The Final Day

With the district conference over we had one free day before heading home. Panama City Metro Club was nice enough to take us to the beach. We will say that we felt so bad for the club. They tried to take us out on Friday and then again today and both days we were just exhausted. However, it was so nice to have a chill day in such a relaxed setting.

Just around this corner is the most beautiful, secluded beach you can imagine. Jimmy, Christi and I went to it early in the day, but forgot sunblock and our cameras, so we headed back to the house. A couple of hours later we went back to show Paul and take pictures... and the tide had completely blocked our path. Super sad face. I think it is the most perfect metaphor for our final day, enjoy every moment, you might not see it again. 

Beautiful black sand

Christi and I ended our final night at of all places TGI Friday's.

My feelings are pretty conflicted on heading home. On one hand I'm excited to rest, to not have to be somewhere at a certain time, and to not live out of a suitcase. On the other, I have no idea how it will be when no one wants to take my picture, no one picks me up in the morning, no one gives me a schedule of my days. I'm going to have to decide on my own what I want to eat and when I eat. So bizarre :) All joking aside, we have been taken care of so well this past month and another huge thanks to everyone. I think it will take a bit of time to process everything and really comprehend what we experienced this past month.

And now, a look back at some of our finest moments:

Lost items by the numbers:

• 8 pairs of sunglasses (including broken ones). Paul is the only one left with his original shades.
• One debit card and one credit card. Lost twice. Found once.
• One camera (recovered)
• One pair of shoes
• Two blue blazers (recovered)
• One pair of shorts
• One shirt
• One water bottle
• Two bottles of shampoo
• And a toucan in a fig tree

Not bad for five people gone for a month. I've lost more in my house in that amount of time.

It was an amazing journey. Six flights, two tica busses, two boats, numerous rides in backs of trucks, one rick shaw, and countless car rides, next stop: home.

 

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Day 27: Final Presentation

On Friday we arrived early at the hotel to work on our final presentation. This presentation was a bit different than the others and we scrambled with time to put it together. It was nice to formally thank everyone who helped us along the way.

Of course, the presentation did not go off perfectly.We were scheduled to give our presentation around 11:20a... 11:45, noon, 12:20p... and they finally broke for lunch. But we were not able to eat until after our presentation, so our energy might have been lacking a tiny here. C'est la vie in Central America.

We were able to have lunch with the GSE who came to Missouri in October and spend our afternoon with Julieta shopping. It was nice to hear about their experience in Missouri, as well as the GSE as a whole.

Following our shopping trip, we went to meet with Rotary Club Metro for dinner and drinks at a local pub that happens to be owned by the boxer Roberto Duran. Apparently he makes appearances quite often.

The last few days of the trip have been a struggle energy wise and we headed home around 10:30p to get to some rest before heading to the canal on Saturday morning.

 

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Day 28 Evening: A Beautiful Goodbye

Tonight was the final night of the conference. When we arrived in Panama we learned that tonight would be a white party... we had not packed for this. EEK! Christi and I tried to shop a bit for with little luck, so we made do with what we had. I did pick up this $6 black and white dress that worked out perfectly. Most clothing shipments go through the canal, so clothes are much cheaper here because they don't have the shipping cost to the US.

 

Our last night. I keep trying to think of the words, but I don't have them. Love is all I can think of. One of our hosts greeted me and said mi amorcita, my little love. Everyone we met has been so filled with love. Even the words they use about hosting us... they say they recieve us, like we are a gift to them. At the district conference we have gotten to see almost everyone we have met along the way. I'm not much of a cryer... but I keep tearing up every time I greet someone or leave someone.

It is no secret that we have had a lack of sleep this trip. And I am a person that needs sleep to be a functional human being. However, on this trip, I have had at max 6 hours of sleep per night... and that is a very generous estimate. The other part of this trip that is very difficult is being on point at all times with zero alone or rest time. I can not explain the exhaustion.

I literally just took a two minute nap. Seriously. We grab sleep everywhere.

With all of that said... we suck energy from our hosts and new friends. In every city we meet someone new that gives us such a boost. We want to talk to them, to learn from them, to laugh with them.

Hugging everyone goodbye was very hard. I honestly don't think I can ever say what their love, generosity, and kindness has meant to all of us. We have been humbled to the max.

To anyone reading this blog who has hosted us, driven us, spent an afternoon, a morning, an evening with us, eaten with us, laughed with us, talked with us, loved us...THANK YOU. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. We love you so much. You have no idea how much your life impacted us. We appreciate you taking the time out of your life to receive us. There are many times we did not speak the same language, but your kindness and love transcended any language barrier. Your smile gave me energy when I was too weak to talk. Your hug made me warm. And I think most importantly, you let me know I safe and at home. There are many wonderful aspects to this journey (the GSE), but you are the best. I love you all so much.

My wishes for you:

May the road rise to meet you,

May the wind always be at your back,

May the sun shine upon your face,

May the rain fall soft upon your fields,

And until we meet again,

May God hold you in the palm of his hand.

Santa Ana, San Salvador, San Miguel, Chinandega, León, Managua, Jinotepe, Granada, San José, Cartago, Heredia, Panama City:

Liliana, Eli, Henry, Mario, Olga, Eduardo, Juan Carlos, Tony, Maybell, Meli, Niki, Sandra, Enrique, Manuel, Antonio, Jesus, Felicidad, Alejandro, Saskia, Julio, Jessica, Fernando, Francisco, Gladys, Ariella, Roberto, Roberto, y Roberto, Neny, Tito, Ramon, Lydia, Eduardo, Chuck, Alvaro, Humberto, Cristina, Jorge, and anyone I missed who we met along the way.

I will miss you. I will love you. And with all my being, I hope we will meet again.

 

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Day 28: Fast Forward

I'm skipping forward a couple of days to day 28. Overwhelming is an understatement. The conference began on Wednesday and ended today (Saturday). Saying goodbye to everyone we have met was too much. So many tears were shed. And I feel like I only was able to say good bye to half the people I wanted to. You immediately start planning for the next time you might be able to see each other in super optimistic hopes you have time to do this again. I honestly hope I never forget this feeling and over the next 10 years I go back to each of these countries and these people.

I will pick up on the past two days later... but today I really want to just try to write about how amazing the past few days have been.

Wow. Okay. I want to try to express this with out sounding completely egotistical, but it's kind of crazy to go into a room of 200 people who all want to take a picture with you, and talk to you, and ask about your trip and your life and everything. It's really crazy and humbling. I keep fumbling over the words and they just don't come.

I'll start from the beginning of today. First off... hello camera! Mario and I got together for my camera exchange. Actually, I awoke from sleep with these words from Christi: 'You know what song is in my head?' and my response out of my sleeping haze... dah, da, dant, den, da, Chin, in, de, ga....'... incorrect. But, it was a good try.

We were picked up by Julio and Paul for a boat ride through the canal. Check that one off the bucket list.

El Salvador

Liliana and Henry

First beer cracked at 9am. Holy cow. Day drinking? Literally the first day of relaxing in 28 days.

Panama City in the morning from the boat

Costa Rica! Thank you Christi for the shades (that were my back up shades that I gave her about 3 weeks ago)

Our first beer, a few hours after 9a... meaning 11a. :)

And this is the Bridge of the Americas... too many jokes to write.

I could have an entire presentation over our weird sleep habits

And the canal!!!

See that white building? Look back to the day we visited the Miraflores locks to see exactly where were are in this pic.

Jimmy will kill me for this

Opening of the locks

Costa Rica

Apparently this is a party trick

 

 

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