The one about the Cat

I wrote this one a while ago but then my computer died =( It is amazing that even though I have no electricity or internet where I live, I still feel lost without my computer.
Anyways, I was finally able to recover what I wrote… so here it is:
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In case you missed it on my last blog post… here is a video of my new gift.-http://http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l9XbHWoswBg Yep…. A kitten

Now, to be honest I have never been too keen to cats. My brother was allergic, so growing up we were always a dog family. This was fine with me! When you’re young, having a dog as a pet is a lot like having an extra sibling to play with. Better yet, unlike siblings, dogs would never blame something they did on you, and your parents would never make you share your toys with the dog. Hmmm one could even argue that dogs make better siblings… (don’t worry Nick, that is not what I am saying)

OK, sorry…..got a little side tracked reminiscing about my childhood dogs……back to the cat.

This is how I came about being a cat owner:
One of “the regulars” to my front porch, a cute little 6 year old girl, who I would describe as an Avid and prospering coloring book artist, came by to show me her new kitty. We played with it for awhile and then all of the sudden without notice the little girl just takes off… as she is running away from my house giggling; she informs me that what I thought was her kitty is now mine. So just like that, without any time to process or protest, I am a cat owner. That’s the way things are done in Panama.

Like I was saying earlier, I was never what one would call “a cat person” I never could see what their purpose was really … but let me tell you, after living in an Indian village for 8 months; a place where no one speaks your language, no one understands your cultures/customs, a place where personal space and personal property are nonexistent, and a place where you are just as likely to find a cockroach in your shower as you are to find one in your morning cup of tea…. The purpose of a cat starts to reveal itself. So, If and when you find yourself in the above mentioned situation, might I advise befriending a cat.

So far, my kitty has given me hours of entertainment, I can speak to it in English, it doesn’t stay out of my personal space/property (but for some reason I don’t seem to mind as much) and the best part is that is it is showing great potential of limiting my cockroach, ant and lizard populace (the scorpions don’t leave for anything except the machete).

So, I was a little nervous at first. I have never had the responsibility of another life in my hands before…. Oh wait that’s not true….
Quick tangent story: When I was nine years old my parents split up. To help me cope, it was suggested to my parents to buy me a pet. Something that was just mine, something I could focus my attention on. So I picked out a cute little parakeet birdie that I named “Azul.” SO Azul and I were great companions for many years. And I may not have known it then, but Azul probably did help me “cope.” Now, let us fast forwards 12 years to when my mom decided that I was ready to know the truth about Azul. The truth was that the real Azul died only a few weeks after I got him. And because I was probably too fragile to find out that my birdie died AND I had to live in two different houses…my Mom went out and bought me a new Azul and swapped them before I noticed

So…In reality, the only other animal life I have been in charge of, I killed in record time. So this cat will be a great opportunity for me to prove myself. Maybe if I succeed in carrying for a cat, I can one day get a dog and maybe, just maybe I can trust myself with a baby one day… but for now, this cat is plenty of work.

So you are probably wondering if my cat has a name. Well, in the same way my Ngobes don’t give their baby’s names for months after they’re born, my cat does not have a name yet. Actually, I don’t even know if it is a boy or a girl (how do I find that out?) Gosh, I am pretty clueless when it comes to cats… Anyway, in an effort once again, to spark some creative thinking, I have told all the kids in the community to think of a name for my cat. And then whatever name I choose, whichever kid thought of it will get a prize. I partially regret this decision because so far some of the names I have received include: 1. Gatita (small cat) 2. Minchi (cat in Ngobe) 3. Cat (cat in English) 4. Princesa (Princess) 5. Morfi (the name of the only other cat in the village). So, I have decided to give it a little more time in hopes for something a little more original…. But, this is coming from someone who names her blue bird “azul”…. It counts as creative because it is in another language right?
I hope you all enjoyed the pictures. I held back alot more! If I am this camera happy with a kitten… it is going to be scary if/when I start having kids.

Ok enough about the cat… I will let you all get back to your lives now =)

Peace,
Meti
Oh, and stay tuned. The next Blog post will be Buena Esperanza and Bocas Del Toro through the eyes of my most recent visitor. Nicholas Manuele.