Celebrate We Will

"Every single day is worth celebrating" - Something that someone in church told me one day that has really stuck with me. This is absolutely true, and is incredibly visible in Panama. I'm pretty sure that every single day of the year is a holiday of some sort or there is some kind of celebration. One lady told me that half the time, people don't even remember what they're celebrating, but they know there is reason to celebrate, so as Dave Matthews would say, "Celebrate We Will." I'm going to make this more of a picture blog to show things that I think are worth celebrating or events that are currently being celebrated. 

Celebrating 160 years of the Episcopal Church's presence in Panama

The parade of the Episcopal down Via Espana

A member of the band at San Cristobal during the parade

A day retreat that the 6th grade from school went on to learn more about the theme "friendship" - definitely something worth celebrating!

Cinta Costera - a brand new walkway along the coast with a beautiful view of the city

Another view of the city

Flowers in the city! Such a rare but beautiful sight

The smallest park I have ever seen that is located in the heart of the city

Exploring the city at Cinta Costera

Got to see the Panama Canal AND watch two ships pass through the Miraflores Locks - dream come true!

Next year, the canal will be celebrating 100 years!

The Miraflores Locks

Selfies with Patricia at the Canal

A beautiful and (finally) sunny Sunday!

Celebrating having a super cute little brother

My girl Vicky who is absolutely insane but so sweet

Panama celebrates Fashion Week this week, as well as other random celebrations. After dinner we explored the city and randomly got painted for Neon Night - Panama literally celebrates everything

The coolest apartment building ever

I don't even need to explain why it's necessary to celebrate burritos

There is so much to celebrate. Sometimes it's grand events, and sometimes it's the simple things. Either way, I have realized how much I truly have to celebrate, and how much more there is to come. Speaking of GRAND EVENTS to celebrate, I am leaving in 3 short weeks to go to my sister's wedding in Amsterdam. Stay tuned for that blog, which will probably be overflowing with wedding pictures. YAY!

Until next time!

One Month!

It has officially been a month and 3 days that I've been in Panama, and I'm already slacking on updating my blog with the updates on Panama. But, I'm hoping to make up for it by posting about this really awesome event that I got to attend a week ago.

This event was called Xpresate - a weekend event through the Episcopal church for the youth. Ultimately, it was a great opportunity for the youth around Panama to come together, hang out, worship, and express themselves and express their faith - hence the name Xpresate (Express Yourself). They did this by having the opportunity to choose from 4 options - theater, dancing, singing, or music. Once they chose, throughout the weekend they practiced with whichever group they chose and on Saturday night, we had a talent show to present everyone's talents. It gave the youth the opportunity to explore their faith together, work as a team, and learn more about themselves and each other and truly created a close and tight-knit group. It's really not possible to put into words how powerful this weekend was, so maybe these pictures can do it justice!

Singing group practicing

Music group learning new notes for "Imagine" by John Lennon

The beautiful chapel

Santa Clara - A beautiful beach that we got to go to for a little bit and also where the camp was held

Classic jumping pic - some of the staff of Xpresate

Theatre group performing a scene from Miami Vice

The whole group - I can't take credit for this beaut - credit goes out to Iglesia de Panama's FB page!

Overall it was an incredible weekend that not only the youth, but all of the staff learned a lot from. At first, I was laughing about the groups that I could choose from. I definitely can't sing, I absolutely cannot dance and have no rhythm, my acting skills are awful, and I play piano but it's not that amazing. So I was nervous about which one I would end up choosing. But the thing is, it honestly didn't matter if I had the most amazing voice or if my voice was embarrassingly horrible (which it seriously is though). It was about expressing yourself and doing what made you happy, which is all that we should worry about anyway. This is also a huge reflection of Panamanian culture - everyone is so full of life, energy, and love and they aren't afraid to show it. As the lady I sat beside in church this morning said, every day is worth celebrating!

Rewind to a few days before Xpresate, I was lucky enough to have a week off of work since we are moving into the final trimester of the year and had a week of vacation. The first couple of days I did lesson plans and also helped paint a mural at San Mateo. Then, the next couple of days I was able to get away from the city a bit and spend some time at the beautiful Malibu Beach. It was a great opportunity to relax and mentally prepare for the upcoming week of school. Here are a few pictures to help y'all see:

Malibu Beach

New best friend that we found at the beach!

