tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-78065129922210810522024-03-18T21:59:14.013-07:00Lila baila en Panamá (2012 - 2014)The views and opinions in this blog are my own and do not reflect those of the U.S. Government or the Peace Corps.Lila Holzmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04835795566712471159noreply@blogger.comBlogger35125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7806512992221081052.post-72902357622647218182014-06-22T12:43:00.001-07:002014-06-26T20:13:52.353-07:00Hasta luego, Panama<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><u>Saying “See you
laters"<o:p></o:p></u></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
My favorite goodbyes are those super silly ones where you
make a big deal out of a “goodbye” and then accidentally run into the person
the next day. That kind of situation has
happened to me frequently, so I try to not make such a big thing out of
“goodbyes” and instead leave with a genuinely hopeful “see you later.” Even so, the “see you laters” I’ve had to say
recently have left me hurting.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I came back from my last agribusiness <i>charla</i> in Bocas del Toro (which by the way, went amazingly well)
with the goal of visiting every single house in El Harino one last time. I had three weeks left. Between bridge work days, school and church
activities, rainy season downpours, and people not being home, I managed to hit
most of them, and even those I missed I was able to reach with notes about my
upcoming “farewell” events.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAsqtrSYFZR1bV3MlohU4C9i8zOne9TTT1_8s3TBpqikJVaLf9QfrSxmhW3TqOn2nFJ2Y3fH0fA8SKX7RWM1RZXWjHfb3crHTjXxhmhqsjZL65W6Cnd-tElialqeM7rME1LM0MPKqDIQSH/s1600/1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAsqtrSYFZR1bV3MlohU4C9i8zOne9TTT1_8s3TBpqikJVaLf9QfrSxmhW3TqOn2nFJ2Y3fH0fA8SKX7RWM1RZXWjHfb3crHTjXxhmhqsjZL65W6Cnd-tElialqeM7rME1LM0MPKqDIQSH/s1600/1.jpg" height="213" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small; text-align: start;">Giving my last agribusiness </span><i style="font-size: medium; text-align: start;">charla</i><span style="font-size: small; text-align: start;"> in Bocas</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjboXmXdeAJdfNn9nT1OJ5V-3h-sek4oceVwT9hBt-ylOdxx61xTEvMlupuWqKKRzfWiZOtUfhHfUjYONmtz_EGqyvSLBIfv_hQCVb7LF4UDyvqhzyuDUWsYdauKufhQtcZ7KsChwnypYq8/s1600/2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjboXmXdeAJdfNn9nT1OJ5V-3h-sek4oceVwT9hBt-ylOdxx61xTEvMlupuWqKKRzfWiZOtUfhHfUjYONmtz_EGqyvSLBIfv_hQCVb7LF4UDyvqhzyuDUWsYdauKufhQtcZ7KsChwnypYq8/s1600/2.jpg" height="213" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small; text-align: start;">Huge Bocas crowd</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDhyoqyCaIz79UniUaZn7UTghzXXZcTCizFxxFgNCEW0m43M3pbh29_mXQbpuntWt-buyf3B9OUML7L73MtY9PJS6qtUWbtC2wH2_1iltGQvijzCDs0oE25g2exODKjv07VQMfhsUtLpdF/s1600/3.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDhyoqyCaIz79UniUaZn7UTghzXXZcTCizFxxFgNCEW0m43M3pbh29_mXQbpuntWt-buyf3B9OUML7L73MtY9PJS6qtUWbtC2wH2_1iltGQvijzCDs0oE25g2exODKjv07VQMfhsUtLpdF/s1600/3.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small; text-align: start;">Bocas after-party (Work hard, play hard!)</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzUli9d99FqKx9XKrIP4dpKbiyeVXxM7JSSePVH_My1YA1dYpa33M4YgH1ZYY5bsvpS4RoglW4vUy27PtrtehSGUmToccomEl1r8WWXqmRKu6Z-Xy72AZk7IZEuKz8IkF7zSdE8mq0BSy5/s1600/4.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzUli9d99FqKx9XKrIP4dpKbiyeVXxM7JSSePVH_My1YA1dYpa33M4YgH1ZYY5bsvpS4RoglW4vUy27PtrtehSGUmToccomEl1r8WWXqmRKu6Z-Xy72AZk7IZEuKz8IkF7zSdE8mq0BSy5/s1600/4.JPG" height="320" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small; text-align: start;">Bridge work day</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiw1PEy4NZB2ox9Ff5NP5AlvPJL21h9jyJWFn3xbPduZTMTr4yk8tMGrOuOHnIQkDztgXa26ujmf6PtC4S_-imnaCNnIp31YUGVbExIOwbaCt0WRLaorXqkNx0qhVJhyphenhyphentusd76bdAwImpRq/s1600/6.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiw1PEy4NZB2ox9Ff5NP5AlvPJL21h9jyJWFn3xbPduZTMTr4yk8tMGrOuOHnIQkDztgXa26ujmf6PtC4S_-imnaCNnIp31YUGVbExIOwbaCt0WRLaorXqkNx0qhVJhyphenhyphentusd76bdAwImpRq/s1600/6.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small; text-align: start;">Compost with the middle school</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6jy8kQlu7j0mIm9TWIDskddYsJ_Py8KvrW6q123HNhRXlAAhQnPcoPio8yAZmd8LmubTUwoI6OizI5XQhEK9DYJFxq14swV0ioebXfkLMcKYTi9XMeex89ulhk6WX5iBuPiSIyfZmqUwF/s1600/5.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6jy8kQlu7j0mIm9TWIDskddYsJ_Py8KvrW6q123HNhRXlAAhQnPcoPio8yAZmd8LmubTUwoI6OizI5XQhEK9DYJFxq14swV0ioebXfkLMcKYTi9XMeex89ulhk6WX5iBuPiSIyfZmqUwF/s1600/5.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small; text-align: start;">Baptisms</span></td></tr>
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<div class="MsoNormal">
One of the hardest houses to say “see you later” to was my
first host family. I lived there during
