30 March 2012

Our first morning in Panamá

As soon as we woke I threw my two little stinky travelers in the shower.  It was so hot this morning they didn't notice that the water was cold.  Zane did however notice the electric wiring running from the shower head, up the wall, and out of the window.  Before getting wet he asked me 50 times if I was sure he wouldnt get electrocuted.  Welcome to America Latina Zane!



At breakfast we got a chance to really meet our hosts.  Chonchita is a retired French teacher, mother of three, and grandmother of two.  Dude loved her immediately, Im sure she reminds him of FoxyMama especially since she started spoiling him immdeiately.  Her husband, José, is a cool chilled-out retiree, we also met their daughter Anahi, and Rebeca their part-time house keeper.  Although they are not wealthy they are solidly middle-class and it is common in Latin America for middle-class families to have house keepers or maids.  This is very different from the U.S.

 view the the front of our house
 fruit trees all around our homestay

 Waiting for my breakfast

Echo on the way to school

We also met other house guest.  We have two 13 year old Bermudan boys living here and studying at the same school.  They are talkative and sweet kids.  They are also victims of a crazy Spanish Teacher who dragged them out of their country to experience another.  After breakfast our host dad drove us to school.  My students arrived shorty and started their classes.

While my students were in class we went on our first adventure.  We found a delicious Panamanian restaurant with a huge 3.50 meal, I found where Ill be getting my Panamanian mani-pedi next week, and we met quite a few Chinese store owners.  

Our $3.50 lunch

We met up with my students just in time to head to our volunteer sport at Casa Esperanza.  Casa Esperanza is a school/ after-school program for low-income children.  I took great video of some of the games they were playing.  Everyone there welcomed me, my students, and my two boys with open arms.  Zane made friends right away and before I knew it he was in a soccer game stealing the ball and trying to make shots.  Go Zane!

Kids at Casa Experanza building fine motor skills


 Casa Esperanza
We combat child labor with health and education

Zane playing soccer with new friends

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