What has happened since I wrote the last post

So since I wrote that last post, we have been inundated with much more medical, safety, and general information. Yesterday we were in the office all day with info sessions. We also had our first Spanish lesson! I was in a group with 4 other students - probably one of the lower-middle groups - and we just reviewed how to say personal information, so that we can communicate basically with our host families, and other descriptive words through describing pictures and US landmarks.

After the sessions at the office, we all took buses into Panama City to a HUGE mall and the national bus station. My two main goals were 1) get a local phone and 2) get dinner. Well, getting a phone in a group of about 15 people took about an hour and a half... it was crazy. But I got a phone which was exciting! Ended up just getting some pizza in the food court before hopping back on the bus to head back to the area where we're staying.

Today was exciting because we got to visit a PCV's site! It was about 45 minutes away and we got to see the school where she teachers, meet the Minister of Education's Regional Supervisor for English, see the volunteer's host family's home, as well as her home (AMAZING for a PCV's house), and have lunch at a typically Panamanian restaurant - I had chicken, rice and red beans. It was an exciting day. Now a few of us are in the office on the internet before heading to dinner and packing. We get to go to our host families tomorrow! I'm excited, but a little nervous too. I haven't lived with a host family since I was in France the summer of 2004, so it's been a while! But all that I've heard about the families from past PCVs is that they are great.

In other news, my current roommate - Ally - was a French minor and studied abroad in the same semester that I did! So we've been practicing our French a little in order to not completely lose it. Also, one of the first sights that I saw when we were driving to our villas for the past few days were people playing......... FRISBEE!!!!! Haha I immediately started laughing and smiling - so good to know people play it here! Some other people also brought discs, so hopefully during training in the next few weeks we can play some.

Not much else to report. Getting more excited about being here every day and still loving getting to know the others in Group 70!