Back To The Jungle

This is the first blog post on my new MacBook Air. That's right, after a lifetime of PCs, and I mean we had the first home PC available in my house, I have switched over to the competitor. The last time I used a mac was during my lunch breaks as a kid in the computer lab. That's right, I spent my lunch breaks in the computer lab and not because I was a computer whiz but because I was just a dork and had no friends in 8th grade. But enough of my heartbreaking childhood lets talk about what the crap I've been doing for the last month. 

For the 4 people that read this you probably already know that I went to the states to see friends and family for awhile. I went to beautiful Tahoe, CA for over two weeks and traded hot and humid for snowy and cold. It wasn't cold the entire time and the place is more magical than I ever imagined or remember which was mostly due to the fact that I had a great guide and we has some amazing weather halfway through my trip. By great guide I'm talking about Michelle who you could say was my anchor the entire time in Tahoe. We are not technically "dating" but I think both our hopes are that we will be once my time here is done. In this trip I was also able to see my parents, brothers, sister, and friends. It was a blast and also shock to my system of sorts. I knew that going back to the states for that long so close to my time ending here would be highly un advisable but I wanted to do it anyways. When I'm done here I have my sights set on South America and not seeing my friends or family for more than a year was going to be hard. It was hard coming back though and when the plane landed back in Panama I tried to rally myself and get myself ready for another 4 months. 

As most know it has not been an easy ride in these last 2 years here and lately there has been a lot of excess time in site that has started to bring me down. Even coming back I've tried to get myself ready to keep myself busy but it has been hard. The heat kills me and it seems that sometimes time itself has stopped. What does keep me going is seeing the smiles on peoples faces here and knowing that they care about me. The work that I have planned for my last three months will be the most important in making sure that Oreba Chocolate stays sustainable and growing and that is important. I'm also excited to start working with Jon who wants to do his waterfall tour. 

Flying from the States back to here really put things into perspective. Again. It took twice as long to get from L.A. to Miami than it did from Miami to Panama City and getting off the plane the difference isn't quite so noticeable. Even taking a non air conditioned taxi in the blaring heat through unmarked crowded streets could have been reminiscent of L.A. It really didn't hit me until I made it about an hour out of the city and saw the shanty houses and trash that I had been so accustomed too in the past. The terrible lines for buses that no one seems to mind. The lack of healthy food options. And just the sense that no one cares about the people that have nothing in this country. All over again it made me mad that in a country where so many rich people live and where the government has spent billions on infrastructure this year that the education system that is ranked one of the worst in the world only seems to get worse with no bottom in site. It makes you think. Does a government run by rich people even want the poor classes to have the education needed to become part of the power in this country. What would happen if an indigenous person were to "make it" and run for office where you have a country that is overwhelmingly indigenous? 

I digress. I love the people here and there are many who want to see the country do better including many gringos. The government is right to re-invest the earnings from the canal into subways and rail lines and advertising for tourism. They want this to be the new Costa Rica. Or I thought they did until reading that Panama will loose the the "World Heritage Site" distinction for Cioba along with millions of dollars because the government hasn't put any money into protecting it and they refuse to respond to the UN about what is going on there. Get your damn head out of your ass Panama. You are so close to making this place a great place to live for the people and animals that are already here!

I digress again. I'm happy to be back. Here are some random updates on stuff:

- Lady next door had her 11th child of which is another girl. That makes 8 girls in a row and there is no dad in the house. There is only one boy in the house who is 18 years old and he is pretty much keeping the family together. What is amazing is that the girls never complain and are always smiling. They are one small problem away from disaster though and that worries me. 

- I bought soccer cleats yesterday so I can start practicing soccer everyday as my tummy has seemed to balloon after having the chance to eat what ever I like in the states. Will be having a six pack in no time. 

- Trying to bring back 60 pounds of computers from the states is a bad idea. Especially when the wheel breaks on the luggage and I have to carry that and my regular luggage on my back for a mile!

- Starting to nail down what I want to do when I'm done here and it has everything to do with chocolate. :) 

 4 more months. Here we go...