I was supposed to return on July 10th....but I decided I could not wait that long! so I am coming home tomorrow! Monday, June 23rd. I will get into Jax and go to Tally and visit Rachel & family for a few days then back to St. Joe =)
Everything was wonderful here, the scenery, the food, especially the Palmer's! They have been just amazing and sooo nice. I have been a little on the bored side lol... and I decided it would be better to just come home and work and be with everyone while I can before I have to go back to school in August. So I will be seeing you all soon :) I love you!!!
Sunday, June 22, 2008
Thursday, June 12, 2008
Sorry it's been awhile!!
So in the past week these 2 guys came and stayed at the hotel, one of them lives in Jacksonville! He is really nice too... Well they stayed with us one night and then they camped across the street on the beach :) It was cool with them around, b/c they speak english and are about my age. They were obviously here to do what other than surf?? lol A lot of vehicles come through here with surf boards on top of the cars looking for some good waves, and there are a lot here!
I have not done anything new that I can think of...just helping out here and there. The other day the 1/2 of the road was sprayed with tar and then left like that for hours. Before they threw down sand so that we could cross over, I tried to balance on a log and hop to the other side--- to get to my lunch :) ...well that was no bueno.... I didn't jump far enough and ended up getting tar on my sandals which is no biggie, but also on my favorite capri's !!?? Although Negra (she works in the kitchen) has already gotten the tar off my pants! Thank God! =) hahaa...
For the past 3 nights I have been going on a 1-mile run... okay jog :) Which is really good for me, considering I am not especially good at that! (Maybe I will be ready for the next River Run Candice!! hahaa) But I really like running here, its really hilly but gorgeous scenery! My legs are killing me but I like it. We eat so good here that if I don't do something I'm sure I will come back with at least an extra 10 lbs. on me !?! Again, no bueno...
I was kinda worried about housing for the fall so I had been looking on Craig's List allllll the time! I found 2 places, but needless to say neither are going to work for me. I will just have to be patient and look when I return. Maybe I'll ride my beach cruiser up and down every street at the beach calling every number I see! :)
There's this crab (okay maybe different crabs) but it keeps getting in my room! It's so annoying and kinda creepy ! lol The bugs here are way more annoying though, but bug spray works wonders :) I absolutely love it down here. Even though I'm not making money or doing too much of anything, I love it. I think I like being away from the US but not away from all of you, that's the hard part!
Last night Jose, Gonzolo & I rode our bikes into town and thankfully the moon is finally coming out and we could sorta see the road. We went to a bar-kinda place. And I have no idea how but I was awesome at pool for the first time ever! hahaa. The man who was working also works here at Los Buzos during the day, Rocerro (?). He reminded me of you--Dad! He was very nice and friendly--he knows a lot of english. Tomorrow I am going to the most urbanized? town around, Chitre. It'll be like a 2-hour drive but hopefully I can go to the movies while there!! or at least get a manicure! :)
Oh and surfing has not been one of my top priorities anymore. I think I might have liked the idea of "me surfing" more than I actually liked it when I was surfing! Make sense? lol We'll see, I still have about a month down here :)
I have not done anything new that I can think of...just helping out here and there. The other day the 1/2 of the road was sprayed with tar and then left like that for hours. Before they threw down sand so that we could cross over, I tried to balance on a log and hop to the other side--- to get to my lunch :) ...well that was no bueno.... I didn't jump far enough and ended up getting tar on my sandals which is no biggie, but also on my favorite capri's !!?? Although Negra (she works in the kitchen) has already gotten the tar off my pants! Thank God! =) hahaa...
For the past 3 nights I have been going on a 1-mile run... okay jog :) Which is really good for me, considering I am not especially good at that! (Maybe I will be ready for the next River Run Candice!! hahaa) But I really like running here, its really hilly but gorgeous scenery! My legs are killing me but I like it. We eat so good here that if I don't do something I'm sure I will come back with at least an extra 10 lbs. on me !?! Again, no bueno...
I was kinda worried about housing for the fall so I had been looking on Craig's List allllll the time! I found 2 places, but needless to say neither are going to work for me. I will just have to be patient and look when I return. Maybe I'll ride my beach cruiser up and down every street at the beach calling every number I see! :)
There's this crab (okay maybe different crabs) but it keeps getting in my room! It's so annoying and kinda creepy ! lol The bugs here are way more annoying though, but bug spray works wonders :) I absolutely love it down here. Even though I'm not making money or doing too much of anything, I love it. I think I like being away from the US but not away from all of you, that's the hard part!
