If you want to take a job in Panama, it's complicated. And I don't just mean the part about convincing your wife you should do it and she should keep your hunting dog for you while you do, when she isn't busy flying back and forth to keep you company. It seems there are a lot of hoops to jump through between here and there, and we're just getting started.
One thing on the list is getting our marriage certificate (which miraculously, I was able to put my hands on) apostilled.
"Huh?" I said.
"Because I'm pretty sure that's not a word. See? Here we go, already encountering the language barrier that is going to plague us until we learn Spanish (after which it will probably still plague us because our Spanish will be so bad)." Direct quote.
But as it turns out, the nice Panamanian woman helping us through the process actually knows more English than I do! Because it IS a word! Further proof that there are still a whole lot of words left for me to learn. (I didn't really need additional proof. My son-in-law proves it to me over and over again each time he beats me at Wordfeud. Which is constantly. At least he is kind enough to let me keep practicing.)
But I didn't need to go looking for exotic words of international intrigue in order to expand my vocabulary...because I also find myself looking at some new definitions for familiar words right now.
January, for instance. I have always thought of January in the context of bone-chilling cold and mind-numbing gray...a trudge on a 30 day treadmill-of-penance for all my holiday overindulgences: overdecorating, overeating, overspending...leading only to more cold and gray in donut-craving February.
But suddenly I find myself in a world where January means heaven, full of 70 degree days and sunshine and blossoms and...although I'm trying my best to ignore them, possibilities and beginnings! Difficult old-year in the rearview! New-year adventure ahead! I can choose where I want to live and do whatever I want to do.
Huh? Because I'm pretty sure that can't really be an option...
Even things that you think can never change sometimes do. So I'm going to have to rearrange my position on January. I'm working on that, because 50 years of conditioning is hard to undo. Maybe I should just start with a whole new dictionary...or probably two.
Because one will need to be Spanish-English.
(How's your January so far? Been forced to step forward yet? If not, don't worry...there's still time.)