Our First Christmas in Panama and the Last Post of the Year!

There is something magical about the holiday season. Whether it be the crisp, cool air; the overload of sweet and fattening foods (who doesn't love cookies and fudge?); or the sense of giving and receiving. This year was magical in it's own way too. Not only did we spend our first Christmas in Panama, but Robert's sister and her family came and we got to celebrate with them.

At the beginning of the week our town had a Christmas parade. The festival had food vendors and small trinket toys. We were told the parade was going to start at 6pm, but in Panama fashion, it started over an hour late. Once it started different themed floats drove through town. Santa must have had a few helpers since there were three Santas at the parade! Although we did not stay long after, we were told they gave out over 100 bicycles as part of a free raffle. It was a fun way to kick off the week.

Before the parade started

A few days later Robert's sister, her husband, and their 16 month old daughter came down. I cannot recall a day we did not go down to the beach or did some sort activity. Robert's sister and her husband had a lot of firsts, including going paddle boarding in an ocean, surfing, going to a Spanish mass, and buying a fish from one of the local fishermen (which resulted in some firsts for us too). It was a busy five days, but it was also fun.

One of the fun things also was that we went surfing on Christmas. I remember growing up and thinking about how much fun it would be to have a family have a tradition like that. Now that we have done it once, I hope the it sticks! Christmas was also filled with fireworks. I personally did not hear too many of them, but I know our bigger dog was not very happy about them.

Next up is New Years. Writing this made me realize this will be my last post of 2015! New Years is supposedly huge here with fireworks, parties, and the like. Our plans are not completely set in stone yet. We are both looking forward to celebrating and are trying to figure out how to keep our dogs happy too (tranquilizers do not work for either of them...).

In the spirit of New Years, here are a few facts about our year, which may or may not be surprising....

Biggest accomplishment of the year:
R- Operating our own business and building some successful relationships.
N- Living in another country and learning about a new language and culture.

Any New Years resolutions?
N- I rarely make resolutions, but if I had to make one it would be to push myself harder to continue learning Spanish.
R- I also want to push myself to learn more Spanish this new year.

What are you looking forward to most next year?
R- Ghostbusters...
N-Seeing what new twists and turns life brings us. The year 2015 was a pretty exciting year as it was!

May the new year bring you and your family health, happiness, and peace!

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An Unexpected Travel Plan

Robert and I made an unexpected trip to Arizona. We booked our tickets last Monday and were on a plane Wednesday. This was my first trip back to the US in over 10 months and Robert's trip to the US in five months. Few people in Panama knew we were leaving for Arizona and only a handful of people knew we were in Arizona. Sorry if we did not get to see you this trip!

Common questions I got from the people I did see were what we missed. Robert missed considerate drivers. I missed leafy salads (in Panama a salad is more like a slaw), brussels sprouts, and fresh blue berries. It was also great to be able to see some of my friends who I consider family. I missed them the most.

One thing that was hard to imagine was how any place could be cold enough to require a warm jacket. Was Arizona always this cold in December?

The car recently had a new battery put in, hence the year

While we were in Arizona we stayed busy spending time with family, having an early Christmas with the family. We also went bowling and played lots of pool. We also had a chance to go to the Gilbert Food Truck Court in downtown Gilbert before they move their location. It was our first time there. Although it was cold outside, it was a very fun experience. 

After a week in Arizona, we were ready to go home. Both of us missed our dogs and begin close to the ocean among other things we have grown to love about Panama. Our trip back to Arizona was nice but there is nothing better than coming back home.

A Year Ago this Week...

...marked a huge milestone for Robert and me. This time last year we were in Panama working on the process to make our move permanent. It is hard to believe that a year has gone by already. A country that once seemed foreign seems a little less that way each day.

Here are a few flashback pictures from our trip last year:

The first time we saw the house we are renting.
Now it feels just like home.

Going over the Canal used to be so exciting.
Now it is just a way to get to and from the City.

It's hard to believe that about six weeks later we sold most of our stuff including our vehicles and moved to Panama. People often ask whether we would ever move back. Never say never, but at this time in our lives, Panama is home.