my first 1.5 months in El Harino and I couldn’t have asked for a more welcoming
group. I stayed there for hours with the
kids crawling all over my lap, reading stories, and looking at photos. They told me they plan to frame a couple they
have with me in it. I talked with
Antonia about her recent snake bite incident (she spent five days in a hospital
in Chorrera) and about her fifth baby due to arrive late June. I talked with Ceferino about his farm’s
progress (he’s had a lot of luck lately with papaya!) and about how well his
fish tanks are doing. MIDA recently
promised to bring him even more fish, but he expressed skepticism that MIDA
would come through. While I hope they do
for his sake, I can’t help but be annoyed that they continue to only help the
two families in El Harino of the same political party as them. I am leaving information on pending fish
projects to my follow-up volunteer and considering that the political party in
power here in Panama is now changing, I am curious to see how MIDA will
function under new management. Anyways,
after a few more jokes about fitting 4-year-old Rebeca in my suitcase, I said
“see you later” to a beautiful home. As
soon as they were out of sight, I couldn’t hold back my tears. I wonder when the next time I make that hike
will be…<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitsjsLDJtPANbfV_j4yJjeeQWTvFqrdHMa4-Y4ondt92D1Xk2OGwUT2Avno19eGWEpmkQ6DjMyWWvRrLNnSvKtB-mWBEZQ_vm0cWsNztGf0yuQuKQVt83bRaZAlw9XMSgJ6z3iKe-p0FcU/s1600/417455_734688620981_803589030_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitsjsLDJtPANbfV_j4yJjeeQWTvFqrdHMa4-Y4ondt92D1Xk2OGwUT2Avno19eGWEpmkQ6DjMyWWvRrLNnSvKtB-mWBEZQ_vm0cWsNztGf0yuQuKQVt83bRaZAlw9XMSgJ6z3iKe-p0FcU/s1600/417455_734688620981_803589030_n.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Flashback photo of when I lived here in June/July 2012</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgte5RX6R9ZneHTbKB-A0v_snBeyBOAmzxKkz7KDfNCzAXWaao-Y0pNny7MGTIuFig0GO5wnxp3QnLXMy5X0j231nT3PGZQ_8HJN1_YTyV80U0E0Ql9hFEhLEEpmHKNWyOu2RGrTxp9wrMh/s1600/428866_725879928671_1473650682_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgte5RX6R9ZneHTbKB-A0v_snBeyBOAmzxKkz7KDfNCzAXWaao-Y0pNny7MGTIuFig0GO5wnxp3QnLXMy5X0j231nT3PGZQ_8HJN1_YTyV80U0E0Ql9hFEhLEEpmHKNWyOu2RGrTxp9wrMh/s1600/428866_725879928671_1473650682_n.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Flashback photo of when I lived here in June/July 2012</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
After making the rounds to visit as many houses as I could,
came the <i>Despedida</i> “Goodbye” party
that El Harino threw for me. We got to
combine it with a one-day visit from Heather, El Harino’s previous Peace Corps
volunteer, which helped lighten the mood.
Nevertheless, for me it was a very sweet, but also sad event.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5W82FPSiFSBf5i5fDKlp2WVHk3R7ViWt2ehLYOEBLWH9IskopmpweYdq1lBPCITvvCbAI_-mgQhRkNE6tTJzsoUQ5We3JMKGNLGPSTOJgYxt_tWK72RPplMPY-uC-UG5_80V15Wstalk1/s1600/P1080254.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5W82FPSiFSBf5i5fDKlp2WVHk3R7ViWt2ehLYOEBLWH9IskopmpweYdq1lBPCITvvCbAI_-mgQhRkNE6tTJzsoUQ5We3JMKGNLGPSTOJgYxt_tWK72RPplMPY-uC-UG5_80V15Wstalk1/s1600/P1080254.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small; text-align: start;">Cute decorations and cute kids</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi02u-K5VnECNrFUUwJMhxhO1JqafDdz03381FUhdl1Q-KG9GsIGJhgE5umNv0x1jI3lKrfFHILR56LMqv9uwRLE58UAfm-Rs5pt4tHrr-mOIneVvjq6mIYmb2PquqkW4a-AEuTFyt2O82h/s1600/P1080281.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi02u-K5VnECNrFUUwJMhxhO1JqafDdz03381FUhdl1Q-KG9GsIGJhgE5umNv0x1jI3lKrfFHILR56LMqv9uwRLE58UAfm-Rs5pt4tHrr-mOIneVvjq6mIYmb2PquqkW4a-AEuTFyt2O82h/s1600/P1080281.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small; text-align: start;">This 8-year-old cried when reciting a poem to me so of course I broke down as well</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_D60NB9GCqHOcW3JR_O5BJK1IicRxsLD19s_0D7VYnN3fuKejCZqqFX7IFg962s5jLK6vS_PXXtHNWwlOkyJaGdv9W0DyaY1EPJO19PaKSLI38aJ4AleyL81cuD2E3vXYv3-lnobv1cwV/s1600/P1080298.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_D60NB9GCqHOcW3JR_O5BJK1IicRxsLD19s_0D7VYnN3fuKejCZqqFX7IFg962s5jLK6vS_PXXtHNWwlOkyJaGdv9W0DyaY1EPJO19PaKSLI38aJ4AleyL81cuD2E3vXYv3-lnobv1cwV/s1600/P1080298.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small; text-align: start;">What party would be possible without arroz con pollo?</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0A-MdYeb96MQu_PC5NxFrxsFG3M6jc2i2CCeS0JX-SwXJ4sG0fJ8x_9MBf9BF_cSc0_zH5XSgxQ79mOxsaJA135zKI7qlNbhSByFXrI7lt59oCqczYtZzNOyCDM2QsqTev93nN06rcIkY/s1600/P1080308.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0A-MdYeb96MQu_PC5NxFrxsFG3M6jc2i2CCeS0JX-SwXJ4sG0fJ8x_9MBf9BF_cSc0_zH5XSgxQ79mOxsaJA135zKI7qlNbhSByFXrI7lt59oCqczYtZzNOyCDM2QsqTev93nN06rcIkY/s1600/P1080308.JPG" height="320" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;">By far, the best letter I have ever gotten. Ever.
