Update

So the police have recovered my computer and arrested someone for it (they found it at his house). He ended up being one of my neighbors and is the same guy that most people suspected.. apparently hes rubbed the town the wrong way by robbing them for years. I'm still not sure if the comps busted or not, but I'll be going in to find out details next week. I also don't know if he'll be off with a fine or if he'll get jail time or for how long. The bars should be up on the windows soon, but it would be semi-creepy to know the guy is back living within 20 seconds of my house. More soon.

This past thursday was the dia de San Juan.. St John. Most of the kids made little caballitos de palo.. little horses on sticks and had to compete running around and neighing, it was pretty hilarious. Then they performed different songs and dances and presented what they've been doing all year.

The one family who wasn't there was the family of the guy who was arrested :x. It blows because I really like that (HUGE)family except for him and its unfortunate that they are most definitely getting a bad name due to all of this.

1 year in.. first bad experience

While I was out walking with.. almost the entire town in a candlelight procession.. someone broken into the house and took my laptop. It blows, but once word got around that the gringo had something expensive.. it made my house the target. Ive talked to police and a detective is coming out later today to check it out. Luckily I had gotten property insurance.. tip for any new volunteers.. GET THE PROPERTY INSURANCE.

Ive felt safe every single day Ive been there, but even if you know and trust 95% of the people, theres always that 5%. This past weekend was the festival for San Antonio, so lots of relatives and ppl from neighboring towns were around as well (most ppl in town seem to think it for sure was someone local). Other houses were robbed as well, a few gas tanks. I really didnt want to put bars on the windows, but it looks like Ill have to now. The 95% that I do trust have been awesome.. everyones really supportive and are trying to help as much as they can.

The funny thing is, whoever took it.. didnt take the charger which was sitting right next to it, or the ipod.. or my wallet sitting on the table. Im assuming they were in a rush because they had a pissed off cat and a crazy dog. Anzuelos not a fighter though.. he was probably just trying to play with the guy. Luckily I had left my camera (and a pair of boxers) in Penonome earlier that day, or else it would have been in the same bag as the computer.

The next day Stephanie came out to Cope to give me the camera and boxers and I spur of the moment went with her and another volunteer to the waterfalls in Barrigon. It was really convenient I left those boxers b/c I had something dry to change into :p.

It all works out.

I AM THE AMERICAN DREAM!

read a 3 year old's shirt that I noticed during church the other night.. ridiculous.. especially after just finishing a book talking about Latin America being the workshop for the US empire. I promise, that no matter what Peace Corps might say about returning volunteers, I will not come home hating America haha.

The mundial EEUU temp tattoo proves my loyalty. I'm coming out to Penonome to watch the games, because the radio announcers here don't do it for me. As much Spanish as I've learned, all I can figure out is the score every once and awhile.. whenever theres a GOOAAAAAAL, when someone gets carded and when the game is over.

I'm pretty excited that my parents are coming out in just over a month now. Most people in site are ready to meet them too. They know that my mom speaks Spanish (Mom.. you should practice b/c they'll want to talk) and that my dad knows nothing, but they're used to white people coming through and not speaking at all.. for example, me last year.

We'll be.. taking a tour through the canal, hanging out in site and going to a baile (haha, that will be fun), Decamerons, Santa Fe, El Valle, San Blas, and whatever else there is to do in Panama city.

Just two weeks after they leave, Maria and Ron are coming out. I promised a bunch of 8th grade girls that I'd bring them a gringo from the states (which I didn't do), but because Ron's coming.. that'll work. Apparently they don't mind he's a chino and are going to raffle him off. Maybe the money can go to the environmental club. We're definitely going to hike Volcan Baru, but besides that I'm not sure what else there is planned. Probably just hanging out in site.

So 1 year mark in site is coming up.. the 3rd of July. Last year I celebrated the 4th at a little girl's birthday party, playing the according and hitting a piñata, but this year most of my group is getting together at the Decamerons for a few days.

Work wise, same old stuff.. I'm a teacher, which is cool.. its always fun and I like most of the kids. I do have a favorite class, but I won't say which.

A town further down the road, Calabazo mentioned that they are interested in stoves built at their school so I'm going to look into that. It got me thinking that I could talk to Trinidad, the town between us about it as well. Because the majority of homes in LB have gas stoves already, I'd like to focus the project on the schools where their only option is a wood stove.. plus they will be using it 5 days a week, whereas the homes may not use theirs as often. We'll see how it all plays out, its just a thought for now.