Lost Stories: The Gringos are Coming, The Gringos are Coming!

Written June 25th, 2013

The gringos are here! Only, they weren't gringos, Well, 3 of them were. Brigada Quetzal arrived about 2PM on Friday the 21st in full force. 250 some 15-17 year old students from 56 different countries, mostly from South America and the European Union. And of course, the 3 gringos. (2 were from Illinois, 1 from Florida.) It blew my community members' minds when they found out that all of these people weren't my closest friends and family, they they didn't even know me, and that they weren't even from my country! "But Amber, that is so confusing, they all look like you!"

The students were accompanied by 20 international journalists, 15 group leaders, and about 25 border police. I sat on my porch with Danielle and Ben and watched the group on my soccer field grow over the course of 3 hours as canoe load by canoe load arrived. By 5pm the field had become a sea of tents and teenagers. At first I found the sudden surge of people and activity extremely overwhelming, but we eventually convinced ourselves to come out of hiding, to put our bright and shiny PCV faces on, and to go be sociable. I explained who I was, what Peace Corps is, what my specific job is, how long I am here, and what I think about living here to them at least 300 times. The kindergarten girls did some traditional dances for them, followed by the elementary school girls. They were adorable and I was so proud of them!

Finally at dark time Danielle, Ben, and I were able to go back to my hut where we made delicious veggie & egg crepes, crepes with homemade mango jam, and homemade brownies with fresh cacao we got from Bocas. Add some boxed red wine and the board game Settler's of Catan and it was definitely the best Friday night I have ever had in site.

Saturday morning we socialized with the kiddos again and met some of the journalists. A few of them were very interested in our composting latrine project! At 9am they headed out into the jungle to hike to another community, Sinai. The route to Sinai is a driveable dirt road in the dry season, but come rainy season, is un-driveable, and is even considered impassable on foot by all the locals as it becomes a mud pit and marshy lagoons form over the path. This time of year everyone uses the river for travel, but Brigada Quetzal was set on their plans, and they set out.

I don't know how it went, and I do know that my community members invent details sometimes or just flat out lie when they don't know things, but over the next 36 hours I heard the following rumors:

-One group got lost in the jungle and slept in Herminio's fields.

-The entire group got lost for 2.5 hours

-Those kids couldn't make it because they didn't eat their boiled plantains.

-Chicheme and a few other guys took 8 horses out there to find them

-One girl broke her foot. Or maybe 3 girls broke their feet.

-They only took half a gallon of water each and will therefore never make it.

-They're all coming back by boat.

-The principal of the school saw an ambulance at the port on her way back from Meteti

Some parts seem more plausible than others, and I never did get confirmation on any of it. The group spent an extra day in Sinai before coming back, on foot, Monday afternoon. As the hundreds of mud monsters emerged from the jungle, most laid down immediately in the puddles on the soccer field. I watched them from my hammock on my porch again and they provided the entertainment for my afternoon. Tuesday morning they packed up and left. Meanwhile, life went back to its usual tranquilo pace.

Asi es la vida.