From an 8<sup>th</sup> grade boy.
Rough translation (that doesn’t do the cuteness justice):<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;">I write this letter to Lila to say goodbye from the
community El Harino. Lila, you were and
are a good Peace Corps volunteer in El Harino, you participated in all
activities in and different parts of the community. I appreciate you because you held trainings
that grabbed peoples’ attention like your motto “Save now and you’ll have for
forever” and the training about coffee and others. For this I congratulate you for everything
that you’ve done in El Harino and I’m sad because you’re leaving the community. I would like you to stay more months, but you
can’t. Ciao Ciao Lila, hope everything
goes well. We’ll remember you always,
Ciao. In this letter Elian Valdes,
student of Wuendoli Martinez at the El Harino School, says goodbye and so does
my family. Ciao Ciao Lila. I hope your favorite team wins the world cup
(I’m going for Uruguay). Hope everything
goes well. God bless you and your family
always.</span><o:p></o:p></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I had a few days in between my <i>Despedida</i> and my actual departure from El Harino. During those days I hosted many visitors and
was invited to a few more personal <i>despedida</i>
meals at close families’ homes. I was
gifted more food (plantains, oranges, bananas) than I had time to eat and tried
to give things away to other visitors. I
was told many times in different words how much I was appreciated and how I had
brought new ideas and taught new skills to people in El Harino. This was all again very sweet and sad. Throughout the week the comic relief was
provided by my shower, which decided to completely break and flood my
house. My landlord and neighbors
repeatedly tried to fix it, but each fix lasted no longer than a day (or 20
minutes) before the tube busted open again.
This made packing up more challenging, but gave me an excuse to sweep
the floor very clean.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhs2t1rzp-5frPgu77mKXIMuDgX4wwa93ijRc6uWvVe4bylgi5a4ss2n_qTB1G5FXtSiY0Gq91SfKzH0z3SZeLWCW5gwddCLtaeWAO-28peZSGl4Pq9UlKsxBdo-Dr5SJ81aIjrX8o2Msat/s1600/P1080317.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhs2t1rzp-5frPgu77mKXIMuDgX4wwa93ijRc6uWvVe4bylgi5a4ss2n_qTB1G5FXtSiY0Gq91SfKzH0z3SZeLWCW5gwddCLtaeWAO-28peZSGl4Pq9UlKsxBdo-Dr5SJ81aIjrX8o2Msat/s1600/P1080317.JPG" height="320" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small; text-align: start;">Second host-family cutie</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgk1GftPMVwiMGwdZLL2yFzASKPdxLhoXi_GbCFNVR2ERKASzmIm7PWMw-Fk5CFmlJiF-I0VPtEJ40x2NL7byT8SJsEnwQK0PDsht22iY_Ui7KsRPWmsIMA9a7yL3dx5uC0oyaaF8tkoHQU/s1600/P1080323.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgk1GftPMVwiMGwdZLL2yFzASKPdxLhoXi_GbCFNVR2ERKASzmIm7PWMw-Fk5CFmlJiF-I0VPtEJ40x2NL7byT8SJsEnwQK0PDsht22iY_Ui7KsRPWmsIMA9a7yL3dx5uC0oyaaF8tkoHQU/s1600/P1080323.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small; text-align: start;">Second host-family special goodbye dinner (including fish from a fish tank and veggies from a garden)</span>.</td></tr>
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<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Two cultural differences made all these “see you laters”
tougher for me:<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
1) Everyone wanted my stuff.
