Mystery Solved

Here are some fun guessing games that you can play out in the campo to kill time:

1. How long will the neighbors new puppy live? (You're crazy if you guess more than a month)
2. How old is that girl smiling at me? (Probably not older than 16)
3. Why is this person laughing at me? (I wish I knew the answer to that one)
4. What kind of meat is this?
5. Oh, it's chicken... what part of the chicken is it from? (There are some strange looking bones inside chickens that you probably didn't know about)
6. Do I have parasites or is it just gas? (You never can tell)

I think I may have figured out part of the reason for the lack of variety in food in Panama (not just why I don't get anything besides rice and beans but why they don't do anything different to it for some variety). My stomach was a little upset when I returned from the city a few days ago. My host mother said it was because I had been in the city. I asked why that would be bad for my stomach since the food there is mostly the same stuff I eat in the states. She said it was because city food had all sorts of condiments and sauces whereas plain rice and beans doesn't have any. I might have seen her point if parasites lived in ketchup bottles as opposed to untreated water, but I don't think it would have changed her cooking habits. I will continue to get parasite free rice and beans... in addition to untreated tap water.

I haven't really been at the school much this month since I've been out of my site so much for other activities. However, during the few days that I was around helping with English classes, I seem to have made a new friend. What's more is she's older than 18... probable more like 35. I was just hanging out in the concession stand chatting with my host moth and one of the teachers. And then, as the teacher left for her next class... she reached over and tickled my tummy. My host mother says I have an admirer. I don't see this as a bad thing... at least I'll have her support with anything I want to teach to her class.

There's been a fiesta going on for the past few days in Rio Sereno. It's for the Patronales (not sure what that is). The 18th was supposed to be the main day so I went with my family and some other volunteers in the area. My 13 year only brother was in the band for Santa Clara playing drums (everyone plays drums and every school plays the same thing but no one plays it very well). The 4 year old was in it too with a miniature drum set (he annoys the hell out of me but he did look cute). My sister was in the gymnast group for the high school wearing a skirt so short that most parents in the states would have refused to let her leave the house (my host mother and father were very proud of how pretty she looked). The older brother was there too, but mostly to get drunk and stumble home at 5:30 the next morning. There were days when I had that kind of stamina... now I go to bed at 10pm and wake up at 8:30am. I wanted to stay out late and go dance but as I said before my stomach wasn't doing so great so I headed back early.

I helped out in my host dad's farm the other day. The coffee harvest is starting and I wanted to see what it was like to pick coffee... apparently I also wanted to embarass myself by being the lousiest coffee harvester in Panama. I guess the average Panamanian makes about 7$ a day picking coffee although some really fast pickers can make over 20$. At my rate I would make about 50 cents on a good day. My brother thought this was hilarious and so did the 100 or so other people he told. I will not be picking coffee anymore. If anyone would like to send me some fake rubber snakes and tarantulas from the States, I would like to play a few a few pranks on my brother which would be even more hilarious than my poor coffee harvesting abilities.

I'd like to close with a bit of Panamanian dating advice that I heard in a conversation with some other volunteers. Desiree, you can tell me if any of this information is accurate or not:

1. Complements about physical appearances are very much appreciated and you shouldn't feel superficial for commenting on how round a girl's ass is since such comments can be good conversation starters, although you might want to start with saying something about her face.
2. They like physical contact (I don't mean ass groping or stuff like that) like an arm around the waste.
3. They want you to be persistent... very persistent. No means try harder and what would be considered stalking in the States is flirting here.
4. Get that number and call them all the time.
5. Boy friends really don't matter, they'll probably go out with you regardless, especially if you're white.
6. All the girls know each other, they all talk, they know everything, they can be crazy (I think this part is universal, j/k), and they are Latinas... don't piss them off.

Alex I want you to study this information for when you visit me next year so you can scam some chicks. Got to look out for my little bro.

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