tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-87765803683860989652024-03-05T02:59:22.557-05:00Abby ExploresAbbyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09072920869254438026noreply@blogger.comBlogger176125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8776580368386098965.post-34445705053492808692016-09-20T17:28:00.000-04:002016-09-20T17:28:15.003-04:00I am Geli: How the Peace Corps Changed Me<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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When I first moved to my little town in Panama, the community came together to pick a Ngöbe name for me. After some debate, <a href="http://abbyexplores.blogspot.com/2013/09/a-new-name.html" target="_blank">a name was finally chosen</a> and I became "Geli Quigavo" for the two years I lived in the village. Although it took a little getting used to, before long I was easily introducing myself by my new name and even began to identify as "Geli" just as much as I had ever identified by my given name, "Abby." </div>
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When<a href="http://abbyexplores.blogspot.com/2015/07/saying-goodbye.html" target="_blank"> I left my site</a> for the very last time, I almost cried when one of my best friends, Virginia, said to me, "Now you won't be Geli anymore, will you?" At the time, all I could think about was how much I was losing by leaving this way of life and these people who I had come to view as family. </div>
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I was so excited to finally be going home and starting the next chapter of my life, but I was brokenhearted at the thought of everything-and everyone- that I was leaving behind... including Geli. </div>
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However, the more I thought about it, the more I came to realize that while she's partially right in that I will no longer hear that name called out to me, I will always be Geli Quigavo. </div>
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Geli is strong, both mentally and physically. She's not afraid of hard work, and is not above any type of manual labor (though if we're honest, she's probably always going to be happier in the kitchen). </div>
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She knows the value of community, and devotes time to building hers up. </div>
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Geli knows that strangers are just friends you haven't met yet, and that relationships are built on asking people about their lives and genuinely caring what they have to say. She understands the value in putting herself out there in order to start those relationships, and that a few minutes of awkwardness is well worth the friendships that can come from introducing yourself and starting a conversation. </div>
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Geli loves to travel, but she knows that every town is someone's home, and has learned that just getting to know people and spending time with them (especially when cooking/food is involved) is just as good, if not better, than visiting any tourist attraction.</div>
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Geli thinks about the future and makes plans, but she knows that life happens. When last minute changes pop up, whether it be a roadblock stopping your bus or being asked to lead a workshop starting right now, she'll make it work. She knows that little things are just that- little things, and if you can't change them, they're no use stressing about. </div>
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I became Geli when I lived in my rural Panamanian village, but I'm not leaving her there. As Geli, I became a stronger, kinder, and better person. I learned important lessons that will stay with me for the rest of my life, and now whenever a new friend asks my name and my story, I will tell them about Geli and the people that have built her into me. </div>
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Abbyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09072920869254438026noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8776580368386098965.post-28840568241994315492016-09-13T17:09:00.000-04:002016-09-13T17:09:15.437-04:00A Post-Peace Corps Career<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Life as a Peace Corps volunteer can be weird for many reasons, but one of the principal ones for me was knowing that everything had an expiration date. Ever since the beginning of my service I knew the exact day I would be, all at once, unemployed and internationally relocated away from my friends and community. When you first move to site, that day feels like a million years away, but, <i>poco a poco</i>, that day marches closer and closer until all of the sudden you’re only a few weeks away from COS (Close of Service.)</div>
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<span class="s1">Though my experience as a Peace Corps volunteer made me a much more relaxed person overall (Once you spend three years waiting on meetings and public transportation that almost never start on time, there’s really no way <i>not</i> to be more relaxed…), deep down I still feel a sense of satisfaction and relief from having a plan, especially when it comes to my career. </span></div>
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<span class="s1">The great news is, Peace Corps can be great for your career and you actually<i> can</i> plan your next steps and even find your future job while still in your country of service. </span></div>
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<span class="s1">I served as a PCV in Panama from June 2013- August 2016 and signed my dream job offer in May of 2016 (to start in September of that year). Here’s how I did it:</span></div>
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<li class="li1"><span class="s2"></span><span class="s1"><b>My program was extremely relevant to my desired career path</b>- I studied Marketing and International Business in college and worked as an Agribusiness volunteer in Panama from 2013-2015. My main focus was teaching basic business and financial management practices to cocoa farmers (I always joked that the only way I’d like working in agriculture was if it involved chocolate!), though as is typical in Peace Corps, I worked on a variety of projects including youth development camps, women’s empowerment seminars, and teaching techniques to improve the quality of cocoa. You will never in your life have as much freedom to design your workday as you will in the Peace Corps, and I encourage you to take advantage of it. It’s easy to sit around and add 100 books to your reading list, but that’s not going to help your people or your career. </span></li>
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<li class="li1"><span class="s2"></span><span class="s1"><b>I extended for a third year</b>- I chose to extend my service a third year and work as the Regional Leader of the Darien province from 2015-2016. There were so many benefits to extending and I highly encourage it, but the main reasons I extended were added leadership and coordination responsibilities, the ability to travel more, and the chance to move to an area with amenities (internet!) while still living in Panama. </span></li>
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<li class="li1"><span class="s2"></span><span class="s1"><b>I made a plan</b>- Marketing is such a broad field that I knew I needed a niche in which I could both be happy and best market my Peace Corps experience. Once I thought about it, it was simple- I love business, I love food, and I worked with cocoa farmers… food marketing! Food marketing is still a broad field though, and my goal here was to narrow down to the perfect spot for me, so I kept going. Keeping my personal preferences and experience as a PCV in mind, I knew that I would be a great all-around team player for a small company or startup in which I could have a big impact, that I valued working for a “good” company with a strong mission, and that I would love to work for a company that practices international direct trade (buying straight from the producers and cutting out middlemen), specifically in the chocolate industry. So there we had it- a small chocolate shop that buys at least part of their beans direct from the source. That’s about as niche’d as you can get, but with my experience I really felt like it was worth it to pursue potential jobs in that field. </span></li>
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<li class="li1"><span class="s2"></span><span class="s1"><b>I used free time in year 3 to network</b>- Having internet at my house was really what made all of this possible. I spent hours upon hours researching chocolate makers that bought beans directly from the source (which is actually much rarer than you would expect as almost all chocolate shops instead skip a few steps and buy <i>coverture</i>- essentially pre-made chocolate chips- which they then melt down and mix with various ingredients to make fancier chocolates.) I narrowed my already small list down to locations I’d be willing to live and ended up with about 5 places I was seriously interested in working and checked to see if they were hiring- only one was. Though I obviously wanted a job, more than anything I wanted to talk to people- some places may not be hiring, but may have great advice and contact info for a different place I didn’t even know about. Keeping that in mind, I used LinkedIn to find 5 or 6 people who I felt like would be great contacts. I reached out to them with a short but personalized message and got a response from all but one! Though most of them didn’t have a job opening, reaching out via LinkedIn proved to be extremely useful. In addition to just making more connections, I had the opportunity to talk with multiple business owners and Skype with the sourcing manager for a very well-known bean-to-bar chocolate maker to learn more about the industry. Best of all- it turned out that two of the business owners offered me a job (though only one had an opening posted online). </span></li>
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<li class="li1"><span class="s2"></span><span class="s1"><b>I turned down the job that wasn’t right for me</b>- This one was really hard. As a Peace Corps volunteer, no work sounds like too much work and any salary sounds like a million dollars. So when I received my first job offer, I was ecstatic. It was right in my niche of direct-trade, bean-to-bar chocolate makers, and I felt like it was wrong to turn down something that sounded so much like what I wanted. However, as much as I hate to admit this, I really had to analyze my cost-of-living and work-life balance. When I did that, I realized that the job actually wasn’t the right fit for me. Though I eventually turned it down, talking with the company was still a great experience and I hope to meet them at an industry event down the road. </span></li>
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<li class="li1"><span class="s2"></span><span class="s1"><b>I used technology to my full benefit</b>- Sure, it is much harder to find a job when you’re abroad than when you’re already state-side, but it is totally doable with today’s technologies. I used LinkedIn to contact employers and potential mentors, I interviewed via Skype and Facetime, and I signed my contract on an Adobe pdf. </span></li>
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<li class="li1"><span class="s2"></span><span class="s1"><b>I acknowledged my challenges</b>- Though technology was essential for my job search, it also gave me so many headaches. There was the time that my background noise was so loud (thank you, road construction outside my house) that the person I was skyping with asked me to mute myself when not talking, or the time I tried to avoid that background noise by shutting myself in a room with no fans and ended up very obviously sweating through my nice “skyping blouse,” and there was, of course, the moment when my wifi mysteriously went out TWO MINUTES before a scheduled interview. You can plan all you want, but as we say, Panama happens. From the very beginning, I was honest with my contacts about where I was and the potential technological problems I had no way of fixing. It may have felt like I was failing miserably, but you know what- they understood. </span></li>
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Getting my post-Peace Corps job while still living abroad was hard, but it was so worth it. I was able to finish my last few months of service without the stress of the unknown and was able to negotiate for a later start date so that I could spend time with my family and friends before moving to my new town. Though the job search will be different for everyone depending on your background and desired career path, I hope my experience can help give some insight and ease your worries. If you're a PCV or potential PCV and would like to talk more about job searching post-Peace Corps, send me an email at abbyexplores@gmail.com. I love Peace Corps, I'm really excited about my new job, and I'm more than happy to talk about them! </div>
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Abbyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09072920869254438026noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8776580368386098965.post-50145844672514361952016-08-23T11:30:00.000-04:002016-08-23T11:30:35.560-04:00Next Up: Atlanta<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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After three years with Peace Corps Panama, I'm finally back in the United States and excited for what's next... Moving to Atlanta!</div>
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While I was hoping to stay in the Southeast, where I moved post-Peace Corps depended completely on where I could find a great job. I wanted to work in a pretty niche industry (marketing and business development for a direct trade, bean-to-bar chocolate maker), and I'm so, so happy to have found exactly that here in Atlanta. </div>
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Starting in mid-September, I'll be the Marketing and Sales Coordinator for Xocolatl, a local bean-to-bar chocolate maker. For the first few weeks I'll be getting to know all about their chocolates and chocolate making process by working in the first retail location in the Krog Street Market. After that, I'm happy to put my marketing experience to use to help grow the business through restaurant and retail partnerships. </div>
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<a href="http://www.thedieline.com/blog/2015/6/1/xocalatl-chocolate" target="_blank">source</a></div>
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I really like working with the many different aspects of marketing and business development and enjoy being able to be productive with a variety of projects, so I'm especially looking forward to working in a small business environment. To be able to have all of that AND within the exact niche market I was looking for means that I'm pretty much over-the-moon about this new job. </div>
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Thanks to Facebook, I also found a pretty sweet house-sitting gig from now-the end of November. So, in exchange for taking care of two sweet little cats, I have free rent for my first three months of Atlanta living. </div>
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Those rent-free months will certainly come in handy as I have yet another big change- I bought a car! I had been debating on trading in my pre-Peace Corps car, but had yet to come to a decision when it was made for me- My car was totaled in a wreck a few weeks before I came home. Though thankfully everyone is ok, the car was definitely not and I embarked on a uber-thorough internet search of safe, great-value cars. The day after I arrived home from Panama my dad and I test drove the Subaru Forester and I fell in love. </div>
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So, there you have it. I'm home from Peace Corps and in a short few weeks my new Subaru will be taking me to Atlanta to start work at a chocolate shop! I'm not yet certain about the long-term future of this blog, but since I enjoyed sporadic blogging before Peace Corps, I'll be continuing to write over the coming months. I may not be able to post about my life in Panama anymore, but you can bet I still love to talk about Peace Corps, travel, chocolate, and my little Panamanian pup, Massy. </div>
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Abbyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09072920869254438026noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8776580368386098965.post-36640213135434955642016-08-21T21:07:00.000-04:002016-08-21T21:53:19.568-04:00Closing Service and Coming Home<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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There were times I thought this day would never come, but after 1,134 days in Panama, I'm finally home! I COS'ed (Close of Service) last Thursday, August 11, and am now officially a Returned Peace Corps Volunteer. </div>
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Since I had already transitioned out of my community and into a more developed site for my third year extension, I mistakenly underestimated the emotions I would be experiencing during my last week in Panama. </div>
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On one hand, I was ecstatic for leaving Panama and moving on- I was going to have a few weeks off for much needed family time, and I'd also be buying a computer and car before moving to an awesome city to start an incredible job. On the other, I was leaving a country that had become home to me. I love speaking Spanish everyday, buying cheap street food, traveling for work, and being a part of the amazing work that Peace Corps does in Panama. </div>
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Atlanta will be great and my new job will be great, but it won't be anything like Peace Corps. </div>