After two years working to show people I am not just some white person
here to give handouts, I suddenly found myself bombarded with questions like:
Can I buy your cooking pot? You have a radio, right? How much for your
mattress? When someone moves homes in
the US, it is not culturally appropriate for their friends and neighbors to act
like such scavengers, but here, I just had to get used to it. I sold a few bigger items to the first people
who asked me and held off on the rest until the day before I left. My “garage sale” went alright and many stayed
to spend extra time with me and brought me more going-away gifts. People said the things I gave away /sold will
remind them of me. I had to laugh when I
saw a grown man snag my purple AYSO soccer jersey from 7<sup>th</sup> grade.<br />
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBWCiYuFh_ynUp5aTDZIghtJx4B9UotHprv-iyM0rCUWsqD8P-1fei-VT9cWR_ydZUWJ9b0S2-9NJRsT_H_hmON3OfBXHNVh3fjezxLojhcq6aj00mKNQJmHW3vgk4uyYEfHKxbfw6_nbq/s1600/P1080327.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBWCiYuFh_ynUp5aTDZIghtJx4B9UotHprv-iyM0rCUWsqD8P-1fei-VT9cWR_ydZUWJ9b0S2-9NJRsT_H_hmON3OfBXHNVh3fjezxLojhcq6aj00mKNQJmHW3vgk4uyYEfHKxbfw6_nbq/s1600/P1080327.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Dollar store on the left, free stuff on the right</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
2) People here don’t usually hug. They always say hello and goodbye with a limp
handshake. There was no way I was going
to accept this with my “see you laters” so I went in for the hugs with mixed
results. Some were super awkward because
people literally don’t know how to position their arms (not to mention the
considerable height difference). But
some were great and even included a kiss on the cheek (or two, or three …
weird?). Even after my “won’t take no for
an answer” hugs, some still felt compelled to close with their typical
handshake. To each his own.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgj83ZUNV3aGamHapAqelEd4PeNnI0lvaaNqnWShRuOIf8VY4I3t_1n0XlM33EV0ti44vimN0C7Fio8sfshcRCrEJgV3Y6wrKg96t638w8cjXGg03JiCJEJiCBW0AUHK-ev_L_Ou9EhZvIg/s1600/528085_725880073381_1936695898_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgj83ZUNV3aGamHapAqelEd4PeNnI0lvaaNqnWShRuOIf8VY4I3t_1n0XlM33EV0ti44vimN0C7Fio8sfshcRCrEJgV3Y6wrKg96t638w8cjXGg03JiCJEJiCBW0AUHK-ev_L_Ou9EhZvIg/s1600/528085_725880073381_1936695898_n.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
My last few days in Panama were spent in the capital city going through Peace Corps' tedious Close-of-Service process. This involved paperwork, interviews, medical tests, etc. Sounds fun, right? Luckily, several other volunteers were also COS-ing with me so we actually did have some fun and supported each other through it all.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyDafIBfSchfSyr7GQQ0OaJW2_viZjt42yOJIm2gB-W-cgWL5K1aGPoklyIC2KHyBUgTJKibnCCOl_l-xzc4LqkOh8y26EbAr_9OfzvY-X1OkWja9VsfPIGcfC6m5MCm-oXKDn-N5_rsXk/s1600/P1080346.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyDafIBfSchfSyr7GQQ0OaJW2_viZjt42yOJIm2gB-W-cgWL5K1aGPoklyIC2KHyBUgTJKibnCCOl_l-xzc4LqkOh8y26EbAr_9OfzvY-X1OkWja9VsfPIGcfC6m5MCm-oXKDn-N5_rsXk/s1600/P1080346.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Receiving my Peace Corps certificate of completion from Panama's Country Director</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_AjJG7w0BaKLAhTJygjRLh3nxWbAzJsLJWXiTHlDbJaR4aU-kBVZ8FzZ5qJ7c0C4dzme1nFYqF52nwg_1Jftgq2_TTrd7C6KG8RmZw3d_N4h4q9sK8VnANeXjOXukoTpZRgBDt2BUDNA7/s1600/P1080365.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_AjJG7w0BaKLAhTJygjRLh3nxWbAzJsLJWXiTHlDbJaR4aU-kBVZ8FzZ5qJ7c0C4dzme1nFYqF52nwg_1Jftgq2_TTrd7C6KG8RmZw3d_N4h4q9sK8VnANeXjOXukoTpZRgBDt2BUDNA7/s1600/P1080365.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Last night dinner with 20 volunteers</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><u>Moving on<o:p></o:p></u></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
On a personal level, I have formed meaningful relationships
in a foreign world and have been truly happy for two years, despite the
hardships. Leaving is painful and I
predict reverse-culture shock will be … a shock.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
On a professional level, I have learned that while there are
no perfect solutions to international development problems, I now have a much deeper understanding of their complexities and their possibilities. I look forward to
applying what I know and expanding on it at Wharton / UPenn as I pursue my MBA
and focus it on social impact and sustainable development.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I am heartbroken and excited to be moving on. I would do it
all again without changing a thing.