Last night Jose, Gonzolo & I rode our bikes into town and thankfully the moon is finally coming out and we could sorta see the road. We went to a bar-kinda place. And I have no idea how but I was awesome at pool for the first time ever! hahaa. The man who was working also works here at Los Buzos during the day, Rocerro (?). He reminded me of you--Dad! He was very nice and friendly--he knows a lot of english. Tomorrow I am going to the most urbanized? town around, Chitre. It'll be like a 2-hour drive but hopefully I can go to the movies while there!! or at least get a manicure! :)
Oh and surfing has not been one of my top priorities anymore. I think I might have liked the idea of "me surfing" more than I actually liked it when I was surfing! Make sense? lol We'll see, I still have about a month down here :)
Sunday, June 1, 2008
Already I have been able to snorkel on the reef right out in front of us! & yesterday I went horse back riding with 2 guests and Morris. That was really cool, it was for about 2 hours!! We started on the beach then got on the river where it meets the ocean, that was nice because there was a lot of shade. Then we walked on the road in Cambutal, which is the 1st town nearest us, back to Los Buzos! Today I attempted surfing....oh boy... lol My "instructors" were Francisco & the neighbor, Gonzolo (17), who is sponsored here. He is soooo good, and really nice. I think we will go again tomorrow. Hayden, the youngest son (11), even got up like 4 times!! I never did :( it's like I'm scared, but I don't know what of !? Maybe tomorrow....
Friday, May 30, 2008
my new beach! Today has been a beautiful day :) the rain has ceased!!! but im sure it will be back soon!!! :(
and i tried to post more pics...but it takes sooooo long for them to upload??! i will put more up later :)
Also! i return on July 10th at 10 pm in Jacksonville, but don't bother calling me b/c mi madre was supposed to have already cancelled our phone service. I will give out my new number (or maybe it will be the same?) as soon as i get a new phone!
Thursday, May 29, 2008
"No hablo en espanol!"
In case you're reading this and you don't know what's going on...I decided a few months ago that I wanted to spend the bulk of my summer down here in Panama! ( www.losbuzos.net ). I am minoring in spanish and want so badly to be able to actually speak it already!! So I emailed a family about coming and they were crazy enough to let me come! I am not really making money down here, more like working to pay for my food and housing. Although as of right now, I feel like I'm getting the better end of the deal! But I'm sure they'll put me to more work after I settle in.
The family that I am staying with is the Palmer's: Morris, Teri, AJ (13), and Hayden (11). They are from Port St. Joe but moved here to run their resort. Morris runs everything with his southern accent spanish -lol!- while Teri home-schools the boys. They both work so hard, it's amazing that they were able to do this!
When I arrived in the city on Monday night it was raining! I realize this is the rainy season, but there has been wayyyy too much rain lately. I believe a storm has been making it's way through the area :( But that is fine with me, the countryside is gorgeous! Plants, flowers, grass, mountains, trees, beach...All of it! just beautiful =)
As far as the beach goes...the sand is pretty much black! and it's not really sand. More like little rocks but it feels great to walk on, but I hear it gets mucho caliente!
They have put me up in one of the "hotel" rooms. It really is adorable. My walls are this orangey-peachy color with matching accessories: bedspread, shower curtain, pretty paintings... I wish my room back in the states was this cute!!?
I got here on Tuesday around 4 p.m. and really did not do anything! No exploring or wandering around...It was rainy and I was tired! But I started to meet some of their employees. I really like Negra (Nay-grrah) she works in la cocina -the kitchen- from 7-4 most days. We have already begun speaking, we'll say a phrase either in spanish or english but then switch it around and repeat back to each other. Also, I have a notebook and we were writing in it. One column was labeled "english" and yes the other "spanish" ! This way if we could not understand what each other were saying we could write! very very helpful!
Around 4 p.m. Tuesday, I met Francisco (24) and he will work mostly every night except for Mon.&Tues. are his days off. He works 4-11 although we are not busy right now. No guests! Thats because of the rainy season ? I guess.
FYI: Dec-April = dry May-Nov = wet
Anyway, I believe I will be helping F. a lot in the kitchen. And doing whatever other chores or jobs they give me. Tuesday I set up Teri's nano iPod for her. I guess she didn't know about iTunes and it did not come with any software!?! So that was my job for the day :) I also rode bikes with Hayden and got to see their farm and animals. While there we picked up a bunch of ripe mangoes off the ground! Which turned into our postre -dessert- after dinner! mango ice cream... Delicioso :P
There are a few things that are different down here. They have (I'm assuming this) all the same vehicles we have in the US, but more!!? Trucks and SUVs I have never seen that are made by Toyota & Nissan..., it's weird! Also, milk and eggs are not meant or don't have to be refrigerated down here. And we don't have lunch meat! and only some cheese I'm told!!! but hey I will survive! The driving age and drinking age is the same- 18 y/o. So I'm good either way! Honking the horn on the car is not rude...it's practically a must! everyone does it. Teri said they must not believe in using their rear-view mirrors when they pass, because they come by honking as if you didn't know they were coming. lol... I have heard many interesting stories already and I think I will like it down here :)
Drawbacks...-No friends, family. -Barely anyone speaks english!?! so it is very weird, almost like a handicap I'm stuck with?! But I am trying to communicate. -& the rain!!!! I have to see some sunshine soon or else I'm cutting this trip short! hahaaa... that's enough complaining for now :P I am enjoying it, it seems like it will be challenging but I am ready! "Estoy listo!"
