Well! It is my last week here in Panama. I have mixed feelings about coming home, but that's only natural. I am excited to get home and see my family and friends and be back to my regular every day routine, but it will be hard at first adjusting back after living so differently for 5 months. I think it is time for me to come home and I that I have had a wonderful experience. I have had my share of good and bad experiences, but I couldn't expect perfectness my entire stay here. I think that the hardest part of traveling for a long time was coming to a realization that I was going to miss out on some fun stuff that my friends were doing, but in perspective I was able to come to Panama and learn the Spanish culture and language and that is really something to be appreciative of. Sometimes I felt really alone and just wanted to come home, sit and talk with my family and friends but I knew this trip made me stronger person for sticking it out, and adjusting to a different life. My host family is amazing and helped me through every good and bad time. I know I will keep in touch with my host family and want to return to Panama to visit them. I am really excited to be home and back in my own bed, and my own school.. back to reality. I am excited to start working again too. I dont know if I will ever do something like this again, because being away from family and friends is really hard. I know I want to travel more but I think I will stay with weekly trips and not 5 month long trips. Panama is a really different yet nice culture and the people are really nice. I appreciate everyone who made this possible for me and to everyone who helped me throughout my experience here. I always had a friend back at home who would talk with me and make me feel better when I was upset and that really helped me out. Also my family has been a HUGE help in this entire thing. Through anything, every weekend they made sure they Skype-d with me and always would check in with me. They encouraged me to stay positive and open minded.  I cant thank my family enough. Also I had a lot of great teachers keep in touch with me and ask me about the culture and how I was doing. I was also able to take online courses to get credits so that I can graduate on time. Friends here in Panama helped me alot too, my host mom, my host sister, Jolie, and many more. I had alot of support and people to make this experience a great one! I am ready to come home and see all my family and friends <3 xao cuidate!

This past month has been really fun but hard for me. It really hit me that I'm not going to be able to spend Christmas with my family this year and that I'm not going to be waking up in my cozy bed. I dont think I realized how hard it would be, but I am getting through it the best I can. My family is really awesome and have always been able to talk to me when I'm upset about something and always makes me feel better. My mom here is awesome and just a fun, outgoing lady! I have been going to Christmas parades, and different activities, graduation parties, graduations, walking with friends, etc. I have been having alot of fun and I think that if I stay busy the last month will fly by. It is very different with it being 90 degrees every day and getting in the "Christmas Mood" but I have been enjoying the tropical Christmas too. I will attach some new photos!

Hola ! I am sitting down right now about to go out to get some hamburgers and juice with my mom. My sister went to a party for one of her friends from school. I went to Volcan yesterday and saw different parts of Panama. Volcan is located in Chiriqui but it further up than where I am living. It is about an hour drive and an hour and a half to Volcan Baru. Volcan Baru is the only place in the world where you can see both the Atlantic and Pacific Ocean. I did not get the chance to climb the mountain yesterday because we left in the afternoon and it is an all day activity! It is alot cooler in the mountains and quiet too. It was cool getting to see how people live there. For example, there is an outdoor bathroom and there is no electricity so we used candles at night. The roads are really rocky and hard to drive on but the houses have more land and more privacy too. I also went to Costa Rica two weeks ago with my mom and sister and got to see the frontier. This is a zone libre mall where one street your in Panama and the other your in Costa Rica. It was neat seeing all the license plate change, and the different colored taxi's. We spent the afternoon shopping and looking at all the different stores than went back to the city to eat dinner. I am going to the gym almost every day now to keep me busy and not thinking about home during the holidays, because it is really hard being away from my family and friends during Christmas time. I am sure I will enjoy seeing how they celebrate though, and I am in a great family too. We have decorated the house and got the Christmas tree today and will decorate later tonight or maybe tomorrow. I have a german friend who is with AFS too who lives nearby my house who I will walk around with or go into the city sometimes. My best friend Yessenia lives pretty close to me too. She is in my class in school and has helped me ALOT. She doesnt want me to leave and says I have to stay here for the year or she is going to come to the US with me haha! I am enjoying my time but I am missing everyone alot. I think that if I stay occupied and visiting different places that this lonely feeling sometimes will fade. I want to visit Bocas Del Toro, but it is very expensive but maybe I will go with my family another time. I am excited to come back and start my second semester and see all my family and friends but I am also trying to focus my attention here and do all I can while I'm here because I know this is an oppurtunity not everyone is able to take. Some things I have noticed about the culture.... moving your pointer finger up and down means yes, they point to things with their lips, there are street venders everywhere that sell anything from hamburgers to ice cream. Alot of things are more natural and they cook rice every day. After 9 pm you have to be in the house if you are under 18, but this is stricter in Panama City. I live about 7 hours from the city so its more laid back where I am living, but the law is still enforced and kids do follow it. Right now it is becoming summer and so it is only going to get warmer, which seems impossible. I am leaving now to go get something to eat, but I will write again sooner than past times! I have been busy so I am sorry! I will have pictures to post too! xoxoxoxo Madison

