Home Sweet Home

This past week Brennan and I had to make one of the most difficult decisions we’ve ever made.  Due to some ongoing health issues we have returned early from our Peace Corps Service.  We both came to the decision that health is of highest priority.   I took advantage of all the options Peace Corps had to offer in order to see if this was something that could be treated in Panama, but as time went on it became clearer that being in the States and close to family was our best option.  There is no need to worry about me; I am getting the help that is needed.

From reading our blog we hope it’s evident that we absolutely loved our community Calobre, the people, our host family and our job opportunities.  This is why it was such a hard choice to leave Panama.  Along the way we’ve made great friends, a new Panamanian family, and experienced a culture completely different from our own.   We will never regret taking on the challenge of being Peace Corps Volunteers, however, we also do not regret the decision to come home.

Right now we are not looking into the past, but living in the present.  Even though we will miss our Panamanian life, we could not be more ecstatic to be around family and friends.  Thanks to all of you who have followed along in our great adventure.  We appreciate knowing that people enjoyed hearing about our life experience through the blog.  Hopefully we can keep you all updated on our attempts to make our way North to Portland.  Let the job searching begin!

Here are some pictures of our last week in Calobre and all the people we fell in love with while in Panama:

Pupa and Chala, sisters who were generously offering us their apartment to live in.

Nicholas and his daughter Bella, two of our closest friends in town.

The kids just love him.

Maestra Juaquina, so passionate about her job and being with the kids.

2nd grade

3rd grade

You can tell they will miss him.

Elizabeth and Jessica, Brennan's English Teaching Counterparts

Boys being boys.

Justine, Milagros and Valeska, some of my favorite girls.

Yamizel and Yhomaris, very diligent 6th grade students.

Love their PE attire.

Saying our goodbye's to Pastor Heitor.  He is such an incredible man and is doing so much for his community.  We were sad to say goodbye.

Now Brennan is officially Panamanian.

Aralis, my Environmental Conservation counterpart.

Leaving our Panamanian family was not easy.  They blessed us greatly the three months we got to spend with them.  We will miss their restaurant too!

David, one of my most vocal students.  He's going to make a great actor someday.

And now we're officially home and spending as much time as possible with this little munchkin.  We love our little niece Everly.