La Vida Bocas

I started Spanish classes yesterday, and even though I'm not going to say that 5 years of IB Spanish wasn't helpful, they definitely were and I wouldn't be at the level of Spanish I am now without them, but being immersed in Spanish, with people learning Spanish who have just as much desire to not speak English or try not to, is about a million times better. The exponential amount my confidence and Spanish speaking skills have improved in the past four days is ridiculous. All the teachers are really nice and helpful, and I couldn't ask for more. In other news, a friend and I rented really old and crappy bikes, and proceeded to bike to a surf spot called Paunch, which also happens to be near where another one of our friends is buying a house to start a little hotel. Well, what would have been a 10 minute boat ride turned out to be a 1.5 hr bike ride through knee-waist deep mud. My friend lost one sandal and discovered another one in the process, and we decided that it was probably not a good idea to disregard the fact that the lady who is buying that house told us that it was impossible to get there by bike. Nonetheless, we got there and it was definitely worth it. After marinating for only about 10min. we started the journey back, and rewarded ourselves with the treat of the gods, Trits, and if you don't know what those are you've either never been to Costa Rica and/or Panama, or your just damn ignorant. I'm currently watching some cooking channel from Spain on TV, and after that I'm going to relax in a hammock and watch the sunset. haHa. Hasta Luego, peace.

Bocas del Toro

Well, well, well. How to begin? First of all, Bocas del Toro, meaning the mouths of the bull, was named by Christopher Columbus who arrived at nightfall to the islands and at the time decided the loud surf sounded like a bull snorting or something like that. Anyways, Bocas del Toro is beautiful. I don't think you understand, Bocas del Toro is really, really, really BEAUTIFUL. The weather is perfect and everybody is so kind and friendly. I'm studying at a Spanish school, and I'll begin my first lesson tomorrow. There were no rooms at the school when I arrived so I'm staying at an old lady's house about ten minutes down the road. I've got a nice, small private room and she cooks me breakfast in the morning. It is even better because she does not speak English and so I'm forced to speak Spanish. The only problem is that the running water in Bocas del Toro stops working at around 10-11am. So, I've been taking showers literally out of a bucket. As in , earlier in the day the old lady fills a big bucket, and when I get back home in the evening I get in the shower and use a bucket and a little cup to take my shower. And you have to be super careful because the water in the bucket is all you got. But I seriously don't mind it because the cold water is really refreshing and it'll just make me appreciate a nice shower when I get back home that much more. On another note, the surfing is awesome here and I'm going to a reef break called Paunch in about an hour. Alright, well I'm peacin out so I'll talk to you all LATER.

Never a Dull Moment

Guess what? I can now officially check emergency landing off my list of things to do before I die. That was fun. Twenty minutes into my flight from Dulles International Airport our left engine stopped working. Being the oblivious person that I am, I had no clue. I was in the exit row overlooking the left wing, reading a surfing mag, when all of a sudden the stewardess comes up to the people in the exit row and starts giving us all these intricate directions. Now usually when you sit in the exit row all they ask is if you are willing and able to help if an emergency occurs. However, this time she was telling us if such and such happens open the left door, and if not open the right door, and you get to do this before you open the door, etc. I am just sitting there thinking to myself, this has got to be the craziest airline stewardess in the world. Turns out I was the crazy one. After she left I asked the guy next to me what was going on, and he said the engine was out and how did it look out my window. I just kind of laughed and thought to myself, this couldn't get any better, but it did. When we landed, the pilot stopped the plan to a screeching halt, and a bunch of ambulances and fire trucks sped over to the plane to make sure we didn't blow up or something. After the whole ordeal I had to wait an hour in a line of over 100 people to get rebooked on a flight that would arrive in Atlanta in time for me to run like hell to my flight for Panama. I made it A-Ok, but where would the fun have been if all that hadn't just happened to me in a span of just several hours?

At the moment I am staying with some family friends in Panama City and then at 3pm today I fly to Bocas del Toro where the true adventure begins. Until then, paz, amor, and rock n roll.

I''m Gone

Leaving in about 1.5 hrs. for the airport, and by 10pm tonight I will have gone from 30 degrees and wintery to 78 degrees and tropical. There's no time difference between Maryland and Panama, so that's good. Talk to you all later. Peace, love, and don't hurt chickens.

Where You at Son?

Alright people. I'm finally announcing where the journey will be taking me next. I am going to be checking in at a Spanish school located in the town of Bocas del Toro on the Caribbean coast of Panama, which is rumored to have really good surf this time of year. I am leaving on the 19th of February and will be returning for a brief stay at the beginning of April. I will update once things are slightly more solidified. Peace to the East, Later.

Well...

So, I haven't posted for awhile, mainly because I am at home, but I'm going to leave soon. Like really, really soon. I don't know what country, I don't know what program, and I definitely don't have a plane ticket, but I'm going to leave within a week and a half for somewhere in Central or South America. Blogger will probably be the 17th person to know. Peace to the East. One Love.