Start at the beginning, Part One.
It took about ten seconds once the plane landed in Panama for me to realize I wanted to take the next plane back to the States. No one spoke English, or at least they pretended not to, and the airport was not very passenger friendly. I wandered around helpless until I saw a long line of people and decided to join them, in hopes that it would lead me out of the terminal. After what seemed like hours, but was probably only 30 minutes, I was through the line and on my way out of the airport. Dh and a friend (the one who was driving us to our house) were waiting for me near the exit.
As soon as I stepped outside I was met with the most intense humidity I had ever felt in my life. Everyone was covered with a sheen of sweat and soon I was too. I got in the car which of course had no air conditioning and prepared for the 2.5 hour drive to the other side of the country. As we drove through Panama City, I talked nonstop about how much I already didn’t like it and made sure to point out every flaw and problem. Then we entered the “country.” My constant complaining was silenced by the extreme poverty that surrounded me. We passed neighborhoods in which every house was made from cardboard boxes. Garbage piled ten feet high lined the streets and the medians. Dogs ran wild and children did too.
My shock turned to terror as we then began passing checkpoints with Panamanian armed guards, and it became obvious there was a good way and a bad way to make it through the roadblocks. The good way involved pretending to speak no Spanish (even though dh is fluent) and the exchange of some money. The bad way… well I did not want to find out.
At some point we reached the Panama Canal. I thought this would be the highlight of the drive until I realized that if you arrived at the canal at the wrong time you could sit in your car for up to two hours while ships passed through the locks. I probably don’t have to tell you that we arrived at the wrong time. By the time we started moving again I was a complete sweaty, scared mess that wanted to close my eyes, tap my heels together 3 times and end up back in Kansas.
Finally we reached the base, I was relieved since now I would be living under the protection of the US Army, but of course I was wrong again. The base was guarded by the Panamanians and was open to everyone. As we entered the gate the driver started telling me stories about all the recent break-ins that had occurred on the base. I decided right then I was never leaving the house without dh. My only hope was that we didn’t own anything worth stealing anyway.
As we drove through the windy roads of the base I started noticing how beautiful and green everything looked. I guess 100% humidity is great for the environment. The flowers were the brightest colors, the trees a deep green, it started to resemble paradise and I forgot for a moment that I was melting in the back seat. Then out of nowhere I was jolted out of my fleeting fantasy. Large cinder block buildings appeared around the corner. They were old, but more importantly bullet holes marred every building. Apparently this base was occupied by the Panamanians when we invaded a few years earlier. The ransacked barracks still stood vacant along the road. I couldn’t help but wonder what happened to those who had lived in those barracks, did they live, did they die, did they leave behind a family?
Finally we pulled up to the house. It was a yellowish color stilt house with a tile roof. I remembered thinking it was pretty, sort of… then I noticed that under the house there was a carport that also housed the washer and dryer. As I walked by I remember thinking that since I had already decided I would never leave the house alone, dh better get use to doing the laundry. The washer and dryer were covered with a film of dead bugs and other items I didn’t want to touch. I hurried up the flight of stairs ready to see my new home and lock myself inside it for the next two years.
T.H. says
Eeek–so you don’t have to spend forever searching the site and clicking on broken links trying to find the rest of the story (like I did), here it is: http://thehappyhousewife.com/our-story/
Nancy M. says
Eww, that does sound scary! And hot and gross! Can’t wait to read more!
Jamie says
Wow, your life has been quite an adventure thus far! And it sure seems like your hubby had friends EVERYWHERE! I guess he must be a friendly guy! I can’t wait to read the rest.
Lawanda says
Wow. You poor poor girl! That would be awful!
Stacy says
Are you the one who posted about a recipe you made for some cookies with pudding mixed in with them and your dh sold them at work for $7.50 a dozen? If so, could you please link me to that recipe. I thought I had cut/pasted it to another document, but now I can’t find it anywhere. (sigh)
Kathryn says
Yippee! Another installment. I tell you, girl, it’s a God-thing that you two are still together. Not only were you a fish out of water … you were a very scared guppy, indeed.
