Catching up again – machetes, hurricaines, travel, and skype

Posted on November 10, 2012 by Kris Cunningham
Sunday 10/28/2012
Yes, you can cut the lawn with a machete
This seems to go on a lot around here, lawn care by machete. Lawn care by machete and weed wacker is also common. I met a guy working in our neighborhood the other day. He has a bicycle with a trailer, and in the trailer are a couple weed wackers and machetes. Some homeowners with more upscale homes seem to have lawn mowers but among the average locals, no.
I have boots and a machete, so why not give it a try? It is surprisingly effective! I have more weeds than grass in my back yard and they are starting to get out of hand. A few swipes of the machete and the weeds are considerably shorter! I really don’t want to buy a lawn mower after all the years without one, so I think I have a solution. Until I get the place replanted in mani (aka perennial peanut, same thing we had in FL), it’s machete time.
There are no hurricanes in Panama.
This is true. We are out of any hurricane paths. But, this does not mean we don’t feel the effects. When Sandy was northeast of us, it rained for two days straight, often raining very hard. Rivers overflowed and there was flooding in some parts of the country. The rain is warm and not unpleasant but I was getting tired of driving in it to get things done.
Don’t get me wrong! I am very thankful, especially now as I see the east coast preparing for what might be a huge situation. It would be nice if no one ever had to deal with a hurricane. I’m not going to miss all that for sure, but I never thought about us being close enough to get a good soaking if one happens to be nearby. It’s pretty hard to complain about any of it though, when I think about how many people are watching Sandy bear down on them.
Back to the US
Other than that, it’s been quiet the last couple days. My traveling companion left for a visit to Boquete, so I have been working hard on the house. I got oil paint for the doors and storage areas on the back bedroom and wanted to get that done so it would be dry and less smelly when we all come in. I tried to clean and organize the house in general a little. It’s definitely a work in progress but hopefully it will be tolerable. The new paint on the doors sure looks good!
I continue to be impressed with the kindness of the Panamanian people around me. I went to the neighbors to let them know I was going to be away for a few days. They said they would watch the house. And, they called a taxi driver friend to take me to the airport, gave me the phone numbers of their favorite taxi drivers, and wrote out directions to the house if I need to call and direct the taxi driver, something I’m not sure about doing over the phone in my limited Spanish. What nice people.
Skype
Skype is a wonderful thing. I “had dinner” with one of my daughters yesterday. She was on the computer screen in front of me, but we were almost as together as if we were in the same place. She gave me a tour of her new house. I showed her the papaya I was eating. I could have given her a tour of my house too but I’m still stuck to a cable until the router gets down here.
I bought a plan on skype where I have a USA phone number and I can call anywhere in the US as much as I want. I can’t remember how much it was, but a year was about half what I paid for my cell phone in the US for a month. OK, so my old cell phone was a smart phone with internet and all that, but still, in Panama, my internet/TV, my cell phone, and my skype plan all together are a lot less than what I paid for just the phone. The internet and TV, if I remember, are about $35/month. One of these days I’ll have to start an accounting of all our expenses, just to see how big the different is from what we used to pay to live.
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Friday 10/26/2012 David, Chiriqui Province, Panamá

Posted on November 10, 2012 by Kris Cunningham

The internet came yesterday, and I haven’t written anything since! I have been busy uploading everything I wrote before internet, and sorting through pics, uploading videos, etc. So, that’s my excuse and I’m sticking to it.

Lost in the city 

Things continue to feel better every day, but finding things continues to be the biggest challenge. Thursday morning Lorraine had a dentist appointment. We figured we had better find the place ahead of time, so we called for directions. Go to KFC on the highway (yes there is a KFC here, and a number of other familiar fast food places). So, go to KFC, go 3 blocks, past the baseball field, and it’s a white building with two floors, no plants. We went 3 blocks up the highway, and more… nothing. We went 3 blocks down the highway… nothing. We went 3 blocks north of the highway and then some, still nothing. We went back up the highway. I called again for directions and couldn’t get any more than I did the first time. I swear she said 3 blocks, white building, no plants, 2 floors, baseball field. What baseball field??? Finally I gave up in frustration.

