Day 419

March 3, 2013

Hello All,

We are starting a library in Loma Bonita!! There are no parks or public areas, no soccer fields or playgrounds in the community. Kids drive their parents and the teachers crazy after school looking for stuff to do. There have even been incidents in the past with kids getting hit by cars or causing accidents playing too close to the highway, so I want to start a library/after school play space.

We are all very excited about the coming library. After much discussion, we have decided to put the library in the school, where it can be used by teachers and students during the day, and hopefully by the rest of the community in the afternoons and evenings. We're looking for help everywhere, local elected officials, the Ministry of Education, libraries in Dekalb County; we've been pretty lucking so far. We are hoping to put books, games, art supplies, computers, a TV and DVD player in the library. I want this space to be a place for kids to play and also a place where we can have community activities for everyone; movie nights, technology classes, homework help, resource center.

When I first started talking about starting a library, no one showed too much interest. I realized nobody knew what I was talking about; there are no libraries in the area. So, I brought some books and board games that I bought at the thrift store back down with me after New Years. I opened up a 'mini' library on my front porch and invited all the kids to play. Well, the idea has since taken off. I have between 5- 15 kids at my house everyday playing memory, jenga, uno and putting together puzzles. I had to put open and closing times on the library, and all the kids show up running everyday at 3pm. One day, I was 20 minutes late. I had gone to the Regional Office of the Ministry of Education to talk with the Regional Director, and the bus dropped me off at the bus stop at 3:23. The kids spotted me from the top of the hill and came running, "Beth is here!" I didn't make it to my house before I was trailed by a cloud of library patrons. The 'mini' library has provided me with a good opportunity to teach the kids how to use a library. How to turn the pages of a book; to wash one's hands before playing; to put one game up before starting the next. They have also learned that the Gringa can kick some butt in jenga.

We're just starting the project, getting the community excited, looking for support, applying for grant money. I am really excited about this project. I hope that it will be something that the community can use for years and years. I'll keep everyone posted!

Other updates:
Another Iguana laid her eggs: 27 eggs this time. Still waiting on 6 others.

I passed the firefighter inspection and have been told that people will start connecting the houses this week (what's that saying about fool me once, fool me twice? I don't know if i'm being hopefully or just pathetic).

The new volunteer group is here, and a volunteer will be coming out to stay with my for a couple of days to see how volunteer life is.

There was a roadblock today (3/4/13). This is Panamanians' main way of protesting. They block off a road, the Interamerican highway in this case, and wait for a government official to come out and chat. My community wasn't running this block, but it was in the community. The highway, only road on this side of the country, was completely blocked for 6ish hours. You an see some of the traffic in the pictures.

Day 401

February 13, 2013 

Happy Ash Wednesday!!

I just got back from Catholic Mass, where I got ashed by a Father in Spanish. Who would have thought that Peace Corps would broaden my horizons in so many ways? The Priest also invited me to come with him and the nuns to a vigil very far away. I have no idea what I just got myself into, but I'll let you all know.

Now for the Iguana Update:

It is egg laying season for Iguana, like you all know (of course). Iguanas lay once a year. They can lay anywhere between 10 and 70+ eggs, but they're kinda like chickens in that, they lay the eggs whether they're fertilized or not. The lady Iguana keeps the iguanas inside her for a couple of months until they get so big that she can't fit any food inside her (we know to put them in the egg laying chamber when they stop eating). Then she will come down from the trees and look for a good spot to dig a hole on a sandy river bank, sometimes digging several fake holes to throw off the other lady iguanas, who will look for nest, kill the eggs and lay her own in that same hole.

In Loma Bonita, our first iguana has laid her eggs!!! We are all so proud. She laid 26 eggs, but 2 were broken. So, we moved 24 eggs to the incubator. The incubator is a buck half filled with sand, layer of eggs, and topped off with more sand and then put in a hole in the ground and protected from pests (chickens, ants, dog, hungry panamanians).

