To Kill A Mockingbird--Growing and Learning

Learning and developing is a part that every child is destined to go through, and the way you learn determines your success as an adult later on in life. In the novel To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee, Jem, Scout, and Dill are main characters that are slowly developing and stepping into adulthood. Throughout the novel, they’ve learned about the bitterness of mankind and the cruelty of the real world as they go through events that have led them to answers and taught them many lessons.

While Harper Lee addressed many events that showed the learning and developing of the children, the young characters each had an occurrence that affected them most. Jem was maturing quicker than the other two youths and was beginning to see clearly under Atticus’s guiding light. On the other hand, Scout was starting to behave more like a young lady, under the influence of Aunt Alexandra. Dill, the most mischievous of them all, had seen the injustice of racism as he witnesses various scenes.

First of all, the death of Mrs. Dubose impacted the children, especially Jem. It was the first event that made Jem realize the true bravery does not only come from men with guns and swords, but the ones that have the heart and courage to do what’s right. “Overnight, it seemed, Jem had acquired an alien set of values and was trying to impose them on me.” (131). The change in Jem has been instant, and impacting; as a reader, it was astonishing to have known that Jem has changed so much after one day. Even Scout—Jem’s smaller sister—has noticed the changes in Jem; her preoccupations and thoughts also show how Harper Lee tries to express Scout’s feelings as an innocent girl who hasn’t got the slightest clue of what her brother has in mind that has changed him in such a drastic manner.

            Compared to Jem, Scout is more of an innocent character that represents purity inside children and the innocence that adults have long forgotten. In some ways, Scout was the one mostly influenced in this novel, as she witnessed and went through many events that have changed her as a person; we were able to read her thoughts and understand the story in her point of view. Of course, being the youngest in the household, she wasn’t involved in adult conversations—yet she has matured as much as Jem and Dill, going through many problems that her family faced and learning from it, especially when she found her aunt distressed by the fact that her father may be in danger.

“After all, if Aunty could be a lady at a time like this, so could I.” (271). When Aunt Alexandra discovered that Tom Robinson was dead, she was horrified because although she wasn’t particularly fond of blacks, she was deeply concerned about Atticus’s circumstances and his career. Despite of the situation they’re in, she put up her straight face and met up with the other ladies from Maycomb without a hint of sadness or shock. Scout clearly has matured a lot, being able to say that last sentence in the end of the chapter and having the will to do it.

Dill has been an unpredictable character, from the beginning to end. From the beginning, when Dill plotted to make Boo Radley come out of the house, it was already easy to anticipate that he isn’t a typical obedient country boy. At first, he only seemed capable of thinking up pranks and ideas to play practical jokes on someone else, but near the end of the novel, he expresses his honest ideas.

““I don’t care one speck. It ain’t right, somehow it ain’t right to do ‘em that way. Hasn’t got anybody got any business talking like that—it makes me sick.””(226) It is extremely surprising to have heard such words coming out of Dill’s mouth. The typical Maycomb folks would not admit that it isn’t right to treat blacks unequally although they know that it’s not the right thing to do. Children might have thought that way, being pure as they are, but Dill has grown to have those thoughts, opposed to at the beginning, when he was only interested in jokes and pranks.

In spite of all, Harper Lee shows the kids learning and developing by writing out the events that they face, each earning a lesson on their own. Thus, the children learned to do what’s right and what isn’t—not only by lectures but also by real life experiences. Harper Lee is trying to send a message to the reader; that although many children don’t have to go through tough times whilst some others have to face them in a daily basis, in one point, they will have to face some kind of obstacle, and only in experience and development will they be able to make the right choices for themselves and their loved ones.

Being a Teacher—No Easy Task

From the film, The Dead Poets' Society. 

How many times have you ever felt like you are not absorbing the level of knowledge that you would have liked? In order to change lives as an educator, the importance of engaging your students into the subject is phenomenal. There are not many teachers who teach the students with delight and passion, but that is what makes a teacher someone a student will never forget.

