Hey everyone!

I've been in Panama for two days now, and it's already so amazing. My co-Peace Corps people, the staff, the country, the food...it's great, and simultaneously exhausting.

Yesterday we got in-country at around 9:00pm, only to be told that there was a tsunami scare due to an earthquake off the coast of Peru that registered as a 7.9 on the Richter. Luckily for me and too bad for some other people, the wave went toward Hawaii instead, so no worries there. The flights, however, were surprisingly easy, which is hilarious considering I am the worst flier ever, but I think the fact that I was going to Panama for two years overshadowed any fear I had about dying in a plane crash.

Today was ridiculously busy. We had a Spanish test to place us into whatever group of Spanish we need to be in, and we also talked to our sector directors about site placement. I'm not going to lie...I requested a Spanish speaking site and told them that if I had amenities, I definitely WOULDN'T be disappointed, which is contrary to what everyone else wants. Also, my skill set lies almost exclusively in the area of HIV/AIDS and hygiene education, so I'm probably going to end up being a teacher for the next two years, and learn to pour cement on the side.

The people I'm here with are SO great. Everyone is from all over the country, and from all walks of life. I've already made some pretty close ties with a lot of people, and have already acquired the new nickname "Melmo," which is an amalgamation of Jon Zande's "Mel" and the Loyola girls' "Mo." Also, apparently my last name is easier to pronounce by those who speak Spanish than by those who speak English, and they've pronounced it perfectly every time.

Today I am exhausted because we had this swim test, where we swam a whole length doing the breast stroke, a length of the back stroke, and a length of side stroke, then swam ten minutes straight, and THEN were instructed on how to remove our clothing while in the water and create a flotation device out of the legs of our jeans, meaning I had to jump in a pool fully clothed. It was hard as hell, but I guess a good bonding experience.

The food is good, but I have had rice and either beans or lentils twice today already. Also, I don't have to get a smallpox vaccine! Just yellow fever and some other random one. That's good.

Finally, it is hot as balls here, and really humid too, but surprisingly tolerable. We all have to wear business casual (or business cas, or biz cas, or bc depending on who you're talking to) to everything, so I've been sporting my black Gap dress that looks like I'm pregnant. However, it is so humid that every time I walk outside from our airconditioned apartment (because yeah, we have a/c right now), my glasses fog right the hell up.

So, in ending, Panama is thus far amazing, the Peace Corps is thus far the best decision I have ever made, but I still miss you all. REMEMBER TO WRITE!

Buenas noches!