Thanks for following along and accompanying me through what has been an
awesome adventure, a learning experience, a roller-coaster, a dream. I couldn't have done it without your support.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Remember my number that I had since I was 16? That number is mine again. Call
it! Keep in touch. Hasta mañana.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1qoiyl5fw3Tt35XUnT3BO5M33gKcC98PfXhVARSbzZHniV646Z7GwivhYQuiYyTJUyotSC26YR1ZIVtcVjVCInqxxj2b80Ipk2fLntaEzRsBKRJpmFcxRf8lOAPOKJyGkqK5YLPFu4KHK/s1600/P1080083.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1qoiyl5fw3Tt35XUnT3BO5M33gKcC98PfXhVARSbzZHniV646Z7GwivhYQuiYyTJUyotSC26YR1ZIVtcVjVCInqxxj2b80Ipk2fLntaEzRsBKRJpmFcxRf8lOAPOKJyGkqK5YLPFu4KHK/s1600/P1080083.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small; text-align: start;">I will miss this view from my window</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Lila Holzmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04835795566712471159noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7806512992221081052.post-80534722407250019852014-05-10T04:39:00.000-07:002014-06-28T11:16:55.613-07:00Checking things off...<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
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</div>
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</div>
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<b><u>Agribusiness
Seminars: COMPLETE</u></b><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
As part of my obligations as Agribusiness Coordinator and
with the help of funding from people like you, I took on the task of organizing
three regional agbiz seminars that all took place in the last few months. Throughout the process I learned a lot,
worked hard, and feel I pulled them off to the best of my abilities.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjc_RG3I3YGx2cMldYg8S_Rm3PpGG-kI48Sc2ld_3ujhQvHALkTHFYKVjmANtuKqcEfrnefl9YjlIwabi7IuxJXnqq_IBI1jy_UMZK7qRUIHu2bJl7uFaecl7gdS51MOsBl4KONJ0acBFg0/s1600/1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjc_RG3I3YGx2cMldYg8S_Rm3PpGG-kI48Sc2ld_3ujhQvHALkTHFYKVjmANtuKqcEfrnefl9YjlIwabi7IuxJXnqq_IBI1jy_UMZK7qRUIHu2bJl7uFaecl7gdS51MOsBl4KONJ0acBFg0/s1600/1.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Biggest seminar we had in Bocas del Toro</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsXF2PdeDSSan1np5ysOTHHIAgtLMXhT-luDoQ7EsU7rVumR_KpMvJtQg8kGmy3af-GoqFiRNMj8PXJHJpOtjnPvboowUyV16heEfiR04P5NUlNMRd2PoSWYlUDs3ilxcZoKHOOjBSnek0/s1600/6.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsXF2PdeDSSan1np5ysOTHHIAgtLMXhT-luDoQ7EsU7rVumR_KpMvJtQg8kGmy3af-GoqFiRNMj8PXJHJpOtjnPvboowUyV16heEfiR04P5NUlNMRd2PoSWYlUDs3ilxcZoKHOOjBSnek0/s1600/6.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Analyzing weekly expenditures</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
After picking my host-communities for each seminar in the
provinces of Veraguas, Bocas del Toro, and Panama Oeste, the first obstacle I
faced was scheduling. Between Panamanian
holidays, Peace Corps events, and the travels of my fellow volunteers, it was
literally impossible to pick dates that worked for all parties involved. All scheduled dates were changed between one
to three times and still there were conflicts, some that we were only informed
of when a seminar was less than a week away.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9r97RmDtALfiyicLiVfBBt7SxBDbe5FYHRGDWsieiF6fFYnhBWbiYLAzo5U2xc2XxEzMJCwrWc6qWz8iyyyfJD_gn29XJSu1dBz9ABvwlW0tF9ctGM6NBocETrfIqriKmTwQdaqFATcB0/s1600/2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9r97RmDtALfiyicLiVfBBt7SxBDbe5FYHRGDWsieiF6fFYnhBWbiYLAzo5U2xc2XxEzMJCwrWc6qWz8iyyyfJD_gn29XJSu1dBz9ABvwlW0tF9ctGM6NBocETrfIqriKmTwQdaqFATcB0/s1600/2.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Smallest seminar in Veraguas</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Checking my phone hill once a day to coordinate with other
volunteers who also don’t have signal was challenging. We attempted to confirm the number of
attendees and facilitators, host-families for lodging, cooks and ingredients,
transportation, etc. But most of these
things ended up changing last minute anyway.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
My main frustration with these seminars was their generally
low attendance. At each seminar about 10
or more “confirmed” participants backed out either by not showing up or by
telling their volunteer that they couldn’t make it. In the U.S. this does not happen. If an event has been on our calendar for
weeks or months and we commit to going, we go (unless something really urgent
comes up). But that is not the case
here. Leaving home to take a quick trip
goes against local culture. Even though
we tried to make it easy (all expenses-paid, accompanied by a known volunteer),
we were still asking people to do something outside of their comfort zone. While many admitted the idea sounded
worthwhile and that they were interested in learning about what we had to
offer, when the day actually came, many just couldn’t go through with it. Disappointing, but in truth not all that