Plan B – get a taxi, ask him to take us there. We find one, hop in, he radios his home base for directions and off we go to KFC, turn SOUTH of the highway (the only direction we didn’t go) and sure enough. There’s a large ball field, and on the other side of the street, a white sign with the dentist’s name. White sign… white building…. whats the word for sign?? Akkkk. So, since we were having such luck with this taxi guy I leave Lorraine at the dentist and ask the driver if he knows where to buy a gas can. He drives a few blocks more, and we have a gas can in the trunk and he’s taking me back to my car. Now that I can easily find the dentist I can go back in my own car and pick up Lorraine.

So, days of asking and driving around to find gas cans and dentists… DONE in minutes with the help of a cab driver. We are now cooking with GAS. Heh

Selling the house, and the joys of doing business in another country 

The other big thing is the house in Florida is selling and heading towards closing very quickly – next week! I thought I had it all set up when I left. Sure, we FedEx you any papers, you sign them, FedEx them back. No problem. We do it all the time. Uh huh. This is Panama. It is a problem.

We set off to find the David FedEx office. I know you can imagine how that went. What finally solved it was Joel at home doing research on the internet, giving me the best directions he could, us finding Romeros, the grocery store landmark we needed, and walking all around the store. Sure enough, on a back street behind the store, FedEx!!

So, keeping in mind this is Panama, and this is happening on Thursday, if Joel sent documents immediately they would maybe get to Panama City on Saturday. They would sit until the office opened on Monday, and would get put on a truck to arrive in David on Tuesday. If I sent them back the same day, they would arrive back in Panama City on Wednesday, and maybe get to Florida on Friday. Maybe. So at best, 8 days round trip for documents involving offers and counter offers that are supposed to be signed and returned in a day. Don’t forget also that there are major Panamanian holidays coming up in a week and an extra long weekend. All offices will be closed.

Plan B – get our lawyer to give Joel POA for me so he can sign for me. The lawyer needs a day to get the paperwork in order. I sign things and they need to go to the government office in David to be notarized. Then they need to go to the American consulate in Panama City to be apostilled, something like notarized but for international business. Who knows how long that would take?

So, the final plan – buy a printer/scanner. Email me documents, I print them, sign them, scan them and email them back. This will do for negotiations but for closing, it must be actual signatures, no scanning and emailing. It’s becoming clear that the only way to work this out is for me to buy plane tickets and return to Florida for closing. Who would have thought you can get a person to the US faster than you can get papers there! But, if I do this, I can also help Joel and ma with their trip down here which is a good thing. And, I will be back with Joel in a matter of days.

So with a bit of looking, a couple conferences on skype, I have tickets and a plan. I will take the bus to Panama City on Sunday, fly out on Monday morning and be in Florida in the afternoon. We will all be together on the same flight returning to Panama City on Thursday, stay overnight there and head to David on Friday.

An aside, a bit of advice…. get POA for your spouse, partner, parents, anyone for whom you might have to sign. We have thought about doing this just because its good to have, but we never got around to it. On my return trip, we will be getting around to it!

The best laid plans…. 

Friday we drive off to see our friends, the ones who put me up when I first arrived. On the way to their house the road was blocked. Someone said something about indians, Colon, and protests. There was a protest near where I live last week by people from Colon. The government has made a law that says they can sell land in Colon, and the people don’t like it. It seems the only way people think they can be heard is to cause major disruptions and problems.

Since we couldn’t get to our friends, and couldn’t find a way around the blocked highway, we headed in to town to do a couple other errands. Every shop we went to had people watching TV news about terrible protest all over, especially in Colon and Panama City. People were telling us the roads were blocked and the only way to Panama City was by air. The last time we were here there were protests and the highway was shut down for days. I was getting really anxious about my upcoming trip so I came home and bought plane tickets. That’s a lot more money but it’s sure better than me not making it to closing.

By Friday night it seems the government has backed down on the new law so hopefully peace will return, but who knows for sure. I feel better having that airline ticket.

