Isla Grande... a visit to an island

Hello there,

I am late with my blog postings but better late then never...

Since my last post we were invited to a pool BBQ by a family that lives in the next building beside us. Easton goes to school with the little boy Jemimah. The dad works for the US Embassy and the mom is such a nice lady. Acadia (the mom) was born and raised in Panama and married her husband who was apart of the US military. After the US was to leave Panama in 1999 they moved back to the United States while Acadia knew very little English. Then three years ago Rob (the husband) was transferred to Korea and she had to learn how to cope in a completely different culture. So needless to say Acadia has been so nice and helpful with many things. They are very nice people and the boys love playing together. We had a great time at the BBQ and Acadia is an amazing cook.

( my kids with Acadia's kids)

During the week I went to visit a few schools that are possibilities for the kids. I already scoped out all the schools on the Internet and the International school here is amazing. The school was opened after the US military left in 1999. The US citizens who worked with the military but who were not military needed jobs .... the International Academy was born. This school is a great school but it is all foreign kids. We want the the kids to learn Spanish so badly so they are going to go back to The Oxford School for now until June then in Sept they will start at the International school (hopefully with a ground base of Spanish under their belts)

The summer program the kids are in right now is finished on Friday and is on the Panamanian schedule which means the new school year opens March 5th. Emma will start school at 7:30am-- ahh for us around here. Easton is going to be in the afternoon kindergarten class from 1-4pm. Easton in kindergarten, back home in Canada he would not start until Sept, but he is very excited.

On Friday the kids had a Fiesta at school to celebrate Carnival. Here in Panama Carnival is celebrated though out the whole country and the country pretty much is in party mode for a week. I read that the Panamanians save more money for Carnival than Christmas. Roads are closed and traffic is pretty bad. From what we read the party is going to be down the hill from our apartment so it should be interesting, we are not quite sure what to expect.

(Easton's class all decorated for the fiesta)

(blurry picture but it shows how happy Emma is to get Easton from school everyday to talk about their days)

(Easton & his buddy Jeremiah)

(East and his amazing teacher)

On the weekend we made a trip to Isla Grande. Packed the truck and headed towards Colon then to Portobella and finally the end of the mainland on the Pacific side. Parked our truck and took a water taxi to the island to the Banana Village Resort. The kids love going on this kind of adventures.

(a shot of the country side we drove through to get to our water taxi to Isla Grande)

(picture of our walk to the ocean to catch our taxi)

(East is ready to get going.. such a cute kid)

(some homes along the oceans edge)

(everytime I take pictures of things like this I think how Jim Drew would go crazy with life jackets about 4 times to big for the kids... lucky we got life jackets... haha)

(the boys had to go pee so bad that they had to share.. who does this look like? You know who you are Mr.C & Mr. T ... inside joke, hey guys)

The resort was in the coconut cove... very small and quite. It had 7 huts with three rooms in each hut. The most the resort would have is 21 families, it was very nice. The resort had a great sand volleyball court/soccer field, we spend a few hours playing around here with the kids. When we ate supper the restaurant was right beside the soccer field so the kids would kick the ball around while waiting for dinner.

(the resort from the ocean in our taxi)

(the walk to our room, very pretty)

(Easton downing our welcome cocktail... good thing it was not spiked)

Our room was on the first level on the left each room had a view of the ocean and a hammock to relax in. Everett needed a nap so when he fell asleep I dosed off in the hammock listening to the sounds of the ocean. Then the second night my family was a sleep and I went outside to read and again at 10:00pm I was fast asleep swaying in the hammock... so peaceful.

(we were in room 6B, good location to the pool)

(how much weight can a hammock hold?

(our view from our room)

(East getting ready for a big save... I just wanted to show the beautiful back ground to the soccer game and the tall coconut trees)

(the boys have a lot of fun together... they love having a built in partner when they play)

The story on the island goes something like this..... When Christopher Columbus came to the island he did not find Panamanians he found a decent of African people, some say Jamaican people.

On Saturday night locals came to the resort and preformed the local dance and sang beautiful music. The kids loved the show of course.... especially Easton. For anyone who knows how much he loves to dance and show off his moves you should of seen him... The locals were dancing with alot of hip movement, arms in the air and alot of fast footwork. Easton was doing his own version of the dance off to the side (the only kid doing this) He loved it!!! A local woman tried to pull Easton into the dance with her but he wanted nothing to do with it. He said to me "they will want me to dance like them, I want to do my own moves" After the performance was over one of the elders with no teeth came over to Easton pretty much yelling at us in Spanish... then proceeded to say "why no dance, why no dance"... then walked away and said... GOOD DANCER, GOOD DANCER. Easton thought that was pretty cool.

(the locals preforming the local dance... we loved it)

I unfortunately do not have many pictures of this event or any good pictures really since my camera broke right before this. It was really one year ago and my last camera went down. Maybe there is only so many pictures these things take and they expire... just kidding, I am super hard on my cameras and the LCD cracked and I can not see anything, I was guessing with all my pictures.

We stayed two nights at the Banana Village Resort and had great family time. Emma and I went kayaking out on the ocean, we were crossing over alot of coral and trying to get past some size able waves when one pushed us sideways and then another one flipped us. Oh my little girl learned very quickly to stay calm and to listen on the spot. We faired pretty good just a few pumps and scraps, we looked pretty funny during the whole ordeal.

