Coming up on the new year, I was reflecting on where I was last year at this time, and it´s strange to think how different my life was. I´m looking forward to what this upcoming Panamanian year will provide/offer/spring on me. It´s been an interesting four months already, so it´ll be amazing to see what happens when I get under way working in my community.
I´ve been remiss at adding photos to the blog, I´m aware. But I have a whole bunch that I´ll update when I head into Panama City this weekend. The network connection is just so slow out here that I don´t have the time to upload all my photos. It´ll be much faster to do it all at once this weekend. I promise there will be photos!
The holidays haven´t felt like the holidays here. Mostly because instead of wearing sweaters and eating cookies, I´m wearing flip flops and (still) eating rice. Not much changes for the holidays here. Which means that I haven´t had time or reason to miss home, which is good. We´ve entered "summer" in Panama, which means that it´s windier and cooler at night. Which is a blessing. I´ve had some nights recently where I can actually say I got a little cold under just my one sheet. "Cold" is a relative term here.
What have I been doing lately...? I´m learning how to pasear (walk around and visit) with my neighbors and friends like a Panamanian. I´ve paseared to everyones house at least once now, which sounds really easy to do when there are only 27 houses, but it´s hard to do in another language when you´re not entirely certain what the protocol is. I´ve figured it out though, and now I´m pretty comfortable walking into anyones house, sitting down and talking with them. It´s harder than it sounds, I promise.
Other than that, I´ve been hanging around and working with my family a lot. We went out to Puerto Lara (a nearby town where my friend Karen lives) for Christmas Eve day for a soccer tournament. That was an experience. I witnessed the Wounaan´s tradition for celebrating quincenera (a girl´s 15th birthday celebration): apparently they get the birthday girl absolutely plastered (the girl in Puerto Lara was so drunk she couldn´t hold her head up or keep her eyes open), then dance her around while friends and relatives support her physically. It was actually very disturbing for me to see someone, much less a fifteen year old girl, that drunk. I talked to some of my community members, and they said that they do that as well during Semana Santa. That upset me a little, but after talking one-on-one to some of the parents, I realized that they don´t all participate. Some of them recognize that it´s not safe or smart to inebriate a 15 year old to the point of passing out. I´m hopeful that I can have that discussion with most of the parents, because it was very jarring for me. I may not be able to stop it, but I can at least try to discourage the forced intoxication. Alcohol abuse is already a pretty prevalent problem throughout Panama, so I do what I can to set a good example.
Tomorrow will be another big party, and I´m having a community meeting with the women during the day, so it´s a big day for me. I have to prepare for that, and prepare for all night partying and drinking. It should be fun! I´ll take pictures and get them up this weekend.
That´s all I have to report right now. Happy New Year to all! I love you and miss you all, every day!
Wednesday, December 30, 2009
Monday, December 7, 2009
6 weeks in site and still strong!
I'm pretty good at keeping up with this bloggy thing. I thought I'd be terrible at it, but it gives me a good excuse to go in and use the internet, so I'm actually quite excellent at it.
I'm still alive and well, in a new house in my community, making headway every day (except to day, of course, because I escaped to use internet and eat yogurt). This last week actually was a busy, busy week. I was a little low on Tuesday, and paseared (walked around and chatted) with my community, and then found out that there was a water committee meeting that night. So, I ended up getting to go and see, first hand, what the problems are surrounding the water in the community. Turns out there are a lot...
First, they have an old aquaduct that only supplies water maybe half the time. So as a result people have to fill up big buckets of water to have a store for when there is no water. That's a common problem in Panama, and one that I already knew they had. They are actually pretty good at storing their water safely, so that's not a huge problem.
They also have a metered system, which in general Americans would see as a good thing. You'll know exactly how much you're using, and you'll pay for what you use. Except when you pair that with people filling up big buckets of water, letting them sit for a week, then dumping them out because the water's "dirty", you end up with people wasting a lot of water and still paying for it. And it's the paying-for-it part that they're dismayed by. I suppose if I went from a fixed rate of $2/month to a metered rate of $8/month in the course of a month, I'd be pretty dismayed, also. Especially considering that a day laborer's average pay is $8/day. That's a big difference.
There's also one other big problem that they have. There's a new aquaduct that was built by the "government" (I'm actually not sure who it was built by; I've gotten mixed reports, which leads me to believe that I'll just have to figure it out on my own) that's going to pump water from a river nearby, through a treatment plant, up to the aquaduct, chlorinate it up there and feed it to all 4 communities that are attached to this aquaduct system. They'll have clean, potable water 24/7. Sounds good, right? Wrong. If this aquaduct gets finished, someone else will be maintaining it, meaning there will no longer be a local Water Committee collecting money, checking meters, and more importantly, deciding when to cut people's water off because they haven't paid in three months. The deal with the water committees is that they're assembled from the communities, and all the communities are related to each other. Basically that means that they elect people that aren't going to cut them off. People want family members on the committee because then they won't run the risk of having their water supply cut off if they're delinquent. Which they often are. It's disfunctional, to say the least. But, how do you convince someone that it would be better to have an outside agency managing their water supply, even if that means they're water could get cut? Yeah...dilemma.
