Day 10-20

Back in the City. It has only been a couple of weeks since we moved in
with our host families, but it feels like we’ve been in Panama for
months.

We all moved into our host families last Sunday. Each volunteer is in
his/her own house. There was a problem with my host family that the PC
found out about the night before I was suppose to move in, so a PC rep
had to run out to the city the morning we were all moving in and find
a place for me to stay. It all worked out. My host mother didn’t know
that I was living with her until I showed up on her doorstep. She was
very glad to have me, though. She is married, but her husband is out
of the house for work several weeks every month. My house is NICE! I
have my own room, an indoor bathroom and tile shower, and a little dog
that I named Max—so my family will always remember me. We watch 7th
Heaven or Judging Amy every night. Not quite the Peace Corps
experience I was expecting—but no complaining here! Others in the
group are sharing rooms, using latrines, and taking bucket baths.

Training has been going well so far. We wake up in the morning and
have Spanish class for 4 hours, go home for lunch, and head back for 4
hours of technical training. Last Friday, we ventured out in small
groups to a nearby city to test out our skills with the public
transit. Days are long and hot, but they are going by quickly.
We got to explore Panama City last week in small groups. It was a lot
of fun to have a little bit of free time. After a PC led scavenger
hunt, I went to Casco Viejo—the old part of the city—to have lunch
with a couple of other volunteers. Then I met up with some other
volunteers at the mall. We were all itching for a beer (don’t tell
PC), so we headed to the casino, in the mall, and hung out for an hour
before we had to head back to the training site.

This past weekend, we all headed out on our own to visit current
volunteers. Travel there went fine. Most of the volunteers organized
small travel groups of people heading to the same areas.  I visited a
volunteer living in Rincon de las Palmas in Cocle. I had a great time!
I got to hang out in the capital city of Cocle and meet several
volunteers in the area. Then I headed up to my volunteer’s site. She
lives in a pretty big town, 1000 people, about 40 minutes outside of
the capital city. We chatted, hung out, read in hammocks, visited
community members, went to an orange festival, and relaxed. It was a
wonderful weekend, until my trip home. I got almost home and waited
for a bus to my community. Many came, but none stopped—they were all
full. I waited for an hour and a half, but with no luck. I started to
get worried, it would be getting dark in a couple of hours and it was
at least a three hour walk to my house.
Well, I’m home. I don’t want to get in trouble with PC or my mom, so
I’ll leave it there.

Day 4: Delayed Pics

Today I went on a field trip with my environmental group to visit a volunteer, who is currently serving in a community that can only be reached by dugout canoe. It was beautiful. It is the scene that I have in my head when I think about PC. We visited a volunteer that runs an after school eco club, a baking club with ladies in the community, a eco and health friendly stove making project, solar panel project, english and tech classes among other things. She is quite amazing. It was nice to see an example of what I might be doing.

This is the port where the bus dropped us off and we hopped on a boat to go to the volunteer site.

This is the volunteer's house that her community built for her.

A couple of pics from the past:

Good Bye party at Dave and Busters. Lots of fun--thanks to everyone who made the trip to see me off (Sue, the Roberts and Dad)

In the ATL airport at 5am. Now I have to carry all that stuff around Panama.

City of Knowledge. Old army base where we have training and where a couple of people are staying. 

This is the view from the PC office. That is the Canal over by those smoke stacks. 

I'm heading off tomorrow to move in with my first host family. I'm not sure about internet--so hang in there.

Day 3

Hi all,

Today was a BUSY day. We started off with a little water safety--not what is safe to drink or how to treat water to make it potable. We learned what to do if we get carried down a river or taken out to sea by a rip current.

Then we separated into little groups for Spanish. The class was only an hour (they will be four hours every morning starting Monday), but it was a lot of fun.

Next I got a Hep A shot. And learned about my health benefits as a peace corps volunteer. I found out that PC will send a pregnant woman home after her first trimester and pay for the pregnancy and delivery--so several PC volunteers have planned strategically in their last months here.

Lastly, we were dropped off in the national bus terminal, which is huge. We were given a little scavenger hunt to familiarize ourselves with how the bus system works. I have to say that I think now I am even more worried about traveling--I'm not sure that I have figured anything new out about transportation in Panama. Right across from the bus station is the hugest mall I have ever seen. It is probably Mall of Georgia size with many of the same stores. We hung out there, had dinner, shopped for any little things we might need, and hopped back on the bus to head back to the hotel.

Tomorrow is going to be a big day...Field Trip!!!!

I have a couple of pics from the base that we are at this week, which is right by the canal (Mira flores area). I'll post the pics tomorrow. It is getting pretty late, and we have another long day ahead of us tomorrow. 

