Limited Use of Internet and Moving

I know I have been bad about blogging lately. Honestly, a part of me felt like nobody was reading the blogs, and so I gave up posting anything. I take enough photos that I have the memories to show for it, and writing is just an added benefit. But now I am back and I must say that I missed writing.

We recently moved to a condo about 20 minutes away from our old house San Carlos. Because of our move, we have been without internet until recently. I had internet access using my phone as a hotspot, but I tried to limit my usage. It was quite liberating in ways. I finally finished my book, I am Malala. I also found few excuses to not unpack, despite it not being something I particularly enjoy doing.

Uhaul trucks does not exist here, so we hired a truck
and moved in typical Panamanian fashion!

We still have some unpacking to do, but mostly for miscellaneous boxes that we put in a spare room and pictures. Our condo is slowly starting to feel at home, despite some of the quirks it has. Not all of the bathrooms and sinks get hot water yet. I think part of that is due to the fact that this particular unit was unoccupied for a while.

The other quirk that will take time is that my oven is in degrees Celsius. I learned earlier this week that 400º F is about 204º C and 350ºF is about 175ºC.  Google will be my friend for a while until I memorize the differences. The bonus? I have a large kitchen! I do not like sharing my kitchen when cooking, but now, just maybe, I can manage. I did earlier with Robert and we both survived.

The dogs seem to be adjusting also. At first neither seemed too fond of the condo.After putting a barrier around our balcony our bigger dog spends the whole day outside. Both dogs enjoy going on two walks a day rather than the one.

We have also started trying to get in better physical shape. Robert and I try to use the stairs over the elevator except for when we have groceries. I even took our little dog up and down 11 flights of stairs one time!

The views of the sunrises and sunsets are amazing and always seem to greet us with beautiful hues of pink, orange, and blue. While we are both grateful for our house in San Carlos, we have found our new home. Now if only a magic genie can appear so we can finish unpacking ;) 

Harley Quinn and Domestic Violence

It has been a while since I have posted anything about what is going on in Panama. There are a couple of reasons for this, but that is for another post. Today I thought I would put my two cents on something that has some people up in arms: The Suicide Squad, Harley Quinn and how she is treated in the movie. This blog may contain spoilers.

Suicide Squad has many people upset about how Harley is treated, especially by the Joker.  Articles state frustration over why Harley is treated and how she continues to go back to her abuser (or finds other abusive relationships) and further more, how the movie glorifies this with Harley.

A quick Google search with the terms "Harley Quinn Joker" has search suggestions of "Harley Quinn  Joker abusive relationship".

This is Harley Quinn. If you came to watch this movie thinking that she was going to some how change from being a dependent, psychologically tortured person, that is fine; but don't complain that she is instead portrayed as she is in the comics/cartoons.

Side note: If the movie gets people fired up, where is the outrage in this as the cartoons are aimed at children?

It it does not take very much searching either on Google or Youtube to discover that domestic violence between Harley and the Joker are reoccurring themes. Joker can be seen kicking Harley out of buildings, pushing her in pools of acid, or otherwise berating and blaming her for his frustrations and missed opportunities of assassinating Batman. One specific event in the comic book involves Harley foiling Joker's plans to kill her. Harley, given the chance to kill the Joker, instead shoots him in the shoulder for all of the abuse she has endured. Throughout their history, Harley leaves Joker but them comes back to him after he apologizes (spoiler alert, this also happens after she shoots him).

This is the character's history, and while it might be unsettling, it is a reality that will be experienced by over 30% of the US population in some point in their lifetime (Wihbey, 2015; Devries, Mak, Garcia-Moreno, Petzold, Child, Falder, Lim, Bacchus, Engell, Rosenfeld, Pallitto, Vos, Abrahams & Watts, 2013).  One research article indicates that worldwide numbers in some regions were up to 70 percent (Alejo, 2014). The annual cost of domestic violence relationships in the United States with 2008 statistics were close $5.8 billion (Payne & Wermeling, 2009).

Harley and the Joker's relationship follows the typical patterns and phases of domestic violence. In 1979, Lenore Walker developed the theory that domestic violence occurs in cycles (Micah Projects Inc).

Domestic Violence Solutions for Santa Barbara County (2016). 

This cycle has three phases. The frequency and number of cycles can vary from multiple times in a day, to weeks or months (Domestic Violence Roundtable, 2008). The relationship between Harley and Joker appears to easily fall in this cycle throughout the comic books and animated series.

The Joker is portrayed in a movie scene as about to give Harley electric shocks. She asks if he is going to kill her. He states he does not want to kill her, only to hurt her "really, really bad." Harley responds she can take the pain and the scene ends. In another scene, he asks Harley to prove he loves her by jumping in a pool of acid and "living for him". She does and he then jumps in the pool and saves her. Apparently the cartoon/comic version is that Harley was pushed into the pool.

