Things I've accepted, learned, and still miss through living in Panama

8 months into my service in Panama, here are some reflections.

Things that I've become accustomed to:
- Not having air conditioning (though I'm NOT accustomed to the heat)
- Not having hot water
- Traveling by bus (or little 15 person van)
- Buses without a schedule
- Veering all over the road while in a bus to avoid major pot-holes
- The bus driver going over small bumps at about 5 mph
- Living 40 minutes from a real grocery store
- Excessive wait times
          - Example: I had to go to the doctor last week. In America, if I had to wait more than 20
          minutes for the doctor to arrive I would be frustrated and annoyed.
          The timeline here: 8:15 - I arrive and am told the doctor is just waking up
                                        9:00 - I think, hopefully he'll get here soon
                                        9:30 - I'm starting to get antsy, he really should be here soon.
                                        9:45 - I ask the nurse to call again, I am already going to be late arriving
                                        for my friend's project that I'm helping her with.
                                        10:00 - The doctor finally arrives and takes me into the office/room.
                                        10:05 - He is finished asking me how I feel and looking at my throat.
                                        10:20 - We finish our conversation about Peace Corps and politics. He tells
                                        me to call back for my final test results. I leave. Bit of a difference, huh?
- Being called a gringa (though the one time I got "china" when I was actually dressed in a typical panamanian outfit, I didn't quietly accept)
- Speaking Spanish!
- Tipica music
- Explaining US seasons (Many panamanians think it's cold year-round. Why wouldn't it be? It's hot here year-round)
- Slow internet
- That most actual work stops in November due to the abundance of national and local holidays
          - November calendar: 2 -All Soul's Day
                                              3 - Independence Day from Colombia
                                              4 - Flag Day
                                              5 - Colón Day
                                              8 - parades in Los Santos
                                              9 - parades in Chitré
                                              10 - First cry for independence in Los Santos
                                              16 & 17 - Founding of Pesé (includes days of celebrations & parades)
                                              28 - Independence Day from Spain (so of course they have the previous
                                              Monday off of school/work)
- English teachers not always speaking good English and never having teaching degrees
- 2 shifts at schools
- Lack of internet or phone service in a variety of places
- A constant presence of ants in certain parts of my house. Though I will NOT permit and crazy infestations or any invasions of my kitchen.

Things I've learned to love:
- Patacones (friend plaintains)
- Ojaldra (fried dough... think a round, softer, salty funnel cake)
- The rain - it cools things down!
- Panamanian typical outfits - polleras and guayaberas
- Talking with panamanians who have read about and pay attention to US news or have some grasp of its' culture
- Hammocks

Things I don't accept or still miss from the US:
- The constant heat and lack of seasons (seca to lluviosa doesn't really count in my book...)
          - I really miss fall!!
- The style of wearing really tight clothing that shows off all of your stomach rolls
- The fact that food is not usually considered a meal unless rice is involved
- The lack of a lot of vegetables
- The high price of good cheese, good deli meat, and good chocolate
- My comfy bed and need for blankets
- Random men cat-calling at me. No soy tu bebi.
- No passing time at school - how on earth are the kids supposed to pay attention all day, or, for that matter, even be in class on time?
- Students not doing homework or caring about school (certainly not all students, but a good number)
- The massive amount of sugar they put in their juices! :( I want good, fresh juice!
- Bad treatment of Panamanian pets - though I do think Americans go overboard frequently

Things I've realized/how I've changed:
- American culture intensely values personal independence
- Gained a LOT of patience - both for waiting times and for cultural misunderstandings
- I finally understand, from a personal perspective, why immigrants in the US (or in any country) cling to and live near other people from their country.
- Schools in the US are much more of a community (with other clubs, groups, and activities) than they are in most other parts of the world (at least in my European and Central American experience)
- I enjoy camping!
- I can handle a lot more bugs. I still don't do massive spiders - I'm talking tarantulas or other excessively large ones.
- It takes a while to get projects going - but don't give up - it will happen eventually!
- Lowered expectations of attendance for events. 

Moral of the story:
I've changed a lot and learned a lot, but I've also learned about what things I can't or won't change!