Chiri Chiri Guau Guau

Yesterday was a pretty typical, hence why I didn't feel the need to write about it. The most exciting thing that happened was that I was alone with the kids for about an hour and a half, which was insane, and this large, disgusting, centipede type thing (but 148 times more gross) crawled into the class and Esteban and Josue played hockey with it. (they don't actually know what hockey is, but that's basically what they were doing) After saying, "pongan afuera!" (put it outside) about 57 times, our uninvited friend was gone.

Today was the absolutely best day of Panama so far. Mariana leaves in the morning and she wanted to be able to go to Colón with us, but the trip was planned for Friday, like all of our trips. We made Wednesday our Friday and headed out for Colón (another province about 2 hours away) at 7 this morning. We started the day at an elementary school in a rural area. It was a completely different world than Omar Torrijos (the school we're at now). Everyone was so much happier. The principal was amazing. It was so colorful and all of the classrooms were open. In the city it seems like no one is ever happy in this whole country, but these people were so much fun just to be around. Joanna and I went into a Pre K class for about an hour and it was the best hour of this whole trip. They were absolutely precious! (just a small taste because the internet in Panama es no bueno)

Schools end at 12:30, and some of the teachers didn't have a ride home so we gave them a ride in our bus. So we packed 23 people in our bus. It was a moment I will never forget. We taught them songs in English and they taught us songs in Spanish and we had a blast! My eyes just welled up with tears. I wanted to savor everything about the moment: every smile, every face, every giggle, every sound of every song. It was beautiful. It was it epitome of what I want my life to be. I want both languages to be that integrated. I want so badly to explain it just the way it was, but words don't even suffice. I could see myself there in the rural town, teaching them English and learning Spanish from them. I want those precious brown babies running all around. I want those hugs and that language. It was absolutely beautiful. And the best day ever.

I lack an appropriate transition, but Mariana leaves in the morning, so tonight we are having a sleepover in our room! we will regret it in the morning, but it will be a great night :)

by the way, I love Panama.