Other than that, I'm also working with a women's artisan group that is starting a cooperative to sell their artisan work. They actually just voted on a name yesterday: Mujeres Artesanas Unidas de Pueblo Nuevo or United Women's Artisans of Pueblo Nuevo. I'm going to help them work with an agency named IPACOOP to start their coop and help them through some of the finer points once IPACOOP steps back a little bit. We'll see how that goes...
As always, I miss and love everyone at home. It's still hot here. It's eternally summer here, which I thought I'd love, but I find myself looking for the coolest spots and the coolest times of day and taking advantage of them. Although, I never have to "work" on my tan. Which is a nice little perk. And everyone has a hammock, which is also wonderful. Whoever created the hammock is a genius.
Til next time!
Molly
I'm still alive and well, in a new house in my community, making headway every day (except to day, of course, because I escaped to use internet and eat yogurt). This last week actually was a busy, busy week. I was a little low on Tuesday, and paseared (walked around and chatted) with my community, and then found out that there was a water committee meeting that night. So, I ended up getting to go and see, first hand, what the problems are surrounding the water in the community. Turns out there are a lot...
First, they have an old aquaduct that only supplies water maybe half the time. So as a result people have to fill up big buckets of water to have a store for when there is no water. That's a common problem in Panama, and one that I already knew they had. They are actually pretty good at storing their water safely, so that's not a huge problem.
They also have a metered system, which in general Americans would see as a good thing. You'll know exactly how much you're using, and you'll pay for what you use. Except when you pair that with people filling up big buckets of water, letting them sit for a week, then dumping them out because the water's "dirty", you end up with people wasting a lot of water and still paying for it. And it's the paying-for-it part that they're dismayed by. I suppose if I went from a fixed rate of $2/month to a metered rate of $8/month in the course of a month, I'd be pretty dismayed, also. Especially considering that a day laborer's average pay is $8/day. That's a big difference.
There's also one other big problem that they have. There's a new aquaduct that was built by the "government" (I'm actually not sure who it was built by; I've gotten mixed reports, which leads me to believe that I'll just have to figure it out on my own) that's going to pump water from a river nearby, through a treatment plant, up to the aquaduct, chlorinate it up there and feed it to all 4 communities that are attached to this aquaduct system. They'll have clean, potable water 24/7. Sounds good, right? Wrong. If this aquaduct gets finished, someone else will be maintaining it, meaning there will no longer be a local Water Committee collecting money, checking meters, and more importantly, deciding when to cut people's water off because they haven't paid in three months. The deal with the water committees is that they're assembled from the communities, and all the communities are related to each other. Basically that means that they elect people that aren't going to cut them off. People want family members on the committee because then they won't run the risk of having their water supply cut off if they're delinquent. Which they often are. It's disfunctional, to say the least. But, how do you convince someone that it would be better to have an outside agency managing their water supply, even if that means they're water could get cut? Yeah...dilemma.
Other than that, I'm also working with a women's artisan group that is starting a cooperative to sell their artisan work. They actually just voted on a name yesterday: Mujeres Artesanas Unidas de Pueblo Nuevo or United Women's Artisans of Pueblo Nuevo. I'm going to help them work with an agency named IPACOOP to start their coop and help them through some of the finer points once IPACOOP steps back a little bit. We'll see how that goes...
As always, I miss and love everyone at home. It's still hot here. It's eternally summer here, which I thought I'd love, but I find myself looking for the coolest spots and the coolest times of day and taking advantage of them. Although, I never have to "work" on my tan. Which is a nice little perk. And everyone has a hammock, which is also wonderful. Whoever created the hammock is a genius.
Til next time!
Molly
Wednesday, November 25, 2009
Happy Thanksgiving from the land of humidity and palm trees!
Hello All!
As always, I hope everyone is healthy and well in the States. I thought that I'd give my list of things I'm thankful for down here. I'll keep it short and sweet, since I have limited time in the office to use the internet!
1. My health: Minus a broken toe and some mild digestive issues, I've been healthy down here. No malaria, no dengue, no yellow fever. Definitely thankful and grateful for that.
As always, I hope everyone is healthy and well in the States. I thought that I'd give my list of things I'm thankful for down here. I'll keep it short and sweet, since I have limited time in the office to use the internet!