surprising, and certainly understandable.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjELOPyaHixkmoGfe5BkD_UyqfiOM5kZLrKZBUblRpmndLG7mT-j85XBm8Duz2qWQUq4fQOY23RwjxRGoxQVMbZeFgI6NnmXdh92eai3x3TrBNpgnP-7tPYkVU02NvWJXxZGd9zHNSorsys/s1600/3.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjELOPyaHixkmoGfe5BkD_UyqfiOM5kZLrKZBUblRpmndLG7mT-j85XBm8Duz2qWQUq4fQOY23RwjxRGoxQVMbZeFgI6NnmXdh92eai3x3TrBNpgnP-7tPYkVU02NvWJXxZGd9zHNSorsys/s1600/3.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Very high facilitator to participant ration. I think this helped the participants!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
For those participants who did show up, they seemed to get a
lot out of it and have a good time. The
people willing to leave their houses seem to be the ones most eager to learn
and to share their experiences. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEic1R1GktrCDQoheI3IfRq5VzXGJIfuLYPPgYvKWYM8TjSG-cMYFnP78sdR92eE9jk8cjoTt8EhXFNb_UMLShSkecvSdINlIglFkJF7YO2YTFj12O7iV18Mtrxu60dCWRFuDFtU39QSvLb1/s1600/4.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEic1R1GktrCDQoheI3IfRq5VzXGJIfuLYPPgYvKWYM8TjSG-cMYFnP78sdR92eE9jk8cjoTt8EhXFNb_UMLShSkecvSdINlIglFkJF7YO2YTFj12O7iV18Mtrxu60dCWRFuDFtU39QSvLb1/s1600/4.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Working hard</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBiSEnGIDFHRElGyAkmW6-zjzzK0ONoR0eRijZKsl_khsR3EeT2c_LAnbJHbdkXaOsfnjBf4f90GCVZGuGgM-uXG-YwbAhd2rK9hYvoi26A6lg-V2CmCFDHTYEqyFMW8Y0MmDLFt6tRGTy/s1600/5.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBiSEnGIDFHRElGyAkmW6-zjzzK0ONoR0eRijZKsl_khsR3EeT2c_LAnbJHbdkXaOsfnjBf4f90GCVZGuGgM-uXG-YwbAhd2rK9hYvoi26A6lg-V2CmCFDHTYEqyFMW8Y0MmDLFt6tRGTy/s1600/5.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Earning free calculators by answering quiz questions</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyYOTmmD9p_7C49Z8jedcsHDq2MtQv1SoNJGOuDHSM0OldziVd_1htvJ9bnzWzHQ7eDLsl26d3lDwyVvzxZHyZhUHvjwFkflYXUsvmokVEinH6KmKN9moSGm9cQojPOKW0LI2qcrNjFVJb/s1600/9.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyYOTmmD9p_7C49Z8jedcsHDq2MtQv1SoNJGOuDHSM0OldziVd_1htvJ9bnzWzHQ7eDLsl26d3lDwyVvzxZHyZhUHvjwFkflYXUsvmokVEinH6KmKN9moSGm9cQojPOKW0LI2qcrNjFVJb/s1600/9.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Passing the coin down the line through clothes gets people laughing every time. Gotta love ice-breakers.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
We covered topics like farm planning, keeping inventories,
working in groups, using a calendar, using a calculator (really hard for
some!), keeping track of cash flow, setting personal budgets, creating a
marketing plan, calculating cost of production (another tough one, especially
without good records), adding value to products, customer service, market
analysis, and an intro to legal topics like contracts, loans, and becoming
incorporated. Whew! The two days were jam-packed and people loved
the skits and games we relied on to liven things up. We emphasized that we knew we were throwing a
lot of information at them at once and that this is not easy stuff (learning to
track inventory when you’ve never seen a spreadsheet before is not easy!). We know it’s impossible for them to implement
everything we went over immediately, but rather we hope they will do so little
by little and ask their volunteers for help along the way. At the end, many commented that they were
glad they came, learned things they didn’t know before, and were happy they’d
had the opportunity to meet new people from other communities.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5bhjUzlXZpAbHTbhi4OK-DYA0RYBXj2-3yiBe6OhGOcenCykB9rxvZp6o6Orz5j8GdsLn00qeLEgERN97HpleSJBrPyZBNmEyVvHxx1tdRcfSC_cFexlKdcfnPXY597DyOfqPhEz6xt65/s1600/7.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5bhjUzlXZpAbHTbhi4OK-DYA0RYBXj2-3yiBe6OhGOcenCykB9rxvZp6o6Orz5j8GdsLn00qeLEgERN97HpleSJBrPyZBNmEyVvHxx1tdRcfSC_cFexlKdcfnPXY597DyOfqPhEz6xt65/s1600/7.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Analyzing markets</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0snvlANKRZn_mf2cF7Mk4d8KQKTyGC_DFGhVJKi_qWFdbf-aK9V3JRTR0Znh3C9wSGnaCg5QUFTuwaFT9ZF_F9LL2xj68o0eYQCHzSMbd_QB68M3Vnw8gZi2315NqhXTGY_97eRp_80JX/s1600/IMG_1227.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0snvlANKRZn_mf2cF7Mk4d8KQKTyGC_DFGhVJKi_qWFdbf-aK9V3JRTR0Znh3C9wSGnaCg5QUFTuwaFT9ZF_F9LL2xj68o0eYQCHzSMbd_QB68M3Vnw8gZi2315NqhXTGY_97eRp_80JX/s1600/IMG_1227.jpg" height="320" width="239" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Calculator practice</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3TG-vu5JPdGJMw-3jx8IHGvpd-a2EjxSz5642y5aU8ScOGLwSyndqYerXiqJCc3ylSygBIBqztnlF6QjmHBlZPrctAs-OQ_y8gPoyxYXtldNYrKqdbuwI4AfdytrNEU5zLUDPfeZr72Lh/s1600/8.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3TG-vu5JPdGJMw-3jx8IHGvpd-a2EjxSz5642y5aU8ScOGLwSyndqYerXiqJCc3ylSygBIBqztnlF6QjmHBlZPrctAs-OQ_y8gPoyxYXtldNYrKqdbuwI4AfdytrNEU5zLUDPfeZr72Lh/s1600/8.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Learning the consequences of signing contracts without reading them. Those participants owed us some sodas and some jumping jacks!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I could not have pulled off these seminars without the help
