Sorry, it’s been a little bit, but may I remind you that I am actually in school here in Panama, so it may be a bit depending on what I am doing. But I am having a blast in the country of Panama that is for sure (and yes I am also getting my studying in on the side).
There are some things that I feel I have yet to describe about this lovely country. Panama is different from most places I have ever been the days are different the life is different. But different is good, great actually. I have been told numerous times “if you need something done in life… Panama is not the place for you. But if you want to learn how to live life then Panama is where you will find it.” It’s only slightly perfect when you think of it, but its imperfection breads a very enjoyable time.
I was speaking with a friend from school, who is a local and we were discussing before we all went out one Sunday night the ideas of different world cities. Her take was that New York was one of the liveliest cities and that it never sleeps. Which sure is true, but try to find a nice place in NYC that is open twenty-four hours, impossible. She complained about Panama City being empty at night among other things. My argument is that Panama City is on the liveliest cities I have ever been to! In Panama City the skyline is littered with tall towers that are mostly residences and some business, and the lights are normally off at night. In NYC the lights never go out because people are always up working. In Panama City the lights are out because people are off living. Not to mention there are PLENTY of fine places open twenty-four hours. How could you not go wrong!
I have been a few other places since coming to Panama. The entire ground one evening went off to a Cultural dance and dinner presentation. Like a dinner show type event, the Panamanians showed off some cultural dances. Most of them were pretty much what you would think for Latin and South America, big flowing skirts on the woman and fast moving feet for the men, with a girl chasing after a guy and a guy chasing over a girl and everyone going all together crazy. Along with some wedding dances that involved elaborate jewelry. Only one dance really stood out from all of the traditional and local flavor, which was a dance which was on men in which the men dressed up in the HUGE demon head dress type things. It reminded me on one of the Chinese Dragon customs that you see around Chinese New Year. They were huge and they were scary! If I was under the age of five I would have been in tears. The beast jumped around the dancing stage and called on something, which I did not really understand because my Spanish is still a little shaky (though people are very impressed about the strides I have made to attempt to get better!).
Our group also took an adventure trip to a cave. Which is something I have always wanted to do! There is a museum, which ironically happens to be a UF, that my mother used to take my brother and I to as kids. There was a cave exhibit in which there was a mock up cavern, which some UF students once explored. Since I was about five I have wanted to do something similar. The cave was way out in a village north of the city in the rainforest. The cave opened like most other caves with a huge rock hole. Though before we went in they had a big lecture about how we will be in water that is probably over our heads and there will be snakes, bats, killer spiders, other assorted insects that can probably kill you. LOVLEY! PERFECT! Getting this lectured at before I walk into a cave to someone who happens to be along deathly afraid of fish… not the best plan. Most of the time I was more freaked out than able to enjoy what could have been a better adventure. The entire cave was obviously rock bottom, which had little to no traction and then you would all of a sudden end up in eight feet of water. It was supposed to be a fun Sunday adventure, more like a circus parade in the case of our group. Due to the fact we have a mix of age groups and a diverse mix of people it turned out to be a very interesting time. I have done it once; I almost killed myself numerous times. I am not going again.
Panama is an isthmus, which means nothing to most people but to a select group of students it means you are always on the water. Or the beach is only a matter of minutes away, or so one would think. Last Saturday we decided to take a little adventure to la playa. It was a disaster… more or less I am never going to EVER listen to guys EVER when they claim to know where they are going. A quick walk to the beach turned into a five mile hike up and over through the deep rainforest, across a river through a stream over a mountain up a tree, to find a road to find a path that would eventually lead us to the water, and maybe to a beach. I am not exaggerating. We only ended up spending about an hour at the beach, before we made the two and a half hour hike back in the opposite direction.
Last weekend may have been a mess, but this weekend we are taking a school field trip to what I have only been described to as Paradise. The cartoon version of Paradise, the idea most of the world is familiar with, happens to be white sand beaches, huge palm trees, hammocks and overall uninhabited land surrounded by a huge blue ocean. That idea came from San Blas or Kuna Yala. Where FSU is taking us this weekend. We are flying out (on a plane…) from Panama City at some ungodly hour (we don’t even plan on sleeping the night before it is so early!). We are going to snorkel, and lay on a beach for two days. I don’t think life could get much better?
Until then I am going to watch the boats go by in the canal and possibly take in a class or two? As always more to come.
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