kate + me. top of Volcan Baru. the highest point in Panama.
Maybe it’s luck. Maybe it’s God. Last night, my boss called it Karma. Whatever it is, I am thankful for the forces out there that are on my side in my living abroad situations.
Picture this:
- A rambunctious 19-year-old Jackie goes to study abroad in Madrid, Spain to see the world for the first time and ends up, by potluck, with a host family that inspired her to keep traveling, keep being bold, and with roommates that were the best travel companions around Europe.
- A wild 21-year-old Jackie goes to live in Argentina for her second study abroad and gets selected to live with a host mom and two host sisters – all incredibly amazing women: multilingual, talented in the arts, intelligent, and incredibly loving.
- A graduated 22-year-old Jackie goes to Panama City, Panama to begin a new life adventure and job, randomly chooses a room in the house. The other person living there ends up being the one person in the house she connect with the most deeply, who challenges her, who makes her laugh, who helps her think, and who understands all the crazy emotions that come with assimilating and living in another part of the world.
How have I, in a seemingly random fashion, been chosen or chose to be in the best living situation I could have at each specific time in my life? Such wonderfulness is not normal.
I don’t know, but I am so thankful. And here in Panama, Kate has challenged me, listened to my thousand ranks about life and love, and been travel buddy for some of the most fun journeys around Panama. She’s the one who will stay up with me until 2 a.m. talking about development, new ideas to better our work, and the meaning in all of it. Who will take a crazy trip. Who laughs with (and sometimes just at) me. Who will send me inspiring articles and books to read. And who, most of all, is interested in everyone and thus, seemingly everyone becomes interested in her. Funny how that works.
And despite all the ups and downs, I know when I, with my ridiculousness, lay on the top bunk and stare at the ceiling with thoughts swirling in my head – I could call down to her sleeping or awake on the bottom bunk and she would listen to whatever I had to say. She is a steady and wonderful constant as a friend, partner in crime, co-worker, and home away from home.
