Friday's Portrait: Aris (PPPP #1)

I am meeting and getting to know a deliciously wonderful panoply of people here in Panama (hey, that's PPP!) that I want to share portraits of some of them with you (that's PPPP!)

Today, meet Aris.

Aris has the office directly across from me, and as a result, she has had the "privilege" (ahem) to teaching me the ropes.

And one thing that she has taught me is how giving Panamanians are.  Despite being incredibly busy at work AND at home (where she has 6 yr old twin boys!), she has offered to take me places - on Friday it was to the El Dorado Mall.  And not only did we find the shops, but she also stood in line with me at the Post Office and bought stamps for me.  Thanks to her, 20 postcards and three letters will be winging their way to the US.

She also showed me the best place to get a smoothie or even just a juice.  Yum yum yum!

Last week, it was to go down to Avenida B where the inexpensive bead stores are (since I was low on beads for projects).

And that's not all.  She has invited me to come across the hall to share lunch and to share conversation in English (she is a Fulbrighter who studied in Syracuse, NY - talk about a different climate!) And she invited me to join her and her students as they head to Veraguas, where they are installing an antenna and school networks next Friday.  She even offered to pick me up at my apartment at 4:45 AM (!) so I could get to the bus that leaves at 5 am!

She has made me feel so at home and welcomed.

So THANK YOU, Aris!  You have shown me how incredibly lucky I am to be here.  Both here in Panama and here at UTP.  And in this department and on this hallway.