The other Saturday, I anxiously waited on the side of the road bright and early for a Panama-Santiago bus to pass by, which would take me to Calobre. Upon flagging one down, I boarded and squeezed into a vacant seat. While watching a translated version of Miss Congeniality, my neighbor leaned in and asked me where I was going.
“Calobre!”
“Claro, qué está en Calobre?”
- - - - - - - -
I have completed training, been sworn in, said adios to fellow volunteers, and I am now flying solo in this little town. A touch overwhelming if I stop and think about it too much. However, after making it through the first week, I feel absolutely thrilled to be here!
In the mornings, I generally head out to the farms, swing that machete, limpiando, sembrando. The other day, two little girls were out with us as we cleared weeds from an area of culantro (pretty similar to cilantro). I was a bit worried at first, as I could hardly tell the difference between all the various weeds and the culantro, and I feared taking out the good stuff as I put my machete to work. However, those two girls (ages 5 and 3) followed me all over that field, watching me like hawks, ensuring I didn’t mess up (“eso, sí, eso no” “look Jenny, here’s some, and here’s a baby mango tree, and this here is such and such, and this is yadda yadda”) I LOVE how much they know about this stuff…pretty darn cute. We also finished up a chicken project (I love animals, but I must admit, it is a wee bit fun plucking those feathers and gutting them…hey, it’s science!), and a little reforestation project with the planting of 65 lemon trees.
Many hours are spent passing from house to house, visiting, talking about the weather, drinking coffee, and eating a ton. Each day I meet a new person who I just fall in love with. I’ve given a couple ‘Microsoft Word Classes’ to two fabulously eager folks with computers, and am a frequent visitor to the recycling seminar (this week we made some cool baskets out of newspaper, and wall hangings out of aluminum cans). I even have a play date with a 6-year-old named Andrea. (“When are you going to come back? Will you come back tomorrow? I have a lot of games!” I LOVE her.)
I have continued working on my skills in the dancing arena and I am glad to report it is coming along! I am sure over half the community is well aware of the following very important facts: I am a pretty awful dancer, I’m always dancing around anyway, I love the tipico music, and I long to learn the folkloric dances. People approach me left and right, telling me they can teach me to dance or inviting me to events where they know will be folkloric demonstrations and others who merely yell, “Jeeeenny, baile pues!!” in passing. A little embarrassing, considering I don’t even know some of these people yet, but I suppose news of the gringa who desperately needs some dance instruction travels fast. It always makes me smile, nonetheless.
Working. Learning. Sharing experiences. Integrating.
Qué está en Calobre?
Mi vida.
yikes.
Thursday, July 15, 2010
Monday, June 28, 2010
Wednesday, June 23, 2010
And so it begins
Fhdsjkchdskfjeos!!!!! Yes. That basically describes how I feel right about now… When words hardly come close to expressing what you want to express… However, I shall do my best:
I spent the last week visiting my future site, and I am now a sound believer in the Peace Corps process—the interviews, the follow-up interviews, the pages and pages of paperwork about myself and interests…they do a really great job at matching volunteers to certain sites (at least in my case, and from what I have heard from others in regard to their site visit). I love Calobre.
At the beginning of last week, all the volunteers went to a conference in Cocle, where we met a counterpart from our community. (Oh how the nerves were flying! However, they were immediately calmed when I met my lovely counterpart. Amazing woman) We spent a couple days going over information, and getting to know our counterpart before departing for our communities. On the 16th, we left for our sites. My cheeks hurt so bad during the last leg of my bus ride into Calobre—I was in constant smile mode. Just beautiful. All the trees…all the mountains…AH! Within the first day, I met the police, the school director, the VET!, people of MIDA (ministry of agricultural development), the corregidor, all the members in the women’s group, and so on and so forth. Circling Calobre, in more rural areas, are several smaller communities, and you can walk around and see most in about two hours; I’m lucky—I have 5+ communities to work with! El Alto is where the big farms are, and I spent a couple days out there working with two different groups on two different farms; planting rice and cleaning a corn field. I met my host families for the first three months and talked to some people about beginning the construction of a little house for when I can live solo! I went to a fun recycling seminar each night (which was basically like a big arts and crafts class!), and learned to make some corn goods (thick tortillas, bollos, chicha). I also may or may not have found a four legged companion. (I tried really hard not to get attached, but when you know, you know, right?! Cutest puppy) To top it off, all the people I have met are so phenomenal.