The people here 


We went to town to do some errands, one of which was to get Lorraine some boots like the people use to work outdoors. They would be good for walking and exploring the area. I started by asking a guy shining shoes on the sidewalk, since he was shining boots and I could find out the word for boots. When he figured out what we wanted, there were a couple other guys in the conversation directing us to a store nearby. These were lady’s dress boots, not work boots so when we returned we explained that these weren’t what we needed. A discussion followed and one of the guys said he knew just the place for us. He came with us, or rather went there as we did our best to keep up. He explained to the shop people what we needed, and stayed with us until she found boots that fit. By now I was thinking boots would be a good idea for me too. Something has been biting my toes and feet, probably something in the grass, so I got a pair for me too. He noticed the bites and a discussion followed about that, and insecticide was recommended to be mixed with water and sprayed in the yard. (I declined but good to know if the boots don’t solve the problem)During the boot fitting, a discussion evolved about socks. I know you need them under boots. What is the word for socks? Calcetines? No? Medias?! Never heard that one. So, next, he takes us to the store he says sells the cheapest socks. I get a package of 12 pair – $5. I am expecting pretty crappy socks but they are surprisingly good! They are light weight but soft, and with the socks on the boots feel comfortable and functional.By this time he has been taking care of us for at least ½ hour, probably more. Once we have our boots and socks, he bids us goodby, good day, and walks off. I figured he might be hoping for a buck or two from the gringo ladies but apparently not. He was just being a nice guy. He said he was a truck driver but with the road blocked he wasn’t working, so he was just hanging out downtown and was happy to help. This seems to be fairly normal behavior here. People take the time to help and are happy to do it.

Well it is getting late so I should post this and get to bed. Tomorrow we get out the oil based paint for the closet and drawers in the 2nd bedroom, put together the desk we bought for in there, and get ready for my trip. I don’t think we have any errands or things to do in town so hopefully we can make some forward progress on the house. It’s nice to have a traveling companion and house guest who likes to help fix up houses!

Just for fun
Look what we found at the grocery store! People in my generation remember this. We drank Boones Farm apple wine a lot!
Look what we found at the bus terminal. There are vendors there who sell snacks, I suppose for people who want something to eat on the long bus ride. There seems to be a little fruit, lots of candy, some bread, cookies, and unidentifiable things like this wrapped in banana leaves. It tasted like firm pudding, not too sweet. I liked it a lot. Lorraine didn’t like it at all.
Of course, this blog wouldn’t be complete without a bug, and we spotted this very interesting fellow on the front window.
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Tuesday 10/23/12, David, Panama

Posted on November 10, 2012 by Kris Cunningham
A good day yesterday!
I must have found a good corner of the park yesterday morning, because the internet actually worked!! I was parked along the street on the west side, around the corner from the church. I’ll have to aim for this location again and see if my luck holds. How nice to talk with Joel! Funny, we finally get to talk and neither of us can remember half of what we wanted to say but who cares. It was just nice to talk. I chatted a little with my teacher at Habla Ya, checked Facebook for news of my kids, and answered emails that had been sitting around for days. How nice after two days of internet barely working, or not working at all. I must have been there a while because last night I noticed that my left arm is sunburned.
I also found the car insurance office without a bit of trouble and the gal there took care of things in short order. So, for $91.19 I am insured until August 2013. And, I had minimal trouble with communication.
After stopping by the park for the internet, I went to the farmers market where a very nice young man fixed me up with everything I needed. Is it possible to eat an entire pineapple and a bowl of papaya for lunch? Umm… yes. I came home with a very large papaya, two pineapples, two onions, two green peppers, two chayotes (summer squash type things, very yummy), four bananas, three plantains, a small cabbage, and a yucca (new experiment) – $7.25.

We also had a very nice conversation about what I wanted to buy, how to cook yucca, and which language is more difficult, English or Spanish. Why is it sometimes I fall flat on my face and can’t figure out what anyone is saying, and other times it goes smoothly? I love it when it’s smooth and doesn’t get in the way of interacting with someone.

