First 3 Days

So I made it to Panama! The first night in Panama City was a lot of fun. The KC people (which was only 5 of the 23 of us) got to experience Carnival which is like a Marti Gras that each town celebrates in their own way. We got to go to Panama City’s. It was interesting as first because as soon as we walked in I got sprayed with something wet. I thought it was spit but now I think it was these foam spray things. We were big targets since we´re gringos walking through Carnival so we got hit with spray foam and confetti a lot. The next day we picked up the St. Louis people at the airport and headed into El Cope. From El Cope we hiked into La MICA (the station we´re saying at). It is so beautiful up there. The hike is pretty dangerous but compared to other ways of climbing a mountain, it´s not that bad. We had dinner when we first got there. Julie and Pablo and Pablo’s family is taking really great care of us! The food here is really good too. I wish I could try more things but I´ve been feeling kind of nauseous since Panama City. While dinner was being served the generator went out so we all had to go find our flashlights in the dark. It was quite entertaining. Then after dinner, the first thing we did was put up our mosquito nets around our beds.
Yesterday we hiked up to El Cope to learn where the shops and stuff were. Then we went to the national park that we´ll be working in part of the time. The path was nice and easy to climb and the park is really beautiful. To get there we rode in Chivas, which are basically like a truck with benches in the back and a bar to hold onto. We´re holding on trying to not fall out as we go over some of the worst roads and potholes! Considering the park is further in the mountians, most of it was uphill which made trying to stay in even more exciting. My arms are really sore today from it and it really bangs up your body since you´re tring to keep your balance. There was another Chiva which was a standing one but I only rode in the sitting one.
While we were at the park, we walked around and looked at plans and saw where the frog/lizard/other people working at night would be. After seeing how steep and vegetative everything it, I´m kind of glad I¨m not working at night, although it would be an experience. I would just be scared of not seeing where I was going and stepping on an anmial...not pleasant. After going through the park, some people went on a really "treacherous" path of wet rocks and things. Some of us stayed back so I did too because I would have killed myself. Especially since it started pouring down rain while they were out.
I´ll upload some pictures later hopefully, mostly to catalog my injuries thus far. In Panama City, Maeve and I kept running into the side of the bed so there´s a bruise on my leg from that. Within my first turn the first time we hiked to La MICA, I fell on the rock and cut my leg, which of course bruised. Then on the way back to La MICA yesterday I had some mud on my boots and I was going through the rocks on the stream and I fell. I have a feeling this is only the beginning. I better have some good scars or stories to tell!
We have our History midterm tomorrow, which I´m not ready for so I´m hoping to get sometime to review for that tonight. I also have to read my book and some articles so I´m ready to discuss. My book and article are both due next week. We leave for Kuna Yala on Monday and we´ll be there Tuesday. They don´t have electricity and are a mariarchial society so I´m excited to see it. That shall be my next blog! Hopefully I´ll get to come here once a week or so to blog. Right now the being without phone or internet hasn´t been too bad, but now that I´ve had it for a couple of hours I don´t really want to give it up. That´s all I have for now!

PANAMA PANAMA-AH

Okay so this is it. The last post before I leave in the AM! I'm super excited and actually ready. My paper is done but I still have some packing to do. I'm looking forward to finally being there and crushing that picture I've had in my head all this time. I'm really glad we KC people get to have a night in Panama City before we head into camp. It'll be nice to relax a bit after traveling all day! The only thing that is making me nervous now is the work that has to be done, school and project wise when we get there...hopefully that's a good thing. I still need to clean out my backpack, try to get organized, make a list and try to sleep before getting to the airport by 6:30 AM. EEK!
So last words before I go? Naa, I'd rather just jump.

Single Digits!

We're getting into the single digit countdown to leaving. It's like it's sneeking up on us so quickly! This weekend has forced me to deal with some of the emotional stuff with leaving for two months. My uncle came in from Atlanta to see me and saying bye to him was when it hit me. Then I had to say bye to a good friend of mine, the majority of my extend family by a 2 year-old birthday party coincidence, and family friends…rough day. I have to say bye to Kirksville this week. For some reason I’m thinking I’m leaving forever instead of just two months. I, like Courtney, haven’t slept in like over a week. I thought I was the only one who was making continuous lists in their head! I still have to pack which is a weird thing for me since I’m a day before/day of packer so this planning thing is a difficult thing.

In JINS we talked about the stages of culture shock and I think I’m going through it already…I don’t know if that’s allowed yet. I was super stoked and now I’m a little hostile, but hopefully I’ll just keeping going through it so by the time we get there I’ll love it!

So much to do, such little numbers on the countdown.

Week 3

I had a really fantastic weekend visiting the Botanical Gardens with Stacy and Joey! We really wished Traci could have been there! I feel like Stacy’s and Joey's blog explain and give it much better justice than I could. But from my experience, every one was so so nice and I learned so much. I loved seeing Joey so excited (it is your calling, my friend). I have to confess, however, that I still dislike plants, but I do have a greater appreciation for what those amazing people do.

Wow, I can't wait to go. The anticipation is killing me.

On another note: I feel that this semester is exactly what I needed. I wish there was less reading but this kind of hands-on experience is coming at the perfect time for me. I actually feel myself changing. I'm not really sure how I'm changing, but it is happening. I'm looking forward to this week and to see what the last full week before we leave brings us. I just hope I can get everything done. But while watching Boy Meets World and procrastinating, Mr.Feeny taught me something: teachers make things difficult to push that nugget of knowledge and potential in your brain in order to make you a better student. Thank you Mr.Feeny...I guess that means I need to go read.