A Guide to Surviving My First Days in Panamá Alone; A List:

Numero Uno: never be alone

Dos: Have someone pick you up from the airport

This works best when they are as kind and welcoming as Dinora and her husband, Ramone. (Thank you Rosmerry for introducing me to your wonderful family)

Tres: When someone at the hostel asks if you want to do something, (almost) ANYTHING, DO IT!

      For some very strange reason I thought it would be hard to meet people at the hostel. But it turns out          that no matter where we are from or where we are going, we are all here to take advantage of the experience. I have met people from Brussels, Argentina, Canada, Ireland, England, Philly, California, and overheard many more languages, some I didn't even know.

Cuatro: Contact anyone and everyone you know in the area

            Michelle, a fellow Fulbrighter graciously welcomed me into her apartment. Andres, the relative of a woman in Louisville, whom I met through the mother of a grade school friend, took me out to dinner with his sister.

Cinco: Don't spend too much time on the computer

        Although I wanted to do a wonderfully eloquent and planned out blog for my first post, it's more important that I actually spend this time meeting people and getting to know the city, rather than writing about it. I have so much I want to tell everyone, and I'm sure it will come out (especially during the rainy months) but right now I must ask for forgiveness, as this is the view outside my window:

Right now I am attempting to stay busy: meet people at the hostel, meet those I have only contacted through email, and to walk the city and get used to this place I will soon call home. Also apartment hunting is pretty high on the list. It's weird seeing all these buildings and landmarks for the first time and realizing that they will soon become old friends. It is also cool (and somewhat frightening) to see my English worsen as I use Spanish more and more.

In the meantime, those of you who want to chat, whenever I am on my computer, I am usually on Skype/facebook chat, so holla at me there!