International Learning

The crooked shower tile and crooked lines on the highway give  Panama a rough around the edges feeling. Every moment of the first few weeks we were here it was almost all I could see.  But eventually it become clear that although things are not as well engineered and planned as in Canada, it all works pretty darn well. That includes Kelsey's school.

My high school was a massive building crawling with over 2000 students and just a bus ride away from the largest shopping mall in the world.  My daughter goes to school with about 40 other high school students in a two story house (and a small addition) that has been converted to a school.         

Panama Coast International School offers their own curriculum or helps the students continue working with their home country curriculum. Using online learning from Alberta Distance Learning she doesn't miss a beat when she goes back for grade 12.  



This rough around the edges little school manages to squeeze in more life experience into each day than what she used to get back in Canada. On top of the boring school stuff, her first full week of classes included more than one afternoon on the beach and a bunch of hours pitching in to help paint a building. She loves it. So for those of you that think she is attending Underwater Basket Weaving or Talk Like a Pirate 101"...you can be assured her education is top notch and she is getting a big bonus of life experience.    

The Music Room

Stairs the the second level

Lunch Room

Kids hard at work

The Pool! 

How to get lost in Panama City

How to get lost in Panama City, by Karen Todd.

1) Enter route from the airport to Coronado in your Waze navigating app. 

2) DON'T enable GPS in settings frown emoticon

3) Think to yourself, "this is easy"

4) Follow the highlighted route and try to get back to it when you miss a turn. 

5) Wonder why GPS isn't talking to you

6) Go through a toll

7) Get almost out of city by yourself and feel proud

8) Find yourself turned around and back in the depths of the ghetto of the city in a big bulky, manual transmission truck where there are only 2 lanes but Panamanian driver's have made 

9) Go through another toll

10) Think to yourself, "WTF?"

11) Think to yourself, 'What would Dad do?"

12) Take 20 minutes to find a place to pull over so you can throw the stupid effing phone out the window. 

13) Pull over and realize the GPS is not enabled. 

14) Turn on GPS and drive easily out of the city like nothing happened.

I'm just gonna add this to another life lesson I learned the hard way.

https://www.lonelyplanet.com/thorntree/forums/americas-central-america/topics/i-survived-driving-in-panama-city-here-s-how

Yo estoy aprendiendo Espanol

I've never been a very good student. Shakespeare? Why do I need to learn that? Geometry? I'll never use that in my life. As a matter of fact, in the eighth grade we were assigned a project about the solar system. I choose the sun and started my report. I never did finish it and when Mr. Dawe asked me about it the next day, I admitted to him that it was late and I slid it under his door after hours. Total lie. I didn't actually do it but with one big lie and a few little tears I was able to convince him that I DID do it. I got 80%.

Please don't judge me too harshly, I'm not a bad person. I just learned that I am better at talking my way out of things better than I am of actually doing them. (Maybe I could've been a lawyer after-all...)

I'm not sure why I was a lazy student. Maybe I wasn't convinced that I could be a good student or that I was capable. Maybe I was rebelling about the confinement of it all. Either way, I have accomplished lots in my life even with my lackadaisical "school" attitude. I earned my private pilot's license at the age of 20, my motorcycle license at the age of 30 and now at the age of 40 (ok, 41) I'm learning Spanish.

Moving to Panama wasn't much of a culture shock. I had visited the country and even purchased property. I feel safe on the beaches, I feel comfortable driving on the highway. Where I feel out of place is communicating. And that's one big "out of place". I came to Panama knowing a handful of Spanish words and one phrase. So now I put my trusty student skills to work. I can't dance my way around this or make it up as I go. Either I learn it and I understand what is being asked of me or I don't and I nod my head and smile. 

So now, twice a week, I pay a local to teach me new Spanish words and phrases. She coaches me through putting them all together and gives me a hard time if I haven't practiced enough. I spit and stutter out each phrase and it takes me back to middle school. I feel hesitant and pitiful. Can I actually learn Spanish? Does anyone understand me? Here's what I do know. Panamanians are forgiving and kind. They see me trying to order 12 buns at the grocery store and they don't laugh but try to help. When I go to the roadside fruit stands and ask for a pineapple, they will slowly answer me. I often say "I don't understand" and my newest friend is "yo estoy aprendiendo Espanol". I am learning Spanish. They seem to like that one!