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I'm excited and I'm sad, but I know that this is the right time to see what's next.<br />
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Abbyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09072920869254438026noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8776580368386098965.post-27584660910589360072016-08-01T12:55:00.000-04:002016-08-01T12:58:59.332-04:00Guatape and La Piedra de Peñol<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Very few places look exactly as they do in Pinterest photographs, but Guatape (the town) and La Piedra del Peñol (the giant rock) are definitely two of them. A short hour and a half bus ride from Medellin, this is the perfect day trip. The 740 step climb is more than worthwhile for the views you'll be rewarded with, and afterwards reward yourself with a <i>bandeja paisa</i> for lunch. The bandeja paisa is typical for the region and boasts a whopping array of rice, beans, ground meat, fried pork rind, sausage, fried egg, potato salad, avocado, sweet plantain, and an arepa. It may be a lot, but surely you've earned it after those stairs ;)</div>
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Abbyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09072920869254438026noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8776580368386098965.post-15091716521413556012016-06-14T10:21:00.000-04:002016-06-14T10:21:43.691-04:00Beauty and Food at the Medellin Botanical Garden<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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I don't think it'll surprise anyone that Peace Corps volunteers can be some of the best budget travelers around, so when looking for activities in Medellin I had three questions in mind: Is it easily accessible, free (or a good value), and, perhaps most importantly, is there good food nearby? </div>
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After a leisurely breakfast with our AirBnB host family, we took the metro right up to the Botanical gardens (easily accessible- check). All areas are free and open to the public everyday (free!), and we were surprised to stumble upon the best meal we would eat from our entire trip (the best food).</div>
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The sprawling gardens are planned into multiple different themes ranging from dessert beauty to swampland, an orchid garden, and even a butterfly enclosure. You can also find a gift-shop, a small cafe, the amazing Situ restaurant, and even tree nurseries and greenhouses offering plants for purchase. </div>
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When we walked by Situ, we were sure it would be out of our price range. This is the type of restaurant that's incredibly gorgeous on its own, featuring an open floor plan so that patrons can enjoy the beautiful gardens and fountains in the midst of Medellin's perfect Spring weather. However, thanks to the strength of the American dollar during our visit, we realized that this was exactly the sweet, sit down meal we were looking for. </div>
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Most of the items of the menu were locally sourced, and many of the fruits, vegetables, and herbs even came from right there at the Botanical gardens. After we spent a fair amount of time trying not to drool over our options (this was not the type of restaurant for that), we finally decided to start out with two appetizers- a plate of homemade cheese, fried and served over a mixed berry compete, and a coconut lobster soup. Though I tried to convince my friend to get something different than me so that I could try two different things, we both ended up getting their specialty salad- local greens served with mango, serrano ham, feta cheese, green apple, pecans, tomatoes, sesame seeds, and rose petals. Every dish was just as amazing as it sounds and still only came out to just under $30 USD. Where else can you get a deal like that?</div>
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Abbyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09072920869254438026noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8776580368386098965.post-3076627275452835972016-05-20T17:02:00.001-04:002016-05-20T17:05:49.125-04:00Cartagena, Colombia<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Cartagena was hot, beautiful, kind, and oh so tasty. </div>
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After spending a long night in the Medellin airport, we finally arrived to the beautiful historic district where we would be staying in Cartagena. Our noses and rumbling bellies quickly led us to a corner bakery where we were all too pleased to learn that the local people are especially skilled in baking delicious, mouth-watering delicacies. The only way we were able to choose between the cheesy breads, overstuffed empanadas, sweet croissants, and unidentifiable rolls of beauty was by promising ourselves we would get something new each day (or in our case, multiple times a day...) As we were waiting on the staff to make our freshly squeezed juices, I couldn´t help but ask the man sitting beside us what he had chosen. Not only did he explain some of the local specialties to us, he even offered to split half of his breakfast with me so that I could try it! Little did we realize that that man was just the beginning in an incredible show of hospitality (and amazing food) that we would experience in Colombia. </div>
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We spent a decent majority of our time wandering the streets of Cartagena´s historic district, which is filled with boutique shops, restaurants, and artisan vendors. Despite being an obvious tourist spot, most of the prices were extremely reasonable- another welcome surprise!</div>
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Once we felt like we had had our fill of shopping and street food, we ventured over to Convento de la Popa, a Catholic convent on the edge of town dating back to the early 1600´s. It was the perfect place to watch the sunset over the city and a perfect ending to the first half of our trip.</div>
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Abbyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09072920869254438026noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8776580368386098965.post-18405777555788343182016-05-02T11:16:00.003-04:002016-05-09T22:28:21.330-04:00To Colombia<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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It's been a while since I've blogged and, thankfully for me, I've finally gotten into the "busy season" of my job. So, after only having a few days at home over nearly a month, I was looking forward to a vacation quite a bit. </div>
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Before coming to Panama, Colombia was never on my list of places to visit. After all, the only Colombia that I knew of was certainly dangerous and not worth the time, expense, and risk to go there. </div>
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However, due to its close proximity and cheap costs, Colombia is a very popular vacation destination for volunteers in Panama, and it seemed that every person that visited the country returned with nothing but glowing reviews. After hearing so many good things about the people and places in Colombia, I finally decided to pack my bags and take the 50 minute flight to South America. </div>
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Let me tell you- those glowing reviews were not wrong. From our very first morning in Cartagena when a local man offered to share his breakfast with me when I couldn't decide what to order to our last day in Medellin when our AirBnB hosts spent the morning teaching me how to cook arepas, my trip to Colombia was filled with so many wonderful experiences with kind people, beautiful places, and great food. As those happen to be three of my favorite things, how could I not love it?</div>
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I'll be posting a few more blogs about the costs (unbelievably cheap), our favorite things to do, and why staying with a host family can be one of your favorite parts of a trip to Colombia. In the meantime, here are some of the photos from a country I will definitely be going back to. </div>
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Abbyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09072920869254438026noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8776580368386098965.post-47747871399359365972016-01-22T16:46:00.003-05:002016-01-22T16:57:26.320-05:00#MassyMeetsAmerica<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="text-align: justify;">If you’ve been following my blog for just about any amount of time you’ve probably read about the little puppy that wrangled his way into my heart and home during my first week in site...</span></div>
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As a refresher: I’ve loved dogs my entire life, and knew
that I would want a furry little companion to keep me company throughout the
ups and downs that every Peace Corps volunteer knows all too well. On my very first day visiting my future site
in Bocas del Toro, Panama, my host siblings eagerly showed off a litter of
newborn puppies to me. I picked one for
myself and named him Massy after my dog from home who had recently passed away
(switch the S and M and Sammy becomes Massy).
I lived in that village for two years, and it didn’t matter whether I
was hanging out in my house all day or hiking 15 miles to go camping, Massy
never left my side. Villagers became accustomed
to always seeing us together, and would happily volunteer to watch over him
when I had to make trips that he couldn’t come along for. It wasn’t long before everyone knew that
there was no way I would be able to leave my spotted little sidekick
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZjMRx8a2pgiJl4UtDbOorT4VW7sGiMeohW7WnmX64M8oALj0VbJIJ6SdwimDfKyPMRz_BHgttjEY0-y8vTfKr4mq7rmPf_GRGYK9JScoZG76t6fqhmAB31NbOkL_nik3sSlNFtjo9qKiC/s1600/11425257_10155711717165217_4045501668077793676_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZjMRx8a2pgiJl4UtDbOorT4VW7sGiMeohW7WnmX64M8oALj0VbJIJ6SdwimDfKyPMRz_BHgttjEY0-y8vTfKr4mq7rmPf_GRGYK9JScoZG76t6fqhmAB31NbOkL_nik3sSlNFtjo9qKiC/s640/11425257_10155711717165217_4045501668077793676_n.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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My dad met Massy during his trips to Panama, and just like
the villagers who knew and loved my sweet, funny pup, happily offered to let
Massy live on our East Tennessee farm. Knowing that there was a place where he could
run around and be happy in the United States made everything easier, but it was
still to be determined exactly how and when the international move would take
place. </div>
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Fast forward to this past July, when I moved across country
to take a new job in Darien. Contrary to the rural village that I was
previously assigned to, Meteti is a sizeable (for Panama) city of about 5,000
people with busses and cars that blow right past my house throughout the
day. For my new job I’m frequently
traveling, usually on busses, and have no fenced in yard. Leaving my village, facilitating the export of
furry <i>hijo</i>, <b>and</b> starting a new job was more than I wanted to take on, so Massy
came along. </div>
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We spent two miserable days convincing bus drivers that no,
he wasn’t a bad dog; yes, he is clean; and please, please, won’t you please let
me take him with me before I cry…</div>
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Finally, we made it to the Darien and I was surprised at
well he adapted to his new home. Massy
is extremely social and loves to visit both people and dogs, so keeping him
locked in my house was impossible. He
seemed to know to stay out of the road when making his visiting rounds, and my
new neighbors thought it hilariously endearing that my dog, true to Panamanian
form, liked to <i>pasear</i>. We learned how to smuggle him onto busses by
slipping him into a woven bag so that he could accompany me on my work trips
and we realized that dogs, especially dogs disguised as babies or groceries
while on a bus, would always make great conversation starters.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7J4mNfujeJ0ER0AAmBOrutJC_Y25YIqEE39BHCbjYQAdgbegfjvlNdbt-RSUhN7clA8TgGpRlG2zd82lxjkSB2rqotYSAKljmyBKmI7crmnglkoliKo6lwXavP_lvHyse5B231EiQHQyB/s1600/IMG_0906.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7J4mNfujeJ0ER0AAmBOrutJC_Y25YIqEE39BHCbjYQAdgbegfjvlNdbt-RSUhN7clA8TgGpRlG2zd82lxjkSB2rqotYSAKljmyBKmI7crmnglkoliKo6lwXavP_lvHyse5B231EiQHQyB/s320/IMG_0906.JPG" width="240" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7Xmk8588jGgrFVgmm1x_e9Ys3We2eFL7pCSvO3aDP3UXD2mC0yaST-sIu3pYWkyOiQaIy4eJJOQtyx16aJaUcQd2zQNziwQcpKA0El47L6xTaNaTOBhtVhQyUx0XD1Vv6OKwvUdmAs1ry/s1600/IMG_0903.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7Xmk8588jGgrFVgmm1x_e9Ys3We2eFL7pCSvO3aDP3UXD2mC0yaST-sIu3pYWkyOiQaIy4eJJOQtyx16aJaUcQd2zQNziwQcpKA0El47L6xTaNaTOBhtVhQyUx0XD1Vv6OKwvUdmAs1ry/s320/IMG_0903.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
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Although I would have loved to keep him with me until I
finish my service in September, I always felt that I was just one step away
from a tragic accident that would take him away from me- the sound of buses
hitting a speed bump too fast had me running outside, the nights where Massy
didn’t want to come home until late had me wondering if someone had simply
taken him, and knowing that there were way too many potentially toxic things
that he could eat on the side of the road was more stressful than I
imagined. </div>
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The final straw was when I had to take a work trip without
him due to transportation limitations. The
friend who was taking care of him suddenly fell sick and had to be taken to
Panama City for treatment, and just like that, Massy was alone in a city where
I didn’t have anyone to watch out for him.
The next four days were tortuous- was he getting anything to eat? Had he been hit by a car? Had he simply run away because there was no
one for him to go to? </div>
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Thankfully, I returned to find Massy sitting in my front
yard, scanning faces until he saw mine.
Although I knew I would miss his goofy antics and his constant company,
I realized that knowing he was safe was more important. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgT-AvkbW9a0AfH_1UDULYN3xIAtrogR1Rv2inrgVc7y-YYX6ExAGlxDjJ9vVc9EVJp9W5itWhiZRU1q884qyfRLF64gHrxEHPgzcidD38DSbygcAbHG3_1UBNIubhV2E1yGJs0UzjqPOuV/s1600/IMG_0188.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgT-AvkbW9a0AfH_1UDULYN3xIAtrogR1Rv2inrgVc7y-YYX6ExAGlxDjJ9vVc9EVJp9W5itWhiZRU1q884qyfRLF64gHrxEHPgzcidD38DSbygcAbHG3_1UBNIubhV2E1yGJs0UzjqPOuV/s640/IMG_0188.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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As it turns out, dog people are drawn to each other- we’re a
friendly crew that can’t resist introducing ourselves to strangers in order to
pet their dogs. In such a manner, Massy
and I met Candido, a veterinarian working for the Department of
Agriculture. He told me that he had
worked in the Panama City airport overseeing the import and export of animals,
and that now he has a small business on the side to help foreigners navigate the
headache that is sending their own pets home.
We exchanged contact info, and a few weeks later I gave him a call. </div>
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Regulations and costs for importing animals into the United
States vary greatly depending on location, breed, and size of the animal. Lucky for me, Panama is one of the easier
countries, the flight is a short 3 hours, and Massy is a pretty small, very
well behaved dog. </div>
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Though there isn’t that much paperwork you have to complete
ahead of time, it’s all<b> very</b>
specific and easy to mess up. They must be translated into English and
Spanish (but line by line, as a separate page is invalid), some certifications
must be dated within 10 days of departure (but others must be dated at least
three months ahead of time), the dog must be present to receive some papers
(but other offices will not let you bring animals inside), some certifications
are free (but others you will need to first pay inside a random bank), and the
list goes on. It’s doable, but very,
very stressful. That’s where Candido
comes in- for a small fee, he completes all pre-departure preparations so that all
the pet owner had to do was to show up at the airport at the specified
time. I would say that means no hassles,
but if you have the luck I do, your taxi driver may decide not to pick you up
in the morning, you may have incorrectly estimated the weight of the crate
(causing more problems than believed), and you may have misread the line about
getting a copy of the receiver’s (my dad, in this case) ID. </div>
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<div style="text-align: justify;">
Hassles aside, Massy arrived safely to the United States at
the end of October and my dad drove to Atlanta to pick him up from United’s
PetSafe division. I was the frantic dog
mom that almost cried when his crate was picked up by a forklift and taken away
and also requested the live tracking information that I would spend the day
refreshing. But, at the end of the day, Massy
was safe.</div>
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I had been planning on flying home for one of my best friend’s
wedding, so my dad and I timed it so that I would depart for the states a few
days after my dog in case any problem arose.
It was my first time back in America in over 14 months, but instead of
food, driving my own car, or other exciting things, the moment I was most
excited for was to be reunited with Massy. Judging by his reaction, I think it’s
safe to say that he was pretty excited too.
