Can You Imagine........

Can you imagine......if you woke up one day, looked out the window and everything, I mean everything was different?  The landscape was different, unusual animal sounds coming from the woods, new neighbors, different type of house, everyone spoke a foreign language that you didn´t fully understand.  The food was different, stores different and you had NO idea where to go to get your electric turned on, phone connected or even how to get there.  And when you did get there you couldn´t speak the language enough to understand what the contract said.  Where to go to buy a car, a broom, aspirin, window curtins etc.....did they even have these things there?  And while waiting for all your utilities to be turned on you have to use an internet cafe and type on a foreign keyboard with Spanish symbols and the Spanish alphabet. 

It´s like being re-born and having to learn everything all over again!!!! What a shock!!!  There are NO hot water heaters in the homes here and many are not even plummed for them.    No air conditioners in the homes either. 

Ok so Clyde and I are 5 days old now since we moved our new lives to Panama.  Our electric was turned on after a few days but we still have no internet or cable.  We signed up for that within an hour of getting off the plane.  They told us 1-5 days to get connected but now they are telling us 2 more weeks. We have a bed but no furniture.  Our new appliances are supposed to be delivered tomorrow.  We still have not gotten out to look for a car and plan to do that today, but it´s raining on and off.  On the way to the mall we bought some patio furniture so we can put that in the house for now and have something to sit on other than the bed.  We have shopped non-stopped since we got here and it´s fun but
very tiring!

The coveted Pensionado Visa that will provide us with many discounts is on hold until Clyde´s new passport comes in. We were told that would take about 10-12 days American time, said the women at the US Consulate.  They would not even allow us to pay for a pre-paid internet card for our laptop without the Pensionado Visa FIRST. That makes NO sense at all since all anyone needs to be in Panama is a tourist Visa which everyone that visit´s this place does have.

But we have found some wonderful, cheap deals on curtins, bedding, clothing, towels, eating out and much more since stuff is so cheap here.  Last night for dinner we stopped at Chela´s Queso, a tiny place that makes home made cheeses, breads and yogurts and it just happens to be very close to our house.  We bought some strawberry yogurt and canasta cheese with green thingies in it. It was yummy eventhough we had no idea what it was. Today we stopped by Chela´s for some sweetbread that was densly filled with dried fruit and nuts and lightly glazed on top, but not too sweet.  I think I could get used to this place!!!

We arrived home last night and the sounds coming from the jungle across from the house were incredibly loud.  It sounded like a sci-fi movie with whistles, howls, lasers and chirping all at the same time.  I am sure it was a combination of monkeys, geikos, birds, sloths and whatever else is out there. After all this place is surronded by thick, dense, lush green rain forrest and is absolutely breath taking.

Well Clyde is done on his computer so I better say adios for now so we can head out to find a car.  We are optimistic but also know that this IS Panama and this will probably just be yet.....another adventure!