Between helping out in two different schools, working with the farm groups, and with MIDA, there will clearly ALWAYS be something to do, so I am pretty excited. I go back the 3rd of July and from there, the two year countdown begins. Yikes.
I am now back in Santa Clara for a little over a week, and while I am excited to really start my service in Veraguas, and be done with training, I hate having to leave my current host family. I am only 4ish hours away, so I can visit, AND they have already told me they are going to come visit ME in February (for my birthday!!! So sweet!!).
The swearing in ceremony is Friday. A day we’ve been looking forward to for a long time—the aspirantes finally become REAL Peace Corps Volunteers. Yay! Training officially ends the 30th of June, so we get a couple days free until we have to be in site. May do another beach trip.
It is all really happening. Thanks to everyone for continued support! I miss you all and hope you are well.
P.S. July 3rd is also pretty special because my amazing friend Nicole (who happens to have Panamanian roots!) is getting married! Congrats to you, my dear, I wish I could be there!
P.P.S. World Cup is also going on right now, and that is pretty cool, since it isn´t that huge (at least I think..) in the U.S. You guys at home watching?! You should!
I spent the last week visiting my future site, and I am now a sound believer in the Peace Corps process—the interviews, the follow-up interviews, the pages and pages of paperwork about myself and interests…they do a really great job at matching volunteers to certain sites (at least in my case, and from what I have heard from others in regard to their site visit). I love Calobre.
At the beginning of last week, all the volunteers went to a conference in Cocle, where we met a counterpart from our community. (Oh how the nerves were flying! However, they were immediately calmed when I met my lovely counterpart. Amazing woman) We spent a couple days going over information, and getting to know our counterpart before departing for our communities. On the 16th, we left for our sites. My cheeks hurt so bad during the last leg of my bus ride into Calobre—I was in constant smile mode. Just beautiful. All the trees…all the mountains…AH! Within the first day, I met the police, the school director, the VET!, people of MIDA (ministry of agricultural development), the corregidor, all the members in the women’s group, and so on and so forth. Circling Calobre, in more rural areas, are several smaller communities, and you can walk around and see most in about two hours; I’m lucky—I have 5+ communities to work with! El Alto is where the big farms are, and I spent a couple days out there working with two different groups on two different farms; planting rice and cleaning a corn field. I met my host families for the first three months and talked to some people about beginning the construction of a little house for when I can live solo! I went to a fun recycling seminar each night (which was basically like a big arts and crafts class!), and learned to make some corn goods (thick tortillas, bollos, chicha). I also may or may not have found a four legged companion. (I tried really hard not to get attached, but when you know, you know, right?! Cutest puppy) To top it off, all the people I have met are so phenomenal.
Between helping out in two different schools, working with the farm groups, and with MIDA, there will clearly ALWAYS be something to do, so I am pretty excited. I go back the 3rd of July and from there, the two year countdown begins. Yikes.
I am now back in Santa Clara for a little over a week, and while I am excited to really start my service in Veraguas, and be done with training, I hate having to leave my current host family. I am only 4ish hours away, so I can visit, AND they have already told me they are going to come visit ME in February (for my birthday!!! So sweet!!).
The swearing in ceremony is Friday. A day we’ve been looking forward to for a long time—the aspirantes finally become REAL Peace Corps Volunteers. Yay! Training officially ends the 30th of June, so we get a couple days free until we have to be in site. May do another beach trip.
