So, I am an emotional wreck right now. I am up and down and up and down more than Paris Hilton's skirt. (By the way, what kind of crap is here new song! I heard that she has great musical gifts...of cousre she does, she can take singing lessons from whoever the hell she wants, she can finance her own freaking record label, not to mention her own crappy CD, so who the hell is going to stop that crap like that is recorded, reproduced and forced unwillingly into the ears of unpected listeners? Wheres the accountability here? Oh thats right, skanks like that only answer to money! What the hell is the musical world coming too when she makes it into the top Ten that isnt the top ten shitiest songs in the world. PS, this is no longer Chris the missionary talking, obviously).
Anyways, leaving the mission has been good, but I am realizing what Panamanian life is like. Dont take this wrong, I love it. Its just different. It's taking a little of adjustment. I am learning alot, and at the end of each day I am mentally worn out! I just get depressed and homesick for the American life that I had in Balboa, and then the next minute I am off the wall excited about my little Panamanian adventures. Its has been a great last weeks, I just feel like I am a women starting on the pill...dont mess with these emotions!
Anyways, life goes on! keep adjusting! Pictures to come soon!
Tuesday, September 12, 2006
Friday, September 08, 2006
The Other end of the spectrum
So, I have made it through my first week in Panama as a non-missionary! I am realyl excited. My job is great. But I am realizing all the things I took for granted, and am learning a new side of Panama. In some ways, I am understanding more about the lives of the people I worked side by side with in the church. In other ways, I am learning about a whole new part of the population I have never even had contact with in Panama.
Berlitz teaches mostly classes to businesses who need to learn English. And beleive you me, these course are not cheap. Its comes to something like $1.35 a minute to take a class. We have a center that serves as a adminstrative base as well as a teaching center, but most of the classes that I teach are outside of the center, in the conference rooms of said business. Put two and two together and it doesn't take long to figure out that these are multi-million dollar companies, and they usually only often pay for their top executives to take English classes. So, imagine the kind of people I have as my students. Imagine more, the type of people we have as students who are paying the classes out of their own pockets. We are talking rich. It is the complete opposite end of the spectrum, since my students in the church were taking adtvantage of the course we offered for $5.
For example, I teach in the National Brewrey, and my students there are the directors of logisitics and human resources. I teach a class to the middle-management for Sanofi Aventis, the pharmeceticaul company that makes Allegra. And one of my students in the international director for Sales for Nission in Latin America.
It has been interesting. While I have been entering penthouses and apartments in the most exclusive part of town, and learning my way around the corporate and banking districts of downtown, I feel in some way I am learning more about the lives of my former students-people who depended on buses, cram into said busses like sardines, and then walk twenty or thrity minutes to get where you actually need to go. I have learned so much about the city, and was surprised today when I was walking around to my busstop. I looked a house, that was rather dilapitated, and thought, if I were in the states, this would be a horrible part of town, and I would be gripping my wallet whiteknuckledly, staring down at the ground and just praying to get through. But this is Panama, and this is normal. This is actually a better area of the city. And I walk around this area feeling safe.
The simple life is something that I thought I lead. But as I left the mission, I realized how much simplier my life was going to get. I like that. For now, I am enjoying it, I am working really hard, and looking forward to living simply and saving some money for when I have to go back to the overpriced, materialistic attitude of the States.
keep learning...
Berlitz teaches mostly classes to businesses who need to learn English. And beleive you me, these course are not cheap. Its comes to something like $1.35 a minute to take a class. We have a center that serves as a adminstrative base as well as a teaching center, but most of the classes that I teach are outside of the center, in the conference rooms of said business. Put two and two together and it doesn't take long to figure out that these are multi-million dollar companies, and they usually only often pay for their top executives to take English classes. So, imagine the kind of people I have as my students. Imagine more, the type of people we have as students who are paying the classes out of their own pockets. We are talking rich. It is the complete opposite end of the spectrum, since my students in the church were taking adtvantage of the course we offered for $5.
