Farallon: Day One.

¡Hola! Reader,

I am totally hispanic now, only speaking Spanish, so oops. No, not really. When I try and communicate with the Panamanians here I usually begin by letting them know I speak "pocito español" while at the same time making my voice really high pitched in order to emphasize the small amount of Spanish that I speak.
I arrived in Panama late the night of the first and Mark, Miriam and Miriam's brother and wife picked me up. They were all wonderful and we went back to David and Lisa's (the brother and his wife) apartment in the city and spent the night there. We slept in and then did some errand running. For example: we sent some mail ate some lunch and went to the grocery store.

My view from the restaurant we ate lunch at.

 It was dark before we arrived at the Uptons in Farallon. Since we are close to the equator, there are only about twelve hours of daylight each day. So we didn't do much but make some dinner and watch a movie. You know, just your basic bonding.
This morning we didn't hurry to wake up, but as soon as the neighbors noticed us milling about, the chorus of "holas" and "buenas's" began. Each person would wait to be summoned up to the porch where they would sit and chit chat with the Uptons and I would be introduced as their "amiga." Everyone was so nice. Most people would pull me in and give me a kiss on the cheek, which is more action then I have seen in years. So after finding some breakfast and welcoming many to the house we set off for a neighborhood tour. Mark and I went down to the "chino store" where people of Chinese descent own a convenient store. We bought some small chocolate coins and passed them out as I was introduced. I will now include a photo montage of my tour.

this is the man that the Uptons call the "godfather" because he gives off a "mobster" like demeanor.

She was one of our first visitors today. El bebe no likey the chocolate.

washers and dryers are a luxury.

Farallon is a fishing village

This is Miriam, Josephine, and then Mark. Josephine is wonderful.

This little girl convinced us to eat the fruit she was snacking on. Strange texture, but muy dulce!

The view from la playa today.

I found a live starfish and then returned it safely home.

So that was  all before lunch. Then after lunch a little girl came up to the porch to color, and forgive me but I am still learning names. I did some color book coloring with her, but it quickly morphed into her quizzing me on the spanish names of colors and animals. So I learned. I also painted her toe nails and soon some of her friends joined us and the three left to beat the rain with some cute little baby toes. Now it has begun the daily rain, and it hasn't let up for a couple hours now. Here are some pictures of my afternoon thus far.

These are the first set of toes I painted.

the owner of said toes

the same owner of toes got a hold of my camera and took a whole lot of pictures not all posted here, but you get the idea.

I really wasn't sure how to pose, so I think I had just put a leaf in my mouth or something.

Ebony and Maria? I'll learn the names soon. It was my first time to meet these girls. Come on!

Well thats it for now. Thanks for reading!

Katelyn