It is all really happening. Thanks to everyone for continued support! I miss you all and hope you are well.
P.S. July 3rd is also pretty special because my amazing friend Nicole (who happens to have Panamanian roots!) is getting married! Congrats to you, my dear, I wish I could be there!
P.P.S. World Cup is also going on right now, and that is pretty cool, since it isn´t that huge (at least I think..) in the U.S. You guys at home watching?! You should!
Wednesday, June 2, 2010
Drum Roll, Please!
"Calobre is a serene mountainous region most famous for its coffee and sweet watermelons. The town of Calobre itself is a nice little developing town where everyone knows your name and it makes you feel like family. After getting to know the bustling streets and lowland heat of Santiago, head up the mountain highway past Calobre, where you´ll find cooler temperatures and a serene lake surrounded by pine forests and mist shrouded peaks in La Reserva Forestal La Yeguada."
I AM GOING TO VERAGUAS!!! My community is called El Alto, part of Calobre (as described above!) in the province of Veraguas. Ready for a description of my site? Cool:
"El Alto is a sector of the community of Calobre. Calobre is a Latino community of about 856 people. Your community is defined as El Alto because Grupo Emmanuel, the group of female farmers that requested a volunteer, have collective farm in El Alto where the main work is. El Alto, Buena Vista, Manzanillo and Laguna are marginal sectors that do not have electricity in the majority of houses. The people in El Alto are welcoming and friendly!
The main agricultural activities are the production of chicken and pigs to sell. They are sold in the town of Calobre. Grupo Emmanuel is producing organic fertilizer, bocachi, as a group activity, as well as working on chicken projects. The group wants to increase their chicken production and start pig projects. To do this, they need to install an irrigation system in their collective farm. (YES!) For subsistence, they produce corn, beans, rice, platano (YES!), yuca, among other crops and fruits.
Your potential work includes: facilitating the improvement of the Grupo Emmanuel chicken projects and organic fertilizer projects, facilitate analysis and decision making on the options for an irrigation system that is needed, facilitate and work with Grupo Emmanuel to implement sustainable pig projects, work with the Granja Sostenible on their chicken projects and the traditional crops projects, as well as overall SAS support, i.e. soil conservation, crop rotations, integrated pest management, etc, and teaching English classes.
You are going to be the first volunteer in El Alto. People are looking forward to working with you!"
I COULD NOT BE HAPPIER!!!!!!!!!!
YES! Amazing location. Centrally located in Panama, close to the Caribbean, close to Cocle, close to Colon, Herrera, the Azuero, Comarca, Chiriqui, relatively easy to get to, awesome projects, loads of community groups in a small community of just over 100 people, animals all over...I could go on...I am so excited.
:)
Tech week was pretty cool. We were in Veraguas, but on an agricultural high school campus, so not much of the province was actually seen. (soon...very soon!) Learned a lot on rice tanks, fish tanks, goats, cows, chickents, pigs, tree grafting, pasture management, water systems, etc etc. Visited Santa Clara beach in Cocle on our way back to the training community, and that was beautiful. I will add photos of the trip next time, don't you worry!
eeee!!! El Alto! (the stop...or the tall? either way, I LIKE IT!!!)
I AM GOING TO VERAGUAS!!! My community is called El Alto, part of Calobre (as described above!) in the province of Veraguas. Ready for a description of my site? Cool:
"El Alto is a sector of the community of Calobre. Calobre is a Latino community of about 856 people. Your community is defined as El Alto because Grupo Emmanuel, the group of female farmers that requested a volunteer, have collective farm in El Alto where the main work is. El Alto, Buena Vista, Manzanillo and Laguna are marginal sectors that do not have electricity in the majority of houses. The people in El Alto are welcoming and friendly!
