Destination D.C....(This is also a photo blog)

My first destination of this excursion is our nation's capitol: Washington D.C. After a day of exciting planes, names, and automobiles; I felt obligated to see some of the cities grand attractions:

The Lincoln Memorial: an international attraction

World War 2 Memorial and Washington Monument

Duck, Duck, Duck, Panama!

There’s a “Here we go again,” sigh of disbelief that sneaks out almost on a daily basis now. I’m just less than 24 hours away from heading back to Latin America, this time, Panama edition.  Why am I going you ask? Well, I would say it is for a main course of self-fulfillment, a side of masochism, with a hint of wild hair, but that’s just my opinion.  I can’t rightly say what it is that says, “Yes, James, this is where you’re supposed to be,” but someone deep inside is saying it and that voice is quite convincing (figuratively speaking of course…)

For the past four years, after returning from a previous excursion to South America, I’ve been working in manufacturing learning the ins-and-outs of mass production.  As fun as high stress monotony is, I have chosen to pursue other career opportunities rather than continuing to pump a well of satisfaction that has gone dry.  I thought when I initially got the job that a real job equals real adult. I can honestly say after spending countless hours answering the beck and call of the production machine, making informed decisions that you believe in are more important than maintaining the façade of maturity by torturing yourself with a REAL career. Obviously everyone has his or her own niche, but that was not mine and I believe it reflected in my work.  I believe work should somehow be fulfilling, whether it be in the nature of the work, the opportunities it provides, or just the simple fact that it makes you happy. I lost the ability to find any of those things in that setting, so I finally just said, “I’m joining Peace Corps.”

Was this decision on a whim? No, in fact, it is as far from a whim as could be. It was a very methodical process of being turned down by everyone else that lead me to the Peace Corps. Initially, I discounted the Peace Corps as being something that was not a viable option for me, because honestly, it sounded kind of feminine. After more failed attempts to escape my shift work prison and a little more research, I found that Peace Corps and I are much more suited for each other than I previously expected. Getting the opportunity to contribute whatever abilities I have in a remote part of the world while learning another language is right up my alley, and I’m happy I made that decision.

Panama was a decision made by both myself and the Peace Corps. They give you three things to rank in order of importance when determining where you will be placed (amongst other things): 1) Where you want to go; 2) What you want to do, and 3) Length of service period. I chose location, Latin America in particular because of its importance for communication once English becomes the second language in the United States.  I’m joking of course, but it is important to have an international understanding now that we are becoming a global community rather than just ‘Merica.  Pretty soon it won’t be an option whether to learn multiple languages, and hopefully I am putting myself ahead of the curve by taking some initiative.  

The other reason Panama has tickled my fancy is the jungle. I’ve heard Panama described as being “everything you wish Costa Rica was.” I can’t wait to escape the drive-by tourism of national parks and immerse myself in real wilderness with all the danger and survival of the fittest in live action. You may call me crazy, but I’m going to go ahead and quote my dad on this one and say “No Guts, No Glory.” I guess the apple doesn't fall far from the tree.

I hope this gives you a glimpse into my decision to embark on a 2 year stint in the Panamanian wilds and I look forward to posting more misadventures.