We have contact with the world.

Oh my goodness is it great to be in the internet loop again.... we just got our internet hooked up in our apartment.

We arrived last Saturday to Panama and checked into the Albrook Inn. I would have to say I would not pass on my recommendation to that hotel. The area of Albrook is a location I would love to buy a house and fix it up if we were to stay, but the hotel was about a 2-3 star if they were lucky.

We did find this interesting giant by the hotel though... don't ask, I have no idea what he is all about, but the kids thought he was cool.

Here we are out for a walk one night enjoying the warm breeze and fresh air. Everett loves his big sister, he goes to her for everything I won't give him. It is pretty cute.

So on with it......all day Monday Trent the kids & I with our most amazing contacts toured Panama in search of an apartment or a house for us to rent until we figure out what we are up to :-) haha.. (still finding ourselves) After many hours of driving, looking and decisions we found the apartment we are taking residence in for a while.

The apartment is 1600sq feet, it is 3bed/ 2bath plus maids quarters and her own bathroom. Bonnie laughed and said "You don't have a maid do you?" No, I am the maid still :-) The apartment management has been very accommodating! We needed a desk and chair for the computers and they sent us to a store to pick it out, as well the bed is to hard for my husband so we go to pick out a new mattress as well. Also I saw a sectional couch I liked in another apartment we looked at in the building which they gave me the option of recovering and let me pick the fabric I liked. They definitely want us to be happy here (we are scared to tell them we may leave in 2 or 3 months)

The apartment is located right across from the school the kids are going to right now. In Central & South America it is summer break here so the kids are in summer school. They go from 9-12pm each day except Everett I am only sending him 3 days/week. The kids love school especially Easton he really wants to learn Spanish. Emma is in Spanish language classes everyday which is exactly what we were wanting.

The school is called "The Oxford School" it is an English based school but most kids in this summer program are from surrounding areas who are trying to learn English. It's good for the kids to be surrounded by Spanish kids to learn faster we hope. The school has a great swimming pool and the kids are taking swimming lessons as well as Drama class. It has been a good transition for them. The teachers are so nice, they just love our kids and have been so welcoming. The 2007 Panamanian school schedule starts March 15th so we have to decide before then what we are doing with school.

Each morning I walk the kids to school and the security guard says every morning "Good morning children" and the kids respond back in Spanish "buenos dias" (goodmorning). Emma said she wants to learn Spanish NOW and she snapped her fingers. I tell her she has to really listen and learn so when we come back to Calgary in June she can go back to her school to talk to Senorita Kiss and to the rest of the class in Spanish.... she likes that idea.

Now the question: DO WE LIKE PANAMA?
Yes I like it, the kids are very happy and Trent, well he says "Happy wife, Happy life" he knows all the right answers.. haha... If we chose to stay here for a few years it would be an easier adjustment than any other countries we have been in the last few years.

Germany, Trent is not ready to go back to Europe. I can't wait to get back there...
in a few years when the kids can appreciate it a bit more.

Maui is Trent's perfect place but the education for the kids is just not there.

Venezuela... everyone is trying to flee from there now, lots of Venezuelans are coming here to Panama.

Hong Kong, just not for us, to many people I would have to say.

Thailand we loved and is still on our list but for the kids it is a way bigger culture shock
and very very far.

Singapore I loved but Trent said not for him.

Panama has alot going for it, the economy is pretty strong...the canal will most likely always be here(lets hope). Panama City is quite modernized for a Latin American country, very accepting of North Americans for the most part (no one really stares to much, not like Thailand) Great restaurants, decent shopping. McDonalds, Wendy's, Pizza Hut all deliver (Trent loves that) You also know that you are in a somewhat civilized country when people walk their dogs on leashes (i was pleasantly surprised when I saw this) Funny how small things amaze us now :-)

Driving is a bit crazy but not as bad as I prepared myself for. Shopping is good for the kids, quite cheap, I have not looked for myself yet except for flip flops there are so many, I could go crazy on buying them if I had no will power... but we have only been here for a week :-)

I have not seen to much yet in our week here in Panama City. We rented a truck yesterday for a week until the truck we are buying goes through. Car rentals here are very expensive so it makes more sense to buy one and hopefully we can sell it when we leave in June :-) We love to gamble situation in our life if you have not noticed...haha..