1. My health: Minus a broken toe and some mild digestive issues, I've been healthy down here. No malaria, no dengue, no yellow fever. Definitely thankful and grateful for that.
2. My wonderful community: My family in the community is wonderful and they're very protective and possessive of me--in a good way, though! I really like my community a lot and feel very fortunate.
3. My new and old friends: By "old" I don't old. I just mean previous. But, I'm thankful for the support and love from home and from within the country. That makes this whole experience easier, and more enjoyable. I love you all!
4. Every moment: I don't mean that in a sappy way, but it's going to come out that way. It's hard to explain, probably because this experience is so intense and unique, but I am so grateful for every single minute that I get to enjoy with people I care about, and every up and down that I have in my experience. I'm increasingly convinced that life is just supposed to be a big mess, and you have to just own the mess. I'm owning and loving my messy, beautiful life every day.
5. My family: I love all of you more every day. I know that you think I stand alone and I'm totally independent and don't need anyone, but I wouldn't be who I am, and I wouldn't feel free to do what I'm doing without you behind me. I miss you each day, and look forward to the day that we can sit down together and eat some turkey and cranberry sauce together.
That was nice and corny, wasn't it? Well, regardless, I mean all of it. I love everyone at home, and wish you the very best for Thanksgiving.
Love,
Molly
Monday, November 9, 2009
As promised, here are a bunch of photos of my community. A couple notes on them.
1. The pigs head was dinner one night. Dalys is my home stay sister and the one modeling the head.
2. Last week was a holiday week celebrating Panama's independence from Columbia (in 1906, if you're interested). That's what all the schoolchildren marching in red, white and blue is about.
3. The pictures of the women cooking are also from the Independence Day festivities. The skirts that they're wearing are called parumas, and they're the traditional clothing of the Wounaan and the Embera tribes. The women are cooking arroz con pollo. Yum.
I think that's it. If you have any questions, post them! I'll answer, if I can!
Much love!
1. The pigs head was dinner one night. Dalys is my home stay sister and the one modeling the head.
2. Last week was a holiday week celebrating Panama's independence from Columbia (in 1906, if you're interested). That's what all the schoolchildren marching in red, white and blue is about.
3. The pictures of the women cooking are also from the Independence Day festivities. The skirts that they're wearing are called parumas, and they're the traditional clothing of the Wounaan and the Embera tribes. The women are cooking arroz con pollo. Yum.
I think that's it. If you have any questions, post them! I'll answer, if I can!
Much love!
Friday, November 6, 2009
At long last...I'm in the Peace Corps
Okay, the long awaited post about my first couple weeks in my site. I know you've all been on pins and needles, so I won't delay any longer.
I got into town almost 2 weeks ago, and I'm staying with my first homestay family. I'm living in a little thatched roof hut with six other people (yes, six). It's cozy, actually, and I mean that in the best possible way. The family is very sweet. Emel and Jenny are the parents. Dalys (who's actually sitting next to me right now reading over my shoulder) is their 15 year old daughter, Yaneth is the 19 year old girlfriend of Claver, Jenny and Emel's 17 year old son. Then there's Miladys, their 3 year old. I actually really like all of them, and they've been very generous and helpful. They're teaching me how to make shakira (beaded necklaces and bracelets), and another woman in the town is teaching me how to weave canasta (baskets). The canastas are the main type of artisan work in the Wounaan communities, and they're beautiful. I don't have any pictures of them right now, actually, because as soon as they finish one they sell it. It's pretty quick turnaround, and they need the money so they set up buyers ahead of time. When a professional one gets finished, I'll take a photo of it and post it.
The town has about 120 people living in it (that's a really rough estimate from a super quick census that I did--don't trust it). They're mainly agriculturalists. I've been out and harvested rice with them a couple times. I have yet to harvest yuca, mostly because I hear that it's really hard work and I'm just not that ambitious right now. But, I'm here for two years so I'm sure I won't be able to avoid it. I have started working on my own garden with a couple women in the town. I'm converting an old chicken coop into a garden. It was an abandoned project of someone in the community, and it already has a chicken wire fence and posts, so that's a nice deal. I'm just really looking forward to eating food that has color and nutritional value. I sustained some pretty intense blisters from cleaning out the garden yesterday (of which I posted some photos...of the garden, not the blisters).
Other than that, I've been trying to make the rounds through all the houses in the community, which wouldn't be hard, except that whenever I stop by people want me to stay and talk for hours. So I can only hit a couple a day. I have noticed some interesting dynamics though. There are two big families living here--the Gonzales' and the Carpios. The Gonzales family is Catholic, and lives on one side of the street. The Carpios are Evangelical and live on the other side. There is some definite animosity between the families, which I find crazy! It's a town of 120 people-how can you afford to have a gripe with someone, let alone half the town?! I haven't yet figured out what the disagreement arises from, but I'll probably figure it out in two years. Vamos a ver.
