Me Vale Todo

So it's been one year since I've been gone. Almost. I've gotten used to odd things, wierd things. Getting used to life without electricity, cars, cell phone service, and speaking a couple of different languages. I guess I'm constantly adjusting.

Case in point:

The other day, Melchiades peed in my foot wash bucket. (We place a bucket with water outside of each house so that people clean their feet before entering.) So I just laughed and had him throw out the water and refill it. Odd right?

Arriving to Bocas del Toro in a dug out canoe with a 15 horse power motor. It took me 4 and a half hours. The guys ended up catching a fish.

My community believes in Chino Rojos, Red Chinese that prowl the shores of my penisula looking for people that they can kidnap and then steal their organs. Everytime they mention it, I nod seriously while thinking "Really?!!?!?!?"

Trying to explain to a child who just lost his tooth how the toothfairy works. I think I ended up telling him that witches in the night come in, steal his teeth, and if you are good they give you money.

Going to bed at 7:30 mainly because the sandflies are eating you alive. And the safest place to retreat is your mosquito net over your bed.

Explaining the history of Lacoste to the apostolic pastor in a vain attempt to liven up the general conversations I normally have. I ended up telling him the history of the polo shirt, and he just stared at me open mouthed.

Telling a little girl that she is smart enough that if she studied hard, she could be a teacher. Her face lit up.

I finally got a funnel and a tube going out of my bathroom....hey, I'm not peeing in tin can anymore!

Kids looking at me surprised when they find out that I do know how to cook pixbae. And then being more surprised how it is somehow better than their moms.

Watching the movie Black Hawk Down for a month straight in the health center. We didn't have any other movies to watch.

Buying cold oranges that were refrigerated with the healh center's refrigerator. I'm pretty sure it's only for vaccinations, and oranges???

Getting into a boat without flashing everyone.

Talking to my closest volunteer through notes. Like the ones that you used to pass in class. Only she lives a 40 minute hike away.

Sitting in your hammock during a earthquake, not doing anything cause you think the neighbor kid is just jumping on your porch.

Reading over 45 books. Woo-hoo for literacy.

Seeing first hand the effects of malnutrition.

Realizing that not everything is sustainable.

Getting to walk up to tourists on my beach, welcome them, ask them where they are from, etc. And when they ask me, I say, "I live here". I love their reaction to when they find out a gringa lives in paradise.

Knowing that my clothes are clean (As I just washed them) and knowing that they still smell like jungle funk.

Getting that two year tan/burn/tan/burn

Never wearing a bikini, much less swimsuit on a beach.

How to surf with a wooden board. Like the kinds that we used to build my house.

That I really do love teaching children, I miss rock and roll music, and I can dance a mean jiguie.

And that's about it.
Holla at your girl,
Jamie