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Massy now lives on my dad’s farm and loves hunting for
crawdads in our creek, running laps around the 15 acre property, and ensuring
the other 3 dogs he lives with get their daily amount of exercise. I was recently on home leave for a month and
loved the time I got to spend introducing Massy to his new country. We went to outdoor restaurants, walked
through the park, and even picked out a coat for his first winter. Since then, he’s learned how tasty American
dog food can be, how many laps of running it takes to burn trails into the
grass, and how comfortable sofas are, much to my dad’s feigned chagrin. <br />
<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5pl4Z589ARD1AVV42IBax9CsSManXO6R-dzM3pc5qOpeYwkhrwTFhKcXsl6BHLuuLvDOnNJqVxG0MfZ9wlnQJfgidHgKlwOjHWnJ55rJyBh_Tt6nSvmxoot-QpyojqiQjFU01OV24lRQD/s1600/IMG_1110.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5pl4Z589ARD1AVV42IBax9CsSManXO6R-dzM3pc5qOpeYwkhrwTFhKcXsl6BHLuuLvDOnNJqVxG0MfZ9wlnQJfgidHgKlwOjHWnJ55rJyBh_Tt6nSvmxoot-QpyojqiQjFU01OV24lRQD/s640/IMG_1110.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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I’m back in Panama and these 8 months will be the
longest time we’ve ever been separated.
It makes me a little sad, especially when I hear about him sitting on
the front porch, scanning the people that drive by, or sleeping on the
pillowcase I used when I was there, but ultimately I know it was the best thing
for both of us and am eagerly awaiting our second reunion. </div>
</div>
Abbyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09072920869254438026noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8776580368386098965.post-32449540096694911932016-01-18T15:10:00.001-05:002016-01-18T15:10:39.945-05:00What To Do When You're Alone on Your Birthday<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPQExzFoMgSPei_qN5rB30B4pQPE4mfZ9SkLRbA4rmScrX1Hdr2Fw9ZYrBIxvUM0XaQIijQRslBQDAEbK-p3kdPJfqDOa1m4LhoO0VOd2QhpYJPBM8x9q4JnLQaACAKbhedPTv6BnBL6s6/s640/IMG_1718.JPG" width="640" /></div>
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This past Friday was my 25th birthday, and for the first time ever, I was alone on my birthday... or so I thought. </div>
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Since we had just returned from a gloriously long vacation in the United States, my friends and I all had to return to our respective Peace Corps sites a few days before my birthday. Even though we made sure to celebrate early, I still felt a little weird knowing that I wouldn't be around the people I loved most on January 15. </div>
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I spent Thanksgiving alone too, and had planned to cook myself a fabulous meal and savor the time to myself. Unfortunately, that turned out to be a pretty sad and lonely day, and I wasn't about to have a repeat on my hands. </div>
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So, I made cookies.</div>
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Armed with little packages of pink, freshly baked cookies and wearing a birthday cake printed skirt, I</div>
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walked around town and handed them out to all of the people I regularly talk to- the people at the development agencies, the mother who lives down the road and loves to text me, my fruit and veggie stand owners, and even the guy that sells clothes at a booth on the side of the road.</div>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKLUmFSPPzJjn0vLMY04cNI-VuHF8tTkZXkTidykQIYdI_3-zY8RlLpHXRCHkcJRwcfDyYjZFtIA_301FXZRzewBPg7T3tdgLreJLStOEzEhbZBR2Wt4cJ2O3kA-4GmAQsSUDmPgra47TE/s1600/IMG_1731.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbgM7b0m9E0UlpuKIFTYQNA7Mv2e57x8CFjT69Mk4yhOoUa33ZO9RzjceKlLZuDNeXw7BVXJMAczLSXFFM9eQbLyZ3ky77Ek0FXrDHAUNeq9GU_RmO2YaqfIIWTCvUrdk6t3CImEKSBiVQ/s1600/IMG_1723.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbgM7b0m9E0UlpuKIFTYQNA7Mv2e57x8CFjT69Mk4yhOoUa33ZO9RzjceKlLZuDNeXw7BVXJMAczLSXFFM9eQbLyZ3ky77Ek0FXrDHAUNeq9GU_RmO2YaqfIIWTCvUrdk6t3CImEKSBiVQ/s400/IMG_1723.JPG" width="300" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKLUmFSPPzJjn0vLMY04cNI-VuHF8tTkZXkTidykQIYdI_3-zY8RlLpHXRCHkcJRwcfDyYjZFtIA_301FXZRzewBPg7T3tdgLreJLStOEzEhbZBR2Wt4cJ2O3kA-4GmAQsSUDmPgra47TE/s1600/IMG_1731.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKLUmFSPPzJjn0vLMY04cNI-VuHF8tTkZXkTidykQIYdI_3-zY8RlLpHXRCHkcJRwcfDyYjZFtIA_301FXZRzewBPg7T3tdgLreJLStOEzEhbZBR2Wt4cJ2O3kA-4GmAQsSUDmPgra47TE/s400/IMG_1731.JPG" width="300" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbgM7b0m9E0UlpuKIFTYQNA7Mv2e57x8CFjT69Mk4yhOoUa33ZO9RzjceKlLZuDNeXw7BVXJMAczLSXFFM9eQbLyZ3ky77Ek0FXrDHAUNeq9GU_RmO2YaqfIIWTCvUrdk6t3CImEKSBiVQ/s1600/IMG_1723.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbgM7b0m9E0UlpuKIFTYQNA7Mv2e57x8CFjT69Mk4yhOoUa33ZO9RzjceKlLZuDNeXw7BVXJMAczLSXFFM9eQbLyZ3ky77Ek0FXrDHAUNeq9GU_RmO2YaqfIIWTCvUrdk6t3CImEKSBiVQ/s1600/IMG_1723.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbgM7b0m9E0UlpuKIFTYQNA7Mv2e57x8CFjT69Mk4yhOoUa33ZO9RzjceKlLZuDNeXw7BVXJMAczLSXFFM9eQbLyZ3ky77Ek0FXrDHAUNeq9GU_RmO2YaqfIIWTCvUrdk6t3CImEKSBiVQ/s1600/IMG_1723.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><br />
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I thought that it wouldn't be a fun birthday if I wasn't with my best friends, but I severely discounted how much fun can come out of sharing cookies with people. After all, who doesn't get excited when they get surprised with free dessert?</div>
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Some of the people sang to me, some offered birthday wishes, and one lady even prayed with me for my upcoming year. Their kindness gave me the much needed reminder that sometimes you have to go the extra mile to enjoy the friendship that could be there waiting on you. </div>
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So now, I just hope they'll bring me cookies on their birthdays too. </div>
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Abbyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09072920869254438026noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8776580368386098965.post-63701324649923884922015-11-23T15:14:00.000-05:002015-11-23T15:51:52.259-05:00Party on the East Side <div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAiFKhBfOgEFzPcMwA6Kxul2RizTonxTHv-FhzAQmbM38-FUHu6aUxQfn5PbuvVgqW8a-Z45sQOT4YqMV1uGbDDmumqRYqZ0mLd8UcNsMOFB_ydEeCOXd2Pucoc16ieyQK6_86p_gZNzsE/s1600/010.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAiFKhBfOgEFzPcMwA6Kxul2RizTonxTHv-FhzAQmbM38-FUHu6aUxQfn5PbuvVgqW8a-Z45sQOT4YqMV1uGbDDmumqRYqZ0mLd8UcNsMOFB_ydEeCOXd2Pucoc16ieyQK6_86p_gZNzsE/s400/010.jpg" width="265" /></a><span style="font-family: inherit;">One of the aspects I love most about Panama is the incredible diversity you can find in such a small geographic area, and since Panama is a pretty safe and stable country, we have over 200 volunteers scattered through many of the different cities, towns, villages, and indigenous reserves. </span></div>
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When volunteers move to and integrate into these host communities, we develop a sense of local pride and belonging- a feeling that we´re usually all too eager to share with anyone who will take the time to get to know the people and places we´ve come to love and identify with. </div>
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So it´s probably no surprise that my favorite part of my job as Regional Leader has been to visit volunteers in their communities and get to know a little more about their local culture and customs- which can truly vary even amongst communities less than an hour´s walk away from each other! </div>
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While I usually make one-on-one visits for work, I also really look forward to bigger events and festivities. Peace Corps (Panama) volunteers are a really amazing group of smart, fun, and kind people that I love spending time with, so I was especially excited to participate in one of the biggest events we´ve ever hosted in my region- the Anniversary of the founding of the Emberá-Wounaan reservation in Panama. </div>
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To clarify- Peace Corps didn´t host the event. The locals have a lot of pride in their culture (as they should!) and celebrate this important milestone in a large indigenous community located a three hour boat ride down the Pacific coast and up the Sambu river. One of my friends, <a href="https://beatlebummer.wordpress.com/" target="_blank">Nico</a>, lives there and has a talent for organization and event planning, so he invited PCVs from all over the country to come and celebrate with the village. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3K385OxvhEwCyNcP5elIa6PIVvP6ShF4pxdM10PLpW_bD00fuEDnESJUgahMrIRDNuAOehouT3fEg-Z9n2Ar5rafMUTZtmNbKTrcdHV1zRb4SisnUf35QcyijIOWtgBggHktB2CHvzPNP/s1600/003.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3K385OxvhEwCyNcP5elIa6PIVvP6ShF4pxdM10PLpW_bD00fuEDnESJUgahMrIRDNuAOehouT3fEg-Z9n2Ar5rafMUTZtmNbKTrcdHV1zRb4SisnUf35QcyijIOWtgBggHktB2CHvzPNP/s400/003.jpg" width="265" /></a>Around thirty volunteers made the long trek out here to hang out in Sambu and I think it´s pretty safe to say a great time was had by all. There was tons of festival food (jungle meat on a stick anyone? How about some home-made alcoholic corn beverage?), cultural presentations (historic music and dances by them, and a historic dance/wobble mix up by us), contests (breath holding contest, tug-of-war, barefoot running, and a drinking contest), and plenty of time to spend with friends both new and old. The locals even took us under their wing and painted intricate designs on all of us with jagua- a paint similar to henna thats made from local fruits and lasts 1-2 weeks. </div>
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Even though I spent most of my Peace Corps service with a completely different indigenous group (the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ng%C3%A4be_people" target="_blank">Ngäbe</a>) across the country in Bocas del Toro, I´ve come to look on Darien with a similar fondness and affinity. I´m so thankful for the opportunity to share my new province with so many of my friends and fellow volunteers, and I´m especially glad that we were able to contribute to the sense of local pride and identity, A friend of mine recently ran into an indigenous woman in Panama city who hadn´t been able to make it home for the celebrations. Even all the way in the city she had heard about all of the volunteers who had come out to show their support, and told my friend that it made her and many fellow Emberá especially proud of their heritage. How awesome is that?</div>
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Abbyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09072920869254438026noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8776580368386098965.post-63559538094402589202015-10-02T18:22:00.001-04:002015-10-02T18:23:51.157-04:00Changes<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<i>Welcoming our new volunteers after their Swear In Ceremony</i></div>
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Three months ago I said goodbye to my sweet little community in Bocas del Toro and moved across the country to start my new job as the Regional Coordinator for Darien and Panama Este. </div>
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My days have been filled with site visits, meetings with communities and development agencies, adjusting to life outside the <i>campo</i>, and so, so many smoothies. While I'm still getting used to the loud noises of "city life" (there's a busy road right in front of my house) and miss my friends and nearly endless supply of fresh chocolate, life in the Darien has gotten off to a good start. </div>
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As an update to <a href="http://abbyexplores.blogspot.com/2015/02/3-years-in-panama.html" target="_blank">this</a> blog about accepting my new position a few months back, here's what I'm up to nowadays:</div>
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<b>Visiting volunteers</b>- Volunteer support is a big part of my new role as Regional Leader, so I make a point to visit volunteers in their sites and listen to whats going on- the good, the bad, and the ugly (Peace Corps volunteers can have some of the grossest issues imaginable.) I also like to meet a few community members while I'm there, since seeing their love and respect for their volunteer is one of the sweetest things to brighten up my day. </div>
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<b>Hosting volunteers</b>- Since I live in the regional hub, many volunteers stay at my house on the way into or out of their sites. It can be really challenging and stressful to serve as a volunteer in remote access sites, so I love to surprise visitors with homemade dinners or a package of cookies to go. Massy has taken to his role as house dog quite well and also likes to encourage volunteers with ample snuggles and excited tail waggles. </div>
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<i>He seems to be adapting quite nicely.</i></div>
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<b>Developing relationships with development agencies and NGOs</b>- Peace Corps volunteers come into their communities with little to no money for projects, with the goal of obtaining locally sustainable projects and funding. Oftentimes we work as the link between our rural communities and Panamanian and/or international development agencies. When campaigning for your cause, it always helps to have an in with the people that make decisions about what communities receive projects, so another big part of my job is building relationships between Peace Corps and these gatekeepers and decision-makers. I've had to completely re-learn how to network, since many of the things that would be a definite "No" in the United States are very common here. For example, it is very common to text about business , use personal email addresses and phone numbers, and to start a meeting without asking all about the other person's family, children, birthday party that happened last week would be considered rude. My personal secret weapon to Panamanian agency relations? Bringing a home baked cake. It works every time.</div>
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<b>Planning regional events</b>- In addition to quarterly meetings for all regional volunteers and office representatives, I also plan agency visits and fun volunteer activities. Peace Corps Panama volunteers generally get together after each regional meeting to do something fun and spend time together. Regions like Bocas del Toro and Cocle (and essentially every province except for Darien) have beautiful beaches, but out here on the East side we have to be slightly more creative. So, every few months we host a big goat roast. It's a fun day filled with cooking, friends, and so much food, and it was my job to plan it. I kept waiting on something to ruin it (there's no way I could get lucky enough for it to turn out well the first time...) but other than our goat arriving 3 hours later and 30 pounds heavier than promised, it was a great day. </div>
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<i> The Darien + Este volunteers</i></div>
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<i>Goat Roast Time!</i></div>
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<b>Scouting for future Peace Corps communities</b>- One of my favorite parts of this job has been to see all of the work that goes into preparing a community before the volunteer even arrives in country. In Panama, communities must formally request a volunteer and then host town meetings to present the future host family and community guide to Peace Corps representatives. Seeing their anticipation and calming their worries has been one of the sweetest and most eye-opening experiences thus far.</div>
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"What if they don't like our food?" </div>
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"You're sure it's okay we can't give them electricity?" </div>
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"Can the blue-eyed ones see in the dark like cats?" </div>
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"Are they going to get married and have babies and live here forever?"</div>
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Oftentimes I feel like volunteers (myself included) can get so wrapped up in their own experiences that we forget that our new neighbors and community members have also worked and sacrificed so that we can be part of their families and homes. As I help to prepare communities to receive volunteers, I appreciate so much more my own community. I may have a new house across the country, but my sweet village will always be my Panamanian home. </div>
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>Hiking into a new Peace Corps community</i></div>
</div>
Abbyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09072920869254438026noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8776580368386098965.post-48716259315576858122015-07-30T09:00:00.000-04:002015-07-30T09:00:00.740-04:00Saying Goodbye<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-size: large;">“All good things must come to an end, but I
wouldn’t have wanted it to end any other way or with any other people.”</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US">Just about a month ago I left my site for
the last time, and man, it was rough. I
had been so busy thinking about and planning for my upcoming cross-country move
that I had spent very little time dwelling on my looming departure or preparing
for a going away party. Having heard
numerous disappointing accounts of <i>despedidas</i> (going away parties) going wrong,
I had very little expectations for anything my gente might put together. </span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US">And honestly, I was okay with that. </span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span lang="EN-US">So I was moved to tears (nearing sobs, if
we´re being honest) when various community members organized not one, but two
events to show me how much my two years had meant to them. My actual <i>despedida</i> was an official party
organized by one of the teachers in our little school. Like me, she´s not from the village and her
family lives about 12 hours away, so she understood more than most what I was
going through when I went through feelings of loneliness and isolation. </span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US">Each family in the community contributed $5
(almost a whole day´s wages) in order to provide a community lunch and gifts
for me. They decorated our community
pavilion and then, one by one, they stood up and shared with me their favorite
memories and their thanks for how much Peace Corps has done for the community
and how much they would miss me. Many of
the families even made me extra gifts like hand-crocheted bags, jewelry, and
hair accessories. When it was finally my
turn to speak, I blinked back tears and tried to focus on the speech that I had
been practicing for the last week. </span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US">Despite my best intentions, I only made it
through a few sentences. Later on in the day I mentioned to someone
how frustrated I was that I hadn´t been able to share all of the thoughts,
feelings, and memories that I had wanted to.