It has almost been a month since I last posted! I am so sorry!!! I have been super busy which is a good thing! :) I recently changed families and am really enjoying my time here! I am in the same town in the same school just a different family! I am really getting to see Panama and go places! I have one sister who is 14 and her name is Yina, pronounced Gina. My mom is a doctor and my dad works in Panama City and comes home on weekends! They are such a nice family and I am excited to spend the rest of my time here in Panama with them:D I have gotten able to go to parties with my sister, meet alot of new people, see more parts of where I live, and I was even in the parade one weekend. I got to wear a typical Panamanian dress with jewelery and walk with the US flag. I have made alot more friends and hang out with them and play basketball near my house, walk, go into David ( the city ) or just talk on my porch. I have seven puppies and they are so cute :) I have a party tonight for one of my friends birthday and I am getting all dazzled up right now! My sister is coming with me. Last night I went to the movies and saw a really funny movie and then we went to McDonald's yum yum yum. My Spanish is really good and sometimes I still get shy around people I don't know but I have realized that the only way I will learn is if I practice, practice, practice. People are really helpful too and always help me when I don't know a certain word. I am getting used to the differences in culture, and really LOVE Panama:) I cant wait to see how they celebrate the holidays and be a part of that too! Last weekend there was a huge parade all day with schools playing drums all down the streets and everyone was dressed up, it was really cool!!! I also had to go to Panama City the other day and sleep in a bus for two nights, that was not my cup of tea, but I'm all good :) My family told me that we are going to travel alot during vacations and go sleep on a beach, and also go to Boquete and Volcan :) I am excited to see whats ahead of me and am really happy these days :DDD I am missing my family and everyone at home but this is such a good experience for me and I will come back aware of other parts of the world, and see outside of my own every day life. I also will be able to have shared my culture and share with my friends and family here things! My little sister had never had chocolate chip cookies, so I bought them and we made them together later that night. My sister really helps me with everything and is the best, I love her! My mom is so funny and always someone I know I can go to when I need advice or have a problem. I will upload some more photos a little later because I have to get into my fancy dress and go dancing with my sister:) xoxoxo Mads

Hola ! Right now I am sitting in my room trying to gather some things for my trip tomorrow! I am going to my orientation closer to Panama City, which will be really fun! I have to wake up early tomorrow and meet my friends at the terminal and take a 6 and half hour bus ride to the resort! We will have three days to relax and express any issues or share fun experiences we have had. I have almost been here for 2 months which is so weird to think about. We will have time to go swimming and the best part is there will be DANCING! I have not had  the opportunity to go out and just dance with friends and I miss dancing, so I am excited for that. We will be staying in mini suites on a beach with 6 people in each room. Yesterday I went to the movies with my friends who are here from Germany and Italy! We met at the terminal and walked through the city to get to the movies! They both speak English well, so it was nice being able to go out and be with friends. I will finally post some pictures of my school and the city too and I am going to try and attach a video of a my dads band that he is in! We went on Friday to watch them practice and I loved it! It was right at the fire-station parking lot, where they all gather and play, its really cool. I wish I could join, but its all middle aged men. I must go pack! I am excited for this mini vacation to see some of my friends in AFS that I haven't since I came to my host family:) xoxoxo