Dad's in Panama!

Before I even left the States my dad started talking about a Christmas visit to Panama, and spending hours discussing our trip over the phone was  one of the main boosts that got me through those first few months. Finally, exactly six months since I left home, my dad arrived in Panama!

We had heard that flying in through Costa Rica and then taking the 6 hour bus to Bocas del Toro would be a better and cheaper option than flying into Panama City and taking the 10 hour overnight bus.  While the flight itself was cheaper, I think it's safe to say he'll be spending the extra $150-$200 to fly directly into Bocas in the future.  When you consider a multiple nights in a hotel due to late flights, early busses, and over seven hours waiting in line to pay a $7 tourist tax, the Costa Rican entry added several hundred dollars to his trip and took away 3 nights and 4 days he could have been here.  

Regardless, he finally arrived, safe and sound, and after picking him up in town we headed straight to my village.  Even though I didn't need anyone to convince me what a cool place I live in, seeing Panama, and especially my day-to-day life, through my dad's eyes has given me a whole new appreciation for all of the things and people that make up my new village and home country.  

In the first few days we mainly relaxed and enjoyed each other's company, but we also visited a few of my neighbors, one of whom sold my dad this intricate hand-made hammock for only $20.  He was pretty excited.  

After spending a few days adjusting to village life (and realizing that when I say not to use to much shower water, I mean it), my dad and I left my little house and empty water tank and headed to the mountains of Boquete for Christmas.  To be honest, I'm not sure who was more excited about a few days of hot showers and internet, but my money's on myself.  What can I say? Sometimes you just need to feel clean and check Facebook in bed.  

Time for a Facelift!

A blog facelift that is.  Please excuse the frequently changing and or slightly off design for the next little while as I try to navigate design and Panamanian internet!  

P.S. I'm looking to update the color scheme and header, potentially with some of the options below.  Thoughts?

A Time for Thanks

Develop an attitude of gratitude, and give thanks for everything that happens to you, knowing that every step forward is a step toward achieving something bigger and better than your current situation.

- Brian Tracy

I’ve always been aware that I was blessed to have what I did: a healthy family, wonderful friends, and material possessions.  However, until this year I never would have thought to give thanks for the simpler things in life- a bed, access to an education, medical care, ease of communication, and even to have been born in a nation where many of these things are simply a given.

In the past six months my “normal” has shifted.  In my town there is no electricity, no internet, no health care center, and no high school.  There is no variety in available foods, and there are many times the only things people have to eat are the bananas they grow on their farm.  I can’t call my parents whenever I want, I don’t have a bathroom, and I have no bed.    

While it’s certainly tough to wake up to this new normal everyday, it has also given me a much broader perspective, of which I am so thankful for. 

This year I’m still thankful for my family, friends, and the support they are constantly giving me.  But I’m also thankful for all of those little things- a few moments of signal to call home, an air mattress so that I don’t have to sleep on the floor, and community members who invite me into their house and don’t hesitate to share what little they have.  

I'm also grateful for the opportunity to spend this past week surrounded by 200 other Panamanian Peace Corps volunteers in the beautiful Cerro Punta, Chiriqui.  Our group rented out a mountain lodge (Los Quetzales, which I highly recommend!) cooked a true American Thanksgiving meal, and soaked in each other's company (and the hot water showers...)  

After this refreshing week filled with food, cold weather, and beautiful scenery, I feel refreshed and am looking forward to the next few weeks- my dad arrives in mid December and after that I have several projects lined up to keep me busy until Springtime.  

As always, thank you, thank you, thank you for all of your words of encouragement and support.  You guys make all the hard days so much easier!

Community Analysis: Complete

As I had previously mentioned, I had never put much thought or research into Peace Corps before applying at the last minute- quite atypical behavior for me.  Thankfully though, the more I learned about Peace Corps and its approach to international development- both before I left the US and after I arrived in Panama- the happier I am to be a part of the program.  

In my opinion, one of the main reasons Peace Corps has flourished the way it has is because Volunteers are expected to really get to know and understand their communities before starting projects or applying for any aid.  This not only helps us to create more sustainable projects, but also ensures we are working to improve aspects of the community in which there is not only an evident need but also a widespread desire to improve.  Both of these aspects are crucial in development work.  

As a framework for getting to know our communities, we use the PACA (Participatory Analysis for Community Action) tools.  Essentially, we research a variety of aspects of community life and culture, and then present what we learned in a community wide meeting in which we also facilitate a SWAT (Strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, threats) analysis and community action plan.  

Obviously, this is a pretty big undertaking.  To add to the already big occasion, our program director travels all the way from Panama City to personally attend each community meeting and talk to community members about our progress so far.  Needless to say, I was pretty stressed in the days leading up to my meeting.  Would people come?  Would they agree with what I had to say and voice their opinions during the project planning session?  