In response, she told me, “I understand.
But Geli, what you couldn´t say with your mouth, you said with your
eyes.”</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US">The <i>despedida </i>finished after lunch, and
after a community photo shoot I spent the afternoon visiting as many families
as I could, knowing this would be my last chance to say goodbye. </span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US">After dinner with some neighbors, I planned to have my final
meeting to make coffee on our new eco-stove and answer any last questions the
community members may have had abou the project. I
expected there to be a handful of people who would spend 20 or 30 minutes with
me but was surprised by a second <i>despedida</i>!</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US">More than 40 people- men, women, children,
and teenagers- showed up with Johnny cakes (my favorite local coconut bread)
and a cake that one of my Baking & Business students had made for me. After making coffee and enjoying the food, a
teenager who I had sent to one of Peace Corps´ youth camps suggested that
anyone who had not been able to attend the earlier despedida take the
opportunity to share memories and thanks.
“But first,” he said, “everyone should turn off their flashlights so
that everyone can cry and nobody will feel bad about it.”</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US">In two years, I had never once seen
anyone in the village cry, so seeing such strong emotions prompted by my
departure meant more to me than I could even begin to describe in a blog
post. </span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US">Not having access to electricity, people
generally go to bed quite early in my town, but on that night my neighbors and
I stayed up together until almost 1 am, after a while not really saying much but also not wanting to end the night, and thus, my two years in the village. Almost painfully, I finally made it back to my
house where I finished packing up my things and tucked myself into my hammock
one last time. </span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US">As my favorite taxi driver picked Massy and
I up at 6 am the next morning, I said final goodbyes to one of my favorite families who
had gotten up extra early to see me off.
They prayed for me and I promised that I would call as soon as I arrived
safe in my new house, knowing that it would be a long time before it becomes a
home like the one I was now leaving behind.
</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US">Even Rolando, my sweet taxi driver, shared
in the goodbyes. “The town may have
other Peace Corps volunteers,” he said, “but there will always be only one
Geli.” </span></div>
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"We will miss you a lot. We will remember you forever. Thank you for everything you have given us, and may God bless you forever."</div>
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Abbyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09072920869254438026noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8776580368386098965.post-86109429893588738352015-06-29T17:46:00.001-04:002015-06-29T17:46:34.350-04:00If You Were to Visit My Village<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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If you were to visit my village, I’d tell you to bring a
camera, your clothes, and a good pair of boots, but to please, please not get
carried away with all of the newest gadgets and accessories a good outdoors
store will make you feel like you need.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Life here is simple, and no, you won’t get malaria, yellow fever, or
rabies from visiting me in the jungle.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Bocas is quite rainy and muddy though, so I’ll make no promises about
mild cases of bug bites or jungle rash.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnBJKDF2UQtpHPp2NpXoHllnUzc4nHxznwGj16wTRZ2nKdsi0SZVhck0clDUj1ztQDIMTclb1ZCror2UnkUT0VizHbcI13oOh8jGrJWA951X1nXVewjLc6Fc0nJiXjhf4TUdfwvJiMDPH9/s1600/IMG_1239.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnBJKDF2UQtpHPp2NpXoHllnUzc4nHxznwGj16wTRZ2nKdsi0SZVhck0clDUj1ztQDIMTclb1ZCror2UnkUT0VizHbcI13oOh8jGrJWA951X1nXVewjLc6Fc0nJiXjhf4TUdfwvJiMDPH9/s640/IMG_1239.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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If you were to visit my village, I’d spend the week before
you arrived planning out the meals we would eat so that we could buy groceries
in the neighboring town where I would come to pick you up.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We would pay $1 to ride the local <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">chiva</i> for about 20 minutes, and then the
choice would be yours- $12 for a private truck to take us all the way to my
town, or a 40 minute hike down a gravel road, stopping to enjoy the beautiful
mountain views a long the way.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The
amount of stuff you’ve brought will probably make the decision for us.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
If you were to visit my village, you’d probably be struck by
how sparse the town center is (6 houses, 1 2-room school, and a tiny store
managed out of one of the homes) and wonder where all the people are.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Within a few hours though, my neighbors would
hear that you’re here and would start arriving at my house to introduce
themselves and offer to be our guide for a trip around the area.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Would we like to see the waterfalls?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Do you feel like working on the chocolate
farm for a day?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Could we possibly come
eat dinner with them the next evening?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><br /></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfyFpYIyNepXtFawI7IlcaBqLYHVL1KDw9lmH-h0gppo2qqdTQhCAe7HhoKWGUpSsVgh_GodOYRW88NNolO1XAA0QnFD0IxnCVyW70B-pPWNeXTbWo8OLcwT5HGmYfiTpiX8QpoBTprS0Z/s1600/IMG_1324.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfyFpYIyNepXtFawI7IlcaBqLYHVL1KDw9lmH-h0gppo2qqdTQhCAe7HhoKWGUpSsVgh_GodOYRW88NNolO1XAA0QnFD0IxnCVyW70B-pPWNeXTbWo8OLcwT5HGmYfiTpiX8QpoBTprS0Z/s640/IMG_1324.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
If you were to visit my village, you would likely love to
spend the day reading in a hammock, but at some point (if it’s not raining),
I’ll force you to go visit my neighbors with me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Having lived here for a while, I know that if
we don’t visit them, they’ll feel insulted.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>So you and your boots and me and my bare feet will walk down the path to
visit.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Because you’re a visitor, they’ll
probably make us hot chocolate and a plate of food, and even if you speak
Spanish, they’ll talk through me as if you don’t.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Don’t take it personally; they did it to me
too.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>After a few minutes, the
conversation will come to a lull, and you’ll probably feel like it’s time to
leave.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That’s just because you’re new
though, and I’ll insist that we must stay for at least another half hour and
sit through the silence by making faces at children and doing our best not to
feel awkward (because this is how my villagers do it.) If we leave too soon,
that would also be an insult.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></div>
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<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><br /></span></div>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizXuFHgSGMETBwS-29IqoenWCKeQOMKKdtdNqLH5QUoOUwZZKW9Us_WqXk-tR5zJGg4dPOoJPUy05dPSLD1sfovh1Os7Aa_dThG7vA9QjnAA-lGawiZ1wYYA7ZBmVu5xU1NfnPFqr-LNnO/s1600/IMG_1444.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizXuFHgSGMETBwS-29IqoenWCKeQOMKKdtdNqLH5QUoOUwZZKW9Us_WqXk-tR5zJGg4dPOoJPUy05dPSLD1sfovh1Os7Aa_dThG7vA9QjnAA-lGawiZ1wYYA7ZBmVu5xU1NfnPFqr-LNnO/s640/IMG_1444.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
The time you spend in my village, whether 2 days or a week,
will be normal for those of us who live here, but full of wonder and excitement
if this is your first visit (especially applicable to non-Peace Corps
Volunteers).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Yes, I always have fresh
chocolate and bananas at my house, yes we do have to bathe in the creek if the
water goes out, and no, the stars aren’t always that bright- sometimes it gets
a little cloudy.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></div>
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Abbyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09072920869254438026noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8776580368386098965.post-1758341360711046532015-06-18T08:09:00.000-04:002015-06-18T08:09:08.439-04:00Welcome to Peace Corps Panama! <div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="background: #FEFEFE; color: #222222; font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">A few months ago, the Peace Corps Panama office asked me to write an introductory letter to be given to incoming volunteers, and since reading the letters in my own Welcome Book was one of the first impressions I had of Peace Corps Panama, I was excited to share (briefly!) some of the things I've learned. </span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="background: #FEFEFE; color: #222222; font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="background: #FEFEFE; color: #222222; font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><i>Ñan törö!<o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="background: #FEFEFE; color: #222222; font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Hello and welcome to Peace Corps Panama! We
are all very excited for you to begin this incredible, challenging, fulfilling,
and fun adventure.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="background: #FEFEFE; color: #222222; font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">My name is Abby Bryant, and I am a Group 73
Sustainable Agriculture Systems (SAS) Volunteer in a rural indigenous village
in Bocas del Toro.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Though I am part of
the agriculture program, I arrived to Panama with very little technical
knowledge. I was concerned that my business background would not be sufficient, but the SAS program has been incredibly supportive in providing me with
the tools and training I needed to succeed as a volunteer.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="background: #FEFEFE; color: #222222; font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">In addition to serving as a National
Coordinator for Agribusiness, I keep myself busy with a variety of projects in
my community.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Depending on the day, I
may be facilitating a business training, working on a cacao farm, teaching a
women’s group how to bake, or hanging out in my house with a bunch of kids and
my dog. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>One of my favorite parts of
being a Peace Corps volunteer is the freedom and flexibility we have in
directing our work.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Though this unique
responsibility may at times seem a little daunting, try to </span><span style="background-color: #fefefe; color: #222222; font-family: 'Times New Roman';">take a breath and savor the moment </span><span style="background-color: #fefefe; color: #222222; font-family: 'Times New Roman';">instead of focusing on
having just the right experience or always knowing the answers. </span></div>
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<span style="background: #FEFEFE; color: #222222; font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">
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<!--[endif]--><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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would feel most accomplished after a successful seminar or business development
training. However, that was before a neighboring family started referring to me as <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Tia</i> so that I would feel a part of their
family; It was before kids fought over who would be first to show me their new,
improved grades, and it was most certainly before my community members,
one-by-one, arrived at my little hut to welcome me and tell me that they had
prayed for my safe arrival.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="background: #FEFEFE; color: #222222; font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">I cannot tell you what your site will be
like, what you’ll do each day, or even what type of relationship you will have
with your future community members.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What
I can tell you is this: every challenge and hardship will be worth it and your
experience will be unique to you.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="background: #FEFEFE; color: #222222; font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Congratulations and we look forward to seeing
you soon! <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background: #FEFEFE; color: #222222; font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">G73 SAS<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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Abbyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09072920869254438026noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8776580368386098965.post-83241233411406198712015-06-16T18:06:00.000-04:002015-06-16T18:06:31.671-04:00Peace Corps and "Putting Your Life on Hold"<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
Though I’ve pretty much heard the full range of comments-
negative to positive- about joining the Peace corps, a particular one has stuck
with me: “It’s so nice that young people like you are willing to put your life
on hold for 2 years to join the Peace Corps.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Every time I’ve heard it, it’s been from well-meaning friends and
acquaintances, but since actually experiencing what Peace Corps is, my
automatic reaction to these people is to tell them that they’re wrong.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
As I’ve previously written, two years is a long time no
matter where you are or what you’re doing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>So when you take into consideration the distance from the known
(friends, family, American culture, etc.) as well as the stereotypical Peace
Corps conditions of hardship and cultural displacement, I can see how many
people would arrive at the conclusion that two years spent as a Peace Corps
volunteer is two years of life put on hold.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
However, to those people I ask, what is life to you?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If life is accumulating wealth, living in
close proximity to almost any amenity or material good you may desire, or
having a corporate-climbing job, then yes, volunteers put their lives on
hold.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
It’s only when you’re to look outside the box of a typical
American life that you can understand why that statement is wrong.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If to you, life is having a fulfilling
career, constantly learning, living around people who love you, and having the
opportunity to truly experience a culture different then your own, then Peace
Corps service would simply be two more years of living a fun and fulfilling
life.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
Of course, I’d be lying if I said there weren’t days where I
crave comforts of home and the “life” I left behind.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I miss dressing up for work, running errands
in my own car, eating nice food, and not being the most educated person in my
town.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> Sometimes I love teaching simple business charlas, but sometimes </span>it’s hard not
to think about my friends back home working on fancy (to me) advertising
campaigns or getting that next promotion. So on hard days in Panama, I too fall
into the trap of thinking only of what I’ve left behind, and forgetting all
that I’ve gained.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
However, as my two-year commitment was coming to a close and I began
to seriously consider my next steps, both personally and professionally, the
incredible time I’ve spent as a Peace Corps volunteer really came to
light. These two years, though at times
long, hard, and uncomfortable, have been two of the best and most formative
years of my life. I've had all of the sterotypical Peace Corps experiences such as traveling, teaching kids English, and enjoying <i>bastante</i> hammock time, but I've also been able to experience first hand that Peace Corps is so much more than that. I've added some seriously awesome points to my résumé and had some of the coolest experiences I could have imagined (hiking through the Darién rainforest with an indigenous guide? It was pretty fun). On top of all of that, I've made incredible connections, lifelong friendships, and precious memories. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
So, that’s the main reason I’ve decided to stay a third
year- because for me Peace Corps hasn’t been “putting my life on hold,” but
instead living life to the fullest.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheTL5-kgFZrrILXnDvtvdRosf5ePImwaheA-U2TO79g0fNmARo6kJPX_Jo4Y5j9j8sYs7EwgORLc7Ey_Ly4UHSFUFhuMpbEGOdkkIelBHv5dKJEhrZ7MG7K3H-HWK1J-E6QhOjmY7kHzeN/s1600/IMG_0007.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheTL5-kgFZrrILXnDvtvdRosf5ePImwaheA-U2TO79g0fNmARo6kJPX_Jo4Y5j9j8sYs7EwgORLc7Ey_Ly4UHSFUFhuMpbEGOdkkIelBHv5dKJEhrZ7MG7K3H-HWK1J-E6QhOjmY7kHzeN/s640/IMG_0007.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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Abbyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09072920869254438026noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8776580368386098965.post-817123145621877252015-06-11T07:40:00.001-04:002015-06-17T23:16:37.496-04:002 Years in the Peace Corps <div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6BreSqImUz_Uj7S5s8OEBqPGVCdl7ja-h3S-cQmXMT1FH85uE2mkfkgllYRwp68yShPYDygRQO3mp8FIf2RcN_OuZUo8RzGcOAHXqReVrgbdXkHX28kZjSJ2VEXY-m8zj_AIVUElQAyzS/s1600/IMG_0005.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6BreSqImUz_Uj7S5s8OEBqPGVCdl7ja-h3S-cQmXMT1FH85uE2mkfkgllYRwp68yShPYDygRQO3mp8FIf2RcN_OuZUo8RzGcOAHXqReVrgbdXkHX28kZjSJ2VEXY-m8zj_AIVUElQAyzS/s640/IMG_0005.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
Two years.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>24 months.
