Panama Protests, Parties, and (organic) Pesticides

Panama in Protest

For about a week, listening to the news scared me a bit.  Panama passed a law making it legal for the government to sell off land in the free trade zone to other countries.  The general public was very much against this and took to the streets to show it.  Peaceful protests turned violent and both civilians and the police seemed to cross unnecessary lines leading to some messy situations.  The Peace Corps limited our ability to travel during this time and both Panama City and the entire province of Colón were off limits.  Just when I was worried things were getting particularly ugly out there and that the comparisons of my Peace Corps experience to “The Hunger Games” would continue (Panama seems eerily similar to Panem, with a capital rather distant from the discontented exterior regions), the government repealed the law in question and everything calmed down to normal.

Time to Celebrate!

The entire country quickly switched gears in time to begin celebrating the many holidays that come during this time of year.  My incredibly wonderful college friend Ashley Thompson arrived to Panama City on October 31.  In the city, Halloween was indeed recognized and we met up with another Rice alum / local tour guide Mallory Pierpoint to check out the Halloween scene in Casco Viejo.

Rice University chicas

Back in site, we observed a very low key Day of the Dead ceremony in our small town cemetery.

On November 3^rd Panama turned 109 years old.  My town kicked off the day with some cultural acts at the school followed by a parade down the main road.

Raising Panama's flag and saying their Pledge of Allegiance

Dancing in typical dress

Parade down the main road.  Very small girl + very big flag = very cute.

In the evening I played host to some neighboring volunteers and Panamanian teachers who came to pre-party before a relatively large dance held in my town.  As always, I loved the part where I got to dance to some típico music.  Watching Panamanian men (some that I knew, but most from out of town) get completely plastered was somewhat disturbing yet entertaining.  Combined with the intense mud that was ever-present, it was hard not to compare the stumbling drunks to zombies, especially the ones that slowly tried to stand up after having spent some time passed out, lying in the mud (creepy!).  Despite a few slippery falls, my team of gringos made it home safe and sound.

Volunteers and Panamanian teachers

Gringo gathering

Tipico dancing!

So. Much. Mud. 

Garden Work Continues

Protests and parties aside, agricultural work has continued!  Since my compost talk, families have slowly but surely been inviting me over to help them get their piles going.  I’ve now been involved in a total of 6 compost projects throughout the community.  Not bad!

Kids helping out with a compost pile

I’ve also been collaborating more with the First Lady’s organization that helps with our school garden.  Recently we trained on the making of organic insect repellents and also oversaw the construction of a semillero, or seed-starting table.

Brewing an insect repellent

Very tall seed table -- they said they made it with me in mind ... Ayayay

Ashley helped me get my own semillero seed table started so that when I return from this month’s travels, I can get going on my own veggie planting!

Semillero-making

I left my site on November 5^th and won’t be back until after Thanksgiving.  Until then I will be home briefly for my sister’s wedding, will spend two weeks at a Peace Corps training event, and will spend Thanksgiving with a large group of Peace Corps volunteers (there are about 250 of us total in Panama).  Exciting times!