Una Gringa en Panamá: Week 6 at the CCM, now onto Panamá

Hi everyone!

So this week’s email is pretty short. But there are TONS of pictures. I knew it would make this email too big so I put the bulk of the pictures on the blog. If you want to see them you will need to click on the link below. She left the CCM today and flew to Panamá. I know her airplane made it there so I am certain she did too but I have not heard anything and don’t really expect to until her Pday next Monday. I know she would love to hear from you. I am sure the coming weeks are going to be some of the toughest. Thanks for your love and support J

Stick Abby at the CCM!

Her District and Teachers at the CCM

Still Teenagers :)

Hermana Howe and Hermana Wandell

Hermana's Barth, Wandell, Latu and Howe

Outside at the CCM

Her district and teachers at Independence day celebration

Red, White and Blue on Sept. 11

Hermana Barth and Hermana Wandell

Independence day Celebration

Hermana Barth and Hermana Wandell

Hermana Latu, Hermana Wandell and Hermano Arevalo

Okay Mexican Independence day is CRAZY!!!!!! We had this big fiesta with dancers and fireworks and everything!! It was fun!! Then last night we had something called a Grito that they do every year. The president says something and then the people all yell VIVA and you do it like 10 times. And then there were fireworks all last night!! Crazy!! Apparently the people shoot guns in the air and so they told us we had to go straight back to our houses after so that we wouldn´t get hit.

I gave Hermano Arevalo the book.

Abby looks so sad in that video. Please tell her to smile for me and that I don’t want her to be sad.

(her answers to Abby’s questions) Abby I love you so much!! And I can't wait to see you again, I will run to you as soon as I see you at the airport. Please be good and smile. I don't want you to be sad. I miss you too kiddo but I will be home before you know it. Yes they have McDonalds here and I only have to go on one airplane. Speaking of which did you like the airplane when you went to Disneyworld??

Now back to mom, our investigators are our teachers. Benjamin = Hno. Muñoz and Gilberto = Hno. Arevalo.

I will miss my teachers and my district, the food (when it’s good), the cold (never thought I'd say that), and the safety. (I asked her what she will miss about the CCM)

I knew he was video-ing us last night. Its fine if you don’t send it. I get the jist. (Her teacher emailed me a video of them singing “God be with you til we meet again”, it is safe to say I cried through the whole thing)

The polka dots was fun (picture from last weeks email), and then on Sept. 11th we all wore red white and blue (see picture). Hermana Curtis is from Florida. She actually understands my humor and I can be myself around her. It’s like a breath of fresh air. She and I are sitting together on the plane.

I sent a picture of our healthy peanut butter and Nutella sandwiches (it’s all they had...)

So the awards we made for everyone, and the girls made each others so it would be a surprise and then we surprise all the elders. Fridal was El Capitan, Ballsteadt the classiest, Faerber the musical genius, Pace the sleeper, Angell the Spanish Dictionary, Parker the exercise guru, Loveridge was grandma's boy (his grandma sends him a letter every day...), Delos Reyes the neon robot, Barth the boy magnet tron, Howe the ballerina barbie, Latu the homegirl.

So I am going to try and find a calling card. If I can’t I will probably still call you but it will have to be really short. I am gonna try to call you between 6-8:30 your time cause I want to talk to Abby. So PLEASE keep your phone next to you. But don't tell her, I don’t know for sure if I will be able to and so I don’t want to get her hopes up that and I want it to be a surprise. I’m gonna send more pictures, sorry this email is kinda short, I don't have a lot of time, I still need to pack. (She did call this morning, it was so good to hear her voice, we got to talk to her for about 15 minutes)

Okay bye love you!!!!