There’s a path in front of my house that, when it rains, it becomes a muddy path, very disagreeable for people to tromp through. I normally wouldn’t bother mentioning my muddy path, except that something else happens on that path when it’s muddy. In my town, there lives a single duck. A white duck with a orange beak that has a very duck-like swaying waddle when he pasears around my town. He’s the sole occupant of that pathway when it is rainy, making his way past my house, turning around at the corner of my neighbors house, and returning to his house. Sometimes he makes two or three laps, but only when it’s raining, when he gets to enjoy the feeling of water in his feathers and mud under his orange, webbed feet. I became so accustomed to the chickens hiding during the rain, that I was surprised when I first noticed this duck. It’s funny, because when it’s dry and sunny, it’s a chicken’s world. Only when it’s raining does the duck reign king.
I don’t know why I mentioned that, except that it’s simple things like that that mark my time here. Again we’ve reached the beginning of orange season. When I started my service last year around this time, we were in the throes of orange season, and there were days when I would eat 10 or 12 oranges a day. I’d gorge, binge, indulge in oranges until my mouth tingled from the bite in the peel and my stomach was full and bloated with orange juice. Then I’d have one more. I’m sure I’ll do it again this year, too. Now I’ve had a year here, I’ve experienced all the fruit and vegetable seasons, I’ve seen every kind of bug, bird, monkey, and lizard that I can imagine, and there’s still so much I haven’t done or seen yet. Good thing I have another year left.
It’s been a very long while since I last wrote, which I had brought to my attention by my dear friend Catherine Basham. So here's my update.
In the last few months, since I've gotten back to Panama from Minnesota, I've been busy mostly training the new group of volunteers, group 66. I've been in and out of the city and in and out of my community trying to coordinate a Tech Week that took place two weeks ago (of which I've posted photos!). I had 21 trainees in my site for 10 days, living and working in and with my community. It went well, thankfully, but at times felt like mayhem. The trainees learned to build composting latrines, pit latrines, a tube bridge, tapstands and they learned how to fix breaks in a water system. At the end of the week, my community had a big despedida (a farewell party) for all the trainees and gave them all little presents. There was a piñata, some food, and some traditional Wounaan dances. By the time the despedida rolled around, I was exhausted. I just wanted everyone to leave so I could sleep for a week! Which is pretty much exactly what I did the following week!
I went to my friend Catherine's site for a little R&R, and we walked up to her toma (her water source) and incidentally swam is some clear pools and waterfalls. I have a tragic life, I know. I've thrown some pictures of that, as well, just to make you all jealous.
Now I'm back in the city, enjoying some city time, time with friends, medical appointments (okay, well I'm not really going to enjoy that part) and then some seminars. I've also added some more photos of my birthday, taken in Coclé, and some canasta by the ladies in my town. Enjoy!