Oops, can’t forget the yucca (but after eating it, I decided we definitely can forget the yucca in the future. It’s somewhat like library paste)
But, the papaya was amazingly wonderful! I didn’t think I even liked papayas but I’m happy to eat them every day here.
I didn’t hunt for the gas place, deciding that isn’t a priority. I am fine with cold showers and a hot plate indefinitely. I ended up getting turned around somehow and accidentally explored new areas of David, finally surprising myself by coming to the highway very close to home. If I had internet I could try and find out what was going on there! People with banners that said “Cologne” were blocking both ways of the highway, and police were directing traffic around them. Thankfully the way around was the road to my house so I just got out of there and came home, more than ready to start working on my fruit lunch!
The rest of the day I kept busy in the house. The walls of the back bedroom are painted, and now it needs the storage area painted and the floors scrubbed. I did laundry, no problems with the new washing machine. I took a video of the ants before I sprinkle them with anti-ant powder. I studied Spanish and read a little, thankful I had downloaded all my kindle books.
There is a video I’m going to upload when I get a moment. It’s not a video to see but rather to hear. I don’t know what was in the woods across the street last night but what interesting sounds! I heard it briefly again this morning in the woods behind my house but I couldn’t see anything.Update – video is uploaded –  sounds in the night
By the way, what is happening with my compost? I put things from the kitchen out to compost, and when I go back everything is gone! The pineapple top I planted is gone too. Who am I feeding? The yard is fenced so I don’t think it’s dogs. I’m going to start putting it closer to the house where I can keep an eye out. Growing vegetables in this yard may not work out.
Today we get serious about furniture shopping. I have a few stores I plan to visit, and hopefully today I can decide on some living room furniture and a dining room table. It may be cheaper to live here, but it’s not cheaper to get set up. (link) But, in general I’m feeling very good. Thankfully we do have the resources to get what we need, and I’m feeling more confident every day.
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Monday 10/22/2012, David Panama

Posted on November 10, 2012 by Kris Cunningham
12 days in Panama and we’re still making it!
It was a frustrating day with the internet yesterday. Unfortunately internet Para Todos doesn’t always work that well. I tried the park first, and the hospital parking lot later. I was able to send and receive emails if I was very patient while the connection cut in and out, but skype was impossible. How addicted we are to our technology! Just making decisions for everyone without input is difficult, not to mention feeling disconnected and isolated. Maybe tomorrow will be better. Three days until internet at home.
I saw Ryan and Lidia yesterday which was great! They have to go to Panama City to do some business this week but when they return, he is going back to the US. She will be home alone without a car, and would welcome some company. I would welcome it too, and she also offered to help me get more familiar with the city.
I am trying to remember past moves to cities where we knew nothing and no one. It’s always hard until you learn your way around. Why should it be any different here? I would like internet and better language skills of course, but it’s still a process that anyone goes through when they move. I will try to keep this in mind and not be so impatient with myself. Today my goals are to take care of the car insurance, get gas for the stove, and buy produce.
 Another goal is to deal with the ants. I have an interesting trail of leaf cutter ants crossing my driveway and sidewalk. (video pending) Everyone is telling me that they are very bad because before long, they will destroy my shrubs. They seem to be eating the ixora hedge, and pieces of leaves and red flowers are moving across the cement and through the grass in a continuous stream. I’m surprised that the hedge doesn’t seem any the worse for it yet because they have been working very hard for a couple days now.
I also have bees. Is this the house for me or what?! These are tiny black bees though, and their hive is so small I can’t imagine it has enough honey to interest people. They seem peaceful and keep to themselves so I plan to leave them alone. They are up and out of the way so unless we decide to paint the outside of the house, they shouldn’t be a problem.
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Saturday 10/20/2012 from David, Panama

Posted on November 10, 2012 by Kris Cunningham

Friends!!
It’s wonderful how much a phone call can brighten your day! My first call ever on my cell phone was from Ryan, AKA Halfthrottle, the guy who makes YouTube videos of his motorcycle adventures in Panama. He has been in the US working so I was very surprised to hear from him and find out that he is here in town to see his wife. We are going to get together this afternoon. It will be great to see friends, and they can help me with some of my questions too.

I went to the park again yesterday afternoon for the internet. The connection wasn’t good and Joel and I could barely talk, so we ended up typing a lot but at least we could communicate a little. The park was pretty nuts, as usual. It’s crowded with people and there’s always noisy traffic around the perimeter. There was a musical performance going on too, so I went to the opposite side where it was a bit quieter. Green parrots were making a racket above me though. Four more days until internet at the house, not that I’m counting. I had a dream that they showed up on Monday.

