A good day

Being back in Panama after the luxury and comfort of the United States can be kind of a shock. I won't say I went through withdrawal or anything, since I've been living here for a year, but after having everything so close within reach (family and friends, movies and other modern culture and technology, etc.), it was a hard adjustment back into this life. It also doesn't help that literally no one is doing anything of interest right now. It seems that people decide to take a summer vacation with their kids. Those who normally go to the fields to work or harvest take a break. So hardly anyone is doing anything. People chill during the summer. Lie in hammocks, maybe go to the river. After a whirlwind visit home, sitting and doing nothing is confusing, foreign to me. In order to stave off boredom, I've had to find any and every activity I can.

Today was a successful day because it flew by. I interacted with loads of Panamanians (as opposed to staying holed up in my house, which was my standard activity when I first got back), got free food, made some food for people, went to the river, and much more.

First, I had a normal morning, and even got to read. I'm trying to get back into the habit. Later, a man came by with a large box full of bananas and asked me to make him banana bread. He'd heard from his aunt (my host mom) that I'd made her some before, and he wanted a taste. He then offered to buy the ingredients I needed. Sweet! I then made him the banana bread, giving me something to fill up that mid-morning dead period.

While the banana bread was baking, some kids came to visit. A few were from the group I asked to take care of my cat while I was gone.

*Note on the cat caretakers: When I first got back, Maní, my cat, had stopped using the litter box. There was also a torn bag of cat food lying on the floor, which I imagine he ate from at his leisure. These clues led me to believe that the kids didn't come every day. So I wondered how much they deserved the goodie bag gifts I had prepared for them. In the end, I gave them out anyway. I'm glad I did. They loved those goodie bags.

Contents included a small ornament, M&Ms, little chocolate Santas (which surprisingly did not melt), pencils and pencil sharpeners from Disney World, small pins decorated with Disney characters, and SweetTart and Gobstopper style candy.

The group took me to a kid's house to deliver one of the bags. On the way there, one of the girls said, "Teacher Nicolas, I'll never forget you."

After I gave the one boy his bag, we all went back to my house to eat and be merry. Then, some of the boys invited me to go to the river with them. We swam for a bit while the banana bread was cooling.

I took the bread to the man's mother's house, who lives next door. Two of the three boys who took me to the river with them accompanied me. The man and his mother both enjoyed the banana bread. He and I talked about the US. He's living in D.C., but isn't a citizen yet. His mom offered me some lunch and we all had a nice visit. After that, we went home.

Some of my host mom's grandkids were visiting, so I decided to give them what was left over from the assorted Christmas gifts. They also seemed to appreciate it. While they sat, ate their sweets, and showed off their ornaments and Disney pins, they taught me a little couplet:

Pluto el perro, Mickey el ratón
Y tu la dueña de mi corazón

If every day could be like this, then days would fly by and whether I feel I "help" my community or not, I would feel content, fulfilled with my service.

Kitty agrees that it was a good day.