It’s been a while

We made it to Panama City, Panama!

We have been here for 4 months now. I am going to skip the stuff about how hard it is to transition to a new country, a new job, and a new culture. Although that is really important to note, I’m in the mood to write about all our fun adventures so far!

Jon and I settled in, not so quickly and not so short on tears, sickness, and hardship. In between that and now working full-time jobs, we’ve explored a little and I want to share our favorite spots!

Playa Ensenada

We could not have survived our first few months here without my Tia Sandy to help us. She has been a lifesaver many times over. One weekend, when we finally felt less overwhelmed and were able to go away, we took her up on her offer to go to the beach. Jon drove, Sandy directed, and I napped in the backseat. An hour outside the city, we arrived at Playa Ensenada. It was a beautiful, quiet spot, with both the ocean and pools to swim in. It was so lovely to be away from the city and to truly enjoy the tropical weather.

Taboga Island

My team of 5th-grade teachers are the best! They organized a family outing to Taboga. This was our first trip outside of the city. After a ten-minute drive to the harbor, we took a 30-minute boat over to the island. It was the perfect day trip to enjoy the beach. We rented beach chairs and umbrellas, bought drinks out of pineapples, and swam amongst the trash. Okay, the water wasn’t the cleanest…but I still loved it!

Panama Canal

During our first week in Panama, Tia Sandy brought Jon and me to the Panama Canal. Jon had already read The Path Between the Seas. It’s basically required reading for moving to Panama. I did not get this memo, so I was a bit clueless. After some coaching on how the Panama Canal was built and what a feat it was, I began to appreciate the magnitude of this site. This is definitely a must-see when you come to the city!

Gamboa National Park

This was my first trip here without Jon. He had traveled back to the states, and I went with the other new hires to the school. After a short bus ride into the jungle, we arrived at the park. I love that about Panama. So close to both beaches and the jungle!

If you are coming to visit us, what do you want to see?

Five Months Down

Arriving in Panamá