August 27, 2011

WOW, the past two weeks have been crazy. I am working only 80 percent now (trying this retirement thing out), but I have put in six day weeks with 10 hours a day at school, then more at home. The opening of a new school is just plain crazy. BUT, it is totally fun. Today, we had our inauguration for the school. It was really interesting. We met in a nearby theater for a very formal invocation. The Panamanian Minister of Education was invited for this event. She is well known for being extremely late, then sending someone in her place. So, we were told that it is suppose to start at 9:30 on Saturday morning, but it may not start until 11:00 or so. BUT, she was there right on time. She was referred to as “Your Highness” (well, that was the way it was translated). Several people spoke. Some were in English, but most were in Spanish. When the Minister of Education spoke, it was all in Spanish and I was really sorry I didn’t understand it, since she seemed to be a very dynamic speaker. I was told later that she really hoped our school could help the public school system in Panama and give them guidance and advice. Afterwards, we walked over to the school. NO ONE was allowed to walk ahead of her. There was a very strict protocol and it had to be followed. So, very interesting. After a month of in-service, I really can’t WAIT for the kids to come and to actually start doing what I love!! (which is teaching). I have been working with teachers and instructing them how to use their iPads and Smartboards this past week. Most are really so new to all this technology. It is really fun.
I don’t know what else has happened. I have been so focused on school. Our weather has been incredible for about a week. I guess that when there is a hurricane in the Atlantic, then our weather is wonderful because the power of the hurricane takes all the moisture / energy from our area. So, now that Irene has moved away and up the East coast, we are back to more tropical weather with rainy afternoons.
This is a great story. A good friend of ours has been driving the past many months illegally with his “state side” license and his tourist visa. That is perfectly OK providing you have your tourist visa which is good for 3 months after entering the country. But he has been getting a different immigration status and really is illegal. But, even after being stopped several times, he never got a ticket or anything. Then, he finally got his Panamanian driver’s license this week. But, when he was then driving a day later, he was stopped and given a ticket for NOT wearing his seat belt. Now, there are many drivers who drive and pass on the shoulder, take left turns on a red light, run red lights, and on and on and on. And he was given a ticket for not wearing his seat belt. Oh, well.
Perhaps, I will get back to normal and try to update weekly. Can’t believe how much fun this job is NOW (granted the pay is still HORRIBLE). But I really need to learn Spanish. An international school is so different from an American-style school in a foreign country. Never knew that before.