I am not a solitary sort of person. I like some time to myself, of course, but not all day every day. I notice how much better I feel just going to Do-It center and saying hello to the saleslady who helped me, even if I don’t understand everything she says. I am looking forward to Lorraine, my traveling companion who will stay with me a few days when she returns (maybe tomorrow). And, I’m excited to see Ryan and Lidia this afternoon. Going to the park and being around people doesn’t quite do it for me but people I can talk to, friends, that feels really good. I’m staying away from coffee too, and I feel much better than I did that first day. It had to be the caffeine.

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Saturday 10/20/2012 from David, Panama

Posted on November 10, 2012 by Kris Cunningham

Getting by in the new neighborhood without internet

Ten days ago was the day I left Florida. Today is the second morning that I woke up in my own house in Panama. It still doesn’t seem quite real. In a way it feels like little has changed. I’m in a residential neighborhood. The neighbors do very typical things, drive in and out, holler across the street to friends, work on things in the yard, send the kids out to play. But, if you listen, you realize it’s all in Spanish, and you can’t identify any of the bird songs except the roosters.
I don’t have internet at the house yet. I see how much I am attached to the internet. It connects me with the people who are important to me. I connects me with so many things I take for granted. I can’t find my dictionary. I probably didn’t bring it because I can use on line translation. Find a business? Google, of course. My address book? On line. My family and friends? Facebook, email, skype. Last night I went to the park where they have free Wi-Fi provided by the government. I was happy to check email and call home. I was used to talking with Joel 2-3 times a day and this silence is the most difficult for me, especially now. I am in our house where we are supposed to be living together, but we are not together. I know this is the most useful thing to be doing at this time, but I will be glad when the solitary part is behind me.
But, little by little, I get by. I am very proud of myself because I called the cable/internet company and managed a successful conversation. Now I know they are coming on Thursday, and they have my correct phone number. Meanwhile, I will practice getting back and forth to the park.
I still feel tired. I suppose I should not be surprised under the circumstances! I must go to the park for the internet, but otherwise I don’t feel like doing much today. I’ll write, make some food, and paint some more. I definitely need to buckle down with the Spanish books.
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Friday 10/19/2012 from David, Panama

Posted on November 10, 2012 by Kris Cunningham
Caffeine? Freaking out in Panama??
Pick up one thing and figure out what to do with it. Relax. Sit down. Write some more. Pick up one more thing and figure out what to do with it. Relax. Read a little. Everything is all right. Settle down. This is how my day is starting. I am feeling very anxious. Was it the 2 cups of coffee? I was fine before breakfast. Is it being out of touch with my husband and all the people who are important to me? Is it just being in a state of transition? Maybe it is all catching up with me? I think it is mostly the coffee. I know I don’t do well with caffeine. This is Panamanian coffee boiled in a pan since I don’t have a coffee maker yet. Maybe it’s industrial strength caffeine. Too much caffeine makes me really nuts. I am definitely feeling nuts.
I’m in a state of disorganization, not able to find my things, not able to find places in town, not sure how to do some basic things, and having to do everything in another language. One of my tires was low yesterday. Where do you get tires fixed? What is the word for tire? Can I make myself understood? Can I understand the answers? Can I find my dictionary??
Pick up one thing and figure out what to do with it. Get organized. Take control of my space. I am no longer living out of a suitcase. This is my home now. Use the empty boxes to organize things. Look up the word for tire. Ask the friendly neighbors. Do not drink any more coffee. I’ve been getting things done for a week here. I can continue to get things done. It doesn’t all have to be today. Poco a poco. (little by little). No more coffee.
I started painting the house. It feels good to be doing something familiar, something to make the house look good. Pull the nails. Fill the holes. Trim the edges. Roll the walls. Things are getting more organized. Boxes are in use. Music is playing on the computer. The coffee is starting to wear off. I am getting my exercise. My step ladder is a borrowed plastic chair. Step up. Step down.
There are different sounds here. Panamanian houses have tin roofs. When it heats up it “pops” and sometimes it sounds like there are coconuts falling on the roof. Usually though it is more like acorns. I hear lots of bird songs, none of which are familiar to me. There are occasional roosters in the distance. And, there are dogs! There is a pack of half a dozen dogs that seem to hang out on this street, and they started barking at sunup. One is in heat so I hope that is the cause of the excitement, and they quiet down when she settles down. In the afternoon one of the neighbors was hollering at them and throwing rocks. I haven’t seen the dogs since.
In the afternoon there was no water. I asked the neighbor who didn’t seem worried, and explained that something was going on and it would be back on later. I think someone is fixing or building something in the area but I couldn’t understand what he said very well. The internet people didn’t come today so I went out to the store at the end of the day and sure enough, when I returned the water was back on. I still haven’t bought gas tanks so it was a cold shower, but it felt good. I made it through another day and I’ve settled down. There will be no more coffee.
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Thursday 10/18/12 from David, Panamá