Craft Fair for the Holidays

Holiday season is officially here, both in the stores and in my mind. Stores are decorated with Christmas decor, and Christmas tree vendors are plentiful. English class was cancelled so the non-profit could host a holiday arts and crafts fair, and Santa was going to make an appearance!

While Robert and I briefly saw Santa, one of the main reasons we went was to visit with some of our friends who were vendors at the fair. I personally did not expect to buy anything since most of our Christmas shopping is done (thank you Amazon). I admit, I was a bit delusional.

Like any craft fair, you are sure to find plenty of original and unique work. While this was not the biggest fair we've been to, this one had a variety of things to buy. It was great to see people's work and hear their pride in their hobby/idea they are trying to launch. While you can get that at any fair, this was a bit smaller and felt personalized; it also probably did not help with the fact that we know some of the vendors.

Although we did not try it, somebody said that you could buy chorizo (which is more of a sausage rather than the Mexican chorizo many North Americans may be familiar with) and potato salad for $2. Talk about a bargain! It was a fun way to spend the afternoon. It also helped with the reality that Christmas is just around the corner!

Thanksgiving in Panama

A November Thanksgiving in Panama does not really exist except to Americans (Canadians have their Thanksgiving in October). The last Thursday of the month is just another day around Panama for most people. Robert and I originally had no plans on celebrating but we accepted a last minute invitation.

By chance we came across frozen brussels sprouts, which were the first ones I have seen in over 10 months. I grabbed six boxes with the intention of keeping four for us. After we were told to anticipate over 25 people at the party, I knew I would have to give them up and hope more would be at the store later. In addition to the sprouts, Robert made delicious honey butter to accompany rolls. Our traditional comfort food was well on its way. 

In preparation for today, Robert and I tried not to eat a lot. We started the day off running errands and incidentally had the breakfast of champions. Don't judge!

The host told us that dinner would be served around 12:30 but to come as early as 11:30. Robert and I got to the condo around 12:15 and we were the first ones there. Eventually people started coming and by 2:30 the food was ready which is typical in Panama. Interestingly enough, this was the first Thanksgiving for the majority of the people who came as there were people from seven different countries at the party including Panama, Venezuela, Argentina, the United States, Canada, Great Britain, and Australia.

Ironically, the Australians are the ones that volunteered to cook the birds (which were chickens due to everything coming together last minute), but there was also a turkey. Their stories about cooking a bird for the holiday was hilarious, in part because the chicken still had its head and feet attached. I overheard another person saying that this is a very common way to get chickens from the butcher (frozen, packaged ones don't really exist here).

There was a lot of delicious food that omnivores and carnivores could enjoy. 

Can you guess whose plate is whose?

After we left the party we went back to the store to get more brussels sprouts. They were gone and frozen chopped spinach had taken their place. And this, ladies and gentlemen was why I was hoarding them, and I turn into this: 

I am thankful for a lot of things. I am grateful for Robert, my family/friends, living in Panama, our dogs, our health, being able to eat brussels sprouts, and being able to have our first Panamanian Thanksgiving. 

Interestingly enough, although Thanksgiving is not a tradition for most Panamanians, Black Friday has infiltrated stores here. From what I have been told by expats living here for 5+ years Black Friday and the commercialization of Christmas is a relatively recent tradition here. And for those of you wondering, I will not be participating in Black Friday festivities.  

Panamanians are catching on quicker than
the Americans

While I know not everyone celebrates Thanksgiving, today was a fun day to see people come together. After all, this is what the holidays for us are about family, friends, and good memories. Happy Thanksgiving everyone!

Our First Movie Theater Experience

I have to be honest: I enjoy The Hunger Games books and movies. Seeing the latest movie once a year on opening weekend has become an accidental tradition. Despite what we originally thought, being in Panama had no bearing on our ability to see the movie opening weekend which enabled us to have our first movie theater experience. 

When you see a movie in Panama they either have Spanish subtitles or are dubbed over. If it is a popular movie, you have to see the subtitled version quickly. We have found that those versions do not stay in theaters very long before the only showtimes they offer are dubbed. 