My biggest hurdle moving to a Spanish speaking country is actually speaking Spanish. Right now, I'm going outside my comfort zone and trying to speak to everyone I see. Mostly it's "hello, how are you", "can I have 12 buns" and "I am learning Spanish" (and mostly it's to a caiman in a pond, an iguana in a tree and occasionally to a feral dog)...but that's the whole point. If I just DO it, I will learn it. I'll make mistakes and speak like a two year old for the first few months (and cry for my mommy) but I am determined. 

In a few months I'll be walking the walk AND talking the talk!!!

Rambutans and Grill Cheese Sandwiches

For those who know me, know that I am somewhat of a picky eater. Up until recently, if I read 'gazpacho' or 'chimichuri' on a menu, I'd run for the hills! (Now luckily, I can google it at the table.)

We didn't experiment with foods when I was growing up...my mom and dad were meat and potatoes people. Back in the 80's, when my dad was out of town, my mom would feed us 4 kids macaroni and cheese and to make it healthier, she'd add a can of stewed tomatoes. We all hated it. Why would you ruin good old Mac n' Cheese with tomatoes?!?! Now as a parent with at least one picky eater of my own, I understand how difficult it can be to make everyone happy at the dinner table.

I went through my own phase of rotating a menu of meat and potatoes, chicken and rice and spaghetti. This phase lasted until I was about 41. (I am 41). I have no idea how to cook, what to cook and most of the time, I don't have half the ingredients required to make a delicious "foodie" meal. When I started packing for our move to Panama I went through my spice rack. Three jars of tarragon, four jars of ground cumin, three little can thingys of dry yellow mustard and an assortment of other common spices. It seems at least three or four times over the past six years I tried a new recipe requiring tarragon and the like. My sister-in-law inherited all the spices. She's the best cook in the world and was the person that inspired me  to try cooking new menu ideas, hence the box of 40 unopened and stale spices!

My biggest fear about moving to Panama was how to buy and cook food. Ok, my biggest fear was tarantulas...but this blog is about food. I'll save creepy crawlies for another day. For the first 5 weeks my daughter, the 16 year old vegetarian and all around picky eater, survived on grill cheese sandwiches and pineapple. Food she is familiar with. I even had to watch a YouTube video on "how to cut a pineapple". I don't admit that to many people.

Then an amazing event occurred. My friend, Rebekah, introduced us to a road side fruit and veggie stand and more importantly...Rambutans (most people/vendors here call them lychees). As if we are going to even touch and hold a red, furry weird looking fruit, let alone eat one. She showed us how to buy them, how to open them and even how to eat one! The texture is strange, the flavour is delicious. We did it! We went outside our comfort zone and discovered a delicious new food!

As my Spanish gets a little better and I'm feeling more comfortable stopping at local roadside stands, we are eating more fresh fruits and vegetables and less grill cheese sandwiches. I still make rice, but now it's tropical rice with pineapple and coconut. Here's a recipe I found. I use vegetable broth rather than chicken broth and skip the nuts. I might even try and make my own vegetable broth. Sounds so simple, right?
 http://veryculinary.com/2012/06/26/pineapple-and-coconut-rice/

As we explore this beautiful country more, our tastes will expand and sense of "menu adventure" will broaden. Although, I'm sure we'll still eat the odd grill cheese sandwich.

Active Lifestyle in Panama!

When I went through the first phase of my so-called "mid life crisis" a few years ago, I took a motorcycle course and got my license. I rode a 1983 Yamaha Midnight Maxim a handful of times before it sat in the garage...for 5 years. Then I decided to take guitar lessons and learned the first verse of two songs then, you guessed it. I gave back the guitar. I never seem to finish anything (except this pesky mid life crisis).

The winter before I turned 40 I took up running. With no goal in sight I ran the indoor track at the local fitness centre and miraculously after a few weeks I was able to run 5 kilometres without stopping. 40 was right around the corner and what better way to celebrate that year by running a half marathon. In Vegas. With the motivation of some of my favorite people, I signed up for the Rock n' Roll half marathon. I was not going to quit.

November arrived and off we flew to Vegas. After 3 days of late nights and more than a few cocktails, the big day arrived and I didn't quit! I weaved and bobbed through the masses. By the 18km mark I was wishing I was tucked in at home binge watching Netflix. But I completed the half...and that's how I became to love finishing something I started!

