Panamá A Noche

So I decided to write this one up even though I don't have any pictures (don't worry I'll try to fine relevant ones online). I've finally managed to go out and see a little bit of the Panamá vida nocturna.

Warning: Even though this entry is about partying and me being a cool kid, you're going to have to read about how lame I actually am. I will put up this picture when I'm about to be particularly lame.

A loser is me.

One day last week, we received some visitors in one of my classes. They were a club who were mostly made up of Tufts University students and some students from a Naval Academy (hope I got that all right). Our class (all three of us) had to put together this last minute presentation for them, which I thought was awful, or at least my part was. Anyway after that train wreck the students mostly asked question about things we didn't know about, since they were mostly there to interview my professor.

Then class was over. The group was outside of the university when it was all done so I went over and spoke to them for a while. They were really friendly and funny. They said they'd be in town for another week, and what's more they would be going out the next day (Thursday). We exchanged numbers and they said they'd call me and we could meet up.

This was very exciting, but I was playing it cool. I've been here about a month now. There haven't been many, but there have been one or two opportunities to go out. Plans have been made, they just haven't happened. So I was pleasantly surprised when I got the text Thursday night saying the gang was going to the Causeway. I got out of my PJs and found the number for a taxi.

I don't like taxis here because they always, always, overcharge me and this one was no different. But, you know, actually leaving the house, so I didn't care. 

I hadn't heard of the restaurant they were all at. Also, my brain decided to malfunction. The place was called Myelle's and for the life of me I couldn't remember how to pronounce y's in Spanish. And of course there's no internet so I couldn't look it up. I couldn't think of words with y's in them like that. I even looked in my Spanish text book but I couldn't find any answers. I kept practicing saying it so the cab driver would know what I was saying.

It did not help. The cab driver did not know what I was talking about, though to be fair I think he probably hadn't heard of the restaurant in the first place. Anyway, about half way to the causeway I had their group's best Spanish speaker talk to the driver, which I guess cleared things up?

Things started to look familiar, but then I started to get worried that we'd end up back on the highway for some reason so I had him stop halfway between the beginning and the end of the Causeway. Then I called the gang to figure out if I was close. I didn't see any of the landmarks they said I would, but the restaurant was near Bennigans! I knew where this was because I saw it on my bike ride.

The walk wasn't too bad. there was some maneuvering to be done and I kept thinking, I'll never find this place. Also I saw some lightening on the way and it was the one day since my second day in Panamá that I didn't have an umbrella. But it didn't rain and I soon found the restaurant. The Y was a martini glass which made me instantly forgive it's dumb unpronounceable name.

Then I found everyone. The group's Spanish speaker is partially Panamanian so he has family here. His aunt and uncle were with them. I got some wings and something called a Blue Margarita. It was pretty and delicious. This was the first time I got to be in a big group and I missed it. All of them were so great, even though they talked about politics, I found it wasn't boring. They were just fun people.

After that it was off to places the aunt and uncle knew. First was a place that I think was a hostel that was having a party. There were a lot of young people and American music. We all did a shot of tequila. It was $5, which was more than I was expecting, but it also didn't make me gag, so win?

The weird thing about this (really big)  place was that no one was really dancing. In some ways it was kind of like my dream come true. Dark, loud music, a bar, but no obligation to dance. But the group wanted to dance, or the girls did, and I'll admit I like the concept of dancing even if I'm terrible at it. So we went somewhere else.

The next place was something called Zona Viva, where we were "carded". There was no cover since it was Thursday. It's hard to describe Zona Viva. I guess it was kind of like this really wide alley, and up and down the alley were all these little bars and clubs and such. We went up and down looking for a place to go. Some of the places looked cool but were empty. So we went back to the beginning, to the biggest loudest place. We could see people on the balcony type thing and they looked like they were really into the idea of dancing but weren't actually dancing. We had to pay to get in so we stayed outside. After all the music was free.

We got to talk and people watch. I felt overdressed because I was actually, you know, wearing clothes. We saw a trend of women wearing shorts that were too short to be shorts. i guess camel-toe is in right now?

Also we saw this freakishly tall, skinny, woman. She looked so unreal, like a Barbie or something. We all starred and agreed that she must hate that and get it all the time, but we didn't actually stop. Anyway I think she most have actually been a man, which is fine, by the way. 

That or an alien.

Anyway, I think the group was a little disappointed, but I was sitting there all smiles like a loser, because I was actually out of the house, at night, with people even. Then... *bang* *bang* *boom*! Suddenly fireworks for no reason! Which I thought was just the coolest.

But I guess that was the cue for us to leave. The tios droves us back to the house they were renting. We hung out a little more after that, they had a pool so they swam and I put my feet in the water. Then we went inside and just chilled. Though as much as I enjoyed their company I was getting sleepy. The cabs we called once again were going to rip me off, so a few of them went with me to track down one on the streets. Finally one showed up and charged a reasonable price. We made plans to go out again Saturday, when hopefully things would be busier.

