So some of you may ask, what in the world does Jill (or Jay as most people refer to me over here) do all day in Panama? Well, that is not an easy question to answer, because quite frankly I do something different every day. My first 3 months in my site are simply to get to know the community, the school, the people, the environment etc. And how does one get to know there community? Well, you pasear of course.
There is no direct translation for pasear in English, well there is, but not in this context. Basically, the largest form of socialization in the campo, is to simple walk to a neighbor’s house and yell “BUENAS!” or, to salamar, I have not gotten the salamar down, we shall see if I ever do. Salamaring is pretty much just yelling, it can be “WHOOOP” or “OOOOEEEEE” or “OH OH OH” or really any noise you so choose to make. Then the other person will respond with their chosen noise lol. Once the hello is through, you are generally invited to sit down on the porch, where you proceed to make small talk for anywhere from 15 minutes to a couple of hours. Often times, especially when I am the one pasearing, there are awkward silences. I, am in no way a master at small talk in English, lot alone in Spanish. Those that know me well know that I do not even like making phone calls (not a problem for me here in Panama were I don’t have phone service lol), lot alone inviting myself into someone’s home. However, this is culturally normal, apparently, so are the awkward silences. ESPECIALLY in these first three months when the Panamanians have as much pena (shyness/fear/quiet) toward me, as I do toward them.
Now, that is not so say everytime I pasear I am met with awkward silence. Oh no, there are also the people who like to TALK and TALK and TALK. Usually very quickly, so I am straining to follow the conversation. Honestly, I prefer the people who won’t stop talking, at least it shows they are enjoying your company, but man does it take a lot of energy and concentration for me to understand what in the world they are talking about, could be anything from their family to the sickly orange trees to their health to how many girls or pregnant in the school.
And, as I think I have mentioned before, it is customary when you pasear at someone’s house for the to give you food, or at the least coffee. This makes pasearing tricky for a few reasons. If, like in my community, it is a FAR (hour plus) walk to some of the houses, and you are on your 3rd house, and 3rd cup of coffee or chica (juice) you are bound to have to go pee. Now Panamanians must have the biggest bladders in the world, this never seems to be a huge problem for them, I however, have ran into this problem multiple times. The other problem is that you are going to gain weight, there is little way to avoid it. If you have already eatin lunch, but someone gives you a plate of spaghetti y gallina de patio (chicken they raised in their yard) or a bowl of soup and plate of rice, or a bowl of crema (a nutrient fortified cream of wheat like thing) you have very little choice but to eat it, or seem exceptionally rude. Also, I often get sent home with bags of fruit, bananas, starfruit, oranges, lemons, tangerines. . .these houses are my favorites haha.
Yup, welcome to my silly little life. . .lol. . .so yeah, the answer to what does Jill do all day? Well, if I am not observing in the school (a post of it’s on really, or learning how to do a myriad of house wifely things (see Being a Housewife in Panama), then I am probably pasearing (or doing a number of things to avoid pasearing because I am still not yet comfortable with it lol, but no I pasear A LOT).
All set for some pasearing with my new Panamanian hat and my panamanian purse (which you can only see the strap of lol). . .note that I am literally in the monte (jungle) in between houses, and slightly lost at this exact moment haha. . .but i figured it out
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