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!

Photo link

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!