We´ve been at our host site for almost a week now, and even though I´ve definitely had thoughts of coming straight back home throughout all seven days, things are looking up "poco a poco." Yes, it´s been hard getting used to peeing into a five gallon bucket set on top a hole in the ground, and yes, my diet consists almost entirely of simple starches with some chicken thrown in, and yes, the humidity is enough to kill us all, but on the flip side of that, I have an amazing host family, I´ve made some amazing friends, and even though I know nothing about building aqueducts and would probably construct something structurally unsound for a community, I´ve definitely been inspired to start thinking of some project ideas of my own. Also, we´ve marched through ridiculous tall grass, and climbed a veritable mountain to the sources of aqueducts around the region and I, unfailingly, asked stupid questions because I don´t really "get it." We also got taught how to use a machete today, so watch out. It´s like arming me with something.

It´s also tough getting used to the constant, accent-tinged Spanish that is unceasingly spoken (and who would expect any differently?). Panamanians don´t use the letter S in their speech, so "mas o menos" becomes kind of a slurred "ma o me'o". That´s pretty difficult to understand speaking Spanish almost exclusively with a bunch of Mexicans, an Ecuadorian and a Spaniard, but somehow, I fooled everyone and got placed into the second highest class, under the native speakers, where, SURPRISE, we went over the preterit and imperfect again, for the 400000 time in my life.

This upcoming week we´re going to visit some volunteers around the country. I am headed out to the Bocas Del Toro region to a Ngöbe comarca, which should be interesting. Then next week, we have our second interview and THEN, our site placements.

Also, I saw a huge ass cockroach climbing around the kitchen the other day, and every night some giant bug that´s trying to kill me flies around in the rafters, beating its ridiculous wings for all to hear. I haven´t freaked out yet, but again, it can´t be worse than peeing into a bucket.

More to come as the days pick up!