104 weeks. 730 days... And that's not counting the 2-3 months on on-site training. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
The potentially daunting time commitment is what puts many people
off of Peace Corps service, so it makes sense that one of the most common questions I’m asked is,
“What is two years in the Peace Corps <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">really</i>
like?”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
Since this week marks two years in Panama for me, I figured that it's finally a good time to put it into words.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
In two years, your friends back home will pass many of
life’s milestones: getting engaged, married, and having babies.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Some will get fancy-sounding promotions and
begin (or continue) climbing the corporate ladder.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You, on the other hand, will celebrate small
successes like actually getting people to come to the event you’ve spent weeks
planning, convincing village members that no, you <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">don’t</i> want to get married yet and that’s okay, and will have a
different type of milestone: the number of months you can spend parasite
free.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
New technologies will be invented (You won’t know how to use
them), new movies will be released (You only know them by their foreign titles), and
the billboard top 100 will constantly be refreshed by new music (If you’ve had
some time in the capital city, you may have heard of about 10 of them).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
You may struggle to stay in contact with all of your
American friends and begin to drift apart from some of them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You will bond with Peace Corps friends over
frustrations only they can understand and who pooped their pants first.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Both groups of friends will remain precious
and important to you.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
In two years you will never stop learning.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You will learn a new language (or two), a new
culture, and how to work in this new, very different environment.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Like a child, you will relearn simple skills
like how to take care of yourself without the amenities or products you’re used
to.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You might begin washing clothes by hand,
group bathing (fully clothed) in the creek, and/or cooking without a microwave. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
You’ll make yourself a home in a place that once felt so
foreign, and then bring little bits of your old home to your new one.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Your American headlamp will illuminate your
locally made table as you try new foods and stay up late reading in English
(for entertainment) or your new language (for learning).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
Two years is a good amount of time to explore a new
place, but you'll still feel rushed to do all of the things you had in mind when you came to country.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You will become familiar with
your local town and surrounding areas, and many people may even recognize
you.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Eventually they will make the
change from “<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Mira, gringa</i>!” to
chatting with you about Peace Corps and why you wanted to spend two years with
them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
Two years is too long and too short.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Some days I literally count the days until
it’s time to leave, while on many others I’m appalled that a full two years has
come and gone.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I feel like I’ve just hit
the sweet spot in trust built with community members, confidence in the local
language and work projects.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
Two years is
up?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Finally.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Two years is up?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I think I may extend.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmE5XdEjHwGNcl0JNHzKPwLQ8OYLEaep-x-IhgK85tViolxeJGjjGjwvH56lbu0aPZYrejWrYHc3F-ASk0yy6lDCsJHepgnVTZ2RPEUI0_d1iS35NTZC_rWctljjU6dGLDuubbtADOpD4Z/s1600/DSC00809.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmE5XdEjHwGNcl0JNHzKPwLQ8OYLEaep-x-IhgK85tViolxeJGjjGjwvH56lbu0aPZYrejWrYHc3F-ASk0yy6lDCsJHepgnVTZ2RPEUI0_d1iS35NTZC_rWctljjU6dGLDuubbtADOpD4Z/s640/DSC00809.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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Abbyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09072920869254438026noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8776580368386098965.post-12432215419195254972015-06-07T13:00:00.000-04:002015-06-07T13:00:01.220-04:00To the Mountains: Camping with my Gente<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEho7fPTjEMXtG97FU2iI6vxHj1qksWTQIZ8I7efv3Ou09D3P3utOmHjkEBNQ6MZSmkFVDDNmu9Omw7j7s4dspVT7hA47W0fgjSQuQxE_U0KIqwq1lS8hThhV_mY3mArZRCy-QaaL9JyyY1B/s1600/IMG_1891.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEho7fPTjEMXtG97FU2iI6vxHj1qksWTQIZ8I7efv3Ou09D3P3utOmHjkEBNQ6MZSmkFVDDNmu9Omw7j7s4dspVT7hA47W0fgjSQuQxE_U0KIqwq1lS8hThhV_mY3mArZRCy-QaaL9JyyY1B/s640/IMG_1891.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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It always makes me smile when my neighbors talk about how
“developed” our little village is.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Ah,
but Geli, there used to be so many animals.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>And so much more <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">monte</i> around!
Just look at all the houses there are now.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>We have no electricity, our water comes from a spring-fed aqueduct and
frequently goes out, and there are less than 10 houses in the immediate
distance.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s not exactly what I would
consider “developed.” <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
So, if that’s modern, what do my people consider to be
really <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">out there</i>?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I asked the same thing, and in response they
told me all about <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">the Cordillera</i>- a
wild, beautiful place where they had a house.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>There are no roads, and the only way to reach the house is by making a
6-hour hike along the ridgeline or by the river until you reach their plot of
land. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
Having heard from the previous volunteer that this trip,
though difficult, was a great experience, I made plans to go a few months ago
and was sadly letdown as I had to spend the entire time in my hammock, sick
with another mystery illness.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Of course,
that just didn’t sit well with me, so my neighbors and I scheduled a second
trip to the mountains during the school vacation this past week.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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Since reaching the trail that runs along the ridge requires
spending at least two hours getting to the top of the muddy, slippery hills,
the kids and I voted to take the river trail.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Though slightly flatter, the trail ran along slippery rock surfaces and
required more than twenty river crossings.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>It’s a good thing Massy likes to swim.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRa_T6VFAvLsoTgv7wXss5-VfYz9Ee5N5T8BQrsEWhhtBafgAz6m8sfhfOaacyqDtrGrofNmvPhfl1ZCjmhZ9dajKmIcCpUjvyFnj040VRQV_Tmnv7GOkh4-W3ZyAOznOFK9Yd2pylJhCo/s1600/IMG_1804.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRa_T6VFAvLsoTgv7wXss5-VfYz9Ee5N5T8BQrsEWhhtBafgAz6m8sfhfOaacyqDtrGrofNmvPhfl1ZCjmhZ9dajKmIcCpUjvyFnj040VRQV_Tmnv7GOkh4-W3ZyAOznOFK9Yd2pylJhCo/s640/IMG_1804.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<br /></div>
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Along the way, we stopped to visit several “neighbors.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Even though they lived very solitary lives
away from other families, communities, and businesses, they were quite happy to
chat with us and offer us food and drinks.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>One family even gave us a huge slab of freshly butchered pork to take
with us!<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
After a long, arduous nine hours, we finally made it to
their mountain home, and true to their word, it was one of the most tranquil
places I’ve visited.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>From the porch you
can see the small creek nearby and hear the rushing river a few minutes
downhill.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Without people around to hunt,
the area is still abounding with wildlife and as we fell asleep at night, we
fell asleep to the sounds of still singing birds, screeching monkeys, and
nearby croaking frogs.</div>
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<br /></div>
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<br /></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
We spent the following days looking for waterfalls, swimming
in the river, and scavenging for local fruits and veggies to enrich the rice,
beans, and pork that we brought.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There
were fresh bananas, culantro, peppers from an abandoned garden<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">, </i>cinnamon leaves, and <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">calaloo</i>- a small green fern which we
chopped up and served in our rice.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
After three days at our mountain retreat, it was time to
make our way back, which we completed measurably faster at 6 hours instead of
nine.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And just like that, we’re back to
work, development, and amenities.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>At
least, that’s how they see it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHMXut21F2C4Ymu971Elin7VAnJgyIBJE5ooGxvhRSQwEHMWLNc6VGXHMSUoPxZ6taO6fC6H-vEno-O2ByzTInPuRy6PezGUEtSxGiZN-vNxYCDZHSnWPbL6rvZGgrKAxI0TuzJe61cABu/s1600/IMG_1900.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHMXut21F2C4Ymu971Elin7VAnJgyIBJE5ooGxvhRSQwEHMWLNc6VGXHMSUoPxZ6taO6fC6H-vEno-O2ByzTInPuRy6PezGUEtSxGiZN-vNxYCDZHSnWPbL6rvZGgrKAxI0TuzJe61cABu/s640/IMG_1900.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<i>But mom, I'm sooo tired. </i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKkWY9yc9nFEG9guFzhvvacNJCUxxxcs-txBBiB7ejEe7fDDDxFfed0SL-kRRjgXeDgdVQhJ18ce3TGvrTuUXGV76p1vgKbVEyjDQbwOGFpOepjDLMDNE0Gsps6UR2MHKK-NpICZxkVybA/s1600/IMG_1897.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKkWY9yc9nFEG9guFzhvvacNJCUxxxcs-txBBiB7ejEe7fDDDxFfed0SL-kRRjgXeDgdVQhJ18ce3TGvrTuUXGV76p1vgKbVEyjDQbwOGFpOepjDLMDNE0Gsps6UR2MHKK-NpICZxkVybA/s640/IMG_1897.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<i>Back to town? Apparently. </i></div>
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Abbyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09072920869254438026noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8776580368386098965.post-53497593238472908032015-06-05T16:11:00.001-04:002015-06-05T16:11:09.385-04:00Meet the Gente<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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I’ve spent almost two years blogging about my experience in
Panama, and I realized that I’ve yet to dedicate a blog post to all of the
people that have made my experience what it is.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>So with this post, I want to introduce you to some of the people that
live in my little corner of Panama- my <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">gente</i>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Diana<o:p></o:p></b></div>
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Diana is a wife and mother of three beautiful, talented, and
smart girls.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Her oldest two have won the
award for being at the top of their class each year, and it’s not hard to see
who they get their drive from.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Serving
as the Treasurer for our town’s agricultural group, Diana is a community leader
in a culture that hasn’t historically valued women in that sense.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When she was one of only two women in a group
of 25 to attend a Peace Corps workshop on project management and leadership,
another volunteer asked what gave her the encouragement to do so.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Her reply has become one of my favorite Peace
Corps anecdotes- she attended a Peace Corps youth leadership camp as a
teenager!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Lirisnel <o:p></o:p></b></div>
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Lirisnel, or simply “niña,” as she’s usually addressed, is
my most frequent visitor and one of Massy’s best friends.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She loves animals, rough-housing with her 3
brothers, and telling me stories that may or may not be true.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>For another dose of cuteness from my favorite
neighbor, you can see her short cameo in my house tour video. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>Lucia</b><o:p></o:p></div>
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My baking buddy, Lucia, is a mom of three and one of the only women to take what we’ve learned in our baking and business classes and put it to use. She recently told me that she’s started making the 4-hour round-trip commute to the nearest University each weekend so that she can finish her degree. As if that didn’t make me proud enough, she finished the story by telling me that the money she earns by selling cakes and cookies to her fellow students pays for her transport each weekend!</div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Walter and Nereyda<o:p></o:p></b></div>
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One of my favorite couples in site, Walter and Nereyda are my age and are hardworking and determined to give their two sons a better
life.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When they heard that the people I
was planning on bringing to an agribusiness seminar dropped out last minute,
they made plans to go with me the very next day.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Not only did they actually attend and
participate, now they’re always asking me about potential projects and business
advice.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When Walter’s not around, I love
to joke with Nereyda about how much I don’t know about having a family, and
though she laughs at my complete lack of childcare/household running knowledge,
she likes to give me advice for my future.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>She may be young, but that girl knows what she’s talking about!</div>
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<b>Adelaida</b></div>
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As my host family's granddaughter, Adelaida was by my side constantly throughout my first few month in site. Sometimes she wouldn't even go back home to her own house next door in favor of spending the night with me- after she washed my hair while I was trying to bathe in the creek that is. Though it was occasionally a little trying to never have a moment alone, I came to love Adelaida like a little sister and miss her terribly now that she's moved to another village. She's visited me a few times though, and we're trying to make plans for me to visit her soon too! </div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Chuber<o:p></o:p></b></div>
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Until a formal ceremony on his second birthday, I didn’t
even know that Chuber’s real name is Virgilio.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Definitely more “Chuber” to me, this little guy is about the only other
person in site with a sweet tooth to match my own.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Whenever I visit his house his response is
always the same: “GELI! Dulce! Tienes dulce?” Which is, “GELI!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Dessert!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
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<b>Milsa</b><o:p></o:p></div>
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Since Milsa spent my first year helping her daughter care
for her new baby about an hour away, I didn’t get to know her until what feels
like recently.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When I visit her (not
often enough, in her opinion) she loves to show me her newest sewing projects
and never hesitates to make sure I have plenty to eat.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So, it’s not hard to see why I consider her
one of my in-site grandmas.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>Abraham</b><o:p></o:p></div>