Because of how quickly subtitled movies go, we wanted to be sure to try to see the movie opening day, if possible. The plan was to get the tickets (just in case it was busy) and get dinner and come back for the 8:00 showing. The show times online were very different than the actual show times. It was 6:30 when we got to the theater and the movie started at 6:35. 

Robert stood in line for the tickets while I stood in line for the food. We had no idea how much either of these would be so Robert gave me $30 so I could buy us "dinner." Ten minutes later Robert had the tickets and I had the food. 

The cost of an evening showing in 3-D was $7.75 a person. What surprised us the most was how you literally pick your seats (they are all the same price) and you were expected to sit at the seats you picked. The picture above was our ticket which was different than the typical stubs you get in the States. 

Dinner included two 32 oz drinks, a hotdog, nachos, a large popcorn (I hope it was it was a large and not a medium), and Skittles.  After spending $15 for food we were ready to go. When we got into the theater it was us and a handful of other people; not at all what I was used to, especially on an opening night.

I am not sure what it is about this movie but it seems like we always sit next to the talkers and the people who have never read the book. This time proved no different. A woman and her mother showed up late and sat in our row and talked throughout much of the movie. They were talking so much Robert and I eventually moved down a few seats. 

They, along with other people in the theater clapped and "awed" during a few scenes. The Hunger Games may be a guilty pleasure but my guilty pleasure stops after I watch the movie one time. 

Despite the talkative people our first movie theater experience was a positive one. The movie itself was not anything fantastic but it made for a fun date night. We have been meaning to see a movie and Thursday night we finally did. 

A Trip to the City

One of the things I enjoy about my job is that I have an excuse to travel and be a tourist. I admit, there are easily 100 different places I want to visit in Panama and this week I got to cross one more off the list. This week we took a trip to Panama City and visited the BioMuseo. 

This building is a landmark when you leave Panama City. People I talk to seem to either love or hate the building design. I like it if only for the uniqueness of the building.

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The building’s design is meant to tell the story of the formation of the isthmus and how it connected two continents and the influence that this had on biodiversity. There are several ongoing projects that will continue to add to Gehry’s design and is expected to be completed in 2020. The focus of the BioMuseo is to focus on Panama's biodiversity.

The inside of the museum was very interesting and educational. Robert and I seemed to enjoy the museum just as much as the middle schoolers that were walking around. Robert enjoyed the new knowledge he gained about how Panama was formed. I second Robert in saying I learned a lot from the museum. Neither of us realized that Panama was not originally part of North or South America and that Panama was formed from volcanoes. 

Animals that live or have existed in Panama to size.
The giant "bear" looking animal is a giant sloth

Who knew this post would be educational? This week included several trips to Panama City but this was one of the more enjoyable things we did (the other ones were for work). It was interesting to learn about the animals and the diversity in Panama.

I Missed a Week and Almost Missed this Week Too!

 Last week there were two paid Panamanian holidays. That meant parades, a lot of flags being flown,  a lot of beach goers, and us staying barricaded in our house as much as possible due to the high amounts of traffic. We did venture out to paddle board again and this time it was a bit easier than the first. That was our week in a nutshell.

Right now we are dealing with sugar ants (also more uncommonly known as pharaoh ants) in our kitchen. I read somewhere that baking soda and powdered sugar help kill them so that is what we are using. We'll see if it works. So far they do not seem to be too interested but that could change.

This week we have a few trips into the city for work and we had a perfect day of paddle boarding earlier this week since the waves were virtually non existent. I have to admit, I think I am hooked and find it to be a nice excuse to go in the water even when the waves are not good for surfing. There is something about the ocean that makes me feel centered and the fact that I get a decent workout out of it is a double whammy.

Life is great. I hope I do not take the times it used to feel near impossible to take time for ourselves before coming here. It is good to feel centered!

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Sickness has Struck!