Since personal interaction is culturally expected in smaller Panamanian communities, I spent several weeks visiting every single family in my community with personal invitations to the meeting.  Thanks to this (and also potentially to food bribery) I had a great turnout of nearly 30 people!  That's almost 30% of my community, and a huge number considering that some people had to hike an hour to arrive in town.  

I was also really happy with how the project planning turned out.  They identified multiple community weaknesses they want to work on including the lack of group organization and financial planning, and poor plantation management.  

All of this considered, it looks like I have my hands full for the next few months.  Now here's hoping that their motivated attitudes will stick!

Chocolate Day

Carly leading the financial loss activity

The first few months of Peace Corps service are mostly spent getting to know your community members and learning what activities have the potential to work and which ones you shouldn't waste your time on.  Although I've loved taking it slow for awhile, I am SO excited to really get to work and start planning activities.  

Counting damaged cocoa pods for a cost analysis activity

Other than my community analysis meeting,  my first actual activity was what I´ve been referring to as "Chocolate Day."  It just so happens that the national Cocoa Coordinator is a neighboring volunteer, and she is awesome.  Of course, this made it that much easier to plan a full day´s worth of activities revolving around chocolate.  Have I mentioned recently that I love my job?

A few of the producers that were present...

And my pup, who is always present.

In the morning, Carly talked with a group of producers about small steps they can take to produce higher yields and improve their cocoa.  Since I´m focusing on the business aspect of things, we also completed a little activity to find out how much money a particular farmer was losing due to a controllable fungus.  The results were astounding- Over $2,000!  

Although Carly had to leave shortly after our producers´ meeting to get back to her site, we continued the day with a baking class where we made brownies over a fogon- essentially a campfire type set-up that the majority of families use to cook with.

Some of the baking class attendees

Using only locally available ingredients, we made some prettttty awesome dulces if I do say so myself.  Shortly after reaching for brownie #3 (or was it 4...) I realized that the attendees were being polite and holding back.  Once I guiltily told them to pack some for their families though, it was like flies to a lightbulb.  Though it was certainly a fun activity for the local women, I´m really trying to organize activities like this to also empower them and encourage them to think about alternatives to simply selling their cocoa beans unprocessed.  After all, what tourist wouldn´t want a delicious, locally produced fudgey brownie?

Watching as these kids discovered the delicious world of brownie batter= Priceless

I would include pictures of our brownies... but they didn´t last that long :)

Bocas Day on the Island

Sometimes, you just need a break, and when you're a Peace Corps volunteer away from your family, friends, and culture, there is no better break than taking off to an island with a big group of fellow PCVs who may or may not constitute nearly 100% of the gringo population in rural Panama.  

After a successful community meeting, about 20 volunteers in my region spent the weekend on Isla Colón, celebrating the newbies making it through their first 3 months and the also saying farewell to an incredible volunteer who has been this year's regional leader.  Since Saturday also happened to be Founder's Day, the island was packed with marching bands, parades, street vendors, and Panameñans partying well into the night.  

The marching bands traveled from all over the province to march in style in their bright uniforms, which are very different from those of US based bands.  The girls were all in short skirts or dresses with heels or heeled boots (how do they march in those?!) and many wore fun hats or hair accessories and wrapped decorations such as feather boas around their musical instruments.  The peach costumes below were some of my favorites; if only the rainy day didn't make the photos so dreary!

I'm so thankful that I have the opportunity to serve in such a fun and beautiful country.  Weekends like this go a long way in refreshing me; but when you're surrounded by so many awesome people who know exactly what you're going through, how could it not?

To cap off the night, we took a short boat ride to a bar on the neighboring island where we were able to play on swings that swung right into the Caribbean Sea.  It was such a fun night, and one that I hope will be repeated many times in the upcoming 2 years!  

Next week I'll be heading to the mountains of Chiriquí for our annual Volunteer Thanksgiving, and in a short month my dad arrives for a glorious visit from home.  Though I'm trying really hard to soak up every moment and not wish my time away, I have to admit that I'm quite excited from December to get here :)

Fried Plantain Oatmeal

Since I’m desperately looking for ways to use my gifted plantains before they go bad, I figured I’d kill two birds with one stone and make fried plantain oatmeal.  Ripe, fried plantains are a Panamanian favorite, and they’re especially delicious when sprinkled with a little cinnamon sugar.  This recipe is another super easy way to spice up a basic oatmeal breakfast!

Ingredients

Cinnamon Oatmeal

Ripe Plantain

Cinnamon

Sugar

Fry ripe plantain slices in a hot skillet.  When golden brown, sprinkle with cinnamon sugar.  Place a layer of fried plantains in a bowl, top with cinnamon oatmeal, and then another layer of cinnamon sugar plantains.  

Obviously, this is also great with peanut butter.  Then again, what isn’t?

Another note, less than a week into my oatmeal challenge I faltered.  Since I learned how to make baked oatmeal empanadas, I just haven’t been able to go back to plain ole’ oatmeal, no matter how spiced up and delicious it may be.  I’ll sharpen up my measurements so I can share the recipe on here; after that, you’ll understand.