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My closest neighbor (and father of Lirisnel, Nata, and
Einar) doesn’t visit my house very frequently, but I can count on him stopping
by within a few hours of any guest arriving.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Because of him, I’ve been able to see my community in a whole new light;
He loves our town and sharing it with other people and never hesitates to offer
tours to the various points of interest: waterfalls, pretty views, animal
searches… Last week he even took me on a camping trip!<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>Pedro and Chavela (and family)<o:p></o:p></b></div>
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As my unofficial in-site grandparents, Pedro and Chavela are
happy to sit and chat with me as often as I want to visit.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>After apologizing for the lack of tasty food,
they usually send one of their sons or grandsons out to chop down a fresh
coconut for me to drink- one of my favorite snacks!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As Christian leaders in the community,
they’ve taken the time to pray for me (after every visit) and occasionally help
me with a Spanish Bible study.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This
sweet family even volunteered to host the new volunteer during his/her first
few months in site- quite lucky if you ask me!<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>Virginia <o:p></o:p></b></div>
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Back when I was a new Peace Corps volunteer, starving for
honest friendship and just plain starving in general (I was almost 20 pounds
lighter than I am currently… more on that later), Virgina and her sister in
law, Veronica, were some of the first people to take me in and really make me
feel like I belong here.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Once, when I
admitted that I was sad and missing my family, she told all of her children to
start referring to me as “Tia,” “Aunt,” and it’s stuck ever since! <o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>Juana and Mauricio<o:p></o:p></b></div>
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At the very beginning of my service, I was told by a
community member that there were a few houses I should not visit because they
hold very tightly to their indigenous roots and thus refuse to speak Spanish or
engage with outsiders.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Juana and
Mauricio were one of those families, and because I trust the person that
advised me, I only visited them once until a few weeks ago when their daughter
asked me to come and take a family photo for them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Not expecting much, I expected to take the
photo and leave.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Unaware of my prior
assumptions, they obviously had to surprise me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Though my Ngäbere is quite basic, it was better than the few words of
Spanish they spoke, so we got by with laughs and tons of hand gestures in which
they told me that I should be their granddaughter (from Juana) and that I
should be his woman (Mauricio).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The most
precious part of the afternoon was watching how they interacted with each
other- despite 40+ years of being together, the wife couldn’t get over how good
looking her husband was in the photos!<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>Solomon<o:p></o:p></b></div>
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My landlord, Solomon, works on the Chiquita banana
plantations about 2 hours away from our community and thus only gets to travel
home sporadically.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Even on the few days
he has off, he’s still working- painting and improving my house and devising
his ever-present idea for bringing tourism into our community.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We’re not there yet, and likely years away
from that even being a possibility, but for the time being, I’m happy to savor
this place as my home and these people as my friends, neighbors, and
family.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
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Abbyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09072920869254438026noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8776580368386098965.post-8810946045471954232015-06-03T19:00:00.000-04:002015-06-03T19:00:04.056-04:00Farm to Table<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Though the humid heat can be stifling, I loved summer in the
South because in my family the season meant a garden full of crunchy green
beans, juicy tomatoes, fresh herbs and trips to local farmers’ markets to pick
up the fruits and veggies we didn't grow ourselves. </div>
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Lucky for me, living in Bocas del Toro, Panama, has been
like living in a perpetual summer filled with local agricultural products, many
of them new to me! Though I often offer to buy products from my neighbors, it’s
also culturally common for me to be gifted any of the local foods in exchange
for helping out on the farm or simply just stopping by to say hello. As an extra bonus for me- since I’m getting
the produce in my site, I don’t have to hike it in like everything else I eat! <o:p></o:p></div>
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So, what’s available here?<o:p></o:p></div>
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All year round we have cacao coconuts, culantro, bananas,
plantains, papaya, a scattering of peppers and rice, and several varieties of root
vegetables. Though yucca, dachin, name,
and ñampi are prepared similar to
potatoes, they have a richer taste (and come in shades ranging from white to
purple!)<o:p></o:p></div>
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Seasonally we also have pineapple, pixvae, orange, lemon, guava pods,
cashew fruits, soursop, and coffee. <o:p></o:p></div>
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In addition to the crops, most families have chickens for
meat and eggs. Families with access to a
little more resources may also have turkeys and/or pigs, and the most well off
families have a few cattle. Other than
chicken, meat is considered a special occasion thing. Add in the fact that we don’t have
refrigerators to preserve meat, and that means that meat days are big feast
days. Obviously, I’m a fan. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<i>Cacao! My favorite local product, obviously</i></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtnLUCpEHIQ4eqJghobJLzh3uAB6oMq36v3pzJryM2z0zIiYJ8Yntn3hyCzgqsDqZ2QCEVvTOADA33DMxrr9ET-oqcAAiONvi90HWvA0Fs1zTKLHkD0zX5eYxMcnsRn5ZWTL_1xszHB7sI/s1600/IMGP1476.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtnLUCpEHIQ4eqJghobJLzh3uAB6oMq36v3pzJryM2z0zIiYJ8Yntn3hyCzgqsDqZ2QCEVvTOADA33DMxrr9ET-oqcAAiONvi90HWvA0Fs1zTKLHkD0zX5eYxMcnsRn5ZWTL_1xszHB7sI/s640/IMGP1476.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<i>A local pod-like fruit with a delicious fruit</i></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhh3iqi1GVtnhyphenhyphenzzUXYsUZ8-i6vzdpxaZguTXvKXfIn2pZK1CfcRrd4UcnrqFr9Q-pBJdPNDQemuxZvPfF50-TS1o3A6sQWBGUnDQ7D85jvEDW5zVjDj5yAoX8_vH-R3AB9G2KswNkvVemx/s1600/IMG_1645.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br class="Apple-interchange-newline" /><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhh3iqi1GVtnhyphenhyphenzzUXYsUZ8-i6vzdpxaZguTXvKXfIn2pZK1CfcRrd4UcnrqFr9Q-pBJdPNDQemuxZvPfF50-TS1o3A6sQWBGUnDQ7D85jvEDW5zVjDj5yAoX8_vH-R3AB9G2KswNkvVemx/s640/IMG_1645.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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A meal packed to-go: fried pork pieces with boiled green bananas</div>
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<i>Local products for sale and exhibit at a local agricultural fair</i></div>
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Abbyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09072920869254438026noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8776580368386098965.post-10347943606741410762015-05-31T14:28:00.001-04:002015-05-31T14:28:35.932-04:00To the Finca<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBOd-y5Tn5LHtScQzbIkN1zXMkk6sG7QZdPkDFQOHdIgC5D4KAa6qZsTMVLa1w1S7I-3DsqJx3gs5M6ytgfVifhyphenhyphenvLvF-rxWZJD2m0kFhra4ObTyzANQlBrAnfBqKUr0Hev6nfe43oNRZu/s1600/IMG_1516.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBOd-y5Tn5LHtScQzbIkN1zXMkk6sG7QZdPkDFQOHdIgC5D4KAa6qZsTMVLa1w1S7I-3DsqJx3gs5M6ytgfVifhyphenhyphenvLvF-rxWZJD2m0kFhra4ObTyzANQlBrAnfBqKUr0Hev6nfe43oNRZu/s640/IMG_1516.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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One of the first agriculture terms I learned after arriving in Panama was <i>finca</i>. A <i>finca</i> is the "small" plot of land sustenance or small-time, self employed cash-crop farmers tend. </div>
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Most fincas are managed 100% by the family that owns them, though day laborers can be acquired for $4-$10/day. Panamanian farmers grow a variety of crops in their <i>finca</i>, depending on what region they're located in. While just about every <i>finca</i> has at least a few Panamanian staple crops (bananas, plantains, root vegetables, corn, rice, and beans), each region seems to have it's own specialty based on soils, elevation, and agricultural history.</div>
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<b>Citrus, robusta coffee</b>, and <b>coconuts</b> grow in most of the central and eastern provinces. </div>
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The Chiriquí highlands are famous for delicious <b>vegetables</b> and <b>arabica coffee</b>, and Bocas del Toro is known for it's <b>cacao </b>(yummmm). </div>
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Though it depends on the land and individual producer, most rural farms have fairly low levels of production since they rely 100% on human laborer without the support of tractors or other modern agricultural machines and tools.</div>
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While they may be small by American farm standards, it takes a lot of work to manage a finca! In my community, men do manual labor such as pruning, weeding, and pest management from early in the morning until 1 or 2 in the afternoon. Women and children are sent to the finca once or twice a week to gather food for the family- bananas, plantains, and native root vegetables like ñame, ñampi, and dachin. If it's a good week, there might even be fresh coffee or cacao! </div>
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Some communities love to work in agricultural groups called <i>juntas</i>. Each member farmer would take turns hosting a <i>junta</i>, a communal work day, in which the other member farmers would come and help out on the farm for free in exchange for lunch. They rotate farms with each <i>junta</i> so that each member benefits and gets to enjoy some company in their daily (or weekly) labors. </div>
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While typical <i>juntas</i> aren't common in my town, I did learn about a new type of women's junta when I was invited to my neighbors farm a few weeks ago!</div>
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Granted, I don't think I'll ever crave the local staple of boiled green bananas, but I have developed quite a taste for some of the other foods grown locally. <i>Dachin</i>- a deliciously purple potato like vegetable is my favorite, but it's not sold in stores. Since I can't resist my childlike cravings for purple mashed "potatoes," I asked one of my favorite neighbors, Milsa, if she had any extra dachin that I could buy. She told me that she didn't, but invited me to her <i>finca</i> the next week. Assuming that I was just going to help carry vegetables the 45 minute hike down the mountain, you can imagine my happy surprise when she gifted me a whole bag of bananas, plantains, and fresh jungle flowers! </div>
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Apparently this is a pretty normal thing for women in my town to do together, and now I'm just frustrated that it took so long for me to get initiated into the group! </div>
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<i>Kevin, Milsa's grandson, showing how we use handmade bags to carry heavy loads on our head.</i></div>
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<i>Milsa hiked all of this back, plus some!</i></div>
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<i>My gift for helping out- 7 plantains and 40 mini bananas- which she considered "hardly anything"</i></div>
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<i>The trail to a finca </i></div>
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<i>A particularly nice cacao finca- it even has a nice trail through it! </i></div>
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Abbyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09072920869254438026noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8776580368386098965.post-3281065747936755082015-05-06T15:28:00.000-04:002015-05-06T15:28:15.508-04:00The Personal Identity and Double Lives of Peace Corps Volunteers<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<o:p>The <i>chiva</i> driver stops at the top of the gravel trail that leads into my site, I drag my grocery filled backpack off the truck, sit down on the bench to procrastinate the inevitable, and call my dad back home. It’s not long before the tears start and I dread making the 40-minute hike into a village where I will once again become the only <i>gringa</i>, the only English-speaker, the only woman over 20 without children, and the only person who has experienced more than this little section of Panama. </o:p></div>
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<o:p><br /></o:p></div>
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A year and a half later, I’ve finally learned to cherish
coming home to my tiny, loving community, despite our many differences, but
that doesn’t mean I don’t remember the anxiety or still occasionally struggle
with my personal identity in and out of site.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span><o:p></o:p></div>
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In these little bubbles that have been created for us, it
seems that many other volunteers experience the same types of struggles with
isolation, loneliness, and identity, and I don’t think it’s talked about near
enough.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></div>
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Even now, I feel like I’m sometimes exhibiting a double
life.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In site my people know me as <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Geli</i>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>This person usually dresses in old clothes and has her hair in a ponytail,
goes to bed by 9 pm without fail, makes tons of corny jokes, eats healthy
foods, never wears anything shorter than knee length, is known for saving
money, and is almost always cheerful.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Then
there’s volunteer Abby, the out of site version of me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She loves looking nice, going to the beach in
an actual bathing suit, enjoys sarcastic humor, will eat chocolate at any and
every turn, and doesn’t mind spending money to go out with friends or have a
nice meal.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Though none of those
characteristics are mutually exclusive, the way I exhibit them is.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
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<i>Typical Panama me- Casual outfit, no makeup, no fancy hairstyle. If I'm wearing accessories, they probably make me look like a hippie (local jewelry, large tote bags, a dirty watch, etc.)</i></div>
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<i>Typical United States Me- in a nice outfit with my makeup done, hair curled or straightened, and look completed with multiple accessories.</i></div>
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My people know me and love me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But they love their version of me, the
version that I’ve used to integrate into their culture without causing any more
stress or drama than is necessary.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The
poor farmers I live with make less than $10 a day, are married with children at
an age younger than my little sister, have never traveled more than a few hours
from their birthplace, and have only a few sets of clothes- all of them very
modest and very plain.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Their lifestyle
is so different than the type of life I lead out of site, and for them to see
me in normal clothes, shopping for a new digital camera, or spending more on a
meal or bottle of wine than they make in a day would drastically alter their
perception of who I am, and not in a good way.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span><o:p></o:p></div>
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I love my people, and when I’m in site, they’re all I
have.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But the relationships you have
with others are undoubtedly altered when you feel like you can’t be your whole
self with them, and that’s one of the biggest challenges many Peace Corps
volunteers will face early in their service.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Some will say that this anxiety is our fault and that only by showing
our whole and true selves can we really connect with the people we’re serving.
