Internet!!!!

I HAVE INTERNET!!!!!

I don't know if you can understand just how happy this makes me!!!

That means, that I might be able to do some work at home tonight, and google the collection of thoughts that I have had all weekend, because, I have ...or at least had...., lots of time to indulge my curiousity!  It means that hopefully I can get lots of work done tonight and uploaded, and maybe have time to call my mom before she goes to sleep at 5 tomorrow!

Wow, I have never had a very strong connection to the internet, google, facebook, gmail etc. but now, being so far from everyone I absolutely do!!!  Well, I probably shouldn't stay on long, because I have lots to do tonight (in terms of school work) but I desperately wanted to share my excitement!!

The first Day of Class

It has begun!  Wonderful children, and lots of work! :)  I must say that I am happy for some time this weekend to do a good job of preparing for next week, but I am rather enjoying, yes,  even the early wake up hour!  Yesterday were introductions, today they students got their syllabus and books.  I learned a new term last night called 3rd generation culture.  It is true of many of my students.  Many of the Students at Crossroads have 2 parents from 2 very different cultures.  These cultures have synthesized and created my now student, who is growing up in a totally different culture from what is native to his or her parents. 

And the rest of the week....well, I'm watching a bit of Whoopi Goldberg....Sister Act.  I have befriended a wonderful cat named Tic-Toc, he greats us at the door, in and out, of course close to dinner time.... and we found a puppy across the road, whom I want to adopt, unfortunately he looks like he might be owned, he just may have worms (most likely) and a bum leg! 

Well I miss you all lots and lots!  I'll write more soon, I know I am leaving out some things that I had wanted to tell you...me and my short-term memory! 

Panamanianisms...a glossary of sorts

1.  Panamanians don't go out in the rain!  (A full Sunday 7/31/11)
 2.  Car language, involving the horn, which we learned on the causeway: (A Full Sunday 7/31/11)

1. beep, bip, bip, beep, bip -- this means: "hi, look at me, I'm over here, how are you?...maybe I'm       "hitting" on you...are you interested?
2. Beeeeep -- MOVE, Your in my way!
3. bip, bip --- Do you want a ride? ---usually a taxi
4. bip, bip -- thank you

3.  Many traditional Panamanians do not go immediately from something cold to something hot (A full Sunday 7/31/11)

A full Sunday

Today was my first day of church in the area.  The church that I attended was Crossroad Bible Church.  It was good, not home, but everyone here is so friendly!  An amazing story was told today in church, though.  A family here, originally from Columbia, has just recently moved permanently to Guinea.  The reason that this story is so impressive, the family has asked the church to STOP giving to them!  Pastor Steve, started out this story with a story from scripture, Exodus (I believe chapter 35), here the Israelites had been building the tabernacle and the community had been so giving that they had exceeded what was needed for the making of the tabernacle, in fact, they had much too much.  As a result Moses told the community to stop giving.  I have NEVER heard of anyone telling a community to stop giving!  I must say that I am impressed with this family!

And so after church!  Today was beautiful, sunny all day!  So I went for a walk....a fairly long walk...an hour or so... to El Club de Equitacion Club Clayton---I found some horses!  Of course, they were closed :(  But I found some!  The club is closed, as are most establishments on Sundays, so I will need to find another day to visit and hopefully, they'll like me and let me in on a more regular basis!   I am thinking a riding club for the school?.... :) 

Well, after walking all the way to the club, I caught a taxi home, it was nice to not be slightly nervous, while walking, of crocodiles!  I have yet to see any crocodiles, however, I heard that they were an issue last year, they scare me!  On my walk out, I found myself leaning away from any small creek, pond, or sewer!

The rest of the day, I worked on lesson planning, and I feel I was relatively productive!  Had dinner with Abby and Cheryl, and came home.  We have a new teacher arriving tomorrow morning at 1, in the morning.  And we are still in search of a music teacher...if anyone knows of someone who would like to teach in Panama!

Well, the days are getting earlier, tomorrow I arrive at school at 8, soon it will be much closer to 6:30, on that note, I think it may be nearing my bed time!

One Full Week

So, I am thinking that there will be an added post called: Rebecca's Panamanianisms .....I'll probably just edit it throughout the year!

So my first one:  Panamanians don't go out in the rain!
Mind you it IS warm out here, I have yet to experience temperatures below 70.  Most likely they don't go out because it IS their winter.   But I like being outside as you all know!  So yesterday, Cheryl (my roommate), Abby (the 4th grade teacher), and I all went for a walk on the causeway.  We returned SOAKED!  Our shoes are still wet today from Saturday.....we don't keep our apartment too cold! 

So, the causeway is a walkway that has been built to connect three islands on the Pacific side of the canal.  The causeway, so I have learned was built using all of the land that was dug up in building the canal.  And if you did not know, they are planning on expanding the canal for larger ships in the next couple of years!