Unlikely but best of friends that lived at our hostel

Beach on one side and breathtaking mountains on the other side

Also, while I'm word vomiting on this blog, I might as well keep going and give y'all a few pictures of the school. Tomorrow starts the second week of teaching by myself, and I surprisingly feel confident. Leading up to the first week, I was absolutely terrified because this is an entirely new thing for me. However, I found confidence and support in my coworkers and for that, I am incredibly grateful. So, during our vacation I got to creep around school and take a few (horrible quality) pictures. Honestly, I might need to invest in a photo-taking class because this is getting out of hand.

Teacher's lounge - where all the super fun grading takes place

Hallway 

Just needed to take this picture to show that  the school is incredibly open- at the ends of the hallways there aren't walls - it's just a giant window pretty much

Same here - this is where everyone hangs out for recess and lunch - it's just a giant open area. Walls aren't really a thing here.

Planning for classes!

Okay, I think that's enough to keep y'all updated until next time! Thanks for reading!

Mi Amor

"Hola mi amor" - literally meaning "Hello, my love". I think I hear this every time I'm out in public, and it still always surprises me. In the US,  people typically refer to only family members, significant others, or very close friends as "my love". In Panama, you can refer to someone you literally just met as "mi amor". People say "Hola mi amor" in grocery lines, at restaurants, when they are trying to move past you on the bus - literally everywhere. This is the perfect representation of Panamanian culture - everyone is so friendly and loving, and I think it is just the sweetest thing.

I have definitely experienced this loving atmosphere first hand. My host family is made up of some of the sweetest people I have ever met. They have made it more than clear that I am a part of the family now so I better start acting like it. This just means that I need to stop asking to borrow things or use things - "Mi casa es su casa". I think one of the coolest parts about this family is that I now have two little brothers! After growing up with only an older sister, this is a completely different experience. They are super silly and funny, so usually after I finish work we will play and I will force them to practice their English (which they do not enjoy at all).

Typical day after school

I also see this hospitality at school. All of the teachers that I work with are so sweet and generous, and many times have tried to share lunch with me, even though I'm already eating my own lunch. They also really enjoy cracking jokes and laughing while we are in the Teacher's Room, so I can always expect to be laughing at some point which is crucial during a long day at school. Speaking of school, I have a super important update. This upcoming week we have a week off since the kids just finished exams, and then we move into the third trimester. Starting next Monday, I will officially be the main teacher of History of 9th and 10th grade as well as the teacher of Religion for 8th and 9th grade. This means I will have a little over 500 students, so I can't wait to meet all these kids! It's going to be quite the transition, but I am excited to have such a great opportunity! In addition, I will be working alongside a lot of great and amazing teachers, so I am confident that I will receive great advice and help if I am ever in need!

This is probably a bit shocking to hear since I can't exactly say I am the most experienced teacher. However, after speaking to my mom (long time teacher) she gave me some pretty great advice. She told me that there are two kinds of teachers: teachers with a huge amount of experience but a low amount of energy, and teachers with not so much experience but a lot of energy and love. She said that luckily, both qualities are interchangeable and equally important, so as long as I bring all of my energy and my whole heart, my work should be cut out for me. So, other than planning, planning, and doing some more planning, I will do my best to be my best self every single day with a renewed energy and spirit. As someone told me recently, "It's not what you do, but the love you put into the doing."

In other news, I seem to have lost all sense of balance in Panama. Not like the roads are perfectly paved or anything, but I have managed to find a way to trip at least 2 or 3 times a day. It's not really helping my case since I already stand out really bad, so tripping and nearly tackling strangers has been really fun. My favorite is standing on the bus, because you never know whether we're going to have a smooth ride or possibly slam on the breaks every few minutes. Here's a picture of a typical day on the bus - a bit crowded and also my nightmare that I will fall in someone's lap:

Also, for those of you who are aware of my obsession with Mexican food, I have finally found where to get it. I have found that Panamanians really aren't that big of fans of Mexican food, but I found a way to find it. So here's a shout out to my Mexican food:

Joseph and I found a great restaurant that makes these delicious burritos

After telling Patricia how obsessed I am with Mexican food and smoothies, she surprised me by making it one day for lunch. Seriously, the sweetest person on the planet.

Otherwise, I have just been adventuring around a bit and trying to get to know the city, so I'll add in a few pictures so you can get an idea of my new home!

Disregard the traffic cones. This is Casco Viejo, the old part of the city that is super beautiful and historic

The most incredible view from Casco Viejo

On Friday night we got to see a few bands - Salsa, Meringue, and even some Karaoke free for all! Karaoke is really big here, and everyone is very insistent that everyone goes - luckily I got out of it, but I might not be so lucky next time :) 

Street Market! They have some of the freshest vegetables and fruits. As we learned from Glenda, it's pretty easy to barter and try and get a cheaper price - you just have to know the right thing to say!