Posted on November 10, 2012 by Kris Cunningham
Conquering downtown!
More things accomplished today! I conquered downtown. Well, maybe not exactly but I managed to find downtown, park the car, accomplish all the errands, and find my way home. For me, that was an achievement! The area is crowded with pedestrians, cars, trucks, and activity, and traffic signs are merely suggestions. Ha! It is surprising how much your sense of direction improves when you know if you forget where you are, it is going to be a problem. Now that I had a successful morning, my confidence has improved considerably. I even made it to the farmers market for some produce. I must have gotten a little off leaving downtown since I ended up more west than I planned, but I found the highway and after that it was easy.
I got to the house about 11:45 to wait for the delivery of my stuff sometime after 12. At 12:15, here comes the truck! Not only am I glad to have my stuff, this frees up a lot of time this afternoon to do other things, like get gas for the stove, and a Pricesmart membership. The two guys were very nice, brought in everything and set it up so it is ready for use. It felt good to have a fridge, stove, and beds! Now the house looks like a place where I can start living.
PriceSmart and gringos
The next thing was PriceSmart, and I now have my official membership card in hand. I looked around the whole store but only did a little shopping. I am starting to get overwhelmed with new stores and new everything and didn’t feel like making decisions. It seemed like there were more gringos and English speaking people than Panamanians in this store. My friends said this is gringo central and people come from all over western Panama to shop there, sometimes even making a weekend trip out of it. It’s funny. I wasn’t enjoying the old familiar American looking people and English as much as I thought I would.
Heading home, more shopping
After PriceSmart I went back to my friends’ house and collected my things. It felt strange to be moving out of this place which had been my home for my first week in Panama, but it felt good to be moving in to my own house. I also felt uneasy leaving my internet connection, which at the moment is my only means of communicating with everyone. The borrowed cell phone was about out of power so I left it behind too, and headed out on my own.
It turns out I didn’t get home for a while. I needed to stop at the shopping area down the street for food and a few things at the DoIt Center, so why not look around a bit. By the time I was done I’d found a deal on two small lamps at a lighting store (who wants to live with only overhead lights?) and, a cell phone! Hopefully this one will work properly.
Buying the phone was another small world encounter. The guy had played professional baseball, lived in Ft Meyers for a while, and had come to Sarasota for training games!
I also got some basic tools at DoIt and a bit of food at El Rey. By the time I got to the grocery store I felt so exhausted I could barely move! It was dark but thankfully not raining hard any more, and I managed to find the house in the dark without any problems. It felt good to stop moving for a little while, though it also felt very odd to be alone in my house in a foreign country. I’m living in Panama? Really? After all the months and years of talk and preparation, I am living in Panama, in my house? People do this? Just go live in a different country? Wow, hard to believe, but it’s me really doing it. Here. Now. I have the car title and rental contract to prove it.
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October 17th, Wednesday, a big day

Posted on November 10, 2012 by Kris Cunningham

one week after leaving Florida. A lot has happened in a week

Finally, the car! Today I got my car so now I am free to move about much more easily. The seller and his wife went downtown with me to do the change over. Everything went smoothly and it didn’t take long, I’m sure in large part because they had all the papers ready. The process seemed straightforward and when it was finished and I had my papers in hand. There was no waiting for a title to arrive in the mail. Insurance will have to be transferred later when the person I need to see is in the office.
The next thing on the agenda was cable and internet for the house. That also went smoothly, except for getting a parking ticket. I had forgotten to bring my tickets with me. They have a system here… the Parking System  Anyway, back to the cable people – the only problem was trying to explain how to find the house when I barely know that myself. I will print off copies of the map we made yesterday and carry them with me. Panama doesn’t have addresses like in the US, which is the topic of another post addresses in Panama

Back to the house!