And they say next week, a guy named Jose (22-ish?) is coming to stay and work here. Best part--- he's bilingual!!!!!!! yayyyyyy =] I will feel much better then. Well that is, if he is nice and wants to help me !
I will probably be on the internet every day, I'm not sure how often I will post on here, weekly? I'm not sure yet. Christopher told me about this site right before he dropped me off at the airport on Monday. We'll see how it goes.... Otherwise my email is psjchick@hotmail.com and I'm on facebook :)
More to come later! Any questions??? did I leave something out that you were wondering? Let me know!!!!! love, M
The family that I am staying with is the Palmer's: Morris, Teri, AJ (13), and Hayden (11). They are from Port St. Joe but moved here to run their resort. Morris runs everything with his southern accent spanish -lol!- while Teri home-schools the boys. They both work so hard, it's amazing that they were able to do this!
When I arrived in the city on Monday night it was raining! I realize this is the rainy season, but there has been wayyyy too much rain lately. I believe a storm has been making it's way through the area :( But that is fine with me, the countryside is gorgeous! Plants, flowers, grass, mountains, trees, beach...All of it! just beautiful =)
As far as the beach goes...the sand is pretty much black! and it's not really sand. More like little rocks but it feels great to walk on, but I hear it gets mucho caliente!
They have put me up in one of the "hotel" rooms. It really is adorable. My walls are this orangey-peachy color with matching accessories: bedspread, shower curtain, pretty paintings... I wish my room back in the states was this cute!!?
I got here on Tuesday around 4 p.m. and really did not do anything! No exploring or wandering around...It was rainy and I was tired! But I started to meet some of their employees. I really like Negra (Nay-grrah) she works in la cocina -the kitchen- from 7-4 most days. We have already begun speaking, we'll say a phrase either in spanish or english but then switch it around and repeat back to each other. Also, I have a notebook and we were writing in it. One column was labeled "english" and yes the other "spanish" ! This way if we could not understand what each other were saying we could write! very very helpful!
Around 4 p.m. Tuesday, I met Francisco (24) and he will work mostly every night except for Mon.&Tues. are his days off. He works 4-11 although we are not busy right now. No guests! Thats because of the rainy season ? I guess.
FYI: Dec-April = dry May-Nov = wet
Anyway, I believe I will be helping F. a lot in the kitchen. And doing whatever other chores or jobs they give me. Tuesday I set up Teri's nano iPod for her. I guess she didn't know about iTunes and it did not come with any software!?! So that was my job for the day :) I also rode bikes with Hayden and got to see their farm and animals. While there we picked up a bunch of ripe mangoes off the ground! Which turned into our postre -dessert- after dinner! mango ice cream... Delicioso :P
There are a few things that are different down here. They have (I'm assuming this) all the same vehicles we have in the US, but more!!? Trucks and SUVs I have never seen that are made by Toyota & Nissan..., it's weird! Also, milk and eggs are not meant or don't have to be refrigerated down here. And we don't have lunch meat! and only some cheese I'm told!!! but hey I will survive! The driving age and drinking age is the same- 18 y/o. So I'm good either way! Honking the horn on the car is not rude...it's practically a must! everyone does it. Teri said they must not believe in using their rear-view mirrors when they pass, because they come by honking as if you didn't know they were coming. lol... I have heard many interesting stories already and I think I will like it down here :)
Drawbacks...-No friends, family. -Barely anyone speaks english!?! so it is very weird, almost like a handicap I'm stuck with?! But I am trying to communicate. -& the rain!!!! I have to see some sunshine soon or else I'm cutting this trip short! hahaaa... that's enough complaining for now :P I am enjoying it, it seems like it will be challenging but I am ready! "Estoy listo!"
And they say next week, a guy named Jose (22-ish?) is coming to stay and work here. Best part--- he's bilingual!!!!!!! yayyyyyy =] I will feel much better then. Well that is, if he is nice and wants to help me !
I will probably be on the internet every day, I'm not sure how often I will post on here, weekly? I'm not sure yet. Christopher told me about this site right before he dropped me off at the airport on Monday. We'll see how it goes.... Otherwise my email is psjchick@hotmail.com and I'm on facebook :)
More to come later! Any questions??? did I leave something out that you were wondering? Let me know!!!!! love, M
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