curiosity and excitement to learn that I felt the day I arrived here has somehow come back to me. I guess getting over the first year is the hardest part, and then it’s just all downhill from there.

Month of changes

This month has been a busy month for traveling. Within a month I have traveled to Panama City 3 times and also Boquete. Boquete is ok but I’m not that much of a fan of it. It’s a big tourist spot so a lot of people speak English, which is ok. However tourist spots attract a lot of backpackers, mainly from Europe. All I can say about backpackers is that a lot of them are very free spirited people. Last week I went there for just a night with another volunteer to take care of some things. When I was checked into my room, I was somehow assigned to a room with 2 bunkbeds by myself. So my friend asked me if he could stay in my room since he had to share with 3 other people. When he asked me I was at the bottom of the stairs ready to go to the grocery store. I yelled up the stairs, yea that’s fine it’s the only one with the door that’s open. Usually I don’t leave doors unlocked but I didn’t have anything in my room worth value so I didn’t worry too much about it. After I said that, this german girl and guy from czech republic started giving me this weird look and just waited at the edge of the stairs with me. I thought it was kind of strange what they were doing but I didn’t pay them much attention. I just figured they were weird and it wasn’t my business. We then went to the grocery store but I was surprised by what I found when I got back. We got to the door and it was locked. I was 100 percent sure I didn’t lock the door. I pulled out my key and I started to hear moans from inside the room. I turned to my friend and said Hey man somebody is having sex in my room”, Naw man, you’re probably hearing another room. No I’m sure it’s coming from here. Then the moaning stopped and the door was blocked from me opening it. YOoo why are you having sex in my room-Sorry the door was open- Hey man you need to get out my room. Hey give us 5 minutes. I was too annoyed to go back and forth so I just went down stairs while my friend just keeping yelling through the door .Thats not cool man, That’s really not cool man, Not cool at all. When they finally came out I could hear from downstairs my friend asks which bed did they use. When they said his bed, I just busted out laughing. He was not a happy camper.

Also this month I have been invited to help out with English classes in one of the universities here in David. I have to admit that I enjoy these classes more than the ones in the high school. The students are pretty calm and their level of English is pretty high. All I really have to do is talk to them and help with their pronunciation. Usually when I am in the highschool I am pretty good with choosing my vocabulary carefully. I know not to use slang or speak quickly. Unfortunately with the college students I get too comfortable when speaking to them and tend to use slang. The other day I caught myself using the word cockblock. It was too hard to explain what it means.

This is also the month when the previous groups of volunteers return to the states. It’s a bittersweet feeling. Bitter, obviously because you lose some of the people that you have got to know over the past year that understand your feelings of being isolated or lonely. Even that safety net of being able to speak English.  Also  listening to them excitedly tell you how much they are ready to go home and the things that they are going to do and eat. While I sit and dream of Zaxbys IHOP Chick-fila, Quiznos……. Im getting hot flashes just thinking about it. But the sweet thing about them leaving is they give away all their stuff. I made out like a bandit. I now have a new fridge, queen size bed, blender, speakers, microwave, various foods and an option to move into a bigger place for the same price that I am paying.

Unfortunately one volunteer that was leaving had a horrible experience. When he took a taxi in the city with all of his positions he was held up by the taxi driver and an accomplice. What I was told is that the person in the back seat held a screwdriver to his neck and told him to give up all he had. Luckily he was not hurt and was let go without a scratch. Now when I first heard this story I felt sorry for the man. That just plain sucks. However two days later I was told the same story but with one more piece of information. Before you read anymore, have an open mind. I still feel bad for the guy and would not wish that on my worst enemy. But when I was told that they took the man’s glasses off of his face too. I started CRACKING UP HARD till my face started to hurt. If your reading this,, sorry. They know damn well they don’t have the same prescription. How you going to take all of someone’s possessions and then decide to yank the glasses off their face too. Rob him and make him blind. That’s just jacked up.