Now, we wait 70-75 days for the eggs to hatch (if they are fertilized). Plus we have 7 other ladies getting ready to lay. Keep an eye out for an egg count, and in a couple of months, a baby count! I told the iguana group that they would soon be parents to 200 baby iguanas--that did not please them. I am very excited!!!

When the babies come, they will need to be handled daily (so they will be accustomed to people) and measured to make sure they are growing.

I'll put the pictures up on Facebook 

Day 391

February 3, 2013

The last two weeks have flown by, but still it seems like forever since I was in the States.  I've talked about it with some other volunteers; we call it the Peace Corps time warp. Weeks fly, days drag, lives in the states stand still, while everything seems to change so quickly.

Anyway... I went to the river with Sr Jose to get sand to make the Iguana egg laying chamber last week. While Jose didn't let me use a shovel, he did let me hold the bag while he shoveled in the sand, can anyone say progress (hint of sarcasm)! He also listened to my Iguana pointers. Nobody has laid yet, but they still have till the end of February until we get worried.

I went with a friend, who lives in an indigenous community (Woonaan), to what we were told was a cultural event--everyone would be dancing and singing and what not. We got out of the back of a pick-up only to realize that we had been told wrong (not unusual). It was the 'Congreso'. Congresos are held every 3 years. A representative from all the Woonaan communities in the Darien get together to bring up issues and discuss solutions and laws and community stuff. Pretty cool! Except...Sara and I were asked to get up in front of the 200+ people and introduce ourselves and explain what we are doing in Panama, wonderful--nothing like spur of the moment, public speaking in a foreign language to get the day going.

We had another regional meeting. We have these meetings with all the volunteers in the area every trimester, and this was my third (one year, just about, done). After the meeting we had a talent show. I can't tell you how dangerous too much spare time can be! These people are weird, you guys are just lucky that I have been able to find productive uses for my time (Harry Potter, here we go again!).

After the meeting, I headed home with a close volunteer to her lake front community. We had a good time eating good food, chatting, and exploring the caves near her site.

Last, but not least, Loma Bonita hosted their first cock fight last night. Interesting... The majority of the people at the fight were not from the community, and I don't know that the people here really knew what to do with themselves. I don't know how the fights went, I didn't stay and watch, but the partying lasted until 5am. And people were still in the bus stops waiting for the bus this morning when I was on my way to church. Community members must have joined in at some point because just about no one came to church this morning. Just my luck, I was giving a presentation to solicit help with my library project, and there were only about 25 people--at least those 25 seemed interested.

Pictures will be on Facebook

Day 372

January 15, 2013

Happy New Years!!! I just got back to Loma Bonita after two wonder but freaking cold weeks in the US. I had a great time hanging out with the family. My dad and siblings met my mom and me at the airport, where they wasted no time embarrassing me with picture taking and weirdness. Then I spent the next two weeks eating, watching movies, catching up on everything I've missed this past year (Honey boo boo, Gangham Style, Miley Cyrus' new hair).

I flew down to hang out with my grandparents and Florida family. I showed my Grandma a years worth of blog posts because she says she can't figure out computers enough to sit next to my Grandpa while pulls up the blog. Hope you get to read this Gaga! I also got to meet my new nieces and hang out with Rachel, Chris and Hunter, who are all coming down here in April. If they can make it down, I'm not sure anyone else will be able to come up with an excuse not to stop by and see me.

It was two weeks that flew by too quickly. I enjoyed my time in the States, ice skating, thrift store shopping, sitting by the fire, jumping on the trampoline, chatting with family and friends, making and eating 'thanksgiving/xmas' dinner (congrats to Rachel for guessing how much Jimmy would eat, 4lbs), getting the eye doctor hooked on the blog, chick-fil-a friday mornings.  Thanks to everyone for fitting me into your schedules!