Saturday

So I'd really been looking forward to going out again. My host mom was also going somewhere and she offered to give me a ride, but I couldn't get in contact with my new friends to figure out where we were meeting, so she had to leave without me.

So I waited.

And waited.

So at this point I figured they weren't going to call and I had all of the sads. I though maybe they didn't want to hang out with me because actually they hated me. Everyone hated me, and I'd have to spend another Saturday in the house. I put on my PJs and decided to go to bed early. I turned out my lights, flopped on my bed and moped.

Then I got a texts saying the plans were still on. Oh happy day. I had not been burned after all..

I still had to wait a long time, but at least I knew I’d be getting out. After some back and forth texting, I didn't end up leaving the house until after 12:30. Since there weren't any taxis around in my little neighborhood, I had to call and get extremely overcharged again. I met the gang at this little hole in the wall place called Alexi's (I think). Once again we were lead to the place by relatives. This place was split into two sections. One side was a billiards area with a bar. The other half is where my new friends were. There were tables and chairs so I guess it could have been a dining area but this Saturday there was a DJ and that club blue lighting.

First we did tequila shots, only $2.50 this time. Then the girls started a little dance circle. At this point there weren't a ton of people dancing. I hadn't had nearly enough to drink, to dance. So I went back to the bar. One of the girls had ordered a Tequila Sunrise, and since this was actually a legitimate cocktail I got one as well. So that goal of getting a drink at the bar was accomplished! Also I've been thought to be Panamanian 3 times now, though all times before I'd actually began to talk.

After quickly drinking my sunrise I was ready for dancing so I joined the circle. The dance circle was nice, I didn’t feel too judged. Unfortunately, I wasn’t really feeling the music right then, and was still feeling too self conscious so I took a little break. I got a margarita, which I was warned was weak. It took forever to make and it was, indeed, weak, but I felt better afterward.

The club had a mixture of music. It was half sort of generic club music, stuff you’d hear in American clubs, which wasn’t bad. Some dance and techno stuff. Some of it was in English, some in Spanish. I got to hear the two popular Spanish songs I know here. The other half was more salsa-ish/Latin-ish. By the time the salsa had started, the circle had broken up, but other people in the place had started moving. 

At this point I had a beer and I was perfectly content just drinking it and watching everyone else. But then one of the relatives asked for my hand and I couldn’t see any reason to say no. So we danced and I was a worse dancer than I am normally but I was having a great time anyway. I think he knew I couldn’t dance and was just being friendly. Also I suspect that he might have been some sort of hero. As he dragged me around the floor we kept bumping into this couple. The girl looked pretty drunk so I suspect I was actually his weapon to make sure the guy she was with didn’t take advantage of her. 

I think there were enough relatives to go around so they would find one of us and take us out on the floor. So when I got asked to dance again I just assumed it was another relative. But by the time we got to the floor I realized it wasn’t. This guy was a big old gulute and although I was sure he was Panamanian he still managed to look like an Italian mobster. Anyway, since he wasn’t using me as a tool of justice, I got to do more actual dancing. Still bad but this time I was holding my own. Also, I think he probably took lesson at some point because this dance was more about showmanship. Which is my fancy way of saying I got to twirl a bunch and I felt like a princess. It was great. After the song was done, he kissed my hands and sort of bowed to me.

Shortly after that the music changed back to club stuff. I got asked to dance once more after that. This guy was closer to my age and had introduced himself back when I got my first drink. Since it was club music my partner wasn’t leading me. And I wasn’t able to fall back on the excuse that I just didn’t know Spanish dances. But actually it wasn’t that bad.

The guy was a complete gentleman, much to my surprise. He stayed a good three feet away from me during our dance. This was a nice change of pace from the lodges and apartments at Richmond where the people act like they are trying to get into their partner’s skin. I thought in a Latin country it would be much the same, but not this guy. 

With the salsa-y stuff once the song was over it was acceptable to stop, but it’s not so clear cut with club music, so I just had to keep dancing. I told him truthfully that I was getting thirsty, but he just brought me a beer. Finally after a few more songs it was acceptable to say I was exhausted and excuse myself.

After that I was done with dancing so I just relaxed with my ridiculous two beers. It was almost 3, and at 3 it’s a law that all the clubs, bars and etc have to clear out. So I just hung out with the group until it was time to leave. Thankful to have finally gotten out of the house and see the night life. 

Then it was 3 and we had to gtfo. We went back to the house, and I stayed for a little while before calling a taxi and heading back home. I flopped on my bed once again and feel asleep, very happy with my successful night.

So I went out at night, and had a really good time with really good people, which is all I’ve really wanted to do. Unfortunately my friends will be back in America soon, so I don’t anticipate going out again, but it was fun while it lasted.

Until next time here’s  a picture of a huge moth.