Moving to Panama, I was excited about the outdoor lifestyle but I didn't dream it would show it's beautiful face so early. The first week I crashed a birthday party and hiked to the top of Sleeping Indian at El Valle de Anton. With one missed turn, an extra 30 minutes, the promise of champagne at the top and a wonderful local showing us the way, we made it. El Valle is a built on the floor of the second largest inhabited volcano. Once a crater lake, now stands a town of restaurants, shops, markets and hotels. The climb to Sleeping Indian is to the top is magnificent. We viewed waterfalls, hieroglyphics and no shortage of locals who hike a portion of the difficult trail everyday just to get to and from the market from their homes. http://www.el-valle-panama.com/

Exactly one week later I was signed up for the running portion of a relay triathlon. Why not? It was only 5 kilometres (and remember I can run 5k!). The Sprint Triathlon was right here in Coronado and started with a 750 meter swim in the Pacific Ocean, followed by a 20 kilometer bicycle ride over and through the roads and pathways, finished by a 5 kilometer run ending on the beach. I loved the energy of the triathlon and it has inspired me to think about doing the entire thing by myself next year. (Although I love being on the winning team with my close friends. Shout out to Tara and Rebekah!!)

As this mid-life crisis bubbles in the fore ground of life, I can say I'm happy to experience it in Panama. I embrace the friends that live here now since moving from Calgary and those I have made while I've been here. I embrace their hikes and runs and golf. My husband is also thankful for my active Panama lifestyle. He's not quite ready to see a hot red Corvette in the driveway. (yet)

photos courtesy of https://www.facebook.com/triathlonpanama

Moved To Panama

Well, we did it. Made the move to Panama from Canada! Despite all the nerves (and some family members protests) we're here in the hot Panama sun enjoying the cold Panama cerveza.

I'll start with the one question that everyone asks us when we told them about our move. Why Panama? I usually answer this question with a statement first. We love Canada. We are true Canadian Patriots. If Canada had a tropical province like Hawaii or Florida, we'd go there. We're not running away from Calgary, Alberta, Canada, we're running towards a 12 month golf season...in the sun...for cheap.

Our journey actually started about 3 years ago when my husband quit his much hated boss and well paying radio sales job to begin a new career in a new industry. We visited Panama that fall and bought a condo. This was supposed to be our 7 year plan.

So, how did we come up with Panama? It wasn't a "throw a dart at the map and see where it lands" kind of answer. It was a deduction of where we couldn't go. There are yearly time limits that only lets us be in the States for a certain amount of time. Hawaii and Florida were out. We wanted to work and buy property and have a cheaper cost of living. The Caribbean Islands were out. Our search then took us to Central America where Costa Rica and Belize were contenders but we wanted a stable economy, stable banking system, good health care which landed our dart on Panama. Playa Coronado to be exact.

Albeit the timing didn't seem perfect since I was in the throes of a successful career, my husband's company dissolved and he was back to square one. We thought if he had to start over again, why not do it in paradise? So after many pros and cons lists and weighing out the yays and nays of friends and family...I quit my six figure a year job, got our youngest (16) enrolled in school at Panama Coast International School, sold or gave away gave away the majority of our belongings and nervously awaited for the day we planned to leave. I will add that I was a basket case the last few weeks before we left. Questioning our decision, wondering if we'd have enough money, giving away years and years of accumulated "stuff" and saying goodbye to loved ones.

On a personal note, I felt that I HAD to act a certain way. I thought if I cried or questioned the move to anyone that a) I would talk myself out of it or b) someone else would talk me out of it. Most people were proud of us and said we were brave to do such a big move. It didn't feel brave to cry. I did have reservations but as I sit here sipping my coffee (not even close to tasting like a good ol' Double Double from Tim Hortons) from the 7th floor of Coronado Golf with a view of the 10th fairway and the Pacific Ocean I feel grateful. Grateful my husband would follow me to the moon and back if I asked him. Grateful my daughter wanted to have a new experience, grateful I have the opportunity to follow my dream of living in a tropical country and grateful for technology so I can stay in touch with everyone back home in Canada!

For more info on Playa Coronado, check out this link: http://playacommunity.com/