May and June and July Happened?
So moving from the border of Colombia to nearly the border of Costa Rica has been challenging and awesome. Challenging because it was unexpected, unwanted, and unasked for, and awesome because it has great people, more conveniences, and a really cool job.
Most of May and June were spent trying to get my bearings, from figuring out where to get groceries to how to get the internet to work, to figuring out the new bus routes. Then there was my job, getting a job description written, coming up with some goals, and establishing not only a work plan, but a reporting method for it. I visited several regional meetings to get to know the PCVs in other regions of the country better (I knew almost no one outside of my training group unless they lived in the Darien, we were very geographically isolated).
Panamanian elections happened and Varela won, a surprise I think. He was the third party candidate, but with a campaign video like this, and election day on May the Fourth, we should have probably seen this coming:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ve3ctpKKoXU#t=25
Welcome to Panamanian politics. I am ok with it because his wife bought me ice cream once. For reals! Also, his campaign slogan is '100% water, 0% Latrines" which I not only think is laughably impossibly, but I don't think that flush toilets are the right answer for much of Panama. But what do I know, I am not a president. Regardless, it is good that the work of my sector will be getting some attention (AKA money) in the next five years, so maybe some PCVs can defy the odds and trying to get that money going in the right direction. May the force be with you, friends. You'll need it.
I helped facilitate the Healthy Women's Artisan Seminar the first week of June and it was so great it deserves its own blog post. Then I went to Coiba where I did the BEST snorkeling ever and saw the entire cast of Finding Nemo. Sharks, dolphins, sting rays, fish of every color, it was beautiful and amazing.
The end of June I went to an island in the Carribbean (I know, my life is SO HARD) to teach a community how to build composting latrines. It rained the entire time I was trying to work with them, and the mud round our work site (since the island is swampy mangroves & marshy) became almost knee deep MUCK. But, the latrine got built successfully and the Volunteers and her community members felt confident about continuing the project, so that was a win. I went there thinking I would be there for 4 days, and then due to the weather was there for 8. The last day was too muddy to do ANYTHING so they took me to the bat cave.
Yes, the bat cave. Thousands of bats. It was cooler and less...icky? than I expected. When you say, 'Let's go see a couple thousand bats' my gut reply is 'Uhh, no.' But the people were convincing and I am really glad I went. There was even a part in the cave where the floor drops out and you have to wedge yourself into a crevasse to pass to the next section. Terrifying. Worth it.
Oh, the World Cup happened. It also needs its own post. Seriously.
I spent the 4th of July playing ahem, BEAN BAG TOSS (or cornhole for those that don't know its proper name) and Frisbee games at a PCV's house here in San Felix. We grilled pork, made a bunch of guacamole, red/white/blue rice krispie treats made with cornflakes since Panama doesn't have rice krispies, and I made chocolate cake. I'm telling you, my new life is super fancy.
The neighbor brought his television circa 1970 over (I am actually not exaggerating) and we spent a good amount of time searching the yard for the best place to put the antennae so that we could watch the soccer game.
I spent the following week in Panama City doing my paperwork to close the grant for my project and to finally put an end to the check debacle from last January. That was a hug relief to have it behind me! I also spent time with the PCVs from my training group. Once upon a time, I would have been leaving Panama with them, but as always, fate intervenes and makes its own plans. It was great to see them and I had fun celebrating the completion of their service. It is weird knowing they are no longer with me here in Panama, but at the same time I am still very excited about my job and I am glad that things worked out the way they did. I miss my family and life in America, but being in Panama feels right for now. Siguemos en la lucha, pues! (We continue in the fight!)
Oh, and this happened. This is a classic example of pop america getting translated hilariously wrong in other languages. What you are listening to is a guy who called in to the DJ (In the Dominican Rep, I believe) to request his favorite song. He doesn't know the name of the song, but knows the chorus...'Estos son Reebok o son Nike' (Are these Reeboks or Nikes?) and somehow, this amazing DJ, figures out what song this guy is thinking of...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uAUksTOBLXU&feature=kp
I will never hear that song the same way again. (Btw- they're Nike!)