of some amazing colleagues. My hosting
volunteers were all incredible. They
jumped through hoops to get their communities ready to host these events, opened
up their homes to us facilitators, and spoiled us with some of the best cooking
I’ve had in years (THANKS: Neil, Viole, Brennan, Sara, Paul). One such host had come down with the
flesh-eating parasite leshmaniasis, but even he introduced me to his community
before leaving to get treatment, and he let us live in his house without him
during the seminar. Brennan, you are
such a trooper!</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcCwsauG7SUkY5dnKbSHS-6WjV6P1BIsgOW2j92AiRCS89xy7XaHQcAbeJ6mlCL0Ngiu1ice8KTM08KtTBzr-DRJWGXryuedExiM3HA43Od1N8R7hwZt2A_BEYH0vMz6M1qPcSvSYbHAk7/s1600/10.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcCwsauG7SUkY5dnKbSHS-6WjV6P1BIsgOW2j92AiRCS89xy7XaHQcAbeJ6mlCL0Ngiu1ice8KTM08KtTBzr-DRJWGXryuedExiM3HA43Od1N8R7hwZt2A_BEYH0vMz6M1qPcSvSYbHAk7/s1600/10.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Brennan's home, minus Brennan </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
And a huge thank you to all of my co-facilitators (Soraya,
Lauren N., Leanne, Mary, Abby, Zoe, Elena, and Lauren H.) who helped bring
people to the seminars, present the material, and keep me sane. I worked with both volunteers from my
training class and from the newer group and all agreed that working with
farmers to develop these basic business skills is extremely rewarding (despite
the frustrations). Two of my facilitator
helpers will be taking over as the next Agribusiness Co-Coordinators for the
coming year. As hard as it is for me to
admit I’m leaving soon and wrapping up my work, I am happy knowing I’m leaving
this role to such intelligent, dedicated individuals. Good luck Abby and Elena!<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYy71ttq7bSgS5eOphvEbAr0UWI1_A2ZvoDGMRN4SfMKthkETAHJvZbegMItTCDknjXcqjrbQZUWFg762NB6uwr1vCf70kz82094sIJTzxPhlTFlGucg__Bs3xAg07abVTuXxvpLH4-16E/s1600/11.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYy71ttq7bSgS5eOphvEbAr0UWI1_A2ZvoDGMRN4SfMKthkETAHJvZbegMItTCDknjXcqjrbQZUWFg762NB6uwr1vCf70kz82094sIJTzxPhlTFlGucg__Bs3xAg07abVTuXxvpLH4-16E/s1600/11.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Abby and Zoe presenting in Bocas</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRqyGV4LmtVVZvFnQ4Gef7UzqYHBXV-_k32K84vn9SJAU8jwr61VxGVimTCpj4aOURS6GJ-XV_u-LqBDAPWFxwg130u8nJ9OCHLGBppwXN6G7baBFrTWLyW_iPMl6A12nTRMtqK9CEaGXR/s1600/12.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRqyGV4LmtVVZvFnQ4Gef7UzqYHBXV-_k32K84vn9SJAU8jwr61VxGVimTCpj4aOURS6GJ-XV_u-LqBDAPWFxwg130u8nJ9OCHLGBppwXN6G7baBFrTWLyW_iPMl6A12nTRMtqK9CEaGXR/s1600/12.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Elena using volunteers to show how contracts tie people together<span style="text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Before completely retiring from the Agribusiness Coordinator
gig, I have one more site visit planned for the end of May in Bocas. Megan, the volunteer there had tried to send
some participants to our Bocas seminar, but they’d all canceled on her last
minute. She really thinks her community
would benefit from this material, so we are trying again I have had decent luck with site visits in
the past (in the Darien and the Comarca Ngobe-Bugle), so hopefully people in
Megan’s community will be able to sacrifice a few hours to attend an event
right in their village. The downside to
this approach is that I will have less time with them so we will have to cut
out a lot of info and that they don’t get to hear about experiences of farmers
from other places. Nevertheless, we’ll
have the chance to target our presentation for their specific interests and
hey, it gives me an excuse to visit Bocas one last time :)<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
And just like that, events that have been on my calendar and
items that have been on my to-do list for so long are rapidly getting checked
off. Who knew time could go by this
fast?<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgL-sWxUj8NbbN9TP-4TBTWUhJNGnLTJCoP9stlBJtJQPXM27hHWma0KX-PzPv1RC_qyXe_rT1SCLsaFkC9vKTWztUxGYEmsKwLzylHDx-XgZKR_yts86hIIjeZw2xSAibPRyDKROg4b7Ki/s1600/13.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgL-sWxUj8NbbN9TP-4TBTWUhJNGnLTJCoP9stlBJtJQPXM27hHWma0KX-PzPv1RC_qyXe_rT1SCLsaFkC9vKTWztUxGYEmsKwLzylHDx-XgZKR_yts86hIIjeZw2xSAibPRyDKROg4b7Ki/s1600/13.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Somehow I still don't have the hang of the awkward certificate hand-off formality</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><u>Summing up /
Assignment Description</u></b><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
In January 2012 I received an assignment description from
the Peace Corps for the Sustainable Agriculture Systems Program in Panama. Doing some house-cleaning, I recently
stumbled upon this document and was struck by how accurate it was in regard to
how my service has gone. No one can say
I didn’t know what I was getting into!