Is it Sunday already? Where did this week go? Oh wait, I know; I've been sleeping through a lot of it. Robert has had a cold for the past two weeks and I have the flu for the last three days. After thinking we were invincible to some of the typical yearly illnesses, (and I did think that a few weeks ago) I was proven wrong.

Life is very ironic at times and when you feel like you are invincible you are proven wrong! The upside to being sick now is that hopefully we are both well enough to participate in some of the upcoming festivities and holidays. There are a lot of upcoming ones in the month of November.

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While I will not go into a lot of detail, here is a list of the upcoming holidays for November:

2, November- Dia de los Muertos (day of the dead). 

This day is to celebrate and honor ancestors who have died. 

3, November- Separation Day

This holiday celebrates Panama becoming independent from Colombia in 1903.

4, November-Flag Day

Although the current design is significantly different than the original proposed design, this one was designed by a Panamanian to reflect the current politics of the time. 

5, November-Colon Day

Basically Panama's version of Columbus Day

10, November-First Cry of Independence 

This day celebrates when a townsmen from a village called La Villa de Los Santos requested help from Colombia with gaining independence from Spain. Eighteen days later Panama was no longer under Spain's control. Panama would remain under Colombia's reign for the next 80 years until 3, November 1903. 

28, November-Independence Day

A celebration of independence from Spain. 

A few other facts that I am sure people may be wondering:

• Halloween is really only celebrated by expats (aka foreigners) here, although many stores sell costumes and Halloween candy. Why? Why not, I guess
• Thanksgiving is another holiday for expats and is not celebrated in Panama. Although Black Friday has trickled down to this part of the world.

Needless to say, things here are going to be pretty crazy soon. It is exciting to start rounding out our year of being in Panama with being able to be part of the festivities. Fingers crossed that we are not sick by the time the celebrations start!

A Standup Paddleboard Experience

This week has been boring. I was expecting a snake in the shower this morning to give me yet another thing to blog about, but no such thing happened. And I'm okay with that. But something awesome did happen, we got to go out and get a lesson on Standup Paddleboarding, or other times abbreviated SUP.

What is this you might ask? Basically it is a larger surfboard that you paddle around. People also do other things with it, including  race, surf, yoga, and fish. No yoga on my first lesson; I was just happy that I stood up!

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It was a pretty choppy day that day so I didn't stay out long, but I could definitely see the appeal to this. While I could see myself doing more paddle boarding than I am now, I think surfing on a surfboard will continue to be my method of surfing.

In other news, one of our air-conditioning units went out! We have three individual ones in the house: one in each room and in the living room. Ours went out in the living room. This is primarily the reason why this post is so late. Who really wants to do anything when it is 90 in the house with no breeze?

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Luckily the air conditioning unit works just fine in the bedroom. It is not the most fun thing right now, but it will be fixed in no time and until then, I can be reminded of just all of the luxuries I take for granted.

A Bucket List Milestone

This week was really exciting. As some of you may know, I have a bucket list and I was able to cross one off this week: I donated blood! For those of you wondering, yes, I have a physical bucket list and I have been writing ideas in it for some time. One of them was to donate blood. So alas, after 5+ years of having that on my bucket list I was finally able to say I have done it!

The rest of the page is blurry on purpose...I also realized I put the wrong day.
I normally put the dates as day/month/year. Oops!

It was a fantastic opportunity and I learned a lot about donating blood in the process. A few facts:

• One blood donation can save up to 3 lives, not including babies which may only need 1 teaspoon of blood
• Donations are only good for 6 weeks after the collection date
• Every 2 seconds somebody in the US needs blood. I'm not sure what the statistic is in Panama. 

The actual donation did not take long. In fact, Robert was sitting in the chair next to me and I was able to fill my bag by the time his phlebotomist had him going (between 5-10 minutes). I was kind of hoping to be able to race him, but that didn't happen. 

The worst part of the process was getting pricked by the lancet to find out my blood type. How do people with diabetes do it multiple times a day? The best parts were that I was able to check something off my bucket list (yay!), and that I think it is special that I may have saved somebody's life.

Now on to the next thing to check off: bungee jumping into a pool of sharks swimming in hot lava.

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