wishes

Why is it that I have so many travel ideas... so many possibilities, and yet I know I won't be able to do probably any of them. This sucks. I hate having no money. I need a job! I want to make a lot of money but be able to take lots of vacation in between work in order to travel. That's everyone's wish, right? If only. :( I'm going to Reno next month with Allie. Been planning to go to Vegas in June with Jenn and peeps. Then of course there's Adam in Alaska I'd like to visit if I could but that probably won't happen. Then, even less probable, Bali. Garry called me today. Garry the Australian I met in Peru. And he's going to Bali in June. June 17th to be exact. I said it'd be fun for me to go since that's my birthday. But freaking Bali. So expensive. Tickets are around $1500. But how awesome would that be? Though so not likely. Sadness. I wish I were rich. :(

So happy!

My brother is engaged!!! Steven proposed to Ashley today! I'm so happy for them. :) I mean, since Christmas when Ashely came up here and met the whole family we knew it was gonna happen, just didn't know when. I mean, we took our family portraits with her in them! ;) So the wedding won't be till May or June of next year, but I'm so stinking happy for him. She's a fantastic girl. :)

Grrrrr

So I went to donate plasma. Seeing as how I'm still unemployed and in desperate need of money, I figured it'd be a good thing to do. It's even the first time I've found my overweight-ness to be a good thing because you get paid more the more you weigh. Since they can take more plasma. Go figure. So I get there and am doing the physical for new donors and in my stupid brain I figure it's probably good to do full disclosure. So I tell the doc. that I can't donate full blood due to a mis-immunization whenever long ago that made it so I showed a positive test for Hep. B back in high school. Well of course this results in a phone calls including to the Puget Sound Blood Center and here I am, now unable to donate plasma as well. Even though I never actually freaking had Hep. B and I'm pretty sure after all my Peace Corps tests and re-immunizations I wouldn't even test positive for it now. If I had never opened my big mouth, I could've earned some extra cash and donated at least 4 or 5 times before a positive test would've even been detected (if for some reason it did still come up) 'cause it takes them 14 days to get those test results. I hate myself. I could probably call Peace Corps and have them fax up my most recent test result since that was just in May. And maybe I will I don't know. I'm just angry.

And I then I went to the car place to find out about my car and it turns out there is a huge coolant leak that's gonna cost me over $240 to get fixed. And only like $40 of that is for the actual part, the rest is labor. I hate mechanics.

Did I mention I'm still unemployed? Grrrrr. So angry. :(

Good Times

Panama was fantastic. My time back in Cabuya was actually really good. It's like by going back now, and not "working" there, I've finally crossed over into just being a friend to a lot of people. We played bingo, I went swimming in the river, relaxed. Joyce had her Christmas party. So it was good. And honestly, it was nice to be there and just do what I wanted. To not worry about visiting everyone and making a great impression. I got to be more me. And the people I didn't want to see, I didn't go visit! What an idea. ;) It was just nice. And Loki is still all healthy and great, which was super nice to see. He totally remembered me. :) I even slept in my old house for my two nights in town. Then I went to the city and got to see Luz and family. That was really nice since I hadn't seen them before I left the first time. Zulai turns 15 in August. Crazy.

Now I'm all moved into my apartment in Spokane with Jenn! And I like it, it's super cute. It kinda still feels like I'm just visiting - I don't think I've quite wrapped my head around the fact that I am staying here. Even though I bought myself and bed and finished unpacking everything today... I like the place. And I think Jenn and I will be good roommates. So yay. :)

And now, I just finished filing my taxes. I'll be getting $586 back. :) Whoo-hoo! I definitely need the money. So yea, things are going really well right now.

yum

I just had a lunch that consisted of 1/4 chicken fried (three small-ish pieces), rice with lentels and a coke. And it was only $3.85. Just one of the reasons I love it here. :-p I´m impressed with how well I´m handleing the heat. As in, totally fine and loving it. And it is indeed beautiful. I´m in Chitré right now, visiting Carlos, and they´re already setting up for Carnaval. Makes me kind of sad I´m leaving before the festivites start since I´m hearing so much about it, but at least I got to experience it twice. And I know it really would be a pain in the ass to try to stay for a couple days of that and then try to leave. So it´s all good. Mostly I´m just relaxing. It´s kinda nice being here and not having to think about anything work related. That´s what vacation is for, right? :)

Home...

I´m back in Panama. And it´s fantastic. I flew in last night and immediately got on a bus to come here to Penonomé (heh! I can use accent marks again!). On the bus ride, the driver played a bachata mix almost the whole was that was mostly Aventura. That was a good welcome home. :) I showed up to Steph´s house and everyone was already sleeping and I was super tired too so that was good. It´s as hot as I expected, but it is of course beautiful out. I had an hojaldre this morning for breakfast. And the waitresses (who know me because I ate at that restaurant all the time) gave me my first ¨Wow you´ve gotten fat!¨ comment. I just kinda laughed it off. I was expecting those. I´m sure I´ll get more. :-p But it´s nice to be back. It´s amazing how it feels kinda like I never left. I feel like I know this place better than Kenmore in some ways. I immediately felt totally comfortable and I know exactly where things are and where I´m going. It´s nice. :) Today I´m going to spend some time catching up with Steph and tomorrow I´m off to Chitré to see Carlos. :) Yay!

Panama!

I'm going to Panama tomorrow! I'm so excited. :) It's only for 10 days, but still. SO EXCITED!!! And not just for the sun and warmth and beach and lack of rain... also for my boyfriend, and family, and my doggy! It's gonna be great. I land at like 7:30pm and am straight getting on a bus and heading to Penonome. Cause really, why would I need to stay in Panama City? I'll be going to the Chitre area first to see Carlos and some old friends, then heading to Cabuya for the weekend to see everyone there. Then in the last day or two I'll head to the city and make a visit to Santa Clara before leaving. I'm so stoked! :)

And then when I get back I'll be packing up my car and moving to Spokane! We found an apartment, I got approved without a co-signer (yay!) and Jenn is already moving in! It's a cute two bedroom right across the street from where she lives now. Super convenient location, only like 15 minute walk to downtown. I like it. :) And it's less than $600/mth! So really good financially. So Jenn's already moving in and we're paying rent, so I'll be heading over as soon as possible when I get back. I get back late on the 10th so I'm planning to be in Spokane on the 12th. All is good! The next step, right? Now I just need to find a job over there. :-p