 In the movie The Dead Poets’ Society directed by Peter Weir, John Keating—a unique teacher with his own teaching techniques—teaches students in an extraordinary way. He is an example of one the many few teachers in the world, who is passionate about teaching and gives his students something to believe in, and really teaching them; not only about the subject, but influencing their lives.

John Keating obviously is a good teacher, for many reasons. Many of his students’ minds were contained and they didn’t dare to express their dreams and desires, until Mr. Keating came along.

Mr. Keating taught his students to follow the paths they choose for themselves, and stand up for it; his philosophies were never spoken by other educators or elders that his students have ever met, and his words encouraged them to follow their dreams.

“I want you to find your own walk.” After this brief sentence was said by Mr. Keating, he ordered the students to walk around in their own way, no matter how different it was compared to others, and not caring about how others would think. This shows that Mr. Keating is trying to teach his students to be themselves and do what they want, unconcerned about what others decide to do with their life; it also demonstrates that Mr. Keating is a free thinker. This part of the story really intrigued me, because it really marked Mr. Keating as a really different teacher who would have a huge impact on lives of teenagers; especially the ones of the students studying in the Welton Prep School—their life is empty, only filled with studying, and memorizing—the ones that have to choose their own path.

    

The beauty of Mr. Keating’s teaching, is also that he teaches his students about the depth of life, and the beauty in poetry; his students learned that poetry cannot be analyzed in a specific format, but has to be absorbed by the human mind and broken into tiny pieces.

   

“Call me, O’ captain, my captain.” His unique introduction to the students suggested passion for what he teaches, and his way of teaching caught everyone’s attention. As he requested everyone to call him by  “O’ Captain, my Captain”, the students started to realize that Mr. Keating taught differently than other teachers, and also has a different view to life. Calling him by that name suggested that they were members of a ship and he was a captain—therefore, Mr. Keating treated them differently than other teachers. He rather preferred his students to see depict him as a poetic captain, rather than showing respect only because he was a teacher; he demonstrated that he was not only that. Mr. Keating taught his students to think deeply about poetry, as well as analyzing the problems and issues that they will have to face later on in life; he is really one of a kind, being able to merge poetry in everyday life. The students that he has once taught will never be able to forget a single word that he has taught, because every word he says possesses so much depth and meaning. The way he talked about poetry like art reveals that he has love for poetry, which more likely convinces his students to love poetry too.

He taught the students with such passion and love that he provided them with knowledgeable advices, as if they were his own children; such teachers are very rare and ones that students would always remember as their guiding light.

          

“We read and write poetry because we are members of the human race. And the human race is filled with passion. Medicine, law, business, engineering—these are noble pursuits and necessary to sustain life. But poetry, beauty, romance, love - these are what we stay alive for.”

As explained clearly from the quote written above, Mr. Keating sees poetry and life in a different light than most of the other teachers. In this sentence, he tries to teach the students that life is not how it’s supposed to be if you don’t find passion in what you do, which is typically what happens, since parents of that time period urge their children to walk that path. For example, Neil has gotten a lot of support by Mr. Keating, because according to him, poetry, beauty, romance, love, is what humans stay alive for; if Neil finds passion and beauty in acting, it’s what he should be staying alive for, which is possibly why Neil committed suicide. Although Neil misinterpreted the message Mr. Keating was really trying to deliver, Mr. Keating really gave Neil the chance to really see things the way they were and try to stand up for what he thinks he’s right.

According to everything mentioned above, John Keating was a fabulous teacher who really found delight and passion over teaching, who really impacted his students’ lives, and spread the passion of poetry all around the Welton Prep School. The way he talked to his students how to cope with situations, really would leave the viewer dumbstruck, for in such rare circumstances would they be able to find a teacher who would help them to deal with a problem in life. The way he suggested the idea of Carpe Diem, and contributing a verse to life, is simply amazing; it can leave the viewer lost in thought, and just mesmerized by the beauty of this film. 