I do not personally share the outrage of domestic violence being shown in Suicide Squad among the two characters, especially compared to what I have read and remember about the cartoon and comic books. Instead, I am glad that it is bringing attention to the issue. Abusive relationships are not fiction.

The characters from the movie all come with their own baggage, which reflected in their violent acts. Harley is no exception as she is accused by her other squad members in the movie of being "pretty on the outside but being ugly on the inside".

Harley is clearly affected psychologically from her treatment by the Joker. She acts characteristicly of somebody who is experiencing psychological trauma. This is the same reality for the millions of people affected by domestic violence. It is not uncommon for the abused to leave their abusers only to return over and over again and have sense of dependance on the abuser (Payne et. al. 2009).

Whether you love or hate the movie, we are talking about characters in world that are obviously fictitious. I love the passion that the movie is creating. Although I do not agree with what is being said per say, it is about time we start talking about the issue and what it looks like. If this movie gets awareness out, then at the end of the day, maybe the disturbing interactions between Harley and the Joker can be construed as beneficial in raising awareness.

Sources: 

Alejo, K. (2014). Long-Term Physical and Mental Health Effects of Domestic Violence. Research Journal of Justice Studies and Forensic Science. 2 (1)
Available at: http://scholarworks.sjsu.edu/themis/vol2/iss1/5 

Devries, K.M., Mak, J.Y.T., Garcia-Moreno, C., Petzold, M., Child, J.C., Falder, G., Lim,  S., Bacchus, L.J., Engell, R.E., Rosenfeld, L., Pallitto, C.,  Vos, T., Abrahams, N. & Watts, C.H. (2013). The global prevalence of intimate partner violence against women. Science 28 (6140) 1527-1528. DOI: 10.1126/science.1240937

Domestic Violence Roundtable (2008). The Cycle of Domestic Violence. Available at: http://www.domesticviolenceroundtable.org/domestic-violence-cycle.html

Domestic Violence Solutions for Santa Barbara County. (2008). The cycle of violence. Available at: http://www.dvsolutions.org/info/cycle.aspx

Micah Projects Inc. The Cycle of Violence. Brisbane Domestic Violence Service. Available at: http://www.bdvs.org.au/resource_files/bdvas/IR_5_Cycle-of-violence-factsheet.pdf

Payne, D. & Wermeling, L. (2009). Domestic violence and the female victim: The real reason why women stay!  Journal of Multicultural, Gender, and Minority Studies 3 (1). Available at: http://www.scientificjournals.org/journals2009/articles/1420.pdf

Wihbey, J. (2015). "Domestic violence and abusive relationships: Research review," Journalists Resource. Available at: http://journalistsresource.org/studies/society/gender-society/domestic-violence-abusive-relationships-research-review. August 17, 2015

A Trip to Parque Arqueológico de El Caño

...or if you are an English speaker, Caño Archeological Park.  We met a group of about 40 people and drove for over an hour on a bus to get to the park. This was a great way to learn more about Panama's history, and a little about archeology. Some of the things we saw dated back to 800 BC, including bones, pottery, and sacrificial stones. 

The burial sites/tombs were interesting. In this particular culture, a man could have up to 10 wives, depending on his wealth. Once he died, everyone else in his family, including slaves, were sacrificed, which enabled them to spend eternity with their loved one. One son was typically spared in order to pass on the family name. This sacrifice was seen as a great honor and those who refused this honor lived in disgrace. 

 It was also not uncommon for a prisoner of war to also be sacrificed.

The sacrificing stones from afar

We got to see a site being excavated. This location had several tombs. The wall of sandbags (right of the picture) shows an area they already excavated. 

Pottery and statues were also viewable to us. 

The trip was worth playing hooky with Spanish class. Not only did we get the opportunity to learn more about Panama's history, we also got to have a fun day to do something unique. I am not entirely sure what this upcoming week will be like, other than more running, which is not such a bad thing anymore (yes, I actually said that). 

Beach Running, Rain, and Applesauce

Sunday made for day seven of regularly running since we have been in Panama. We are slowly on our way to a more active lifestyle and I have been trying to figure out easy foods to eat before a run. Thanks to social media, there were a few new recipes I plan to try in the upcoming weeks. Robert also decided to join in on the Friday Paint club!

This past week we ran a total of 12km (about 7.5 miles). During my last post I talked about how we were walking around like penguins. I am happy to report that our calfs are getting a little bit stronger, except for Sunday's run.

We had an idea of a landmark we wanted to run to in order to our extend our run. Google said it would have added another kilometer to our run. We disagreed with Google and decided to do it. We made it to our point and realized Google was right. We ended up running 4km on Sunday's run. Despite the push, it was a great feeling to push further than what I thought I was ready for. Can you remind me of this on my next run?