The main agricultural activities are the production of chicken and pigs to sell. They are sold in the town of Calobre. Grupo Emmanuel is producing organic fertilizer, bocachi, as a group activity, as well as working on chicken projects. The group wants to increase their chicken production and start pig projects. To do this, they need to install an irrigation system in their collective farm. (YES!) For subsistence, they produce corn, beans, rice, platano (YES!), yuca, among other crops and fruits.
Your potential work includes: facilitating the improvement of the Grupo Emmanuel chicken projects and organic fertilizer projects, facilitate analysis and decision making on the options for an irrigation system that is needed, facilitate and work with Grupo Emmanuel to implement sustainable pig projects, work with the Granja Sostenible on their chicken projects and the traditional crops projects, as well as overall SAS support, i.e. soil conservation, crop rotations, integrated pest management, etc, and teaching English classes.
You are going to be the first volunteer in El Alto. People are looking forward to working with you!"
I COULD NOT BE HAPPIER!!!!!!!!!!
YES! Amazing location. Centrally located in Panama, close to the Caribbean, close to Cocle, close to Colon, Herrera, the Azuero, Comarca, Chiriqui, relatively easy to get to, awesome projects, loads of community groups in a small community of just over 100 people, animals all over...I could go on...I am so excited.
:)
Tech week was pretty cool. We were in Veraguas, but on an agricultural high school campus, so not much of the province was actually seen. (soon...very soon!) Learned a lot on rice tanks, fish tanks, goats, cows, chickents, pigs, tree grafting, pasture management, water systems, etc etc. Visited Santa Clara beach in Cocle on our way back to the training community, and that was beautiful. I will add photos of the trip next time, don't you worry!
eeee!!! El Alto! (the stop...or the tall? either way, I LIKE IT!!!)
Saturday, May 22, 2010
dance dance!
I have been in Panama for about one month. It feels like it has been one year, yet at the same time, like I arrived just yesterday.
WITH
Technical classes full of sustainable agricultural information, language classes full of silly (sometimes serious) Spanish conversations, watching the rain, playing in the rain, laying in a hammock, planting yucca and piña in my backyard, etc etc, and family time filling in all the gaps. I love this.
So, I attempted to learn some typical Panamanian folklore baile/dance. These dances are generally for grand celebrations or weddings. The women wear beautiful flowy dresses (pollera), elaborate headpieces (tembleque), complemented by a lot of gold jewelry. The men wear adorable suits and zapatos blancos y negros. I love watching these dances - so lovely. I wish I could dance. No, I wish I could dance well. Regardless, I want to get married and have a big folklore fiesta in Panama. Alas, it has become my mission to get these dances down. Here is a look at my first dance lesson:
Dios mio. I am pretty great, no?! Once I get I my hips to work, I think I’ll be ok. Right now I kinda just wiggle my whole body around…Yeah, I have a long way to go. Ha.
Next week all 18 of us SAS people are getting split up and sent to different parts of the country for a whole week of specialized technical training. I am going to a city called Divisa, which is in the province of Veraguas, really close to the borders of Cocle and Herrera. Fun fact: Veraguas is the only province that connects to both the Caribbean and the Pacific Ocean; this led to its name, which literally means ‘to see water’. If that is a million dollar question for any of you one day, I want 5%. Kidding. Anyway, we are going to be focusing on building and maintaining fish and rice tanks, irrigation/water pumps (la bomba!), and doing some work with sheep and goats. Should be a great time! We also have a free day next Sunday before we have to return to Santa Clara, so I think the 7 of us going to Veraguas are going to try to do a beach day! Ecstatic.
The Wednesday following our return to Santa Clara, we all find out our future homes for the next two years! Eeep!!! Are you excited? I am, too!
FUN
WITH
PHOTOBOOTH!!
=)
=)
Friday, May 14, 2010
Hi! Ok, some more pictures are up from the Darien...check them out!
In other news...I TAUGHT MY SISTER TO KNIT!!! She actually asked and thinks it´s cool...I felt less nerdy. She is already a pro, and completed her first project! A little head band thing. I love this!