Things Are Not What They Seem

By Eugene Robbe Timson

I look in the mirror
And I see a person filled with confidence
I look in the mirror
And see a person filled with love
I look in the mirror
And I see a man that beats the best
I look in the mirror
And I see a man that is better than the rest
I look in the mirror
And see a man with a heart of gold
I look in the mirror
And see a man that everyone wants to be
I look in the mirror and you touch my shoulder
I look in the mirror and I see you
You tell me to wipe my tears because Daddy is here     

For more free verse posters, click here

Color Collective Poem--Lemon Ice Cream

Lemon ice--Benjamine Moore--2024-70

  Emma Chiu

She stood there

Indifferent

As if I didn’t exist.

As if I was invisible.

I tried to make contact with

Her ever-so-perfect eyes.

She turned away

Leaving me behind

Her arched back.

All I could catch was

A whiff of

Lemon,

Lemon ice cream.

I remember that summer,

The summer our friendship was planted

Like a lemon seed.

In a blink of an eye,

The seed turned into a tree

A beautiful lemon tree.

The roots were not yet stable

The branches were not yet firm.

But the tree kept growing

As if it there was no need for it.

We paid no close attention, for

We all were blinded by the joy

Of the fruits that ripened each term.

We marveled at our happiness,

Yes, we even took the lemons

And made it into different kinds of desserts.

Lemonade, lemon cake, lemon ice cream.

Oh, the lemon ice cream.

The coolness that it provided on

A sweltering day,

Whispered in my ear, saying

That’s what we would do for each other.

The sugar added on top

Giggled and laughed softly,

Assuring me that

It will always stay sweet,

No matter what

We never could have imagined that,

Like lemon ice,

Friendships can fade away

Just as easily.

It can melt on your tongue,

It can melt on your hands,

It can melt with the harsh words

Those others speak with fury.

I still don’t know how

She could have let other people

Ruin the taste,

Ruin the flavor of our lemon ice cream.

Maybe the tree wasn’t firm.

Maybe the tree wasn’t stable.

Maybe it wasn’t as it should be.

Maybe, just maybe…

We could just blame it on the lemons.





For more color collective poems, click here.

Where I'm From

I am from story books,

From magic carpets and leprachauns

and tales that are not yet told.

I am from city lights flickering

Beneath the dark night sky,

Always wondering,

If Santa Claus would crawl through my windowsill

I am from the intertwining grapevines,

That hang on the walls outside

the basketball court

That I stare at when I feel

alone, defeated.

I am from the pearly-white lilies,

Whose scent is mixed with

The cold, frigid air on classic stages.

The sound of the cello combined with the smell,

could create an everlasting elixir,

that could cure me

From any wounds I bear.

I am from Christmas and New Years’ Eve,

From the bows and the ribbons,

From the decorations and the gifts.

I am from the wishes and shooting stars,

from the faraway dreams and goals

that I dream of,

Even if it seems impossible.

I am from the Chiu and Chen

from dark hair and eyes

thick bones and backbites.

I am from the strict rules and silence,

From work hard! And obey!

I'm from teachers and lawyers,

whose expectations are as tall

as mountains,

whose worry is written

across their faces.

I am from blurry Bible pages,

Pebble-sized Buddha miniatures,

And free Sunday mornings.

I am from the awkwardness,

that I face when the lyrics of "Praise the Lord"

are alien to me.

I am from green tea and paella,

From hamburgers and alfajores.

I am from trying different plates,

and swallowing the change.

I am from the wounds my cousin got in motorbikes,

for having the adventurous streak

inherited by our ancestors.

From the scars that my grandfather got in the war,

Fighting for a noble cause.

In the deepest part of my hidden drawer,

There is a locked chest.

With pictures of places I’ve passed through

And places that bear my mark.