For example, I teach in the National Brewrey, and my students there are the directors of logisitics and human resources. I teach a class to the middle-management for Sanofi Aventis, the pharmeceticaul company that makes Allegra. And one of my students in the international director for Sales for Nission in Latin America.
It has been interesting. While I have been entering penthouses and apartments in the most exclusive part of town, and learning my way around the corporate and banking districts of downtown, I feel in some way I am learning more about the lives of my former students-people who depended on buses, cram into said busses like sardines, and then walk twenty or thrity minutes to get where you actually need to go. I have learned so much about the city, and was surprised today when I was walking around to my busstop. I looked a house, that was rather dilapitated, and thought, if I were in the states, this would be a horrible part of town, and I would be gripping my wallet whiteknuckledly, staring down at the ground and just praying to get through. But this is Panama, and this is normal. This is actually a better area of the city. And I walk around this area feeling safe.
The simple life is something that I thought I lead. But as I left the mission, I realized how much simplier my life was going to get. I like that. For now, I am enjoying it, I am working really hard, and looking forward to living simply and saving some money for when I have to go back to the overpriced, materialistic attitude of the States.
keep learning...
Tuesday, August 29, 2006
Once again...one month later
I am getting good at this whole staying out of touch thing! Things have been insanely busy here and I have been going and going. Heres a quick update!
July- Groups! We have four groups come through to help with English among other things. It was great to spend time with Americans and get to see how much they impacted the people they worked with and how much the Panamanians impacted them! The first group came and taught a drama set to musich to the youth in Balboa and in Loma Cova. The youth have already used the drama in some of the local schools as a way to evangalize. The rest of the groups came and taught English in six of the seven churches in Panama! The volunteers brought in alot of new students who continue coming to classes! What a great way to see how God moves through the work of the people in his Kingdom.
August - Coolest news first! I was so sick! And I mean, go to the hospital sick. I felt alright, it was just stress more than anything when I look at my arms in the middle of class and I look like read and orange colby-jack chesse. After some tests, the doctor said I was suffering from a "light" case of rubella. Thats right. R-U-B-E-L-L-A. The same rubella as "hey I thought I had a vaccine agisnt rubella" rubella. Anyways, he prescribed me a strong drug, and after two days of deep drug induced sleep, I was a fit as a fittle. But I survived! Yea! Point for my immune system. August also brought BIG changes for the mission. Two new couples arrived to start their missionary service here in Panama. Thomas and Jamie came to fill the Volunteer Coordinator position, and to work with youth! Arthur and Eva come to us as Vicar and Diaconess to work in their respective areas. And, I am finishing my time with mission. Thats right. It has not even seemed like a whole year has passed, but I am writing one of the last blog entries as a missionary (dont worry, o avid fans, the bloggage will continue) amsidt boxes of things I will take with me into a new part of life! My official last day is Friday, but I am finished with teaching, so its all just administrative junk like fill out evaluation, turn in my keys and move on!
A new part of life? Well, yes! I am excited to start the next phase of life! I have a job here in Panama City, where I will work in the Berlitz Language Center of Panama City. I will teach English there. I also was lucky enough to hit the jackpot on an apartment, fully furnished and with all appliances included. It is in a very "ritzy" part of the city called San Fransisco, and my land lady speaks perfect English! All this for very cheap! I am very excited to be able to continue here in Panama, in a new capacity. Everyone in the church is excited that I am staying, and trying to hook me up with a Panamanian, so that I will never have to leave Panama. I even got a number from a seceretary at one of the new business our compay teaches at. She is interested in meeting an American "friend"! Needless to say, she is like 50. We will see if Cupid shoots any area in this direction, but hopefully not at said secretary.
So, for know, that the update! I will write more about my last few experiences, but for now, thats all. Be on the look out for a new style to this page as it moves to be more about my personal life here in Panama. Pictures of my new life here in Panama will be sure to be there!
