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as promised, fotos. i don't know if they all show up though. campo internet...
November 7, 2008
November 3, 2008
5 random things you should know about panamanians
1. they LOVE change.
i work in the school store a lot that i created with the youth cooperative. kids alsways come and ask you to change their quarter into nickels. then, 5 minutes later, they'll come back and buy something for a nickel. when the transaccion is done, they'll buy another things for a nickel. if they have a dime, they'll buy something for a nickel, make you give them the change, then buy another thing for a nickel. needless to say, i'm going crazy.
2. they don't work in november or december.
okay, that is an exaggeration. maybe they work half the months. but there are so many holidays. the independence from spain, the independence from colombia, flag day, mothers' day, christmas, independence of certain cities, etc. so the kids are barely in school and a lot of men are really drunk for 2 whole months. fun.
3. they don't care if you're uncomfortable.
looking someone up and down to judge their body, clothing, shoes, hair, etc. upon meeting them is totally normal. i sugggest trying this in the states. next time you meet someone, after you shake their hand look them up and down. moving your head with your eyes, slowly, about 3 times. all of this from 2 feet away. awkward. also, tell people they're fat or weigh a lot. just like that. (as i opened my computer today, i was sitting on a (sturdy, metal) table at the school. the principal told me i would harm the desk. I said, "how?" her answer, "because you weigh a lot."
4. they believe in all sorts of folk tales and superstitions.
a. women and girls can't sit on hot surfaces. even kinda warm. apparently, it will mees up your bladder, kidneys, uterus, and more. i was sitting on the curb outside the school the other day when a teacher walked by. as she passed she said, "this girl is bad. she likes to sit on hot things."
b. they believe in witches (brujas). when franco woke up in the middle of the night with a rat on his chest, he screamed and woke up his host family. they attributed his fright not to a rat, but to witches. the next day in town, everyone was talking about how the witches had attacked him.
5. they can't say "yes" or "no."
or make any sort of opinion. if you hold out a piece of cake/dollar/gold watch and say, "do you want this?" they will respond, "yo no se" (i don't know). clearly they want it and you have to know that, because if you say okay and walk away, they'll say you're rude. if you say something they don't like or that is clearly wrong, they won't tell you. their culture avoids conflict, so people just don't share their ideas or comments about anything.
1. they LOVE change.
i work in the school store a lot that i created with the youth cooperative. kids alsways come and ask you to change their quarter into nickels. then, 5 minutes later, they'll come back and buy something for a nickel. when the transaccion is done, they'll buy another things for a nickel. if they have a dime, they'll buy something for a nickel, make you give them the change, then buy another thing for a nickel. needless to say, i'm going crazy.
2. they don't work in november or december.
okay, that is an exaggeration. maybe they work half the months. but there are so many holidays. the independence from spain, the independence from colombia, flag day, mothers' day, christmas, independence of certain cities, etc. so the kids are barely in school and a lot of men are really drunk for 2 whole months. fun.
3. they don't care if you're uncomfortable.
looking someone up and down to judge their body, clothing, shoes, hair, etc. upon meeting them is totally normal. i sugggest trying this in the states. next time you meet someone, after you shake their hand look them up and down. moving your head with your eyes, slowly, about 3 times. all of this from 2 feet away. awkward. also, tell people they're fat or weigh a lot. just like that. (as i opened my computer today, i was sitting on a (sturdy, metal) table at the school. the principal told me i would harm the desk. I said, "how?" her answer, "because you weigh a lot."
4. they believe in all sorts of folk tales and superstitions.
a. women and girls can't sit on hot surfaces. even kinda warm. apparently, it will mees up your bladder, kidneys, uterus, and more. i was sitting on the curb outside the school the other day when a teacher walked by. as she passed she said, "this girl is bad. she likes to sit on hot things."
b. they believe in witches (brujas). when franco woke up in the middle of the night with a rat on his chest, he screamed and woke up his host family. they attributed his fright not to a rat, but to witches. the next day in town, everyone was talking about how the witches had attacked him.
5. they can't say "yes" or "no."
or make any sort of opinion. if you hold out a piece of cake/dollar/gold watch and say, "do you want this?" they will respond, "yo no se" (i don't know). clearly they want it and you have to know that, because if you say okay and walk away, they'll say you're rude. if you say something they don't like or that is clearly wrong, they won't tell you. their culture avoids conflict, so people just don't share their ideas or comments about anything.
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