Anywho, that has been what's been going on lately! This coming up week is a vacation - but that doesn't mean I won't be busy! During the week I will have a teacher workshop, helping paint a mural at  Joseph and Glenda's church (San Mateo) and then for the whole weekend I will be going to a weekend retreat camp for kids called "Expresate" (Express Yourself). I honestly am not entirely sure what will be going on, so stay tuned for the next blog post about Expresate!!

As always, THANK YOU to everyone that has and continues to support me. You all have no idea how much it means and how nice it is to have you all as part of my support system. Keep the prayers coming as I will surely need them, and most of all, thank you for being YOU!

Also, St. Christopher's Church, the church I am attending in Panama, always seems to have the greatest  "thought of the day". I found today's especially important for me, but also can apply to everyone, so I just thought I'd share:

"Choose to make a difference instead of choosing to be indifferent today."

Nos Vemos!

¡Que Locura!

QUE LOCURA - an often used expression in Panama to say "What madness" or "What Insanity". I've heard this a lot in Panama, but mostly when I tell my students that they actually have to do work.

Mainly, I'm using this to explain my first few weeks here in Panama. So much has happened, I don't even know how to really explain it all! But, I'll start where I left off. This past Saturday, Joseph and I were invited to a very nice event that celebrated 99 years of the Panama Canal. It was a beautiful and incredible event to honor the Panama Canal and everyone that worked on it and helped to make it happen.

It's actually pretty unreal how bad I am at taking pictures. But this is s a picture of the Marriott Hotel where the event was held

This week was the first full week of school that I attended. Since I was blessed enough to live with the principal, I am able to ride to and from work with her and her two grandsons. In Panama, school starts at 7:30 so we have to wake up at 5 so we can all get ready in time. It's pretty crazy actually, because currently Panama City is in transition for public transportation. They are in the middle of expanding and widening roads as well as building a metro system. This is GREAT news, but in the process, it has caused a few traffic-related problems. So, sometimes our neighborhood road (which should only have two lanes for traffic going in opposite directions) actually has 4 lanes of traffic, all going one way. It causes some crazy traffic jams, so it sometimes takes us 3 times as long to get to school.

We usually have a 30-45 minute ride to school so this is what happens with the guys

I am still assistant-teaching 9th and 10th grade history as well as 8th and 9th grade Religion along with my fellow teacher Dennis King, who by the way is the sweetest person on the planet. But, in elementary school it is currently Folklore Week. This means the kids get to dress up daily according to what day it is, and they get to celebrate the different customs and cultures of Panama. Here are a few pictures to help y'all out

The first day the school celebrated los vaqueros (cowboys)

Dia de la etnia - Ethnicity Day. Again, really quality photo

Representing your country day. Unfortunately, I don't participate because I teach high school!
This is also a picture of the principal of the school - Patricia Lewis - and also the woman who I live with. I can't stress enough how amazing this woman is, and how hard she works to be her best self every single day. I have already learned so much from her, and can't even believe how lucky I am to hang out with her for a whole year!

Same day -Representing your country! The kids marched in a parade on the streets nearby the school! The next few  pictures are from this parade

They even decorate the classrooms!

There is so much energy and spirit in this school as well as this country. The culture and people are very proud of who they are and where they came from, and I really love that! The culture in general is also extremely friendly. I have always received a warm welcome wherever I go, and I am extremely grateful for that because cities are not always so friendly.

In completely unrelated news, my host brother has found out how to take pictures on my computer and enjoys taking selfies any chance he can get.

Next week is exams for the kids since Panamanian schools operate on trimesters, so say a prayer for them!

Hasta pronto!

MADE IT

So it's only 6 days late announcing this but...I made it to Panama! I'm not sure where to even start - so much has happened! I'll start off with my living situation.

I am currently living in a part of Panama City called Villa Lucre, where I am living with the lovely Patricia Lewis (who is the principal of my school aka my boss), her husband Eddy, her father, and her two grandsons Michael and Justin. It's a super busy house which is exactly why I love it! These are some of the sweetest people I have ever met and they have definitely adopted me into their family. They have been more than hospitable and overly generous, and I am so thankful that I am able to spend a whole year with them!

Hanging out in the family living room

For the first couple of days, Glenda took Joseph and I through different parts of Panama to give us somewhat of an orientation of the city. Panama City has a lot going on, and it's an extremely multicultural and diverse city. We were able to see a lot of different parts of the city, so here are a few pictures to show you what we got to see and experience!