Oh, yeah...be on the look out for new Ablaze brochures. No other than yours truely graces the cover. I am truly the cover boy for Ablaze! Ha, whatever! I am going to eternally famous within the LCMS circles I hopefully wont be a part of much longer!
Well, more to come. Until then, keep plugging!
July- Groups! We have four groups come through to help with English among other things. It was great to spend time with Americans and get to see how much they impacted the people they worked with and how much the Panamanians impacted them! The first group came and taught a drama set to musich to the youth in Balboa and in Loma Cova. The youth have already used the drama in some of the local schools as a way to evangalize. The rest of the groups came and taught English in six of the seven churches in Panama! The volunteers brought in alot of new students who continue coming to classes! What a great way to see how God moves through the work of the people in his Kingdom.
August - Coolest news first! I was so sick! And I mean, go to the hospital sick. I felt alright, it was just stress more than anything when I look at my arms in the middle of class and I look like read and orange colby-jack chesse. After some tests, the doctor said I was suffering from a "light" case of rubella. Thats right. R-U-B-E-L-L-A. The same rubella as "hey I thought I had a vaccine agisnt rubella" rubella. Anyways, he prescribed me a strong drug, and after two days of deep drug induced sleep, I was a fit as a fittle. But I survived! Yea! Point for my immune system. August also brought BIG changes for the mission. Two new couples arrived to start their missionary service here in Panama. Thomas and Jamie came to fill the Volunteer Coordinator position, and to work with youth! Arthur and Eva come to us as Vicar and Diaconess to work in their respective areas. And, I am finishing my time with mission. Thats right. It has not even seemed like a whole year has passed, but I am writing one of the last blog entries as a missionary (dont worry, o avid fans, the bloggage will continue) amsidt boxes of things I will take with me into a new part of life! My official last day is Friday, but I am finished with teaching, so its all just administrative junk like fill out evaluation, turn in my keys and move on!
A new part of life? Well, yes! I am excited to start the next phase of life! I have a job here in Panama City, where I will work in the Berlitz Language Center of Panama City. I will teach English there. I also was lucky enough to hit the jackpot on an apartment, fully furnished and with all appliances included. It is in a very "ritzy" part of the city called San Fransisco, and my land lady speaks perfect English! All this for very cheap! I am very excited to be able to continue here in Panama, in a new capacity. Everyone in the church is excited that I am staying, and trying to hook me up with a Panamanian, so that I will never have to leave Panama. I even got a number from a seceretary at one of the new business our compay teaches at. She is interested in meeting an American "friend"! Needless to say, she is like 50. We will see if Cupid shoots any area in this direction, but hopefully not at said secretary.
So, for know, that the update! I will write more about my last few experiences, but for now, thats all. Be on the look out for a new style to this page as it moves to be more about my personal life here in Panama. Pictures of my new life here in Panama will be sure to be there!
Oh, yeah...be on the look out for new Ablaze brochures. No other than yours truely graces the cover. I am truly the cover boy for Ablaze! Ha, whatever! I am going to eternally famous within the LCMS circles I hopefully wont be a part of much longer!
Well, more to come. Until then, keep plugging!
Saturday, July 22, 2006
One Month later
Yes, I am still alive and I am still in Panama. I am so busy right now, that I dont even have the energy to think about what to write in this blog entry. Maybe I will get a creative streak here sometime soon.
Until then....peace out.
Until then....peace out.
Thursday, June 22, 2006
The tree shimmy-er
Okay...this was competly new for me. Palm trees themselves proved to be quite the novelty for quite some time. I mean, we dont have them in Colorado, and I can remember taking about seven million pictures of the first one I ever saw. Well, needless to say, living in the tropics and all, palm trees have become a daily part of my life. And they are quite multifunctional. The provide shade, they have pipas (like coconuts) whose juice is more refreshing than water, and of course, when their huge pencas (palms) fall off, they can be converted into great sleds for sledding down the big Hills that the Administration building stands on.