Other than that, I've just been settling in mentally and emotionally. As you can imagine, some days are good, lots of good conversations and interactions. Other days are not so good. But I think that'll all even out after a while. I'm just getting into the swing of things, and I know that it takes some time.
I'm going to post pictures next time I have the opportunity! I spoke prematurely. The internet access is REALLY slow. I'm working on it, but this country is always finding new ways to make it impossible for me. Sorry! I'll get on it next time!
I got into town almost 2 weeks ago, and I'm staying with my first homestay family. I'm living in a little thatched roof hut with six other people (yes, six). It's cozy, actually, and I mean that in the best possible way. The family is very sweet. Emel and Jenny are the parents. Dalys (who's actually sitting next to me right now reading over my shoulder) is their 15 year old daughter, Yaneth is the 19 year old girlfriend of Claver, Jenny and Emel's 17 year old son. Then there's Miladys, their 3 year old. I actually really like all of them, and they've been very generous and helpful. They're teaching me how to make shakira (beaded necklaces and bracelets), and another woman in the town is teaching me how to weave canasta (baskets). The canastas are the main type of artisan work in the Wounaan communities, and they're beautiful. I don't have any pictures of them right now, actually, because as soon as they finish one they sell it. It's pretty quick turnaround, and they need the money so they set up buyers ahead of time. When a professional one gets finished, I'll take a photo of it and post it.
The town has about 120 people living in it (that's a really rough estimate from a super quick census that I did--don't trust it). They're mainly agriculturalists. I've been out and harvested rice with them a couple times. I have yet to harvest yuca, mostly because I hear that it's really hard work and I'm just not that ambitious right now. But, I'm here for two years so I'm sure I won't be able to avoid it. I have started working on my own garden with a couple women in the town. I'm converting an old chicken coop into a garden. It was an abandoned project of someone in the community, and it already has a chicken wire fence and posts, so that's a nice deal. I'm just really looking forward to eating food that has color and nutritional value. I sustained some pretty intense blisters from cleaning out the garden yesterday (of which I posted some photos...of the garden, not the blisters).
Other than that, I've been trying to make the rounds through all the houses in the community, which wouldn't be hard, except that whenever I stop by people want me to stay and talk for hours. So I can only hit a couple a day. I have noticed some interesting dynamics though. There are two big families living here--the Gonzales' and the Carpios. The Gonzales family is Catholic, and lives on one side of the street. The Carpios are Evangelical and live on the other side. There is some definite animosity between the families, which I find crazy! It's a town of 120 people-how can you afford to have a gripe with someone, let alone half the town?! I haven't yet figured out what the disagreement arises from, but I'll probably figure it out in two years. Vamos a ver.
Other than that, I've just been settling in mentally and emotionally. As you can imagine, some days are good, lots of good conversations and interactions. Other days are not so good. But I think that'll all even out after a while. I'm just getting into the swing of things, and I know that it takes some time.
I'm going to post pictures next time I have the opportunity! I spoke prematurely. The internet access is REALLY slow. I'm working on it, but this country is always finding new ways to make it impossible for me. Sorry! I'll get on it next time!
Wednesday, October 21, 2009
Address/Sending Packages
Hello All!
My mom sent me a package almost 2 months ago, and I've yet to see heads or tails of it, so I'm writing a post in response to that.
If you want to send me a letter, you can send it to the address that's listed there, no problem. If you want to send something that's more package-like, follow these steps.
1. Address it to "Hermana Maureen Petersen" (It'll get here a lot faster if it's coming to "Sister Maureen Petersen". Maureen alone doesn't carry much weight. Sad, I know.)
2. Throw some crosses and "Bendiga Dios" on the front of the package to help it through.
3. Be sure to list, along with what is in the package, that "religious materials" are included. I don't know why, but it works better.
Cuerpo de Paz means Peace Corps, but it also sounds like a religious organization ("cuerpo" also means physical body, and "paz" means peace, so it's not without reason.) It helps to play that up a lot where mail is concerned. My mom did not know to do that, so that package may be a lost cause.
Okay, that's all I've got right now. I'm in Ciudad del Saber finishing up with some office stuff before swearing in TOMORROW. Crazy.
Miss you all! Hope you're all well!
My mom sent me a package almost 2 months ago, and I've yet to see heads or tails of it, so I'm writing a post in response to that.
If you want to send me a letter, you can send it to the address that's listed there, no problem. If you want to send something that's more package-like, follow these steps.
