Oh yes, NY...

I briefly mentioned that I'm going to NY!!!!

My mom is taking me and my sister for a little 5 day pre Christmas girls trip.

Cause we're fancy lil travelers like that.

Last Friday they came over to discuss it and see if there was a way it would work with all of our schedules. My mom wanted to go Fri-Tuesday starting Dec. 12th. I told her I didn't know if that would work because that was when Jerad and I had plans for our anniversary. I said that to her just for the sake of saying it, there was no doubt in my mind that he would move our plans to accommodate a free cross country trip for me. In return I would make sure to bring him a bomb ass souvenir.

Everyone wins.

Jerad gets home from work and my mom asks him if he would mind moving our anniversary celebrations to the weekend before to accommodate our trip (that he is hearing about for the first time). Yes, yes he minds.

Huh?

He doesn't know if he can. He'll have to check and get back to her by noon on Monday.

What the heck. Jerad is the kind of guy who could come home and I could tell him "surprise! decided that I'm going to go visit my guy friend "Bob" in Nevada for 2 weeks. You haven't met him, we used to work together. I'll need to take 2k out of our savings account, and you'll need to take care of everything around here while I'm gone."

And he would be like "Text me when you get there!"

The point is, he never says no. I "ask" him things just to be nice. If he ever does say no, it takes me about 5 minutes to convince him why "yes" is a better answer. So I couldn't believe that he just automatically vetoed my NY plans. Not even a "well, I made these plans, but I can try to change them and let you know..." He was just very... I dunno, rigid. Which cracked me up. And made me wonder what the heck he was planning, right?

It all ended up working out but I am soooo curious now. I hate surprises.... all weekend I was pestering him to tell me why he had to wait until MONDAY to tell us if he would be able to change the plans. He said because the place was closed on weekends. I said that didn't make any sense because we were supposedly going on the weekend.

I dunno.

Anyways, I am doing some weird anniversary top secret surprise the first weekend in December, then NY, NY the second weekend. My mom is obsessed with all things Christmas so the timing is perfect.

The only thing I am stressed about is the flight. I used to have a job where I had to travel a lot. I have done a LOT of flying. I have been to a LOT of airports. My mom stresses me the heck out. When Jerad and I went to Kauai with my parents and Addy last year.... yeash!!!

I think she has been on a few flights since then, plus without my dad maybe it will be better. Actually Jerad is pretty bad too. It was basically like taking a group of kids on a 8 hour flight. Corralling my parents and Addy... and then Jerad just wants to touch everything, look at everything... talk about the plane.

I just want wake up when its time to get off (thats what she said).

Anyways, yeay NY!!!!! Plus, Melinda's new boobs might get us free drinks:) Yeay boobies!

beep beep! coffee coffee!!!

Woweeeeeee and I awake this morning! Yikes, I heart me come caffeine. ¡Estoy muy ocupado! adoro café! I don't normally drink coffee, on account of my liking my teeth to stay white and all (well, an iced cup here and there), but today it was that or crawl under my desk and sleep. SO.... three cups later and my hands are shaking and I am ready to go go go.

Well, maybe not. After all, I am writing a blog about absolutely nothing instead of you know; working. Cut me some slack, its my Friday!!! Our Panama office is closed today for a national holiday, which means I can work at my leisure. They are 2 hours behind us, so normally when I get in at 7 they have already been sending me stuff and I am behind and rushing to catch up before they go home. Not today, lalala.

Hmm, can I be anymore boring? Well, last time I checked I didn't have a gun pointed at your head making you read this... in other news, I have been trying to brush up on my spanish skills... its going pretty well... since it is so easy for me to practice every day, and my panamanian counterparts are so nice and willing to help and gently correct me. Speaking of Panama, I think I am going back soon. I miss it. Really the only expense is the plane ticket. I think I can stay in our company apartment, and if not, with one of my coworkers... food there is cheap, and I already have friends there to take me around. I love it there and I heart stamps in my passport.

Okay since I am still on a caffein high, I'll show you some pics from my trip last year. Since they are all in photobucket and huge and I don't know an easy way to resize them... you get the tiny clickable version:)

Here is our 2 bedroom, 2 bath company apartment:



















Panama City:


Bed and Breakfast we spent a weekend at:










Swimming Hole:






Festival de los Diablos y Congos (Devils and Dancers). Its an amazing festival celebrating their freedom from slavery, AND one of my coworkers got us special tickets so we got to be right up with the singers and dancers. Wicked cool.


















A little boat tour we took around Portabelo bay. That's Diógenes in the front, one of my main coworkers.






Our little group, Rochelle and Diógenes on the left, the 2 people I talk to all day.



Yet another reason to move to Panama.


Bridge to the America's.




Me and Rochelle during the 4 hours I actually worked on the 10 day trip.


The Panarail


Me, Juan (Panama office Manager... I heart him), and Christine my supe.


Lil boat tour




Um, are you jealous yet?










Panama Canal




Getting the necessities at the store

So yeah... I love Panama. They love Americans. They use American money... people are friendly... there is so much culture... and Diógenes promised me that we could go camping next time... yes! Jerad just needs a passport. I kind of want to move there... the cost of living is a bit better:) I'll settle for visiting, hopefully again soon!