Day 2

The day was pretty good. Long and exhausting. Another day of training/orientation at the old army base. We met with some more PC staffers and a couple of volunteers met up with us to hang out. It was nice. One of the volunteers is in my sector, so it was nice hearing about what she is doing--cause I still don't really know what I'll be doing. 

All the ladies got pregnancy test--blood drawn, while the dang men stood around chatting.

Then we had Spanish interviews to test out which level we should be in. I don't really know how I did--didn't get too much feedback. I was a little disappointed in my responses and it will take a while to get use to the accents--I definetely have some practicing to do, but that's what the next 3 months are for!

Lastly, I had an interview with the head guy of my sector. He went over my interview, and we kinda talked about what I would like to do and such. I told him that I was a bit nervous since I am one of the few, if not only, people who has no environmental experience. But he said he like my 'interest' and drive, and that training will give me all I need if I work at it. 

Then we had dinner, spagetti, and headed back to the hotel. I'm going to try to head to bed early again tonight because we have another early morning and long day in front of us. 

I know the blog isn't too interesting yet, but I want to keep everyone posted while I can. We head to our training site and first host family on Sunday, and I don't know what kind of access to the internet I'll have. 

Day 1

Day 1:

Fly to Panama

Get through customs and get a group of 54 to the PC offices in the Ciudad del Saber

Eat dinner

Get to hotel

Go to sleep--which is what I'm working on now because Day 2 starts at 6:30am

Yesterday, we had staging in Miami. We got to meet each other and then finish up a bunch of paperwork and then sit through a 6 our talk about what to expect and all. It wasn't too bad. It looks like we have a pretty good bunch of volunteers. Everyone is working hard to get to know each other. 

So stop worrying mom, I'm here--safe and sound

Just About Ready

Believe it or not, but just about all of this stuff fit into a rolling duffel bag (thanks Granddad and Gaga) and a backpacking backpack along with a small day backpack as my carry on, which meet PC size standards. We (volunteers) are suppose to be able to carry all our stuff ourselves as well. So, I can carry it--depending on how far I am expected to walk with it. 

My packing list includes:

• Clothes: jeans, cargo pants, "conservative work shirts," lots of new undies (I read they are hard to come by in Panama, so I stocked up), some t-shirts and scarves (mostly for sun protection)
• I brought a bunch of shoes: 1 tennis, 1 nice dress sandal, 1 flip flop, 1 teva like sandal
• A start up supply of toiletries, including a years worth of contact lenses (don't tell, we aren't allowed to wear contact as PCV). I did bring 4 pairs of glasses just in case, 30 bucks well spent--shout out to zenni optical, I now have a pair to match each of my outfits!
• 2 dry bags and silica packs (I hope will help protect electronics from the humidity)
• Several flashlights
• Ipod
• Kindle full of book--thanks Jason, Mom and Dad
• Pics of fam and friends
• Quick dry towel
• Regular towel
• Umbrella and rain coat--we'll see which works better during the 8 month rainy season
• Watch-haven't worn one of those in a while
• Duct tape--read on another blog that it comes in handy
• Sewing kit
• AND of course, FRIENDS on DVD-the PC encouraged bring a "comfort" item like knitting needles or a guitar or something that will help with your acclamation to a new country. Well, as a Mack, nothing is more comforting than watching Friends over and over again. Long live Friend's references!! 

Alas, there was one thing I just didn't have enough room for, so after much deliberation--I had to leave it behind...

Just joking. It wasn't too hard to let go of, and now I will be a lot cooler in the 90 degree weather. 

Last weekend stateside! Woohoo

One Week Count Down

Hello All

I leave for Miami in one week! I arrive in Miami at 10AM and then take myself and my 2 years worth of stuff to the hotel to meet up with the 51 other volunteers. We have what the Peace Corps calls 'staging' for the rest of  January 10th. I think this is just PC for fill out a bunch of paperwork. Then we all get up early the next morning and fly in our business casual attire to Panama City, where I have been told that we will have the opportunity to use the restroom before we all go through immigration.

I got an email from the PC not too long ago that actually had some useful information it. It looks like the group will have a couple of days together to settle in and get some basic health, language and logistical info before we are shipped off to live with our training host families and start our intensive, 10 week training. My training site is in Los Mortales in the Chorrera district, 2 hours west of Panama City. Training is 6 days a week, 8 hours a day and starts with 4 hours of language training in the morning.

After 4 months of worrying and preparing, I am just about all packed and getting excited. I have my two bags stuffed with clothes, flashlights, toiletries and Friends, and my Kindle is full of books thanks to my parents. And it is nice to have a little bit of information about where I will be and what I will be doing.

Thanks to you all for being supportive and positive. Don't forget about me in the 27 months to come, and keep checking in!