Filled with unsent letters, contained feelings,

and memories in different languages.

Pictures of friends I’ll never see again,

And lost dreams.

I am from those moments,

Always hoping for a place to stay,

A place to call home.



For more "Where I'm From" Poems, click at this link: http://www.middlemindz.blogspot.com/#!http://middlemindz.blogspot.com/2012/05/where-im-from.html

Cherish Life While You Can

Selected by Emma Chiu

Description:
         Life is sometimes sour, sometimes sweet, sometimes bitter, but it's everyone's job to make their life extraordinary. This list of poems reveal poets' expertise over poetic themes about life lessons and even bits of their personal experience that are included in a fascinating way. The poems describe the obstacles that we would eventually go through and the necessity to live life the fullest while you are able to.

Synopsis: 
          I love how these poems are just put into wonderful words that construct poems that reveal a deeper meaning; each and every poet is trying to tell people to live and never regret. They all have a way to carry their point across, and really convince the reader about their view in life.These poems could turn peoples' lives into a whole new direction just by providing them with phrases that are concise yet abstract in such a beautiful way.

POETRY

"Frozen" by Natasha Head
"The Layers" by Stanley Kunitz
"Nothing Twice" by Wislawa Szymborska
"Carpe Diem" by Robert Frost
"A Song on the End of the World" by Czeslaw Milosz

"To the Virgins, to Make Much of Time" by Robert Herrick "My Life Closed Twice Before its Close" by Emily Dickinson "I Tie My Hat--I Crease My Shawl" by Emily Dickinson
"Live Blindly and Upon the Hour" by Trumbull Stickney

Injustice and Discrimination

Throughout the course history, discrimination and racial barriers have always existed in different countries and cultures. Although racism has been fading due to the self-conscience that humans have attained for the past years, there are still many who remain ignorant. That dark side that persists in human minds has cut deeply into the hearts of many innocent victims.

On February 26, 2012, an African-American teenager from Florida(Trayvon Martin)was shot dead by a self-appointed watchman in the neighborhood in which he lived in, when he was out buying snacks. The patrolman—by the name of George Zimmerman—defended his crime by arguing that it was an act of self-defense, and that Martin looked “suspicious” wearing a dark hoodie when he was walking on the streets.

        Prejudice affects many people, and causes catastrophes; even nowadays. The incident with Travyon Martin is a clear example. The excuse, in which George Zimmerman gave to the police body— that he looked “suspicious”, wearing that hoodie—didn’t make sense. Why do you have to be a delinquent to be a black person wearing a hoodie?

 Prejudicial opinions come from stereotype of someone’s gender, religion, or race. It is unfair to those who are judged by the color of their skin, and not by their inner beauty. The ignorant people who judge that way have no idea of how it is like to be the one that’s judged upon, and don’t have the ability to put themselves in others’ shoes; due to that, they are the major cause of injustice that makes our world a darker place than it’s supposed to be.

        As individuals, there are a lot of things that we can achieve if we act as a group. Many people don’t take notice of the injustice happening all around the world, and even more are afraid to act; nevertheless, it is everyone’s responsibility to protect the weak and innocent, in order to make this world a better place.

        In the novel To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee , Scout’s father, Atticus, is a clear model that all individuals should follow. He defended a black man who was accused of something he didn’t do; Atticus did something that everyone knew was right, but something that no one dared to do.

 Some might ask, “Why do we have to get involved in problems that we didn’t take part in?” Well, the answer is that problems don’t get solved until someone comes out and solves them; if no one in the community had any intention whatsoever in helping, then the problem would remain dangling in thin air forever; which is it’s crucial for individuals to act together in order to create a much stronger force that can end the painful situation we’re in.

        People often fear what they don’t understand; there are people who are afraid of the unknown creatures out in the universe, there are people who are afraid of change, and there are people that are scared of those they haven’t interacted with before. In the case of the shooting in Florida, George Zimmerman didn’t understand anything about blacks, and automatically assumed that an African-American with a hoodie is dangerous.