However, I never knew exactly how they got all those wonderful pips down from the natural home. I always just delighted in watching them cut it open, stick and straw in and serve it up!
Well, my curiosity was ended.
This is one of our nice palm trees that graces the Church in Balboa with plenty of shade.
Look a little closer. Its like a little kids activity book. Can you see the foot and the man diligently working away?
And then when that diligent worker realizes he is actually a crook stealing pipas, and catches a glimpse of me documenting his pillage on film, well he shimmies right on down and runs!
And that, Ladies and gents, is how it is done!
Keep enjoying...
p.s. check out the April-May-June Newsletter at the link to the right!
Tuesday, June 20, 2006
I feel loved
My classes started this last week, and after being "on vacation" for about six weeks, I am so ready to get back into it. This session, I will be only teaching 10 classes a week, but also 5 private classes to students. Not to metion, I will be helping out with groups that come down to help in Panama...which will roughly put me at about 120 hours a week. Oh the joys of being a volunteer.
Anyways, yesterday, I made the announcement that I will not be continuing with the mission in Panama. The staff has known for a while, and it was time to tell my students (as well as my dedicated fan blog reading base!) The students in my classes were shocked, but they began asking what they needed to do to get me to stay. Who they needed to write a letter to, how much my salary needed to be raised, and what things needed to take place for me to stay. It was touching.
It also makes it hard to stick to my decision that I will in fact leave the mission. With all my wonderful students, and how much they have made a difference in my life, its hard to know that even after they say that I have made a difference in thier lives, we will all go our own seperate ways.
And after being a part of such a fulfilling work in seeing them improve and grow to feel comfortable at the church, its hard to think what will be when I am not around. This is the part where I have to trust that new people will be brought to their life, to provide for the needs they will have. And while they will always be my friends, we will not always be together to support and enourage, and just trust that God will bring new people into our lives who show his love for each and everyone of us!
Anyways, yesterday, I made the announcement that I will not be continuing with the mission in Panama. The staff has known for a while, and it was time to tell my students (as well as my dedicated fan blog reading base!) The students in my classes were shocked, but they began asking what they needed to do to get me to stay. Who they needed to write a letter to, how much my salary needed to be raised, and what things needed to take place for me to stay. It was touching.
It also makes it hard to stick to my decision that I will in fact leave the mission. With all my wonderful students, and how much they have made a difference in my life, its hard to know that even after they say that I have made a difference in thier lives, we will all go our own seperate ways.
And after being a part of such a fulfilling work in seeing them improve and grow to feel comfortable at the church, its hard to think what will be when I am not around. This is the part where I have to trust that new people will be brought to their life, to provide for the needs they will have. And while they will always be my friends, we will not always be together to support and enourage, and just trust that God will bring new people into our lives who show his love for each and everyone of us!
Tuesday, June 13, 2006
When animals attack
Well, I am told that Panama has seasons. How they classify these seasons is beyond me, apart from the obvious that one is the soak season while the other is the hang your laundry on the line to dry season. Well, either way, they are both really hot and humid, but we will leave that distinction to meteorologists more capable than I.
Anyways, the point of this season babble is to say that rainy season also means bug season. And when I say bug season, I mean puddles of standing water that would scare any West nile fearing person ( although here its not WN but Dengue...thats right...I am thinking tszti flies and everything).