1. Address it to "Hermana Maureen Petersen" (It'll get here a lot faster if it's coming to "Sister Maureen Petersen". Maureen alone doesn't carry much weight. Sad, I know.)
2. Throw some crosses and "Bendiga Dios" on the front of the package to help it through.
3. Be sure to list, along with what is in the package, that "religious materials" are included. I don't know why, but it works better.
Cuerpo de Paz means Peace Corps, but it also sounds like a religious organization ("cuerpo" also means physical body, and "paz" means peace, so it's not without reason.) It helps to play that up a lot where mail is concerned. My mom did not know to do that, so that package may be a lost cause.
Okay, that's all I've got right now. I'm in Ciudad del Saber finishing up with some office stuff before swearing in TOMORROW. Crazy.
Miss you all! Hope you're all well!
Saturday, October 17, 2009
Commenting!
Hey Guys!
I hope everyone is doing well. I've just been in the Peace Corps office the last week taking care of office matters. Not very exciting to write about. I just wanted to tell everyone that, if you feel so inclined, please comment on what I'm writing! Either I'll know that no one is reading my blog (except for my Mom...hi Mom!), or that you're reading it and hate it, or that you're reading it and it's interesting. Let me know!
Later!
I hope everyone is doing well. I've just been in the Peace Corps office the last week taking care of office matters. Not very exciting to write about. I just wanted to tell everyone that, if you feel so inclined, please comment on what I'm writing! Either I'll know that no one is reading my blog (except for my Mom...hi Mom!), or that you're reading it and hate it, or that you're reading it and it's interesting. Let me know!
Later!
Tuesday, October 13, 2009
The Lost Photos!
Here are some new photos for everyone to enjoy! They´re actually kind of old, but it´s pretty hard to keep up with the photos that I take, so this will have to suffice. Some are from my Cultural week in Colón and some are from my Technical week in Soloy (or the Ngäbe Buble Comarca). Some are from the beach that I went to after Culture and Tech week. That was a highlight.
I just got back from seeing my site for the first time. It was intense. I´ll have to debrief on it and get back to you though because I´m sort of over-interneted right now. It was pretty interesting, though. I suppose I also have the next two years to get back to you on it!
Missing you all and sending love!
I just got back from seeing my site for the first time. It was intense. I´ll have to debrief on it and get back to you though because I´m sort of over-interneted right now. It was pretty interesting, though. I suppose I also have the next two years to get back to you on it!
Missing you all and sending love!
Saturday, September 19, 2009
Buenas! I hope everyone at home is happy and well!
I arrived in David, in the western part of the country, a couple of hours ago after spending a week in the province of Colon for culture week. I was in Colon at an Embera site with 4 other aspirantes and 2 volunteers. Before I left, my APCD told me, half-kidding (or so I thought) "enjoy your week vacation!" Well, he wasn´t kidding. I bathed in a waterfall everyday, I ate patacones and fried fish, I had my body painted in the traditional style (pictures soon to come, I promise!), I sat around and talked to my home stay family and then community members as well as the other volunteers--it was pretty wonderful. We had a pretty wonderful time.
The body painting is called jagua, and the next time I get a chance, I will absolutely post pictures of it. It´s beautiful, and they paint it in patterns all over their bodies for ceremonies and celebrations. And for tourists. A lot of what this particular community does now is for their ecotourism. But, they did jagua this week because they were having a big presentation on Friday and they were all dressing in the traditional dress. So I got painted all over my upper body! The jagua comes out dark blue on my skin, black on theirs. It lasts 8 days, or so. It´s beautiful, and I promise anyone that comes down a little paint action at my site!
This week I´ll be in the Ngabe-Buble Comarca (reservation) for tech week. Tech week will not be relaxing, but it will be informative. It´ll be the first time that I´ll actually get to do hands on stuff, which is what I´m really looking forward to. We get to build latrines and look at how to fix aquaducts. It`ll be great for me, because I don`t have any idea what that requires! I`ll report back afterwards.
Things are good otherwise. Training is flying by! I`ll be sworn in as a volunteer in just under 5 weeks, which is nuts! I feel like I just got here! Soon enough I`ll be reporting from my site in the Darien. Wish me luck!
I arrived in David, in the western part of the country, a couple of hours ago after spending a week in the province of Colon for culture week. I was in Colon at an Embera site with 4 other aspirantes and 2 volunteers. Before I left, my APCD told me, half-kidding (or so I thought) "enjoy your week vacation!" Well, he wasn´t kidding. I bathed in a waterfall everyday, I ate patacones and fried fish, I had my body painted in the traditional style (pictures soon to come, I promise!), I sat around and talked to my home stay family and then community members as well as the other volunteers--it was pretty wonderful. We had a pretty wonderful time.