        When people fear what they do not understand, they normally act defensively. George Zimmerman shot Martin because of his not understanding that blacks are just the same as whites. I think that part of him, was a little afraid of him because he didn’t know what Martin could do; his racist opinions caused him think stereotypically about blacks and he might’ve been afraid of what Martin would’ve done if he was really a delinquent.

        There are many different kinds of stereotypes, and gender is one of them. Just like racism, there are ignorant people who underestimate the power of women as well as blacks. This affects peoples’ behaviors, because by holding prejudice against someone, it is imminent that it’s going to cause a response from the victims. Gender stereotype is as bad as any other kind of discrimination, and the peoples’ behaviors certainly reflect directly upon it.

        Racism has been around for decades—centuries, even. It is our responsibility to raise awareness and notify the whole world so that it could be stopped; the death of Travyon Martin should awaken our self-conscience even more—to finally stop the discriminating and racist activities all across the globe. It is our responsibility to make our world a better place for every single living being in existence.

Strangeness Surrounding Maycomb County

This autumn was not like any other; Atticus said that the weather hadn't been this bizarre since 1885. I kept rubbing my numb fingers together in the cold, thinking about the sweltering heat that usually surrounds Maycomb County.

        Mrs. Radley passed away that autumn—better said, that winter. It hadn’t resulted as a calamity to most of the people in Maycomb; the Radley family was never completely assimilated in the community—they were considered as a reclusive bunch.

        Jem and I considered all the possibilities that might have taken place—that may have caused Mrs. Radley’s death. There was dissension over the topic, but we both agreed that Boo Radley was a major suspect. We weren’t usually meticulous about anything, but we filled up the unknown with striking details: the shackles, the bloody scene, the knives and all. We lionized Boo Radley.

        When we interrogated Atticus, he didn’t provide much information; Jem told me that it would make it worse if we pushed him, so we kept silent after hearing his lackadaisical answer.

        The peculiar snowflakes out the window made Jem and I eager to step outside just to get the feeling of it. When we rushed out the door, we realized that the thin layer of snow wouldn’t be enough for the snowman we wanted to build. It was imminent that it wouldn’t snow for long, so when I reached out my tongue to taste a flake—or when I walked in circles, sinking my feet into the ground—Jem told me that it would be better not to waste snow.

        We went to Miss Maudie’s to ask for snow, and we met Mr. Avery on our way. He said that it was the conspiring chaos that the children made, that changed the seasons. After I apprehended what he was trying to say, I wondered if our government was in a state of anarchy—I wondered why people like Mr. Avery were not arrested and arraigned for saying such remarks to children—but of course, that was just my imagination running wild.

        Miss Maudie agreed to us taking her snow—in fact, she didn’t want it inside her yard. Jem had a brilliant idea—although I didn’t think it was much of an idea at first—he scooped up mud and made the snowman and later he plastered the snow on top. The art piece looked familiar—the big stomach, the angry eyes, and the stick of stove wood that completed the picture. I thought that this was a worse punishment for Mr. Avery than to be brought before a court.

        Atticus liked the idea of making the snowman out of mud, but he got a little uneasy when he realized that we were trying to portrait Mr. Avery; he told us to modify the snowman and disguise it so that it wouldn’t offend Mr. Avery. Jem grabbed Miss Maudie’s hat and put it on the snowman’s head and a couple of hedge clippers on his arm. Although Miss Maudie told Atticus that our snowman resulted to be a morphodite, she grinned when she saw our creation; Atticus said that she was impressed by it.

        The following night was dreary, and the temperature crawled down to sixteen degrees. After several hours have elapsed, Atticus woke me up, and his voice told me that something was wrong. The fire was devouring Miss Maudie’s house when we got there. Men were sprinting in and out of the house, trying to save the little furniture that weren’t swallowed by the fire.

