Last weekend saw about 40 of the about 50 fabulous people in my Peace Corps group gathered to celebrate our 1-Year-In-Site. It was a little late, but a month off isn't too bad, right?
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| Game: Spot the Surfer! (view from the hotel) |
About half of the group congregated for a coinciding birthday celebration at the home of a PCV near Santa Catalina on Thursday, and Friday brought all concerned to a hotel right on the coast. First, I will say that if you are into surfing, it is a fabulous spot. Apparently internationally famous, and home to some big competitions, and the waves were great fun, but the beaches were very damp, and it wasn't too impressive for chilling on the beach. Great tide pools, though, and tidal river thingies.
I'd seen a fair number of the group at the beginning of the month, when half of us trooped into the City to prove to the medical office that we were all alive and stuff, but it was great fun to see almost everyone!
The highlight of the weekend was a Talent Show on Saturday night- we had a couple of poets, an impressive rap lip sync to some well-known song that I'm unfamiliar with, a juggler, a meowed rendition of the American National Anthem (they were planning on performing the Panamanian Anthem as well, but weren't sure whether the nearby Panamanians would be offended...however all of us sang along with the American!). And, in a performance beset by tragedy, I performed a belly dance to the Who's "Baba O'Riley." It came through, but only after 2 or 3 false starts as we tried to get my hard drive, which held the song, to communicate with any set of speakers- we did eventually succeed, and with very slippery puddles of water from the leaking air conditioning units right above the "stage". However, I'm told that it was great and wonderful and whatnot, and as I barely remember doing it, I'm taking the audience's word for it; they had a better vantage point to see how it looked. Also, another volunteer, Stephanie, did my makeup, and did a marvelous job! So, si dios quiere, here are some pictures!
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| The talented Stephanie, who did my make-up! |
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| Aiiiyip! |
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| Resident dog family at the hotel- mamadog, papadog, and puppydog- all very friendly, and full sized! |
And in case you were wondering, if you come to visit, Santa Catalina may be the first Destination I've visited in Panama that hasn't garnered a definite spot in my "need to bring friends to see" list- unless you've developed an interest in surfing that you haven't told me about, OR if you want to go to Coiba Island and snorkel and do interesting things there (I hear it's great, but haven't seen it yet, and the boats out leave from Santa Cat.)
Hasta luego!
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