The body painting is called jagua, and the next time I get a chance, I will absolutely post pictures of it. It´s beautiful, and they paint it in patterns all over their bodies for ceremonies and celebrations. And for tourists. A lot of what this particular community does now is for their ecotourism. But, they did jagua this week because they were having a big presentation on Friday and they were all dressing in the traditional dress. So I got painted all over my upper body! The jagua comes out dark blue on my skin, black on theirs. It lasts 8 days, or so. It´s beautiful, and I promise anyone that comes down a little paint action at my site!
This week I´ll be in the Ngabe-Buble Comarca (reservation) for tech week. Tech week will not be relaxing, but it will be informative. It´ll be the first time that I´ll actually get to do hands on stuff, which is what I´m really looking forward to. We get to build latrines and look at how to fix aquaducts. It`ll be great for me, because I don`t have any idea what that requires! I`ll report back afterwards.
Things are good otherwise. Training is flying by! I`ll be sworn in as a volunteer in just under 5 weeks, which is nuts! I feel like I just got here! Soon enough I`ll be reporting from my site in the Darien. Wish me luck!
Friday, September 4, 2009
New Pictures!
I've added some photos from my trip up to the Comarca to visit another volunteer, Danny M. There are some of the general vistas (which were gorgeous!), some off Danny's house in the Comarca, and a couple of his community members. As well as one of a scorpion that I found in Danny's house. I couldn't kill it. I was afraid that it would fall of the wall and sting me. I waited for Danny to come home to do the honors.
Since you guys probably don't know, the Comarca is like a reservation in the U.S. It's where many people of the indigeneous Ngabe tribe live, and it's a semi-autonomous state. The Ngabe kids love having their photos taken, but the Ngabe smile is pretty much just a straight face, so if you see a lot of photos in the future of people that seem really unhappy, they're smiling inside. I will find out on Wednesday what my site assignment will be (or where I'll be spending the next 2 years), so I will try and update again next week. Chances are pretty good that I'll be at a Ngabe site, but you never know!
I've added my address down here during training to the column on the side. If you feel so inclined, send me a letter! There's also a photo of me smiling at all you folks back home that are reading this. I miss you all, but I'm having a blast!
Monday, August 31, 2009
Sorry it´s been a couple weeks since I´ve posted! It´s been eventful, to say the least. I´m going to do a top five real quick, because I don´t have a lot of time left at the internet cafe. I´m going to mix the good in with the bad here, to make sure I´m giving fair representation.
1. Sweating profusely can cause armpit infections.
Who knew? I found this one out the hard way. I got infections under my arms then I had to tell my APCD (Assistant Peace Corps Director) about it so I could go to the doctor. What a lame illness.
2. Mountains = cool weather
Kind of obvious, I know, But I spent this last weekend up in the Comarca in the Chiriqui region with another volunteer, and I actually put on a long sleeve shirt. Especially after the rain, it´s cool and refreshing. Danny, the volunteer I was visiting, lives in a Ngabe community (pronounced NO-bay) and showed me around. It was an amazing experience. We got to help out a community member build an aquaduct, take a long hike to neighboring community and speak with their water committee, and cook on a fogon (a three-rock cooking technique).
We also were witnesses to a very serious medical emergency about an hour and a half from any hospital, which was probably one of the scariest things I´ve been involved in. The young woman that was sick could hardly breathe, and I wasn´t sure she´d make it off the mountain, but we heard later that she did. Thank God.
3. Popes in a Volkswagon
So, the way up to Danny´s site is by chiva, which is basically just a Range Rover. To maximize their time and space, and to make more money, they pack the chivas to the brim. And I mean PACK them. I was in a chiva with 23 other people, and Danny said that he´s been in one with 30. To be fair, I wasn´t in it, so much as riding on top of it. There were 6 men hanging onto the back as well. It was nuts. But it was either ride on the top, or sit in the back with 12 drunk men and listen to them talk about the gringa that´s in the car with them. I chose the roof.
4. Air conditioning and hot showers are gifts from God.
I got to enjoy both last night in the hostel in David, and they truly are the work of the Lord. And I´m not even religious.
5. Machetes are awesome.
I love my machete! I also love getting dirty and mixing cement. It´s great. There´s never any reason for me to look cute, which is sometimes a downer, but there will be plenty of time for that after my 2 years of service, so I´m not too worried. Right now I´m enjoying because a cachimbona (hard working woman--it´s what my homestay family calls me because they can´t pronounce my name).
Alright, that´s all for now. I´ll post pictures next time I´m on. I promise! I hope all is well with everyone at home!
Much love!