        Atticus was accompanying Miss Maudie when Jem and I were trying to stay on a safe distance from the fire. My attention was on the fire, and I did not notice when someone put a blanket around me. I was confused when Atticus asked me where I got the blanket from; it scared me even more, when he conjectured that Boo Radley had stood behind me, and put a blanket around my shoulders. That was my first encounter with Boo Radley.

The Letter to a Big Change

Dear Mr. Owens,

        How have you been doing? Twenty years have elapsed since we’ve last seen each other, and it hadn’t been exactly pleasant. I have the intention to change that, and hope that we are in an excellent relationship--because it is very likely that we would have the chance to see each other again.

        I found it extremely bizarre, that you didn’t contact Lily for such a long time. According to Lily, there had been a whole lot of dissension between you two in the past; she has been shackled for a long time, and didn’t know the meaning of freedom when she first got here. After twenty years, I hope we had made a difference.

Certainly, after the interrogation from racist groups and many obstacles she faced when you no longer took care of her, she has grown much stronger and has turned into a woman you probably no longer recognize.

The civil rights groups have been in a state of anarchy when Martin Luther King Jr. got assassinated. It has been a calamity to us, too--especially to Rosaleen, whom we call July; Rosaleen lionized Martin Luther King Jr. for being a brave man who fought for not only his liberty, but to his peoples’ freedom.

After his death, you would assume that our rights would be thrown down the toilet, but we have risen up and the Lady in Chains has guided us to our liberty. But in the process, many people have gotten hurt, and Lily has been suffering as well. She works hard every minute under the sweltering heat from the radiant sun in South Carolina; and everyone conspired to work with her despite of the racial differences. I am sure that you would be proud of her when you see her now; she has fended for herself for a long time, and I’m sure that you have changed too.

Since you and Lily, nor you and I have contacted through any sort of form; it would be an honor for me to keep you posted. Therefore; I shall inform you about the events that are going to take place soon.

        It is imminent that Lily is going to wed very soon. The man that she’s going to marry is none other than Zachary Lawrence Taylor- the man that was apprehended ten years ago. The racist group that captured him was arraigned, and he’s healthy and happy again, don’t you worry. Zach proposed to her not so long ago, and I must admit, that we were not at all expecting it. I trust that you already know about him-but in case you haven’t- he is a meticulous man and it is certain that he would treat her better than he treats himself. His career turned out to be quite successful, in fact; he recently graduated from law school. You wouldn’t have to worry about her life; but in case you’re worried, I would be more than happy to fill you in for the future.

        Even before you came for Lily ten years ago, Lily was already assimilated in our home-we didn’t see Lily as an outsider, so it might be a comfort to let you know that Lily has been in excellent condition ever since.

        Anyways, I hope that we can both put the past behind us; I would hope that you can attend to Lily’s wedding, as it would be best for her own father to walk her down the aisle. Hope to see you soon.

Love,

August Boatwright

The Problem We All Live With

The Problem We All Live With

The painting The Problem We All live with was painted by Norman Rockwell in November 14, 1960. It is shown with a 6-year-old African-American girl on the way to school, surrounded by four bodyguards. This is most likely taking place in the Deep South, as there are various details that represent the racism going on in the scene.

 On the top left side corner, KKK, the initials of a racist group Ku Klux Klan was written in a medium-sized font; and capital letters “nigger” written in a way that calls major attention, in the center of the wall. And a big stain of tomato juice is displayed beside the discriminating words; which explains why the African-American girl needs escorts on the way to school, to prevent racists to cause any harm to her.  

     This gives the viewer the impression of the segregation in the Deep South. It gives the viewer an idea of how prejudicial the society was against African-Americans. When I saw this painting at first, I didn’t notice the little details, and regarded it as a normal painting of Ruby Bridges walking to school with normal pedestrians walking with her. But after looking at it with a magnifying glass, I realized the effort that the artist put in it; the stains and the words on the walls were derogatory remarks that I couldn’t picture really happening. Imagining someone being treated like that since birth is unimaginable.