Anyway, just a quick one to say hi & throw them photos up! MISS you all!!!
besos!
In other news...I TAUGHT MY SISTER TO KNIT!!! She actually asked and thinks it´s cool...I felt less nerdy. She is already a pro, and completed her first project! A little head band thing. I love this!
Anyway, just a quick one to say hi & throw them photos up! MISS you all!!!
besos!
Tuesday, May 11, 2010
with an oink oink here and an oink oink there!
Before I jump into the beautiful details of my volunteer visit:
-Happy Mother’s Day! (tarde, lo siento) I love you, Mom, and am SO grateful for your support and love. I miss miss miss you. Hug & kiss from Panama.
-To those taking finals, good luck! My brother graduates high school on the 20th- Congratulations, Chris.
-Aunt Linda, hope first Fridays went well- I made French toast the other day, and actually knew what ‘canela’ was, remembering one of your art pieces!
THEN...this lovely boy lassoed up a calf for me to practice on..i felt bad at first, but the calf was a good sport, and i finally got the hang of it! yo soy una profesional!
-Happy Mother’s Day! (tarde, lo siento) I love you, Mom, and am SO grateful for your support and love. I miss miss miss you. Hug & kiss from Panama.
-To those taking finals, good luck! My brother graduates high school on the 20th- Congratulations, Chris.
-Aunt Linda, hope first Fridays went well- I made French toast the other day, and actually knew what ‘canela’ was, remembering one of your art pieces!
-----
For the past few days, I was lucky enough to visit a wonderful volunteer, Sharon, at her site in the Darien region. She lives and works in a community called Tamarindo (which is also a delicious fruit). It was actually a Latino site, yet very awesome, all the same.
The first day, we borrowed some horses and rode pretty far up a mountain to visit Sharon’s first host family. I got the tour of their current crops and projects going on at their farm, and helped plant some new cacao trees! (yay chocolate)
her parents took us out into the junle, and we saw loads of monkeys. they were making a ton of noise, yelling, or singing..whichever you prefer.
also, out in the forest, rubber trees! that stuff is collected and used in the making of...rubber items (duh)
in the days that followed, i got to see a good chunk of tamarindo. we did a lot of visiting with sharons other host families and friends, and we took a long hike to see the aqueduct that provides water for the community. did a great deal of eating, as every family you visit will invite you in, and have a meal and coffee in front of you within minutes..yes coffee..hot coffee--even though it is always crazy hot outside. these panamanians are intense. many visits also included frozen duros, though-officially my favorite treat in the world. i strongly believe a duro a day will keep the doctor away. and there is nothing wrong with two a day. sorry, apples, you have been replaced. hah i need to take a picture of one so you guys can put an image to the name and understand what i am talking about when i refer to them.
we did more horseback riding, aaaand painted ourselves like the indigenous embera and wounan people. you use a fruit called jagua (it is a soft j..and i am not sure if i spelled it right..sounds like agua..) basically you just cut open this fruit, submerge the seeds in water, and paint with the water. the next day, it turns dark blue. fun. you cannot eat this fruit, though..just for painting..which makes me wonder about who first discovered this...hmmmm...
i also learned how to use a lasso! here you see my first successful capture of a practice log...
THEN...this lovely boy lassoed up a calf for me to practice on..i felt bad at first, but the calf was a good sport, and i finally got the hang of it! yo soy una profesional!
i loved this house because it also had pigs and piglets!
So, I left with increased excitement for my future site! However, for now, it’s back to classes all day. I did end up getting a cell phone! My Panamanian number is 6528-2116 …just in case you come across an international calling card and feel inclined to drop me a line!
ciao!
P.S. Dunkaroos—Remember them?! The amazing childhood snack that was in stores one day, and gone the next?! Well, please inform everyone that the search party can be called off; I have found them. I guess they just decided the needed a vacation, and decided to kick it in Panama. This made me smile..
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)