July 29, 2010

Oh my, no time to write. I have been way busy, yet lots of things are happening. Yesterday I was sure we would float away. I haven’t ever seen it rain so hard and our neighbor said it was nothing YET. I guess it really is crazy in November.
Our pre-school meetings remind me of the ones at CHCA way back in the beginning where there were only about 20-30 teachers. Lots of great food and a smaller group. They are feeding us well right now. Guess that will end when school starts, but if it keeps up until then, I will be happy. I remember the times when I knew everyone at CHCA and we were always together as a group. Those were good times.
During our faculty meeting yesterday, we had a gentleman from the United States Embassy talk to us. How different is that! But we got to hear all the gory news of bad things in Panama and the places we should avoid. Still, there is much less crime than in the US, yet it is here, like everyplace. Guess all the drugs from South American have to come through here or close to the shore. No other way other than air. So they “only” seized 50 tons of cocaine a year here. Oh my.
Wayne drove to the mall yesterday to catch a cab to the city. Since everyplace in the mall was chained off (Why, we will never know), he had to drive downtown himself. That may sound easy in Cincinnati, but certainly not here. He got down there and then back home OK, so all was good. Remarkably, he found a place to park on a street near where he wanted to go in the city (a rare occurrence), but someone was there asking for three dollars. Wayne gave it to him thinking it might be a parking spot the guy “owned”. We have been told that could happen. However, you give it to them anyway with the hopes no one messes with your car. Guess you have to remember that many Panamanians still live on a dollar a day. Otherwise, it was not a bad day to be out of the apartment since the internet was out and the power was out for about eight hours. Interesting life down here. Anyway, if we EVER get our used car we bought two weeks ago, I don’t know if I will ever have the guts to drive anyplace. Why does it take so long to get a car that you already paid for. Here is a very interesting fact that is driving our “Nancy” totally nuts. In reading over the insurance policies for the car, it stated that there is a $1000 deductible on collision UNLESS you get hit by a woman driver. Then there is only a $500 deductible. Go figure. Wayne read two different policies and they are both the same.
Wayne got his “cedula” (national identity card) the other day, so he is officially a documented Panamanian. Now the process can begin for me to get my visa. Another Panamanian teacher tried to get his “USA” wife her visa and it took them 5 years! But as long as I get a temporary one, then I don’t have to leave the country every 90 days. So that is what I am looking for right now. Otherwise, you have to leave the country for 72 hours every 90 days to renew your tourist visa. Some folks down here have been doing that for several years, usually by going to Costa Rica by bus for a long weekend.