Exhibit A. Friday, my free day, day to relax and do whatever my fancy darn well pleases to do, I go to the cabinet where all my precious china is stored. I see a little group of ants, devouring what seems to be some shriveled dried crumb no bigger than a dash of dust. They may have actually been eating dust, I am not sure. But for some reason, whether dust or a little piece of last night dinner, there was an ant farm dangerously close to my plates, of which I was about to use to eat lunch. Dos Tigres Ant and Other "Crawling Insect" killer to the rescue. Unfortunatly, as a few fleed from their posinous death, I notice that they follow a path. Up, up and up they go, to the third shelf, fortuantly out of my view. On a massacaring rampage, I decide to get a chair to pursue the eightlegged foes. I calmy step up onto the chair, and almost as quickly fall off in shock. I hit the motherload. There, setting up a little metropolis, is a colony of at least 10 bazillion ants.
Going crazy with my poisin, I spray, catching hopefully 80% of the population, and covering at least half my dishes in sticky goop. After the desamation and the aftermath that was washing and sanatizing every single dish I own, I felt that maybe a roadmark was reached and a battle was won.
However, the ants have just returned, choosing another beautiful location in my kitchen. Will it never end? I am praying for the rain to continue, but for also an endless supply of Dos Tigres Ant Killer, which is quickly quickly being used up. However, I will keep strong, and have faith. Thats it...fight the good fight. Down with the Ants. Happy Bug...I mean rainy season!
Lets just hope the dishes got washed well...
Anyways, the point of this season babble is to say that rainy season also means bug season. And when I say bug season, I mean puddles of standing water that would scare any West nile fearing person ( although here its not WN but Dengue...thats right...I am thinking tszti flies and everything).
Exhibit A. Friday, my free day, day to relax and do whatever my fancy darn well pleases to do, I go to the cabinet where all my precious china is stored. I see a little group of ants, devouring what seems to be some shriveled dried crumb no bigger than a dash of dust. They may have actually been eating dust, I am not sure. But for some reason, whether dust or a little piece of last night dinner, there was an ant farm dangerously close to my plates, of which I was about to use to eat lunch. Dos Tigres Ant and Other "Crawling Insect" killer to the rescue. Unfortunatly, as a few fleed from their posinous death, I notice that they follow a path. Up, up and up they go, to the third shelf, fortuantly out of my view. On a massacaring rampage, I decide to get a chair to pursue the eightlegged foes. I calmy step up onto the chair, and almost as quickly fall off in shock. I hit the motherload. There, setting up a little metropolis, is a colony of at least 10 bazillion ants.
Going crazy with my poisin, I spray, catching hopefully 80% of the population, and covering at least half my dishes in sticky goop. After the desamation and the aftermath that was washing and sanatizing every single dish I own, I felt that maybe a roadmark was reached and a battle was won.
However, the ants have just returned, choosing another beautiful location in my kitchen. Will it never end? I am praying for the rain to continue, but for also an endless supply of Dos Tigres Ant Killer, which is quickly quickly being used up. However, I will keep strong, and have faith. Thats it...fight the good fight. Down with the Ants. Happy Bug...I mean rainy season!
Lets just hope the dishes got washed well...
Tuesday, June 06, 2006
And the madness approaches
So, you think you have this living in a foreign country thing down. You got some friends, looking forward to your next session of jamming English classes, even figured out how to pay a Panamanian traffic violation (don't ask). You have even had new experiences like handing out a Spanish resume, dealing with flighty Panamanain apartment brokers. You're, as they say here...high to the sky! You feel great. You can overcome anything.
And then you see things that have never happened before. The city empties out, restuarants and bars fill up in the middle of the day, whole TV networks, cable channels and regularly sheduleing programming are interrupted. The whole city seems to be running on Standerd German Time. But this is Panama, right?
Well, now that you mention it, we might as well be in Germany. Thats right. All googling and drooling over the manifestation of years of anticipation. I already mentioned the whole time thing, and now a days we are seeing more German flags than Panamanian. What could possibly be happening.
Two words: WORLD CUP
And being in a country where "I am not a big soccer fan" seems to be as socially accepted as "I am a Republican," my typical response to the "Who are you routing for?" question just seems inapprorpiate.