I would encourage these people to come into my site, wearing short shorts or
openly talking about how much money they’ve spent on their things, and just see
if any of the women will work with you.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>For me, that’s not an option.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></div>
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This type of struggle isn’t just limited to my site- other volunteers
see me so much differently than the type of person I saw myself as when I left
the United States.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My friends here have
seen me dirty, smelly, sick with a variety of illnesses and/or fungus
infections, all while wearing moldy and/or ill-fitting clothes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>High school me would be dying right about
now.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></div>
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Despite the emotional challenge this dilemma presents, maybe
it’s a good thing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Though I didn’t like
having to compartmentalize myself, I am glad that this experience has
challenged me physically, mentally, and emotionally, and I am especially happy
that it has forced me to change my perception of personal appearance and ask
myself which characteristics really make us who we are.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></div>
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<i>A typical in-site look = top + bottom (matching is optional) + braid or ponytail. No makeup or shoes required</i></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-87rMK3CdKRqYwY0JYsFV8-3WjUUiuaA2Nyolfi5SLnLaZPcdw1erHcDANk66yO6BoYw5-vdyWcujyUhf0sU3fxq-zuR-MuY7UcMdUacBYX6j2HLvLtkEXbK3jxBDcslSQkw7aOCnrVGk/s1600/10393955_10154974619285217_1928613717738824934_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-87rMK3CdKRqYwY0JYsFV8-3WjUUiuaA2Nyolfi5SLnLaZPcdw1erHcDANk66yO6BoYw5-vdyWcujyUhf0sU3fxq-zuR-MuY7UcMdUacBYX6j2HLvLtkEXbK3jxBDcslSQkw7aOCnrVGk/s1600/10393955_10154974619285217_1928613717738824934_n.jpg" height="480" width="640" /></a></div>
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<i>Cute hiking/working outfits? haha, no. Bottom + top (again, no matching needed) + boots. Bonus points will be given for being muddy and sweaty. </i></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCmKXKXrDGQf1PZap0Eo2bBbJuEiRSsDenn6bRy2HOZCvMXgyU1bJtNAnRKPBqjoiP0GZA5ppRZuU2V8bhyD6LJgp2iGU6g7L3qgYjRUoA5qDbpe4ItafZHj6EKKa8gnrNVrHLIb3VZnTf/s1600/10405433_10154515573360217_3496229049947803322_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCmKXKXrDGQf1PZap0Eo2bBbJuEiRSsDenn6bRy2HOZCvMXgyU1bJtNAnRKPBqjoiP0GZA5ppRZuU2V8bhyD6LJgp2iGU6g7L3qgYjRUoA5qDbpe4ItafZHj6EKKa8gnrNVrHLIb3VZnTf/s1600/10405433_10154515573360217_3496229049947803322_n.jpg" height="480" width="640" /></a></div>
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<i>Dressed up in site = top + bottom (matching preferred) + braid. Shoes preferred, but makeup still not required. </i></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXYKWwwPZEQf247wU_Vkh6HPqvJijvPlgshmcMc-fd3EOchtj7s_WdrnW5gLOM_HP2vcEBEjD4NDQlUiFTuTz2giBxofPzFL8f1maW6GdRcuubxSXbbME4NgugS1I3rJz8LfQteK8OdtV7/s1600/10312663_10154423227130217_3603565847649501768_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXYKWwwPZEQf247wU_Vkh6HPqvJijvPlgshmcMc-fd3EOchtj7s_WdrnW5gLOM_HP2vcEBEjD4NDQlUiFTuTz2giBxofPzFL8f1maW6GdRcuubxSXbbME4NgugS1I3rJz8LfQteK8OdtV7/s1600/10312663_10154423227130217_3603565847649501768_n.jpg" height="478" width="640" /></a></div>
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<i>Me in a nagua, a typical Ngäbe dress, which is also the most unflattering piece of clothing I ever plan on owning.</i></div>
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Before Peace Corps, it had been almost 8 years since I
routinely went in public without makeup.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>This earlier version of me wouldn’t have felt “whole” or put together
without all of the surface level things that I thought helped make me the
person I was. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
I may have been one of the last people in our training group
to quit wearing makeup anytime I left the house or to finally accept that my
chiffon skirts and beautiful J.Crew blouses just weren’t meant for the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">campo</i>, but growing into Geli, my scruffy,
fun loving, in-site alter ego, has allowed me to do something that few people
ever get to do.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’ve spent two years
being made to feel beautiful, complete, and loved by people who have never even
seen me in makeup, nice clothes, or in possession of the fancy things we as
Americans seem to value so much.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>All of
that finally had me questioning- am I really leading a double life as I had
previously thought, or have I finally learned what truly makes me, me?</div>
</div>
Abbyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09072920869254438026noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8776580368386098965.post-12795358610473701342015-04-25T10:11:00.000-04:002015-04-25T10:11:28.382-04:00Change You Can See- Women's Empowerment in Panama<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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One of my favorite ladies in my community, Diana, is an outgoing mother of three girls. Her daughters consistently rank at the top of their classes, and she serves as Treasurer of our community agricultural society. She's smart, adventurous, and a proven family and community leader, so I chose her to attend a project management seminar early last year. In a group of nearly 30 counterparts, she was one of only two women in attendance. When another volunteer asked her what inspired to be a woman leader, she responded, "In high school [approximately 15 years ago] I went to GAD camp."</div>
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Gender and Development, GAD for short, is a worldwide Peace Corps initiative that is working to promote gender equality and understanding and has made incredible progress here in Panama. For the past year I've worked as the National GAD Treasurer and I've really loved working in our gender and youth development programs. Change is slow, especially in international development, but the transformation I've seen in participants of our week-long Health and Leadership seminars is incredible. We host yearly seminars for youth (like Diana), women, and men. In each week, they receive targeted sessions that teach them how to set goals, have healthy relationships and lifestyles, understand basic finance, and become leaders in their communities. </div>
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Attending a <a href="http://abbyexplores.blogspot.com/2014/02/gad-camp-2014.html" target="_blank">GAD Youth Camp</a> was one of my favorite experiences as a first year Peace Corps volunteer, and this year I was able to participate in another of our awesome events- The Healthy Women's Artisan Seminar. </div>
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During the week, selected artisans from all over Panama traveled to the conference to hear the basic GAD sessions, learn new artisan techniques that they can use to earn an additional income, and break down some serious cultural stereotypes. </div>
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For many women, this was the first time they had ever left their province, traveled alone, or interacted with women from outside of their close-knit communities. At the beginning of the week most women, especially the indigenous Ngäbes who tend to be looked down upon by their fellow Panamanians, were quiet and reserved. We did our best to make the seminar a safe and comfortable opportunity for the women to relax and get to know each other as people, and sure enough, it worked. </div>
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By the end of the week, the ladies were spending hours at a time teaching each other artisan techniques, sharing their cultures, and talking about the lives and families they had back home. The impact was immediately visible, and that's something you almost never get to see as a Peace Corps Volunteer. </div>
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On the last night some of the women requested to say a few words about what the experience had meant to them and one of my favorites, a shy indigenous woman from a very reserved community, proudly and emotionally told us how much the experience had meant to her. She said she was excited to share what she learned with her community, thanked us as volunteers for giving the women this incredibly unique opportunity, and ended just as she was about to get teary eyed. </div>
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Moments like that are the reason that I'm here. They don't happen often, but each one will be replayed in my mind over and over again, reminding me why we do what we do. </div>
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On another uplifting and girl-power note If you have a moment (and some Spanish) you should watch the video below about three Panamanian indigenous women who traveled to India to spend 6 months learning about solar technology that can be used in their communities. As an extra fun fact, these ladies live only a few hours away from me and are friends with some of the GAD seminar participants!</div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #242424; font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 19px; line-height: 28.5px; text-align: start;">"Feminism isn't about making women strong. Women are already strong. It's about changing the way the world perceives that strength." —G.D. Anderson</span></div>
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Abbyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09072920869254438026noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8776580368386098965.post-69652414963103560182015-03-12T18:38:00.000-04:002015-03-12T18:38:03.076-04:00Why You Should Definitely Get a Pet When You Join the Peace Corps<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Being an animal lover and lifetime pet owner, it took me a
grand total of 2 hours between first arriving in my Peace Corps site and
selecting what would become my most inseparable friend for the next two
years.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></div>
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Sure, there are a handful of arguments against adopting a
pet while serving in the Peace Corps, but in my opinion, all of those pale
against the many positives that will come along with your new best
friend(s).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></div>
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Before I go any further, let me just put to rest the
argument that volunteers don’t make enough money to cover a pet. Both my dog
and “my” cat are well fed, vaccinated, and plenty spoiled, but I’m still almost
positive that I spend more money a month on <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">ducles</i>
than on pet expenses.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If not, it’s
close.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></div>
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Side note- I’m working on a post about money and expenses as
a PCV, so look for that soon!<o:p></o:p></div>
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Just in case you haven’t been following my blog or haven’t
seen the hundreds of pictures that are likely on my Facebook, we’ll start from
the beginning of my Peace Corps pets story:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>My host family’s dog, Gringa (“gringa” is also slang for “white girl,”
but dog Gringa was named for her green eyes well before human gringa showed
up), had a litter of puppies just two days before I arrived in town.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Kids being kids, my new host brothers
couldn’t wait to show the newborns to me, and me being me, I couldn’t wait to
pick one out for myself.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So I did.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Long story short, Massy and I became fast
friends and I’ve been convinced of the many pet-provided benefits ever
since.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>Benefit #1: Pets give a good end to a bad day.<o:p></o:p></b></div>
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No matter how positive you are, how hard you work, or how
much you smile in the face of challenges, you WILL have days as a Peace Corps
volunteer when you return to your house at night and do everything you can not
to cry or dwell on all of the awful, sad, and potentially gross things that
happened to you.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Though, thankfully,
those days will be the minority, having a warm, cuddly friend willing to listen
to your complaints without saying anything but “I love you.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Let’s have a snack.” with those sweet eyes of
his (or hers) will give a better ending to any day- good or bad.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>Benefit #2: It will never again be this easy to adopt and care for a pet.</b></div>
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<o:p>No pet adoption agencies, no fees, and no expensive veterinary certifications (though you should still get shots done. Here they're $2-4 per injection). Plus, since you will likely live in very simple housing with little to no expensive possessions, there's almost no chance of your new dog or cat ruining something! </o:p><br />
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<b>Benefit #3: You never have to go anywhere alone!<o:p></o:p></b></div>
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Since my community is quite spread out, I spend several
hours each week hiking through the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">monte</i>
to visit families or work on farms.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I
used to get a little worried about getting lost, and even now I still get a
little bored and/or lonely when I’ve been walking awhile.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Other days, I’m stuck in my house all day
long waiting out one of our familiar Bocas rainstorms.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Either way, there’s the common theme of being
alone and lonely.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Thanks to Massy,
though, I never have to deal with that!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>My sweet little jungle dog follows me wherever I go- if that means
spending all day in our hut, he’ll be snuggled at my feet (as he is at this
moment) and if that means going on a 9 hour hiking trip, than he’ll be leading
the charge.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhM9er7Elw2CQUJfVfGSJq6DIDTYdOyjGZhnWdEbu4GXIUoFn4ljTfvxlTP19zsldwvxHFNlgSByNFatpikRnBkzLu49ZuqQVoWPywsPv7EkVGFUbJrlAmzw0r2RMBa5-idW-jp6zsLK8ki/s1600/IMG_5566.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhM9er7Elw2CQUJfVfGSJq6DIDTYdOyjGZhnWdEbu4GXIUoFn4ljTfvxlTP19zsldwvxHFNlgSByNFatpikRnBkzLu49ZuqQVoWPywsPv7EkVGFUbJrlAmzw0r2RMBa5-idW-jp6zsLK8ki/s1600/IMG_5566.JPG" height="478" width="640" /></a><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjojfBoanGUOCGZE6HmLqkTk_neuC7332lymURVRmAKsvLFNmSKc1cVDygUFQowo8KsAJrm-s79QL3F7trqaQ-kMMqMSsd1HkUcEp4dwELXdKTz2YDNsHD6WcJyWCA7yA2fHHDOZDpiUceP/s1600/IMGP0823.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjojfBoanGUOCGZE6HmLqkTk_neuC7332lymURVRmAKsvLFNmSKc1cVDygUFQowo8KsAJrm-s79QL3F7trqaQ-kMMqMSsd1HkUcEp4dwELXdKTz2YDNsHD6WcJyWCA7yA2fHHDOZDpiUceP/s1600/IMGP0823.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></div>