Most of May and June were spent trying to get my bearings, from figuring out where to get groceries to how to get the internet to work, to figuring out the new bus routes. Then there was my job, getting a job description written, coming up with some goals, and establishing not only a work plan, but a reporting method for it. I visited several regional meetings to get to know the PCVs in other regions of the country better (I knew almost no one outside of my training group unless they lived in the Darien, we were very geographically isolated).
Panamanian elections happened and Varela won, a surprise I think. He was the third party candidate, but with a campaign video like this, and election day on May the Fourth, we should have probably seen this coming:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ve3ctpKKoXU#t=25
Welcome to Panamanian politics. I am ok with it because his wife bought me ice cream once. For reals! Also, his campaign slogan is '100% water, 0% Latrines" which I not only think is laughably impossibly, but I don't think that flush toilets are the right answer for much of Panama. But what do I know, I am not a president. Regardless, it is good that the work of my sector will be getting some attention (AKA money) in the next five years, so maybe some PCVs can defy the odds and trying to get that money going in the right direction. May the force be with you, friends. You'll need it.
I helped facilitate the Healthy Women's Artisan Seminar the first week of June and it was so great it deserves its own blog post. Then I went to Coiba where I did the BEST snorkeling ever and saw the entire cast of Finding Nemo. Sharks, dolphins, sting rays, fish of every color, it was beautiful and amazing.
The end of June I went to an island in the Carribbean (I know, my life is SO HARD) to teach a community how to build composting latrines. It rained the entire time I was trying to work with them, and the mud round our work site (since the island is swampy mangroves & marshy) became almost knee deep MUCK. But, the latrine got built successfully and the Volunteers and her community members felt confident about continuing the project, so that was a win. I went there thinking I would be there for 4 days, and then due to the weather was there for 8. The last day was too muddy to do ANYTHING so they took me to the bat cave.
Yes, the bat cave. Thousands of bats. It was cooler and less...icky? than I expected. When you say, 'Let's go see a couple thousand bats' my gut reply is 'Uhh, no.' But the people were convincing and I am really glad I went. There was even a part in the cave where the floor drops out and you have to wedge yourself into a crevasse to pass to the next section. Terrifying. Worth it.
Oh, the World Cup happened. It also needs its own post. Seriously.
I spent the 4th of July playing ahem, BEAN BAG TOSS (or cornhole for those that don't know its proper name) and Frisbee games at a PCV's house here in San Felix. We grilled pork, made a bunch of guacamole, red/white/blue rice krispie treats made with cornflakes since Panama doesn't have rice krispies, and I made chocolate cake. I'm telling you, my new life is super fancy.
The neighbor brought his television circa 1970 over (I am actually not exaggerating) and we spent a good amount of time searching the yard for the best place to put the antennae so that we could watch the soccer game.
I spent the following week in Panama City doing my paperwork to close the grant for my project and to finally put an end to the check debacle from last January. That was a hug relief to have it behind me! I also spent time with the PCVs from my training group. Once upon a time, I would have been leaving Panama with them, but as always, fate intervenes and makes its own plans. It was great to see them and I had fun celebrating the completion of their service. It is weird knowing they are no longer with me here in Panama, but at the same time I am still very excited about my job and I am glad that things worked out the way they did. I miss my family and life in America, but being in Panama feels right for now. Siguemos en la lucha, pues! (We continue in the fight!)
Oh, and this happened. This is a classic example of pop america getting translated hilariously wrong in other languages. What you are listening to is a guy who called in to the DJ (In the Dominican Rep, I believe) to request his favorite song. He doesn't know the name of the song, but knows the chorus...'Estos son Reebok o son Nike' (Are these Reeboks or Nikes?) and somehow, this amazing DJ, figures out what song this guy is thinking of...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uAUksTOBLXU&feature=kp
I will never hear that song the same way again. (Btw- they're Nike!)
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