This is Panama Centro - the old downtown of Panama.

Sunset at the Bay of Panama. To the left is the Pacific Ocean and very far away and straight ahead is part of the Panama Canal!

A beautiful view of the city from a district in Panama called Casco Viejo - a very nice and historical part of Panama that was built right after the destruction of the old Panama City (which was destroyed by pirates - seriously)

Then on Wednesday, Joseph and I were able to visit the school for the first time and observe classes. I will be assisting Rev. Dennis King and teaching World History (taught in English) and Religion (taught in Spanish) for grades 7, 8, 9, and 10. The incredible thing is that each class is 40 minutes, so the students have 9 different classes each day. WOW! So, throughout the course of the week, I will have 15 different classes to teach. So, it seems I will have a lot of planning to do soon! Here is a picture of the front of the school:

I will find a better picture of the school and classrooms soon! :)

The next day was a holiday celebrating the birth of Panama City. So, Glenda was nice enough to take Joseph and I to a parade downtown. Basically, it was a select set of school bands that marched in the parade. San Cristobal was one of the chosen schools, so that was pretty cool to see! Band is a HUGE and popular thing here, so it was fun to watch how excited everyone was. Here is a picture of one of the bands

One of the bands playing some Bruno Mars

After the parade, my family wanted to take a day vacation to the rainforest. Fun fact - Panama City is the only city in the world that has rainforest inside the city limits! So they invited Joseph and I to go with them - such a good time! Eddy even drove us over the Panama Canal so we could get a quick look. I took a terrible photo, but you get the idea!

After showing us around a bit, they took us to a place that has a pool out in the rainforest, especially because the boys love to swim. It was super nice and relaxing and we all got to talk and hang out. Here is a picture of my new little brother and I:

I could probably post a lot more but I will save that for another blog post! This is enough of a novel!

But, I thought I'd add one more thing. Patricia took me to church this morning with her to La Iglesia de San Cristobal, and it was a really nice service with even nicer people. During the service, we sang a song called, "In His Time" and although it was a super short song, I thought it had a powerful message. The last two lines were:

Lord, please show me every day as you're teaching me your way,
That you do just what you say in your time.

Usually things don't jump out at me, but I thought this was especially relevant. Sometimes I get antsy while wondering what is coming next, what my regular routine will be, and just in general thinking about the rest of the year and what is to come. But this reminded me that all will fall into place in his time, so for now, I will just live in the present and enjoy every second!

Hasta luego!

ONE WEEK

Today marks ONE WEEK until I leave for Panama! It feels crazy just saying that. The past few weeks of preparation have consisted of doctor visits, paperwork, watching "Friends" on repeat, trying to decide how in the world to pack for a whole year, eating an excessive amount of burritos, and spending time with friends and family.

But, before I say more, I would like to give a HUGE shout out to everyone who has donated to my mission. I could say thank you every single day, and that still wouldn't be enough. I am beyond blessed and so grateful for every single one of you. Without y'all, this wouldn't be possible! I promise that I will keep you all well updated on all of my adventures and work that I do!

Since my last post about orientation, I have had a super relaxing and wonderful time catching up with friends and family.

First, I got to volunteer for a week at a camp for people with disabilities called Adventurers Camp. This camp is located at my favorite place in the world, Trinity Center, where I also grew up going to camp and eventually worked as a counselor for two summers. Being here for a week reminded me how humbling it is to be able to serve other people, and made me even more excited to be able to serve others for an entire year abroad! Here is a quick picture to sum up how great this week was:

Sweet girls of Cabin 6

Oh wait, this is where the camp is located:

Beautiful sunset at Camp Trinity

Otherwise, I have been traveling all over good ol' North Carolina just to make sure I get to see everybody one last time and say final goodbyes. It is incredible how much support I have received from family and friends. I have always said that I have never understood how I am so lucky and blessed to have so many wonderful people in my life. I realize I am a total sap and constantly post about people and how great I think they are. But it is true, and all of you are my inspiration. The place I see God the most is through other people, which is yet another reason why I am BEYOND excited to meet and experience a whole new culture. I can't wait to meet new people, new friends, and learn as much as possible about the culture. One more week - and I couldn't be more excited.

But before I go, and staying on the topic of people, I just want to take a hot second to recognize and yet again congratulate these two cuties - my sister Katherine and her fiancé Stefan:

It is officially 3 months until these two get married!!! A wedding in The Netherlands - stay tuned for a post about that in 3 months!

Once again, thank you to everyone that has gotten me to where I am! Keep the prayers coming, I appreciate them more than you know!

Chau!