TheExpatJournals.com

I’ll be back in Casco Viejo Tuesday night. I love NYC, but I’m sure happy that I’ve missed Panama. My neighbor says that all the plants I bought and potted are now thriving and as a result, I’m giving her a run for her money and that, between us, we have the greenest balconies in Casco Viejo.
As silly as it sounds, after my experience of watching a newly planted vine grow a 28″ shoot with 8 leaves in 4 days, I’ve missed watching the plants grow. A handful of plants I rescued from an internal patio around the corner and it’s been fun watching them come back to life and then blossom when cared for. I had red, yellow, and blue/purple blossoms when I left, but anticipated other plants blooming before too long. Maybe I can even put up a new photo and include my own! God
knows what a difference a month can make in Panama.

And I’ve missed speaking Spanish so much that I ended up befriending the Dominican parking lot attendants and speaking with whomever I could engage. I was only in Panama for 3 months and I’m afraid that, if I don’t use it, I lose it.

So next week, hopefully the Casco Viejo journals will resume. I’m bringing a lot of work back with me, so will have far less free time, but that’s what happens when you’re not retired! Wonder if it feels any different with the new President in office? Will they still be so relaxed around the Palace? Will all the Presidential guards be new?

Speaking of…Today, I knew my perspective had drastically changed when I came out of the subway on 54th and Lexington. At the top of the stairs, there were about six cops walking by essentially in riot gear, less the helmets, and carrying machine guns. It made no dent on me…as though it were normal (and in Casco Viejo it is!)…but I couldn’t stop staring at the two beat cops standing at the top of the stairs. They looked far too young to actually be cops!

My maid had given me her email address so I could alert her when I booked my return ticket. She wrote me back to say that, in addition to cleaning the day I get back, she wanted to make sure I had fresh fruit, milk, coffee, etc and asked if there was anything else I needed. Gotta love that! Would never find that here without it being someone you’ve employed for a very long time. Others have written to say they miss me. I’ve half a mind to believe ‘em!

Like an old toxic lover I’ve gone back and back to, NYC may be exciting and wonderful and all kinds of things, but the price of admission is no longer worth it–stress, frustration, the fact that all the great landmark businesses are disappearing only to be replaced by something you find in virtually any mall in America…not to mention the exhorbitant pricetag of everything…I’m done. I’ve fallen in love and it feels calm and exciting; settled and adventurous; new and right. And Panama is it’s name.

I had to decide whether or not to give up my NYC apartment on this trip. I’m going to at the end of December. And that will be that.