Early Fall in Florida

I've been in Tallahassee for about a month now. I've just been going to school mostly and running a lot, which has made me realize how hilly this place is. I feel successful here - like my career is imminent. The mandatory meetings of the Florida State Student Actuarial Society help with that.

Some pics from my last week in Panama Before our final 'Final Dinner'

& some new:

It's football season! @ Theta Chi w/ my roommates before FSU beat UT-Chattanooga

The apartment is looking pretty cute now, and only one of my houseplants has died (and it's not even all that dead-looking yet).

New

Well I moved to Florida. I like Tallahassee so far and have an awesome apartment. And I even like taking the bus to school although the time schedule is unreliable.

This semester I'm taking Intro to Mathematical Statistics, Applied Linear Algebra, Intro to Actuarial Math, and a seminar to prepare for my first actuarial exam in January.

Where I live - 2nd floor on the right

New roommates! Caitlin + Rachel Amanda, Rachel, me

Survivors

Here are those of us who have survived 12 months in Panama (almost). Sadly there were many more who did not make it this far.

Catching up on Summer Session

Sorry I have not updated in a long time... since I got robbed I no longer have a cell phone or camera and have turned into a low-tech hippie. But here are some photos from the summer that I stole from friends (gotta love Facebook)

Stephanie's friend Tess came to visit and we had lots of fun...

Me, Stephanie, Tess, William, Pono and Chris stayed at a friend's lake house in Cerro Azul and almost killed ourselves with fireworks and night-canoeing. Actually I guess it was the combination of the two that got so dangerous.

Madison & I at Gallery

We went on a weekend trip to Boquete, a city up in the mountains of Panama. We went zip-lining which was awesome and toured a coffee plantation.

Ready to zip-line in Boquete

And of course we went to San Blas again! Stephanie and I had an interesting time getting there since we we unaware that we were not signed up for the trip and therefore had no flight reservations... so we had to go on a later flight but thankfully it all worked out.

San Blas was beautiful as usual
My parents and David came to visit... we walked up Ancon Hill and spent a weekend on Isla Contadora, one of the Pearl Islands in the Pacific.

The view from the top

Breakfast overlooking Playa Cacique on ContadoraFriends I miss already... ignore my heinous lazy eyes, Elias and Kyle look cute at least

I am going to miss this CRAZY city, but it is almost time to go and I am finally ready to leave.

I have about 2 and a half more weeks here in Panama, and then I'm moving to Tallahassee, Florida. I found an apartment on Facebook Marketplace with 3 sophomore girls from Florida who I can't wait to meet!

Summer so far

As of today I am 25% done with my last semester in Panama. This summer I'm taking Calculus 3, Public Speaking, Brain & Behavior, and Microeconomics. I'm also working a couple of hours a week in the "Math Learning Center" at school, which basically involves doing my homework in the library and wondering if anyone will ever come in to get tutored. It's a job I enjoy.

Here are some semi-recent photos:

The crazy bus ride to the Spring Final Dinner

Super silly Zac

During the break I hung out with Mimi, my friend since jr high, at UC Riverside

I turned 19

Lots of new people in Panama

Summer study sesh.

Spring 2008 Final Dinner

With finals finally over, last night most of us International Programs students went out to dinner at the restaurant at the Miraflores Locks. The private buffet was super fancy and delicious. And the fact that a lot of the boys showed up wasted made it quite a rowdy experience.

Balcony view of the Locks

Housemates! We are going to miss Seana to death :(

Darien, Libby, Stephanie, Me, Seana, Kirby
A litte reunion of our Peace Corps trip to Chiriqui - Shannon, me, Zac, Stephanie

It hasn't sunk it yet that tomorrow night I will be in Fullerton... I guess I have a lot of laundry and packing to do before the bus takes us to the airport in 15 hours.

Also

I forgot to mention in my last post that I now have really short hair.

Gamboa Rainforest Resort

This was a pretty successful excursion: we rode an "aerial tram," saw some toucans, and had a fabulous lunch buffet.

Aerial tram

Canal

A few weeks ago I also went hiking at the Metropolitan Natural Park... here's a view:

I can't believe I only have 1 more week of school before finals. This semester went by even more quickly than the last.

San Blas Revisited

Some guys decided to try fishing while standing at the end of the dock in the first picture. They caught a black-tip reef shark. I always knew that all ocean waters are completely infested with man-eaters.

Santa Clara and exciting times ahead...

Last Saturday we went to Santa Clara, one of my favorite beaches on the Pacific side.

But the exciting news is that a bunch of visitors are coming! Sunday Stephanie's friend Luci is coming to visit, AND Jake, our next-door neighbor from last semester, will be here Sunday! AND we're having a Chiva (party bus) next Tuesday! AND going to San Blas March 28th!

Jake!

and a random club photo from ONE