Merry Christmas Break!

Christmas break, or should I say holiday break, is technically here!  I say technically because I am still working on my thesis proposal and will have to work on it some more over break.  Tomorrow, after a Peace Education luncheon, I will be heading to Panama!  12 days of travel fa la la la la la dee dah!  The itinerary is 4 days in the beautiful islands of Bocas del Toro, which are surrounded by a marine national park, 4 days in Panama City including Christmas, and 3 days in the mountain town of Boquete and then home.  I'll only be home for 1 or 2 days before heading to the Boruca indigenous celebration with a woman who works for the peace corps.  She is a friend of a friend and now my friend and she invited me to this special event.  There are going to be some anthropologist and photographer friends of hers there so this sounds pretty amazing.  Then I'll come back by the 3rd to finish my thesis proposal.  I just need some time to do it.  My brain is full and heavy.  Time for a break!  I will be taking some research papers for my beach reading but I did make sure to pack one mindless beach book and my i-pod.

Who are my traveling partners?  Vihn from Denmark, Ricardo from Indonesia, Elizabeth from Wisconsin and Suroor from India.  Pretty cool, huh?  I'm excited!  We are traveling backpacker style: night buses, hostels and communal kitchens.  We are on shoestring budgets but who needs much when you have the beach!  That's our first stop - the beach!  I'll let you know how they celebrate Christmas in Panama when I get back.  No computers allowed on this trip!

Much love.  I'll be soaking in the warmth for you.


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