Link

Dry season here seems like it is slowly starting to fade away. This is a good thing since many people in surrounding areas are using wells and water tanks to get water for a few hours throughout the day. The smell of rain is amazing, despite the humidity that comes along with it. The rain is such a big thing that many people here talk about it on Facebook. This one post generated 14 comments within a few hours of the post. 

My latest homemade recipe is homemade applesauce. Honestly, had I known it would have been this easy to do, I would have made homemade apple sauce a long time ago. No sugar was added since I did not feel like it was needed. Yum! 

As some of you know, I have been on a painting streak lately. This week was a good week to try a new painting. Friday was a fun day, resulting in three masterpieces. 

This week was a very good one. The upcoming week will involve us going to an archeological site, more running, and hopefully more rain. 

A Long Time Coming

Life continues to go on in Panama and some weeks there are few things worth blogging about. We've also officially parted from the car rental business, which has been in motion for some time.

The other exciting things that have occurred? We have started running on the beach. Our calfs are sore and we are currently walking like penguins. Did running always hurt this much?

I also did another painting with a friend. 

Friend to the left, mine to the right

We continue to take Spanish classes. Although listening to people speak at a normal pace is still very difficult at times, our responses are becoming more natural seaming. 

Although we are no longer doing the rental cars, we still plan on staying in Panama. We are not sure what our next venture will be, but it makes life that much more interesting. The great thing about Panama is that you do not have to reinvent the wheel, you just have to have an idea that might not be here already. Now is our time to figure that out.

A Trip to Oregon

Sweaters and hot chocolate, surrounded by endless greenery and hipsters: welcome to Oregon. This is where our latest adventure takes us this week. We spent our time visiting friends, family, and reminiscing at our restaurant favorites, including a restaurant which has a massive six layer cake.

Our last trip to Oregon was about 15 months ago, just before we moved to Panama. Was Oregon always this cold? 

The week was filled with seeing family and friends.  Robert and I saw a friend and went bowling with her six year old son. The last time we saw him was about four years ago. I also made a trip to Robert's home town to visit another friend who has a 15 month old son. I have not seen him since he was two weeks old.

Robert and I surprised my parents by arranging a family photo shoot session, which was supposed to include my brother, sister-in-law, and niece. Unfortunately, something came up last minute and my sister-in-law was unable to make it. While we haven't seen the pictures yet, I know my niece was the highlight in the photos. It is amazing to see how much she has grown.

We also did some shopping. Robert got some shorts, I got some pants, and both of us wanted to stock up on Tillamook Cheese. Friends of ours also put in shopping requests. Some of their wish list items included jelly beans and Cadbury Eggs. By the end of the trip my suitcase was filled with goodies to bring back to Panama.

The most indulgent part of the trip was eating at Claim Jumper. Claim Jumper is the epitome of large portions and American food. Potatoes are the size of footballs. Chicken pot pies are served in a ramekin nine inches in diameter. The desserts get even crazier with  an option of a six layer fudge cake and cookies that are roughly six inches in diameter.

Robert got to eat Chinese food from Safeway, which is where he frequented back in college. It was probably some of the better Chinese food in the town. I enjoyed wearing a scarf. One thing I miss about living in Oregon is coordinating scarves and knitted hats.

We took an overnight flight from Los Angeles to Panama. Sleeping horizontally in a bed has never felt so good! Visiting Oregon was a special trip. We quickly jumped back into life in Panama and are eager for our next adventure.

A Week Revolving around Art

Art enables us to find ourselves and lose ourselves at the same time -Thomas Merton. 

The quote could not be more true, especially this week. It was filled with art and memories that will last a lifetime. We started the week off by doing a lot of miscellaneous things. I am not entirely sure what we did, but before we knew it, Thursday had arrived. What did we do earlier in the week?

Thursday was St. Patrick's Day. Robert and I celebrated the holiday by going with some friends to a bar that had Irish food, music, and games. They also had a contest with limericks. I did not participate, but here is mine in spirit of St. Patrick's Day:

There was an old woman by the bay,

who had a lot to say.

Some things were nice,

while others made you think twice.

Happy St. Patrick's Day! 

Friday was a typical yoga day for me, followed by a painting class. The class is one of the "brush bar" classes where everyone generally paints the same picture.  Everyone at the class had their own painting style that others admired. Some people were very talented with reflections, while others created painted perfect waves. This was my first time ever painting on canvas and won't be my last.

The week ended with a fun trip to The City (Panama City). We went with some friends and stayed the night at a hotel. The purpose? To see The Complete Works of William Shakespeare (Abridged). The play is a compilation of all of Shakespeare's plays condensed into 90 minutes. While none of us fully understood all of the jokes in the play (which would have required us to read all 38 plays), the three actors did a hilarious job and were full of energy throughout the show. We even got to hear a condensed version of Othello. 

It was a great ending to an art-filled week. Thomas Merton was right about art. Losing yourself is quite the cleansing experience and one I hope we get to do again sooner than later.