A lazy morning

A small fire in the hostel last night resulted in little sleep for the staff, crowded rooms, loss of some items and an unusually quiet morning...thus i am taking the moment to reflect upon my time here in Panama.

I haven't written much, if anything about my time in Volcan and the beautiful highlands of Panama. The area is best known for it's coffee fincas and the large indigenous population (Ngobe-Bugle). I was there at the invitation of friends who were there for part of the summer and without the invitation i am not sure i would have went or if i did, if i would have learned so much about the area and it's inhabitants. The region is exceptionally beautiful with a tranquility that permeates the soul upon your arrival and leaves you moving at a slower, if not more deliberate pace. I was caught off guard by this and it took time to adjust. of course that is to be expected and certainly will be an ongoing thing as i travel and stop for only brief moments of time. still i must point out while i learned a tremendous amount about the highlands and was astounded by the beauty of the area, the birds and the people, what most impacted me was the time with my friends.

seeing good friends in a different country, and in this situation a country that may become their home, was undeniably fun and at times hard to wrap my mind around. Of course i mean that in a good way. i suppose what i mean to say is that the mind automatically goes to what it knows, so close friends you have known for many years and shared many experiences should be those same friends wherever you are...but when there is a new culture and language i think the mind needs some time to come up with a new way of understanding and integrating the the experiences/interactions. it is only now that i can put all this into words and acknowledge the shift that has occurred in my brain that will allow for a greater understanding of the lives of my friends.

leaving Volcan required a bus ride through the country-side of Panama, a ride i highly recommend for it's beauty and for the transition from coffee to bananas; it is not to be missed. following the bus was a 10 minute ride in the back of a truck, a water taxi from Almirante to Bocas del Toro, and a short walk down the main street to the hostel.

the hostel here in Bocas is as you would expect- travelers from around the world coming and going, other travelers deciding to prolong their time here by rearranging their plans or scrapping the plans entirely, and a small handful of volunteers and professionals who are now based somewhere in Panama doing quite interesting and unique work. the bonds that form in the span of a few hours are only intensified by sharing a room, a meal and a day in the hostel world. each hostel is in it's own way unique and dynamic, and yet the experiences in each one all follow a certain script with each of us playing the part of someone who was here before we arrived...

random and not so deep thoughts...it's time for some coffee.