Norman Rockwell was an artist that paints the events that happen in everyday life in the United States. He painted this, aware of the situation that’s happening. I think that his painting focused on the African-American girl, because he wanted to show that she was the main character in this whole situation, and he by not showing a smile on her face, he wants to express how differently blacks felt during that time. Judging by the fact that Normal Rockwell cropped Ruby Bridges’ bodyguards faces of, I think it is because he wants people to concentrate on her, instead of the bodyguards; they are more like of an unimportant character, but he still draws them, and show the stripe they wear on their arms, so viewers could figure out that the racism was so bad that the federal government had to send bodyguards to protect her safety.

The faint color he used for the words “nigger” and the “KKK” also made me think that he did not draw it in a strong color, because although the Deep South was full of racist people, the world was beginning to change for the African-Americans. The government allowed blacks to do things they weren’t permitted to do before; the government was starting to desegregate the laws.

Travel Journal-The Trip to Colón

Many people may be complaining about how boring their vacations turned out. Some may say that it was interesting, amazing, or even exotic. Mine is extremely, and I mean exceptionally dull; and by that I mean I barely get out of the house, I didn't even go to the beach, or travel anyhow. Nevertheless, I think my parents got tired of seeing me laying around in the house, not doing anything in particular for three weeks, not actually exposing myself in the sunlight(literally) except for swimming in the Common Area.

So naturally, I made a big deal out of the fact that we were going to drive to Colón and take a good look at the Gatún Lake. I took my new camera with me (I got very excited because I got one for christmas, BEST christmas present ever) determined to take a picture of everything I thought worth taking. While we were driving,  it was kind of raining and we had a flat tire(guess what I was thinking). So we were basically stuck in the middle of nowhere, no good weather, and a flat tire. So what we, problem solvers decided to do was to pick up the cellphone and dial the number of the insurance company ( I swear, it took them probably 10 minutes to pick up). They informed us that there was two tire shops within 10 meters from the place we were standing; curious huh?

We went to the tire shop, (of course, we were suspicious) and there were a lot of cars with flat tires. I mean, it's hard to not think otherwise when there's two tire shops in such short distances and both of them were filled with somehow damaged cars, right? But I guess it's hard to picture one of the workers putting nails or sharp things all over the street anyways. Well, out of suspicion I took a long look at the thing that pinched the tire, ('cause the tires were pretty new, they couldnt've become flat on their own) and was dumbfounded when I saw the thing that was inside. It was this big chunk of metal, that seemed like a lost tool inside someone else's car. I still haven't got a clue about how that thing went inside the tire.


Well, after the bad luck, I guess most people would've just convinced themselves that it was much too tiring to be driving for such a long time and then waiting in the tire shop, and that they should just do something else that is much more relaxing and come back another day. But we didn't, being as stubborn as we already are. So we just continued our trip. I took a humongous amount of pictures in the restaurant that we ate brunch, and people were just staring at me when I was so excited taking pictures of my food.

After eating, we went to see the Gatún Lake, which is supposed to be the main point of the journey, but because I didn't think that much, I used almost all of the batteries of my camera taking unnecessary pictures, and drained myself (by looking from the tiny little hole that allows you to take pictures from that camera of mine) so most of the pictures were taken in the restaurant. When my batteries were nearly drained, we were at the gate already, prepared to leave, so I took the last picture(I took a picture of the security guys when we drove by in a flash of a second) and my cousin signaled them to look into the camera, one of them actually did, and the other one was kind of slow, so he looked after I already took the picture, well.



It seems like I have no life, writing so much about a little trip within Panama, not even staying there more than a day, but I actually had fun, and I might sound like a nerd saying this, but I think that this was the main highlight of my vacations(except for getting my camera).