Now that I had mobility, I was eager to try and find my house. I went right to it without any wrong turns! I barely know my way around so it would be easy to get lost. But, the house is between a river and a major road, and my access road dead ends not too far past my neighborhood so I couldn’t get too far off, thank goodness, since don’t have a good sense of direction. 
The house definitely needs some cleanup and paint. But, with a little TLC it is going to be a very good house for us. I met a neighbor across the street, a very nice man. He says he loves the neighborhood because it is quiet, safe, and the people are very nice. I figured out what keys go with the various locks, and set up the temporary table my friends have loaned me. It felt good to be taking the first steps to make the house a home.

Keeping the Do-It Center in business!I was thinking of trying to find my way back to the cable place to give them a map but it was starting to look like rain, and I was going to be driving right by the Do-It Center (like a Home Depot or Lowes) so I figured I’d stop in for a quick look around. I need paint and I might find other things I need as well.
Well!! It turned out that they have a LOT of things that I needed! It was a MAJOR shopping trip – stove, fridge, washing machine, microwave, beds, sheets, towels, cookware, pillows, paint, ended up with two shopping carts full. What a nice store! I wasn’t quite comfortable shopping in the store with the really cheap stuff, but PriceSmart seemed too expensive. This was a great mid range, quality brands, and they had sales on the big ticket items on my list so I am very happy with what I bought. I’m checking out, looking at the pouring rain, and thinking about loading all that stuff in the car when they ask if I want it all delivered along with the large items. Delivered? the pillows and towels and vegetable peeler? Of course, yes, we would be happy to deliver all of it. Well my goodness, how nice! Si, por favor, gracias.

When I was about finished checking out, a man came in line behind me. I started to explain that I had too many things and it might be faster to go to another checkout and he answered me in English. I noticed Florida on his hat so I had to ask. It turns out he is from about 3 miles south of where I lived in Sarasota. Wow, small world!

Tomorrow, my plans are to tackle the city. All the streets look more or less the same to me, and there are few street signs so it can be a challenge to find your way around. Since the weather tends to be dry in the mornings, that seems like a good time to try to find the cable place and if I’m really good, maybe I can find the place to pay parking tickets. Then, I will go to the house to wait for the arrival of all my stuff. I think I will spend my first night there tomorrow night. I’m not far from a produce stand, El Rey (grocery store), Do-It Center, and a bunch of other shopping so I can get anything I need. I’ll see how I feel at the time but I’m excited to be in my own place so it is very likely.

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Addresses in David, Panama, or lack of addresses

Posted on November 10, 2012 by Kris Cunningham

I don’t know if this applies to everywhere in Panama, but have a feeling it does. The situation seemed very similar in Panama City also. There are no addresses and very few street signs. My house has no address so to explain how to get here, I have to explain how to find the general neighborhood. Then I have to explain how to get to the specific house. It is similar with businesses also. You will see their address listed as a certain street between the two closest cross streets.

How does the mail get anywhere? It doesn’t. There is no mail delivery. You either get a box at the post office or use general delivery. If you don’t want to go to the post office you hire someone else to do it for you. Bills are taken around town by a currier on a bike (so I am told) and left stuck in your front gate (which I found at my house). My first day here I found a couple ads and a very soggy electric bill stuck in the gate!

This has been by far my biggest challenge, finding things in this town

This is the actual official address of FedEx. We had a good time finding this one too and if it wasn’t for Joel researching on the internet and giving me info by phone, I’d probably still be looking for it!

Building Manuligo
H North Street
Ground Floor next to Fenix Travel Agency
David – CHI – Panama

So, when you are in Panama, plan for frustration finding places. It’s just the way it goes. Directions are given by landmarks – go to KFC, then two blocks past the ball field…  If you can’t find the ball field, they can’t tell you if its north or south. You can ask directions from four different people and end up in four different parts of town. People will do all they can to help you but between our different concepts of direction and a language barrier, it can definitely be a challenge!

I saw somewhere “Panama will teach you patience”. For me, this has been the biggest challenge so far. But, I suppose it also goes with the territory when you move to an unfamiliar city, wherever it may be.

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