1. Sweating profusely can cause armpit infections.
Who knew? I found this one out the hard way. I got infections under my arms then I had to tell my APCD (Assistant Peace Corps Director) about it so I could go to the doctor. What a lame illness.
2. Mountains = cool weather
Kind of obvious, I know, But I spent this last weekend up in the Comarca in the Chiriqui region with another volunteer, and I actually put on a long sleeve shirt. Especially after the rain, it´s cool and refreshing. Danny, the volunteer I was visiting, lives in a Ngabe community (pronounced NO-bay) and showed me around. It was an amazing experience. We got to help out a community member build an aquaduct, take a long hike to neighboring community and speak with their water committee, and cook on a fogon (a three-rock cooking technique).
We also were witnesses to a very serious medical emergency about an hour and a half from any hospital, which was probably one of the scariest things I´ve been involved in. The young woman that was sick could hardly breathe, and I wasn´t sure she´d make it off the mountain, but we heard later that she did. Thank God.
3. Popes in a Volkswagon
So, the way up to Danny´s site is by chiva, which is basically just a Range Rover. To maximize their time and space, and to make more money, they pack the chivas to the brim. And I mean PACK them. I was in a chiva with 23 other people, and Danny said that he´s been in one with 30. To be fair, I wasn´t in it, so much as riding on top of it. There were 6 men hanging onto the back as well. It was nuts. But it was either ride on the top, or sit in the back with 12 drunk men and listen to them talk about the gringa that´s in the car with them. I chose the roof.
4. Air conditioning and hot showers are gifts from God.
I got to enjoy both last night in the hostel in David, and they truly are the work of the Lord. And I´m not even religious.
5. Machetes are awesome.
I love my machete! I also love getting dirty and mixing cement. It´s great. There´s never any reason for me to look cute, which is sometimes a downer, but there will be plenty of time for that after my 2 years of service, so I´m not too worried. Right now I´m enjoying because a cachimbona (hard working woman--it´s what my homestay family calls me because they can´t pronounce my name).
Alright, that´s all for now. I´ll post pictures next time I´m on. I promise! I hope all is well with everyone at home!
Much love!
Saturday, August 15, 2009
A Panamanian Birthday
Yesterday was my birthday. 25 years ago today, I was born. That's crazy! I don't know where last year went. Last year at this time I was by the swimming pool enjoying some beer and guacamole. Where has it all gone?
Today was a little different than that. I went to another volunteer's site with my Environmental Health people today. It was the first time that I actually saw a volunteer's site in person. It was pretty...rustic. I prepared myself pretty well for it, but I was still struck by the community that we stepped into. The problems in this community, and I imagine in many others, are relatively basic. Why do I keep getting sick after drinking the water? Well, who else is using the water and, more importantly, what is it being used for? They're questions that seem obvious to us, but for a rural community that hasn't had a lot of education about germs and parasites and what causes them, they're issues that need to be addressed.
I'm leaving now to head over to Santa Clara for training (woohoo!). I'm meeting my first host family today, which should be interesting. I'm nervous about it, but the volunteers that are here with us trainees assured us that, although it's awkward at first, it gets a lot better. And, eventually, they end up becoming a good support system for you. I'm sure I'll be exhausted every night after my 10 hours of Spanish and technical training. But, I'm going to make an effort to stay engaged and talk to them.
Here are some pictures of the trip out to Panama este (Panama is a city, province and country name--so East Panama is in the eastern part of the province). We were very close to the Darien, which is the big jungle just north of the Columbia border. The Darien is off limits because of the FARC presence (Revolutionary Armed Forces of Columbia). The woman is part of the Kuna tribe, and she's in traditional Kuna clothing. Enjoy!
I will try and post soon, but it may not be possible. So, until next time! Chau!
Sunday, August 9, 2009
The ZOO!
I know I said that my next post would be from D.C., but before leaving the country for two years, there were some things that I wanted to enjoy, the most important of which was a final visit to my favorite haunt: the Minnesota Zoo. Yes, indeed, the zoo.
Anyone that hasn't been to the zoo since they were little really ought to give it another go round. It's pretty awesome. The grizzlies are pretty awesome. There are three of them, two male and one female. They were each found as orphans in Russia, and moved to Alaska where they were fixed and raised as siblings. The two boys are the ones rough-housing here. They're 500 or 600 pounds right now, and they're only half their adult size! They're pretty awesome. One of them swam back and forth in front of the glass and pressed his paw against the glass, much to the delight of all the spectators.
