Tacos!

(written Sunday, February 26... I think)

So, it’s randomly worked out that our entire advanced Spanish group is teaching at the same school. We start work tomorrow! I’m very anxious to see what Urraca is like, and which teacher I will be working with.

Last night, our Spanish teacher, Maria Isabel, invited us over to her house for tacos. Her house was beautiful! There was a big back porch with pillow seats and a hammock. We met up at the bus stop in town to go there together. After we bought some beer and wine, we waited for the bus for over 45 minutes! There’s a big pilgrimage taking place to Attalaya so many of the local buses to other neighborhoods were rerouted to Attalaya. Our bus never came, but once we did the math and figured out that a $2 cab split three ways would be the same price as a bus, we opted for that.

Maria Isabel is one of the nicest women I’ve met. We had delicious tacos and Balboa beer. Her oldest daughter came over with her three kids and we all chatted for hours. I made my way inside and starting playing Jenga with the 8 year old and the 5 year old. It was so fun! We stayed there chatting about Panama and all sorts of things. There’s a festival in Portobelo on the Caribbean coast de Congo, celebrando los cimmarones.

I didn’t get home until midnight! That’s a big deal for me here, as I usually go to bed around 9pm. It’s tiring to exist in Spanish all day long!

Today, I napped and lounged in my bed until 3pm. It was amazing. My host mom has confirmed that she will be in Ocu every weekend, which is kind of bittersweet. It’s nice to know that I will really have indpendence in these 11 months – that would be a long time to be under a microscope. But right now, when I don’t really know anyone or have any sort of routine it’s a bit of a bummer. I really wish I were living at the house of my Spanish teacher – she and I click so well; she’ appreciates my craziness! J

After my lounging morning and afternoon, I went to the Do It Center! Which is sort of like hardware store meets target. I FINALLY bought a pillow top mattress pad. I am so excited to sleep tonight without feeling each and ever spring underneath me. AND  I bought a pillow. Tonight is going to be good.

I trid to get to the internet today to post something like this blog entry, but the internet at the pizza place was down. So I’ve decided to start writing the blog entries on my computer and then just posting multiple at a time when I do get internet. So, “tomorrow” has probably already happened when you read this.

You can call my cell phone if you want, but I know international calls are expensive. I think they might be a little cheaper if you use skype or google talk to call. I’m not sure.

Will write again once I see my school and have my first day.

Abrazos!