Some more Panamanianisms:  Car language, involving the horn, which we learned on the causeway:

1.  beep, bip, bip, beep, bip -- this means: "hi, look at me, I'm over here, how are you?...maybe I'm hitting on you...are you interested?
2.  Beeeeep -- MOVE, Your in my way!
3.  bip, bip --- Do you want a ride? ---usually a taxi
      or
4.  bip, bip -- thank you

And then today at church, I learned about a "superstition":  Many traditional Panamanians do not go immediately from something cold to something hot.  For example, if you are cooking over the stove, one would NOT go to the refrigerator to grab something for dinner.  For this reason, many Panamanians have 2 maids.  One who only works with hot things, such as the ironing and cooking, and one who works with the cold things, such as the refrigerator, or maybe washing the floors.  Interesting huh?

2 days in

So, I'm here.  I know that it was sudden, and Sunday was exhausting, but it now feels like a week has gone by!  There is so much to absorb!  I am, as expected, going to battling, with my cultural independence...I currently have to depend on others for rides.  Yesterday, Cheryl and I walked from the school, on a busy street, because we didn't really want to wait.  It was safe enough, but we got muddy feet!  We found a huge tree to climb, which we were kindly told NOT to climb, a pool, for 2 dollars, and a bakery, pizza, and convenience store.  Everyone is very kind here, we have been offered many rides, and for the most part, no one but taxi drivers, have gotten frustrated with our lack of language expertise!

So, I'll quickly give you a time-line update and background

Cheryl:
--she is my roommate, from Texas, we are both 2nd born of four children (3 girls and 1 boy), our favorite color is yellow, we both are simple, and I guess don't eat very much....she eats less than I!

Sunday:

• arrived about 1:00 in the afternoon, we quickly realized it was always HUMID here, not necessarily hot, but HUMID!
• We were taken to our fully furnished apartment, with some food, and didn't have enough time to unpack before the kind neighbor, the school's librarian, was over and introducing himself, a sweet man!  But we may have not been the best company as we were tired!
• mind you....Cheryl and I, both, did not sleep on Saturday night!
• Mindy, one of the teachers, stopped by later in the afternoon, maybe 5:00, helped us unpack, and then came back a bit later to pick us up for pizza, and brought us back home afterwards
• We went to sleep!  I was exhausted!

Monday:

• Orientation today!
• We met everyone else who is new this year, there are about 12 of us. 
• Went over Panama culture
• Left about 11:00 
• Cheryl and I, joined a tour....no one else from the school went on this, but we made some new friends, I think they are friends from the church, Carmella, and Sonya, seem to be wonderful!
• We toured the city in a trolley and learned that Panamanians, although they don't drive fast, get in many fender benders!...they drive as if they are all in bumper cars!
• We arrived home about 7:00 ate a ham and cheese melt
• We explored our yard a bit, and the garage, found the button that turned on our hot water!
• Found a termite nest
• made friends with the neighborhood cats
• ....and SLEPT!

Tuesday:

• Orientation-- we got computers for our classroom today, learned a bit about renweb--the computer system for the school, and saw our classrooms!  They are nice, and we seem to have all the amenities
• We couldn't seem to find a ride as soon as we may have liked and so we walked home
• Stopped at the Chinese Garden, a fruit stand, where I got diced mango for a $1.50, there were probably 3 mangos in there!  They were delicious!
• On the way home we explored, Clayton, the old military base, where we are staying.  The military base is very large, but has been converted into a residential area since America left Panama in 1999. 

Wednesday (Today):

• Orientation---we went over the philosophy of the school, Biblical Integration, which doesn't seem as easy to accomplish as I originally thought. 
• At about 11:00 everyone came together for orientation, we played a name game, and then ate lunch together, we had chicken, salad, rice and beans, plantains, soda, I think that's it....
• Cheryl and I decided to be explorative and jumped on a bus to the mall.  The buses are old school buses from the states, called diablo rojo (the red devils) I guess they drive a bit crazy, and so they do!  But it only cost a quarter
• The mall was huge, I didn't get anything, I was overwhelmed! 
• Left the mall, found the bus terminal to travel elsewhere, like costa rica, and maybe the beach
• Took the Taxi home, that cost five fifty, too much, but at least we talked them down from eight dollars!  I think it should have only been three dollars or so, but their excuse was traffic! Maybe that's true....

So it has been good, and full so far.  I suppose maybe a few of my dashed expectations:

• the beach is an hour away, I want to go so badly!
• I can't talk to my family on the phone or skype or anything yet and I want to!
• transportation is disappointing
• The sun ALWAYS goes down at 6:00 everyday. 
• It's rainy season, so sunny in the morning, but in the afternoon, the clouds roll in....don't expect me to have a tan in December...the next time you see me!

Tomorrow:

• Orientation, who knows what the rest of the day will be!
• Tonight....I need to do some school work, look at the web, log in, and maybe, just maybe, get an idea for my curriculum for the year!

Love you all so much!  As of right now feel free to comment or write here, otherwise I have ichat, skype, and my e-mail: rhexom81@gmail.com