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<o:p><br /></o:p></div>
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<b>Benefit #4: The people will love your new friend.<o:p></o:p></b></div>
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True story:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>One day,
early on in my service, Massy and I were hiking in the neighboring area.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We came across a family I hadn’t met yet and
they asked me, “¿Cómo se llama?”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When I
responded with my name, they replied, “No, not you.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That pretty dog.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This has repeated itself many times, in many
forms.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Everyone</b> within a 3 hour walking radius of my town knows Massy’s
name even though I’m not completely sure the same could be said for mine.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Despite the fact that many dogs here are
underfed and neglected and NO dogs here receive the type of affection I give
Massy, the people are enamored with him and frequently treat him quite
differently than their own dogs.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In
fact, many families are often quite excited to tell me that they’ve been
sharing their people food with Massy and I can’t even begin to count the number
of times people have begged for him when I finish my service.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></div>
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Though I like to think that Massy is special, it doesn’t
seem like this phenomenon is unique to us.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>If you check out the <a href="https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10151514543203684.1073741825.8545788683&type=3" target="_blank">Peace Corps Pets</a> photo album on Facebook, many
owners mention the locals’ unique fascination with volunteers’ furry friends. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiF-BNanLXaqYvwfkXVTOWQlocOxLxRX4UHjYY6QAyOROydrM5OxGnakc0L19-8LzCqRFJMnN5hfoJjChjcf0rclMpgiXGkIhR8nZR04HIjhbYMEKh6MWt7dyZwfS6eezSkxN1LbVjFk7eU/s1600/IMGP0781.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiF-BNanLXaqYvwfkXVTOWQlocOxLxRX4UHjYY6QAyOROydrM5OxGnakc0L19-8LzCqRFJMnN5hfoJjChjcf0rclMpgiXGkIhR8nZR04HIjhbYMEKh6MWt7dyZwfS6eezSkxN1LbVjFk7eU/s1600/IMGP0781.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a><br />
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<b>Benefit #5: Your house will be well guarded.<o:p></o:p></b></div>
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<br /></div>
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Though Massy knows and loves everyone in town, that doesn’t
stop him from loudly alerting me to any and every approaching visitor.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Whether it’s a machete-welding man or a shy
four-year-old girl, Massy is my little alarm system.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Funny enough- though Massy has never once
bitten anyone or showed any type of human aggression, this simple act of
barking at visitors has <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">convinced</i> the
people that anyone who tried to break into my house or harm me would first have
to face the wrath of my sweet little jungle dog.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They’re probably right.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9laTKWu-FSFfIEo_NfqVcPwt9hr8s-tbQlVtkO-edNptweKVjFCEKAy_Hxzj0TWqIxaRC7tpQQHiIdzdWEg5dlkFs37gjVF6CZ7hZoE9PsIpBH-9GEBM3GIiSPnP5cEK_1kn6IHnSGpef/s1600/IMG_1338.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9laTKWu-FSFfIEo_NfqVcPwt9hr8s-tbQlVtkO-edNptweKVjFCEKAy_Hxzj0TWqIxaRC7tpQQHiIdzdWEg5dlkFs37gjVF6CZ7hZoE9PsIpBH-9GEBM3GIiSPnP5cEK_1kn6IHnSGpef/s1600/IMG_1338.jpg" height="456" width="640" /></a></div>
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<b>Benefit #6: Your pet can bring a little bit of Peace Corps
home to the United States. <o:p></o:p></b></div>
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<br /></div>
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Sometimes when Massy and I lay sprawled out on my wooden
floor, sweating from the humid Panama heat, I dream about what it will be like
to take him running in a dog park in the beautiful, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">cool</i> East Tennessee fall.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It
certainly seems like bliss, especially in that overheated moment.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Before making the decision to adopt a pet as
a Peace Corps volunteer, I did my research and was happy to learn that while
still present, the costs of bringing my future dog home from Panama would not
be too great.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Though I’m not sure
exactly what my plan is yet or where I’ll be living, Massy has already got
someone (other than me) quite important wrapped around his little paw- my farm
owning dad.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So, while my first choice
would obviously be to have my little buddy with me wherever I go, I know that
he has somewhere to live that’s big and open with plenty of mud.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Taking Massy home will be like taking a
little bit of my Peace Corps service home, and I can’t wait to see that little
bit of my two worlds together.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPK82biA_dZMEK1e9sntFQxDsopdFMKSi4j7ENh4LL-oNKmoNcVKSkNCd6VUvByHJOQw7FuiaE51TIfv_fsg-LWY6_FjcaYJqJ6o5iWuFEauLxwDBEWlyHerudA_gtz-kaFu1s3e89aR5O/s1600/IMG_4200.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPK82biA_dZMEK1e9sntFQxDsopdFMKSi4j7ENh4LL-oNKmoNcVKSkNCd6VUvByHJOQw7FuiaE51TIfv_fsg-LWY6_FjcaYJqJ6o5iWuFEauLxwDBEWlyHerudA_gtz-kaFu1s3e89aR5O/s1600/IMG_4200.JPG" height="478" width="640" /></a></div>
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For those of you that have asked: Massy is named after my
pre-Peace Corps dog, Sammy, who died just a few weeks after I arrived in Panama
(switch the S and the M and Sammy becomes Massy). Like Sammy (Sam), Massy also frequently goes
by a shortened version of his name (Mas).</div>
</div>
Abbyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09072920869254438026noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8776580368386098965.post-79027549485499825582015-03-03T21:24:00.002-05:002015-03-03T21:24:51.878-05:00Friends, Diving, and Whale Sharks<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkdMoruw61IkNehI1iBEqQJZgZufJrEiJqLJPc-zBS3kxlo6cPAgrCe9iulP7IOln1agRVqCw3ZMTj02cFrAj0INXlMtm_-My3WioGTFlRVpxIjNxWsfb5bOwFIGYsxxl0G78trgCR3CNG/s1600/IMG_1420.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkdMoruw61IkNehI1iBEqQJZgZufJrEiJqLJPc-zBS3kxlo6cPAgrCe9iulP7IOln1agRVqCw3ZMTj02cFrAj0INXlMtm_-My3WioGTFlRVpxIjNxWsfb5bOwFIGYsxxl0G78trgCR3CNG/s1600/IMG_1420.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></div>
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Whether you come to Panama for a month or 3 years, chances
are that you’ll have a Panama to-do list.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Seeing ships pass through the famous Panama Canal, swimming in the
tropical waters of Bocas del Toro, and sampling the world renowned coffee in
Boquete are all popular activities, but with 2 years to spend, my to-do’s have
been getting more and more specific.<o:p></o:p></div>
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As someone with a little more time and flexibility, I’ve
been able to plan my trips around not only specific destinations, but also
around the best times of the year to visit.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>From once a year <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">ferias</i> to months
long animal migration patterns, I’m happy to use my flexibility to my advantage
and see a whole new side of Panama.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If
you think you can see all of our little country in a week or two, you’re
definitely doing it wrong! <o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguFEPSPBty2W5rhgBgw3YDD682y4QGwXsbOoraHOaM7JXsA5d7722I1ZjUfTnp1wUaEccfPB8MeRPSi41l6yi3vrLQO3RwTWRbSDl-ayutHe1jtQoWiqdo6EpAr8S9Per0eJdfk8sEBaxy/s1600/DSCF0280.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguFEPSPBty2W5rhgBgw3YDD682y4QGwXsbOoraHOaM7JXsA5d7722I1ZjUfTnp1wUaEccfPB8MeRPSi41l6yi3vrLQO3RwTWRbSDl-ayutHe1jtQoWiqdo6EpAr8S9Per0eJdfk8sEBaxy/s1600/DSCF0280.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></div>
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Since neither Knoxville nor Pittsburgh is close to many
diving spots, I’ve been dying to go ever since I got to Panama. After nearly 2
years of scoping out locations, prices, and marine migration timing, I finally
got my chance.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>For the past few months,
12 of my friends and I have been planning a SCUBA trip to dive with whale
sharks and tons of other interesting marine life around Isla Coiba off the
Pacific coast of Veraguas.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></div>
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<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><br /></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSlG6GBD6vvqHRrEXS1Gm0Lhx0hadFmE1wCXpy07DT_zEJQfNKXXC1bURcGnjn9GJjRz7zNdtLS_SThFUq9Pmlq8XIuVBcqZFWR18bgvjtwX-YXp7Y2_szaBQmxxfyc-VqdarFcHkfHuS7/s1600/IMG_1435.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSlG6GBD6vvqHRrEXS1Gm0Lhx0hadFmE1wCXpy07DT_zEJQfNKXXC1bURcGnjn9GJjRz7zNdtLS_SThFUq9Pmlq8XIuVBcqZFWR18bgvjtwX-YXp7Y2_szaBQmxxfyc-VqdarFcHkfHuS7/s1600/IMG_1435.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEittOQMEmwYmzTZpqwVrn6Yg8NXqn5n5ysAaczWWeCINQhoGGw02vrqktQQNxz0nuC5D3MgqfgNHBx6BT27AYnFJZ1CPmX2rRwrpSrjWMtRW95gKQEbtScvv5nA69MpIRqV2hwUZc3luMcb/s1600/IMG_1437.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEittOQMEmwYmzTZpqwVrn6Yg8NXqn5n5ysAaczWWeCINQhoGGw02vrqktQQNxz0nuC5D3MgqfgNHBx6BT27AYnFJZ1CPmX2rRwrpSrjWMtRW95gKQEbtScvv5nA69MpIRqV2hwUZc3luMcb/s1600/IMG_1437.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></div>
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Fun fact- “Ver aguas” means “To see waters” and Veraguas is
the only Panamanian province that touches both the Pacific and Caribbean
coasts.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Accessible via the popular surfing destination of Santa
Catalina, Isla Coiba is a national park with some of the most beautiful beaches
I’ve seen in my entire life.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>To prove
it, I haven’t edited any of the pictures in this post- it really is that
beautiful!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Though at one point the
island was home to a penal colony, the only current development on the island
is a small ranger’s station and several cabins available for rent by ANAM, the
environmental ministry of Panama.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></div>
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<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><br /></span></div>
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While Santa Catalina alone is worthy of a visit, we were
there strictly for the SCUBA diving.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>After a long day of travel, we enjoyed each other’s company and prepared
for an early day of diving.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
Since most of our group was comprised of newly certified or
beginner SCUBA divers, we were all a little anxious for the dives we’d be doing
the next day- especially considering the dive shop’s slogan, “Sharks
guaranteed!” Even though we were excited to dive with the giant but harmless
whale sharks, the idea of diving with varieties that had pointier teeth was a
little discomforting. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwDThzn3NWQ5FHzwsq4y2ga74Gnj6hXxxV-RWGltEVCYfnRq22lCc9O7blbvUbg4meqH0eeENTH_b2H_ZTGYJ7wU62cbhEPYnmbTlk4JLd-pFOfD7a7VjgL73m1p_JPkd9j2pfT-QC7slz/s1600/DSCF0242.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwDThzn3NWQ5FHzwsq4y2ga74Gnj6hXxxV-RWGltEVCYfnRq22lCc9O7blbvUbg4meqH0eeENTH_b2H_ZTGYJ7wU62cbhEPYnmbTlk4JLd-pFOfD7a7VjgL73m1p_JPkd9j2pfT-QC7slz/s1600/DSCF0242.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></div>
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Since diving is always better in pairs or smaller groups, we
separated into two boats and headed out to Isla Coiba, about an hour’s boat
ride away from Santa Catalina, early the next morning. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Though I haven’t actually been diving in the
ocean before (I was certified in the quarries of East Tennessee), even I feel
pretty confident in saying that the diving in Coiba was incredible.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We swam through schools of hundreds of
beautiful tropical fish, watched sting rays jump into the air, came within a
few feet of peaceful sleeping sharks (small enough to be okay with me), and
even found a seahorse bouncing around some coral!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></div>
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Even though my group didn’t actually get to see the whale
sharks, we all had a great time and I would still highly recommend the area to
both snorkelers and SCUBA divers, regardless of whether you can plan your trip
around whale shark season <span style="font-family: Wingdings; mso-ascii-font-family: Cambria; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-char-type: symbol; mso-hansi-font-family: Cambria; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-symbol-font-family: Wingdings;"><span style="mso-char-type: symbol; mso-symbol-font-family: Wingdings;">J</span></span><o:p></o:p></div>
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<h3 style="text-align: justify;">
Transportation to Santa Catalina </h3>
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Ideally, you’ll want to get a bus to <b>Sona, Veraguas</b>. If you’re
coming from Bocas though, you’ll need to take a bus to Santiago and then catch
a Sona bus from there. They leave about
once an hour. After arriving in Sona,
walk to the Santa Catalina bus terminal (about 5 minutes down the road) and take
the 4x daily two-hour bus to <b>Santa
Catalina</b>. The last bus leaves before
5, so make sure not to miss it! Over
all, the trip costs less than $5 each way. </div>
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Diving around Isla Coiba</h3>
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The good diving is all situated around Isla Coiba, about an
hour’s boat ride away, so if you’re interested in going, you’ll definitely need
to go through a diving company. We went
with Coiba Dive Center and were very happy with our trip. Count on paying ~$150 for a 3 tank dive, all
rentals and transportation from Santa Catalina included. </div>
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Abbyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09072920869254438026noreply@blogger.com0