Peace Corps moment

Here’s a story that I like to share. It happened when I had only been in my community less than a month. I had met a few ladies from a small town up the mountain who had invited me to come to a Bingo they were putting on that Sunday. (Bingo is super popular is Panama). I told them I’d like to come, but I’d never been to the community and wasn’t sure how to get there. A few days later, an older gentlemen, who was kind of my neighbor, I think, asked if I was going to go to the Bingo the next day. I told him that I wanted to, but I didn’t know the road, or how long it would take to walk, or if there was a bus. He told me, “Don’t worry, we’ll arrange some transportation to take you.” I said that’d be great, and I’d be ready the next day at noon.
The next day, I got back from working tilling ground and planting yucca, and started cleaning up quickly to be ready. I heard the guy call from out the door, and I walked out to find him on his horse, asking if I was ready. I looked around for the truck, but said, sure. He asked if I’d ever ridden a horse, which I have. He just said, “great, I got an umbrella in case it rains, let’s go!” He meant…me and him sharing the same horse! Well, I couldn’t say no…So, I got on the saddle, and he got on behind me (by the way, he’s like 70 and maybe 5 ft tall). We then rode through town, every town member pointing and laughing at me. At least I was in front, so I could just laugh at myself without him seeing.
I later found out the word got out real fast about my ride. The next day, at the small town store, the owner told me, “Abby, next time you need to go somewhere on a horse, I have one I can loan you!”