(my kayaking partner)

Em and Trent went snorkeling and Emma said there were tons of DORY fish (from the movie Nemo) The kids are all about the water, the kids could live in the pool if you let them. Trent and Easton also went out in a boat for a few hours fishing with a local. Again poor Trent, the fish seem to sense when he is around, all they caught was a small bate fish.

(Trent & Emma spending some time relaxing and cuddling)

It was a great weekend, the kids slept like babies from so much sun, they are still tired today from the weekend.

(Emma's favorite spot... in the pool)

(our big swimmer, jumping off anything now)

(see Jodie these cars go EVERYWHERE)

(my three water rats... I am so blessed to have such amazing kids... )

On our way home from Isla Grande we stopped at a town called Portobella. Portobella has been declared a World Heritage Sight from its significance of the silver and gold trade in the 1500's. It is said that Sir Francis Drake (British pirate)was buried at sea in a lead coffin around Portobella.

The ruins were very interesting and the kids took in every corner relishing on the stories of pirates and how the towns people protected their land. Again my pictures are a matter of pointing my camera, clicking and hoping I am getting some kind of picture... The kids could of spent hours around here just exploring and asking questions.

(Em & Trent on there way up to the canons and look out point)

(you could only envision the history walking around)

( a look out into the Portobella bay)

(the kids loved this, Easton is facinated by Pirates)

(the kids in a small door at the beginning of the fort)

(they are on top of the world)

As we were driving home we encountered some very interesting people. Carnival is approaching and people all dressed up in crazy costumes would jump in front of the car demanding money before they would let us pass though. I tell you people can be crazy sometimes, but the kids thought it was funny to see.

Our lives here are becoming more and more normal except for the extra jackets and snow boots and also possibly Trent's new friend Ellia. Yes we have became employers here in Panama also. We have a very nice lady Ellia who is helping around the house... ak... cooking some awesome meals, helping keep this place clean and on occasion do a few loads of laundry. I do have to say it is great to know that when I am gone all morning and get the kids from school that lunch is made already. The kids still have chores and have to help around the house but my husband.... oh is he getting quite used to Ellia's help around here. I am a bit nervous to bring Trent back to Canada for the summer without Ellia he won't know what to do having to wash dishes.. haha...

It is great to have Ellia here for the fact that she talks to Everett in Spanish and Trent and Emma practice their spanish at lunch. I did stuggle having her here and the whole HELP/maid thing, but like Trent said we are creating a job that someone needs and we are good to her. I make sure no one disrespects the idea of extra hands. I think the kids do more now in terms of chores and say thank you more to Ellia than do their own mom... funny how things are... But I do have to say it is very nice to have extra help around here. Everything is white and drives me crazy, impossible with the kids to keep clean, the floor shows everything.

As for this week I have been looking at houses with a realtor and have at least decided on the area of the city we would live in. If you ask us today we are staying but we are coming to an important breaking point. We have been here for one month now and are settling in more and more and it is time to decide if it a place we like. Trent has said he is here to stay I just have to sign on with his love of warm weather. I asked the kids today if they wanted to go back to Thailand or Calgary and they said NO they like it here. They are LOVING Spanish lessons and their thirst for Spanish is amazing. Trent knocks my socks off everyday on how well he is picking up Spanish and how he can communicate with others. I am the farthest behind... not for long hopefully :-)

My mom, sister, Harlow and Keidis are coming April 9th - April 25th and that is so exciting. I want to say THANK YOU to Troy for supporting Bonnie and the kids coming down here I know you will miss them, but we are SOOOO excited. The kids keep asking when will April be here. The said tonight that Mamma and Auntie can walk them to school and pick them up. I like the idea of staying in Panama vs. Thailand because we would love to see you. I am looking at houses with the intent of having an extra room for all you adventure seekers. No worries you won't get kidnapped by Gorilla's (Auntie Penny)

So now here is a bit of trivia for all you knowledge seekers... Now remember this stuff because you will be quized on it when you get off the plane here, ignorance is not allowed............. Just kidding!!! Some interesting info about the country we are living in right now.

Which ship paid the highest toll to transit the canal?
Rhapsody of the Seas, April 15, 1998 -- $165,235.58

What was the lowest toll paid, by whom, and when?
36 cents by Richard Halliburton in 1928 who swam through the Canal

What is the height and length of the Bridge of Americas?
5,425 feet long and 384 feet high

What famous movie star wears a pearl from the Perlas Islands?
Elizabeth Taylor

What Panama export is known as "Green Gold"?
Bananas

How much was invested by the US in building the Canal?
$387,000,000

Well I must sign off and get a few things done. For everyone in Alberta, I hope it warms up there soon. Thanks again for taking the time to follow our story and I hope you are learning a few things along the way.

Remember you can always post a note on the website here or you can always email us at schmulandj@gmail.com. We love hearing from you.

(this is how I found Emma sleeping the other night, so cute. Don't tell her I put this on here..shhh)

(Easton says " CATCHA LATER DUDE".....)

All our love Trent, Jody, & munchkins