Actually, being free of all this madness can be liberating. First of all, I have no invested hope in one particular team, so today I can route for France, but when they get the crap beat out of them by Brazil, I can easily become a Converted French man reborn Brazilian. Second, I literally have the city to myself, seeing as how I am the only one of this entire country who doesnt live, breath and digest soccer. Third, my courses are about to get a lot more personal, as I am sure that many students will accientdentally get cuaght up in the furor of the passion that is soccer...
sounds a little fatalistic or bitter. No, not at all. After all, I will have my day when the world moopishly walks away from some painful defeat, and when most will feel the sting of what it is to have hopes and dreams crushed, I my friend will walk through the empty Panamanian streets, enjoying every minute of the peace that is not being tied or affilliated with any one team.
keep cheering...
And then you see things that have never happened before. The city empties out, restuarants and bars fill up in the middle of the day, whole TV networks, cable channels and regularly sheduleing programming are interrupted. The whole city seems to be running on Standerd German Time. But this is Panama, right?
Well, now that you mention it, we might as well be in Germany. Thats right. All googling and drooling over the manifestation of years of anticipation. I already mentioned the whole time thing, and now a days we are seeing more German flags than Panamanian. What could possibly be happening.
Two words: WORLD CUP
And being in a country where "I am not a big soccer fan" seems to be as socially accepted as "I am a Republican," my typical response to the "Who are you routing for?" question just seems inapprorpiate.
Actually, being free of all this madness can be liberating. First of all, I have no invested hope in one particular team, so today I can route for France, but when they get the crap beat out of them by Brazil, I can easily become a Converted French man reborn Brazilian. Second, I literally have the city to myself, seeing as how I am the only one of this entire country who doesnt live, breath and digest soccer. Third, my courses are about to get a lot more personal, as I am sure that many students will accientdentally get cuaght up in the furor of the passion that is soccer...
sounds a little fatalistic or bitter. No, not at all. After all, I will have my day when the world moopishly walks away from some painful defeat, and when most will feel the sting of what it is to have hopes and dreams crushed, I my friend will walk through the empty Panamanian streets, enjoying every minute of the peace that is not being tied or affilliated with any one team.
keep cheering...
Saturday, June 03, 2006
Panamanian Lazy Days
I had almost forgotten what it was like to wake up on one of those typically gray days and just want to curl up in bed and not do anything. With Panama being such a tropical country, there are very few days when the mornings are not humid and sunny.
Today, was one of those days. I woke up to the sound of pitter pattering rain on my window, and gave into the urge and just slept it off. The rain continued, from about 7:00 (when I first woke up), to a nice drizzle right now as I write (12 noon). At times the rain was so strong, I woke up thinking I was on white water raft. I guess, just as I had forgetten about May snow in Colorado, I had forgotten what real rainy season rain is like here in Panama.
P.S. My friend, Ann, just arrived in Macau for a couple months of missionary service. Check out her blog (theres a link to Ann Basinski to the right) to see whats going on there! Good Luck Ann!
keep lounging..
Today, was one of those days. I woke up to the sound of pitter pattering rain on my window, and gave into the urge and just slept it off. The rain continued, from about 7:00 (when I first woke up), to a nice drizzle right now as I write (12 noon). At times the rain was so strong, I woke up thinking I was on white water raft. I guess, just as I had forgetten about May snow in Colorado, I had forgotten what real rainy season rain is like here in Panama.
P.S. My friend, Ann, just arrived in Macau for a couple months of missionary service. Check out her blog (theres a link to Ann Basinski to the right) to see whats going on there! Good Luck Ann!
keep lounging..
Thursday, June 01, 2006
Back in Panama
I am back! It is so great to see some people that I missed, and getting used to somethings again. I am once again, going to struggle with the humidity for a couple of days.
Just a quick note to say that I am here and that I made it alright. Yeah for Panama!
keep plugging,
Chris
Just a quick note to say that I am here and that I made it alright. Yeah for Panama!
keep plugging,
Chris
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