Friday, July 30, 2010

Panama!

Please be aware that when reading the headline to this post you should be hearing Eddie Van Halen belting out the words 'Panama ha ha ha ha ha ha ha". I don't know any more words to the song and I'm sure you don't either, but it makes for a good theme song don't you think?

Yup. I'm going to Panama. A relatively short jaunt when compared to recent adventures I've embarked on, but it should be a solid trip none-the-less. Now that I'm an eight-to-five'er, Monday to Friday, and a little bit here and there just cause I love my windowless office so much, three weeks is the max I can get in one outing while still collecting a paycheck. For those of you who don't know, I landed a fantastic job here in Calgary, Alberta with a hydrogeological consulting company and at the moment I'm posted full time downtown.

So why Panama? In short, it was too expensive to fly to Asia in August, it's winter in the southern hemisphere and Panama doesn't get hurricanes. But more than than, after doing a fair bit of research I uncovered some destinations in Panama that quickly made their way to my 'see before you die' list and now I can go cross them off.

What really bothers me is how many people, after telling them where I'm going, have asked me; 'Panama? Where's that?'. Idiots. As most of you know, if there's one thing I hate more than olives, it's stupid people. My usual reply is 'south of Costa Rica and north of Columbia' and that's generally the end of it, whether it be because they've figured it out in their heads or have no idea what I'm talking about.

But a few times, just a few, I will receive a comment like 'Oh!... Isn't that a thrid world country?' Insert eye rolling repy here. I can't believe people still use that term. Yes, Panama is an emerging and developing economy, but what difference does that make? When I look at a world map of developing and developed economies I sure see alot more pink and yellow than blue, don't you?

Anyways, I just wanted to rant at how stupid people sound when they make comments like that.

I'm leaving in a few days and I'm pretty freaking stoked (that one's for you Miia!). Stay tuned for updates, photos, rants and general freakouts.