Knowing that I'm going to moving to a foreign country in less than four months has put me in a permanent state of excitement, which I'm sure is getting old very quickly for my room-mates and close friends.
To keep myself from talking about the big move too much, I've begun to take out my excitement by learning all I can about Panama and the culture I'll be assimilating into. Though I feel like I have a pretty good idea of what I should expect, I know that everything is up in the air until I'm actually assigned to a community after my Pre-Service Training and swearing in.
For example, if you google "Panama," you'll get something like this:
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But I'll probably be seeing things more like this:
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Either way, I am so incredibly excited to get to Panama and immerse myself into a foreign culture. I plan on backpacking my way around the country during breaks from work, though I'm sure I'll be bringing a whole new meaning to "cheap travel."
If you want to see more of my image collection of Panama- which is ever expanding, by the way- check out my Pinterest board!
Abby, the research sounds like a great idea. I borrowed the Panama Lonely Planet book from a family member but need to crack it! The backpacking idea sounds awesome. Im definitely bringing my camping backpack!
ReplyDeleteAbby, I like your attitude and have a hunch you'll be unimaginably happy with your decision. Forget about the skeptics. I returned from 3 years as an Environmental Health PCV in Panama last Christmas, and can tell you it can be very tough, but in all honesty, the hardest part was leaving. The photo you posted above is of my best buddy and neighbor (1 hr paddling, 1 hour walking) there on the Peninsula Valiente. If you've still got time to fill before leaving, I invite you to check my blog, http://lougraminpanama.blogspot.com/ Good luck!
ReplyDeleteThanks for your comment. I've heard similar things from almost all of the RCPVs I've talked to, and am really looking forward to getting to Panama so that I can experience it for myself. Also, I'll definitely be checking out your blog- I love reading about PCVs in Panama!
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