Many Different (Panama) Hats
My community calls me an iguana because my skin color changes so
dramatically- from the bright whiteness of my wrist under my watch to my
almost Panamanian brown shoulders to my tomato red face when I am hot
or sunburned. And it is more true than they realize.
I am a stage manager and a set designer. Turns out when you explain that to my community that makes you an architect. To my friends with actual architectural degrees, I apologize. I have given up trying to explain otherwise. So I am la arcitecta. I am working on the same project as the previous Volunteer, who is an engineer, so that must mean I am an ingeniera as well. I am also a maestra de ingles (English teacher) whenever any one of my 254 students feels like it. I am an assistant band director at times, talking about rhythm, dynamics, and technique.
A few weeks back my neighbor had a seizure. The town medic, basically Panama's version of a Registered Nurse, asked me what to do. I asked, is she laying down on her back? Yes. Is she bleeding as a result of her fall? No. Is she still breathing? Yes. And that's all I could do. I am the gringa, the licenciada. I am supposed to know everything. It is both an asset and a burden. An asset because they will generally take me as an expert on just about anything outside of campo life. A burden because I am expected to know anything, at any time, and that's a lot. My neighbor woke up after the longest 10 minutes of my life and was fine. But I am not a doctor and would never try to do anything more than basic first aid, and as a Peace Corps Volunteer, my job is to give advice when asked, (which is almost always, go get a doctor's opinion) but not to directly interfere. Sometimes that has me pulling my hair out, like when they resort to exorcism or devout prayer instead of modern medicine for healing. But you have to let them do what they do.
I am also quickly realizing that I am the star of my own reality TV show, 'Gringa Living in the Jungle', of which I have 254 captivated viewers. When the Colombianos heard that I was going to the jungle they made bets over whether or not I would come back. Glad to say I exceeded expectations there! But the story about how I fell spread and by the next day everyone was asking about my hand. I would go visiting and say 'I went to the monte' and they would reply, 'We know, tell us about your hand!' I have an actor friend whose stories we would refer to as episodes in his own show because they were always big, dramatic, and slightly ridiculous, yet you couldn't help but watch anyway, even if you had seen that episode 3 times before. That is exactly what I am here, the living telenovela, but I typically just feel like Comedy Central.
I am an iguana. I am an architect, engineer, English teacher, band teacher, artist, playmate, human jungle gym, big sister, daughter, field worker, health adviser, city girl, professional, jovencita, and the resident Wikipedia. Tune in to the next episode of the 'Amber Naylor Show' to find out who I am next.
I am a stage manager and a set designer. Turns out when you explain that to my community that makes you an architect. To my friends with actual architectural degrees, I apologize. I have given up trying to explain otherwise. So I am la arcitecta. I am working on the same project as the previous Volunteer, who is an engineer, so that must mean I am an ingeniera as well. I am also a maestra de ingles (English teacher) whenever any one of my 254 students feels like it. I am an assistant band director at times, talking about rhythm, dynamics, and technique.
A few weeks back my neighbor had a seizure. The town medic, basically Panama's version of a Registered Nurse, asked me what to do. I asked, is she laying down on her back? Yes. Is she bleeding as a result of her fall? No. Is she still breathing? Yes. And that's all I could do. I am the gringa, the licenciada. I am supposed to know everything. It is both an asset and a burden. An asset because they will generally take me as an expert on just about anything outside of campo life. A burden because I am expected to know anything, at any time, and that's a lot. My neighbor woke up after the longest 10 minutes of my life and was fine. But I am not a doctor and would never try to do anything more than basic first aid, and as a Peace Corps Volunteer, my job is to give advice when asked, (which is almost always, go get a doctor's opinion) but not to directly interfere. Sometimes that has me pulling my hair out, like when they resort to exorcism or devout prayer instead of modern medicine for healing. But you have to let them do what they do.
I am also quickly realizing that I am the star of my own reality TV show, 'Gringa Living in the Jungle', of which I have 254 captivated viewers. When the Colombianos heard that I was going to the jungle they made bets over whether or not I would come back. Glad to say I exceeded expectations there! But the story about how I fell spread and by the next day everyone was asking about my hand. I would go visiting and say 'I went to the monte' and they would reply, 'We know, tell us about your hand!' I have an actor friend whose stories we would refer to as episodes in his own show because they were always big, dramatic, and slightly ridiculous, yet you couldn't help but watch anyway, even if you had seen that episode 3 times before. That is exactly what I am here, the living telenovela, but I typically just feel like Comedy Central.
I am an iguana. I am an architect, engineer, English teacher, band teacher, artist, playmate, human jungle gym, big sister, daughter, field worker, health adviser, city girl, professional, jovencita, and the resident Wikipedia. Tune in to the next episode of the 'Amber Naylor Show' to find out who I am next.
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