Today is Saturday and we went for a drive. Trent took us up on Acorn Hill, this is the location that the Panama Canal was planned from. Many important people live up here in the hills and the homes are so beautiful. The view of Panama City was nice, it was a bit cloudy. In this picture you can see one of the locks of the Canal in the distance. It was not to hot this morning (only around 29 degrees C) It will be very interesting to get down on ground level to see the Panama Canal and some of the ships that go through... maybe next week.

Also we ventured to the Causeway which is a peninsula that was created from all the foundation that was unearthed when the canal was built. A very cool spot, we are going to go back to rent bikes to cruise around on. There were many quaint restaurants all along the roadway.

A bit of trivia on the Panama Canal

1. On what day was the first full transit of the Canal made?

-August 15, 1914

-April 21, 1913

-May 4, 1914

-November 3, 1914

2. Who was considered the "mastermind" behind the canal?
(Hint - he designed the lock system for the Panama Canal)

-John Stevens
-Ferdinand de Lesseps
-William Gorgas

3. 100 million gallons of water are used in each transit of the canal.

-True
-False

4. 7,800 miles is cut off a journy from New York to San Fransico by using the canal

-True
-False

Answers at the bottom of the page!

I am very surprised how clean Panama has been, for a 3rd world country. The woman dress very nice all the time, I have yet to see woman walk around in their workout clothes and ball caps on, like back home. I look like a hobo most days compared to the lady next to me. Even little girls look like dolls, they have beautiful gold bracelets on and necklaces, no one wears silver.

There are alot of nice new vehicles on the road, not very many scooters at all in the city so far. Gas is $2.30/gallon or $0.65/litter so a bit cheaper. Oh also I was so excited and could not believe it, they have Costco here. It is called Price Smart but it is the same place. I went in it and could not believe my eyes, I got a lot of shopping done, it was great but not many clothes like back home.

For supper tonight we went to a Crepe & Waffle house. DELICIOUS! The food is not much cheaper since we keep eating at great restaurants but we have been eating pretty good when we venture out.

Well it's time for movie night. Trent & I have been watching movies every night since we can buy them at a red light from the guy standing at our truck window for $4.00. Yes they are burned CD's, but what are movie addicts to do when we do not have a babysitter yet, so we can go to movies :-)

Sorry this entry was not to exciting but some info to catch you up on the craziness of the Schmuland crew.

Thank you for taking an interest in our adventure, life for us is an adventure everyday I would say. We can't repeat yesterday so take full advantage of today! There are moments Trent and I say to eachother "We are crazy, what have we done, we sold everything and now what?" Then we see the kids beaming when they come out of school proud they are learning the language. The other day we had guys in the apartment fixing a few things and the kids were all over them asking them if they had kids, where their casa (house) was, how old they were, all in their broken Spanish but it was pretty cute.

Well that is enough babbling for now, I will check in next week. Until then stay warm! All our love Jody,Trent, Emma, Easton & Everett.


Remember if you would like to post a message you may due so here on the blog by clicking on comment or you can always email us at schmulandj@gmail.com we love hearing from you.

HERE ARE A FEW CUTE PICTURES THAT NEVER MADE IT INTO MY LAST
POST FOR ALL OF YOU WANTING MORE PICTURES.


my cute boys playing around at Disneyland before we left on our last day.

Emma showing Easton just how much she loves them at the
airport at 1:00am, what troopers!

I am embarrased to say but we had two carts full like this of luggage, Trent asked me what happened to my pack job I did for Thailand... (we had 4 - 25lb bags nothing like the craziness that was packed for Panama)

TRIVIA ANSWERS

1. On what day was the first full transit of the Canal made?
August 15, 1914

2. Who was considered the "mastermind" behind the canal?
(Hint - he designed the lock system for the Panama Canal)
John Stevens was the so called "genius" behind the construction of the Panama Canal. Unfortunatly, he resigned his post before the completion of the project.

3. 100 million gallons of water are used in each transit of the canal.
False - Only a miniscule 52 million gallons of water are used.

4. 7,800 miles is cut off a journey from New York to San Fransico by using the canal.
True - Obviously, the canal provides immense economic advantages as well
as being much more convenient and safer than the journey round Cape Horn.

Until next week...