Katie @ 3 Blondes and a Redhead says
As I’m reading this, I’m thinking, “I’m never complaining again…I’m never complaining again…” How long does it take for this story to IMPROVE!?!?!?
Marie says
I am really enjoying your story! I bet all of this made you a very strong person! Can’t wait for the rest of the story!
Sonshine says
I would have wanted to go back home just seeing all the bugs on the laundry appliances. 🙂
I can’t wait to read the rest of the story. I am enjoying the story. 🙂
Keeley says
Oh my good gracious gravy! That would be incredibly scary.
Can’t wait to read more.
momstheword says
Well I can’t stand bugs so I would have had to get over my laundry-control-freak self and let my hubby do the laundry! I’m glad I know the ending or I’d be wondering if this marriage survived, hehehe!
chagres says
where EXACTLY were you? I live in Panama & have lived in the Canal Zone. I have no concept of what you’re describing. Literary license is one thing, but truth is another.
TheHappyHousewife says
I lived near Colon, which during the time that I was there was rated the most dangerous city in the Caribbean. The Canal Zone was very nice, as were other places I visited. Where I lived was not.
Elizabeth says
Thanks for writing this. My husband spent 2 years there when he was a kid. His dad was stationed there and he’s told me stories of the area. He said it was the best and worst time of his life.
He remembers the jungle atmosphere. The kids ran around the base pretty much unsupervised.
About how long ago where you there? His dad died there and they left when he was 9. So about 23 years ago.
Christina says
It’s really interesting reading your description of the base in Panama. When I was 5 I lived in Karundu (sp?), my dad was in the Army based at the canal. We left before they turned over control to the Panamanians though. It was really nice there, I still remember how beautiful it was there. We had our apartment broken into when we first got there though!
TheHappyHousewife says
I have met many people who lived there in the 70’s and 80’s and remember a much different place. I have heard that after we invaded in the late 80’s things changed significantly, especially on the Atlantic side of the country.
Courtney @ Sister To Sister says
I am really enjoying your story!
Can’t wait for the next part!
Sherry says
Oh, wow! I can’t even imagine. Was it like living in a third world country then? I’m never complaining about base housing. LOL!
Heidi @ GGIP says
Wow, that is quite a story…
Upstatemomof3 says
Oh my!! You guys certainly had a rocky start in your marriage. I am just itching to know the whole story. Thanks for sharing it with us. I love it!!!!!
Beth Gasser says
For what it’s worth, I’m jealous. I traveled alone to Haiti a year ago, for the first time. Left my husband and kids home alone, went up into the rural mountains, didn’t speak the language….long story short. I loved it. I miss it. I am very jealous of your exciting adventure, but pray you are safe. And can find a way to enjoy it.
Amanda from Faith, Food and Family says
I’m so glad to read another installment! I enjoy reading about your life. It has been very interesting. I’m excited to see what happens next! Thanks for sharing with us!
God bless,
Amanda
Beki says
That’s it? Come on you tease!
Elizabeth says
LOL…Toni, thanks for posting ya’lls story. I’m really enjoying reading it…and learning patience in the process! It is so neat to see how God has working in your lives to bring everything together.
Did you guys survive the louse episode? We missed seeing you guys! How are you feeling?
Anyway, just wanted to let you know I was thinking about you and praying for you 😉 Hope all is well!
Angel says
LOL…my DH is there every other mmonth & it still sounds bad. Even though we live in SE La he is freezin in 80 degree weather cause he got used to Panamian weather. He’s actually on a Dredge on the canal. They pick him up from customs & drive to the boat then bring him to the airport when he comes home. He did say there was a mall there they went to once. Its where we actually found our Wii since finding one here for Christmas was impossible.