The whole Russia's Grizzly Coast e
xhibit is really well done. There were some leopards and tigers and sea otters and wild boars. It was pretty hot yesterday, so most of the animals were resting in the shade. Some of the big cats were pacing, like this one that my sister made friends with.We didn't get to see the Discovery Bay, but we made our rounds to all the other places. I didn't remember there being a petting zoo there when I was little, but there's a big farm section of the zoo. It's beautiful, too! There are goats and sheep and a huge cloned cow. There were some chickens and horses and piglets. I love farms. I like all the animals and the smells (even the gross smells).
Here's Laura and I posing as chickens.
Alright! I'm leaving tomorrow! This was my last blast for two years, and I enjoyed it thoroughly! Looking forward to posting in Panama!
Friday, August 7, 2009
Um...homework?
I've been trying to complete the homework that I was assigned by the Peace Corps before I go, but I've got to say, I'm a little out of practice with the whole homework thing. I don't remember it being quite this difficult when I was in college. I have to give a five minute presentation on the Environmental Health Status of my community to the other Peace Corps trainees. Five minutes is not a very long time for a presentation, unless you have nothing to say. Then five minutes becomes a 9 month pregnant pause.
Here are some things that I've learned:
1. There are 1,800 dumps in Minnesota alone (wow)
2. More than 1,725 of them are considered to be well maintained and pose no threat of contamination to the nearby environment (phew)
3. The state of Minnesota tests almost 3,000 lakes a year for contamination and toxin levels. Out of over 10,000 lakes. Hm.
Those are just some tidbits for everyone to mull over.
Leaving on Monday. Things to still complete: finish packing, say goodbye to some more folks, spend the afternoon watching Pride and Prejudice with my mom and sister, clean my sheets and bedroom (that one's for you mom ;)
Next time I post, I'll be in D.C. getting ready to go to Panama!
Here are some things that I've learned:
1. There are 1,800 dumps in Minnesota alone (wow)
2. More than 1,725 of them are considered to be well maintained and pose no threat of contamination to the nearby environment (phew)
3. The state of Minnesota tests almost 3,000 lakes a year for contamination and toxin levels. Out of over 10,000 lakes. Hm.
Those are just some tidbits for everyone to mull over.
Leaving on Monday. Things to still complete: finish packing, say goodbye to some more folks, spend the afternoon watching Pride and Prejudice with my mom and sister, clean my sheets and bedroom (that one's for you mom ;)
Next time I post, I'll be in D.C. getting ready to go to Panama!
Monday, August 3, 2009
Packing
Who knew that going to a third world country for two years required the purchasing of so much first world stuff? I've bought an (additional) computer, a shockproof, waterproof camera, countless allergy meds, ibuprofin and (because I have middle aged problems) Prilosec, pants, shirts, underwear, bras, socks, hair binders, shoes, luggage, backpacks, flash drives, extra memory cards, and so many other random things. It's pretty unbelievable. Something feels wrong about stocking up on first world pleasures to bring with me to the third world.
Aside from the hemorraging of money, it's really pretty exciting to get ready to go somewhere for two years. One week from this moment, I will be in D.C. preparing to head off to Panama. Right now I'm just trying to soak up the things that I'll miss. I'm enjoying every night that I have left in my bed because I know that I won't find anything quite so plush in Panama. I'm also enjoying television (like the good little All-American kid I am!) and my living room sofa. Have I mentioned air conditioning? And FANS! I'm pretty certain that I'm going to miss both of those things.
I'll also miss my family and friends. But, as I've said before, everyone is welcome to visit! If you can't come and visit, I will certainly keep you updated as much as I can via my blog or e-mail. I don't know how much, if any, internet connection I'll have, but I'll do my best.
There are things that I'm really excited for. I'm looking forward to meeting my fellow volunteers, figuring out exactly how one goes about building a latrine, and figuring out how best to distribute my belongings so I don't go over the 50lbs airline weight limit. I'm pretty confident about all but the third. I'll keep everyone updated!
Aside from the hemorraging of money, it's really pretty exciting to get ready to go somewhere for two years. One week from this moment, I will be in D.C. preparing to head off to Panama. Right now I'm just trying to soak up the things that I'll miss. I'm enjoying every night that I have left in my bed because I know that I won't find anything quite so plush in Panama. I'm also enjoying television (like the good little All-American kid I am!) and my living room sofa. Have I mentioned air conditioning? And FANS! I'm pretty certain that I'm going to miss both of those things.
I'll also miss my family and friends. But, as I've said before, everyone is welcome to visit! If you can't come and visit, I will certainly keep you updated as much as I can via my blog or e-mail. I don't know how much, if any, internet connection I'll have, but I'll do my best.
There are things that I'm really excited for. I'm looking forward to meeting my fellow volunteers, figuring out exactly how one goes about building a latrine, and figuring out how best to distribute my belongings so I don't go over the 50lbs airline weight limit. I'm pretty confident about all but the third. I'll keep everyone updated!
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