Day 356

December 30, 2012 

Mom's Visit

My mom came to visit me for a week. She came down to spend Christmas with me in Loma Bonita. I picked her up at the airport, diplomat style (at the gate), and we headed into the city to have a beer at the hotel and relax before our travels to my house the next day. Monday morning we got up, and mom got to meet my closet volunteer, who was also in the city meeting his family for the holidays. While my mom had never met him in person, they have facebook friends in common, so my mom felt like they already knew each other--so it was easy to become best friend in no time. They my mom and I headed over to the 'american' grocery store to buy supplies for the next week in the campo.

Mom's trip started off great with unbelievable holiday traffic, an incredibly stuffed bus ride, and a slight accident when the bus sideswiped a kid while passing through a community. To reassure everyone, the kid was okay (freaked out, but not hurt badly), and this does not happen often.

On Christmas Day, we went to Torti. I, being American, didn't expect anything to be open, but I asked several people how stuff works in Panama on Holiday, and everyone assured me that everything would be open--that most people celebrate on Christmas Eve. Well, of course, we got to Torti and everything was closed. We headed to a popular Peace Corps spot to sit on the porch to use the internet. The owner of the closed hotel came out a little bit later with dinner plates filled with ham and rice and potato salad for my mom, me, himself and one of the yard workers. We all sat together and ate an unexpected Christmas dinner together. Panama will let you down with it unreliableness, and then surprise you with its wonderfulness.

The next day, my mom and I host a Christmas cookie decorating party at my house. We didn't know what to expect. We weren't able to find all the cookie ingredients, we didn't know who (if any) would show up, bug ate half of the candy canes we bought, and it was HOT. But we made the dough as best we could, mixed up some icing and put it in ziploc bags, made some 'apple juice' and waited to see what would happen. Well, about 50 people showed up right on time. And like good Panamanians, everyone was too embarrassed to be the first to come in and make a cookie. It didn't take too long for a brave kid to set up, and after that it was cookie making madness. The party went great! We used up all the dough and decorating supplies, some how there were still enough candy canes for everyone, the juice was drunk, and there were no 'that's my cookie' meltdowns. Huge Success!!

My mom and I spent the last couple of days in the city enjoying restaurants air conditioning. We met up with one of my friends serving as a volunteer for the Japanese version of Peace Corps called JICA for lunch and cheese cake. Then we headed to the movie theater for my first movie in a year. I have to say that I really enjoyed the inspirational and deep Twilight Part 2. Then, on December 30, my mom and I headed to the airport to fly back to the US together!!

(I have pictures, but again, can't figure this thing out. So, I'm going to try to put them up on Facebook)

Day 333

December 7, 2012

Here are more pictures from November...

Hanging out at a friend's site, celebrating one of the many Independence Days in Panama.  The kids are climbing up to the top of a greased pole to pull down a sack filled with tuna fish and rice and stuff. 

One of the many Independence Day parades.

The little girl is bringing the pollera to the 21st century. 

More parade

And more... these are the little boys from my friend's school. They practiced this routine a bunch, and I have to say they were the best in the parade!

Kids from my school dancing in a cultural presentation after the parade. 

Day 327

December 1, 2012

Approaching my year in country mark, and it is hard to believe. I have to admit that I still feel very new and experience awkward gringa moments just about everyday.

The month of November is full is Panamanian holidays and other excitement.

Enjoy the photos!!! 

One reason that it is a good idea to shake out your clothes before putting them on!

Electricity is coming to Loma Bonita! Don't get too excited only two of the street lights were turned on and only for a night. This picture was take about a month ago--and still no electricity, but they still say it's coming. 

Planted coffee with the environmental group in the community. Here we are taking a load of little coffee plants down to the farm where they will be planted. We took 3 tractor load out as far as the tractor would go, and then set out on horse. 

This is where the coffee plants will be planted. 

Manolo, my community guide, wanted to take me out to his farm to pick some yucca for dinner. This is after a 20 min car ride and a half hour hike, and we still aren't there. I don't know if this counts as eating locally. That little rancho in the background doubles as a house during planting and harvesting season. And the lake is toward the top right corner--hard to see.  

I don't know if this video will work, but this is what happens when a person has been left alone for too long.