Here are some excerpts that I find sum up my service particularly well …<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
It is hard work organizing people, planning, enduring
physical labor in the sun, rain, and mud, but the rewards are great.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Consider yourself lucky; Panama is a country with great
cultural, biological, and linguistic diversity all in an area the same size as
the state of South Carolina.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
You will work closely with agencies and community leaders to
provide training and to promote greater use of sustainable practices that allow
families to make better-informed decisions about their production systems and
community projects. Helping farmers
realize what options exist to complement their traditional practices allows
farmers to form solutions to their own problems.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
In order to accomplish its goals, Peace Corps/Panama will
ask you as a Sustainable Agriculture Systems Volunteer to perform some of the
following work:<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]-->-<span style="font-size: 7pt;"> --- </span><!--[endif]-->Work with local farmers in activities such as
clearing land with a machete, planting with a coa (planting stick), weeding,
and harvesting in order to build working relationships and your understanding
of traditional farming methods.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]-->-<span style="font-size: 7pt;"> --- </span><!--[endif]-->Promote the establishment of rice and/or fish
tanks to ensure that families have food and protein all year round and
demonstrate the advantages and benefits of these techniques.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]-->-<span style="font-size: 7pt;"> --- </span><!--[endif]-->Implement and promote the establishment or
improvement of home and school gardens to improve nutrition<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]-->-<span style="font-size: 7pt;">
</span><!--[endif]-->Help farmers analyze their market options
evaluating quality and quantity of production required and the transportation
cost of the different market options.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]-->-<span style="font-size: 7pt;"> --- </span><!--[endif]-->Train farmers in quality control methods and
marketing techniques.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]-->-<span style="font-size: 7pt;"> --- </span><!--[endif]-->Identify, train, and encourage successful
farmers, who will become promoters of the project techniques, within their
communities in the future.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]-->-<span style="font-size: 7pt;"> --- </span><!--[endif]-->Act as a liaison, facilitator, and promoter to
help communities receive assistance, implement planning systems, and establish
working relationships with appropriate agencies.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Sustainable Agriculture Systems projects are very demanding
physically, and Volunteers will need to tolerate vigorous physical exertion in
a hot-and-humid climate.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
It is often said that being a Volunteer is a 24/7 job; but
it is the toughest job you’ll ever love!<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Assignment in the SAS program is physically challenging due
to these extreme living and working conditions.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
In the <i>campo</i>,
Panama’s countryside, life moves at a much slower pace than in urban
areas. A rural Panamanian’s conception
of time and work will likely differ from yours.
For example, meetings often begin late and plans can be arbitrarily put
aside without reservation or prior notice.
A key part of the Volunteer’s successful adaption to Panama is having
the capacity to understand that things will not always go as planned. Patience is essential. <b>Remember that community members; time-frame
is different than yours. PCVs work in
the community for two years and sometimes expect activities to go quickly,
while community members are there for a lifetime and have other priorities.</b> It is important to try to place yourself in
the shoes of your community partners in order to better understand their
actions and motivations. Panamanian
farmers do work very hard. In order to
gain their respect and trust you will have to do the same while also
demonstrating cross-cultural understanding.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
You must be sure that you are willing to commit yourself to
twenty-seven months of service in a foreign country, living in conformity with
a culture that is completely different from your own. Many Volunteers have difficulty adjusting to
the slow pace of life, work, and lifestyle change. You may have to explain the purpose and
mission of Peace Corps and your role as a development worker many times, and to
many different people. You may feel a
lack of understanding and technical support from your counterparts at times. You may also be annoyed by frequent delays in
most daily activities from cooking, to public transportation, to organizing a
meeting. You will also be frustrated by
lack of privacy, and the local perception that you are a rich foreigner. These obstacles to accomplishing goals can be
very formidable. Results will be hard to
see at times. <b>But the underlying key to satisfying work as a Peace Corps Volunteer is
the ability to establish successful interpersonal relations at all levels</b>. This will require patience, sensitivity, and
a positive professional attitude.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
And despite these challenges, most Volunteers agree that the
rewards are very well worth the challenges.
While tangible results may be hard to see at first, with time, the
impact you have had will show in many ways.
Small changes of attitude or working techniques in local partners will
become apparent as you spend more time in your community. You will find this to be a great source of
satisfaction. When large projects are
slow in developing, smaller activities that succeed can provide you with a
great sense of accomplishment and can even help facilitate larger goals. <b>Relationships
formed with members of your community will become one of the most rewarding
aspects of your work, and the impact you have on your neighbors and colleagues
will be lasting</b>. You will most
likely be the only American working in your community, and you need to prepare
yourself for the inevitable scrutiny a foreigner receives. However, because of the extra attention, the
work you do and the relationships you make will long remain in the memory of
your community.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
By working in conjunction with community members and agency
partners, you will be making a significant contribution to development in
Panama. <b>Your ability to approach problems from a new perspective, use a variety
of resources for information and ideas, take risks, and analyze and learn from
your mistakes are all indispensable skills for dealing with the day-to-day
challenges in your community. </b>Sharing
these strategies with your co-workers will enable them to focus their
development and tackle the long-term problems they face. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Being a part of the
community is most important to your credibility and success.</b> Taking a long walk in the rain to see
someone’s bean farm, attending the birthday party of a child whose parents you
don’t know, and sitting through an 8 hour meeting that may not even pertain to
your work will make all the difference to your community members. We are here to gain the community’s respect
and serve its needs pertaining to sustainable development.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">But
it is you, the PCV, who determines your experience no matter what country or
project. Patience, an open mind, a sense
of humor, and a passion for rural community development work are keys to a successful
adventure in Peace Corps.</span></b>Lila Holzmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04835795566712471159noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7806512992221081052.post-50960690227608463512014-04-13T10:01:00.003-07:002014-04-16T06:25:52.767-07:00Out and About in March<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><u>The Dirty D
(Darien, that is)</u></b><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The Darien province of Panama is located far to the east
side, bordering Colombia. In March I had
the opportunity to visit what Peace Corps volunteers “lovingly” call the Dirty
D.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
My adventure was to begin visiting a friend in an Embera
Indigenous village, where a women’s group had requested a training in basic
business skills. I hadn’t been able to
reach this friend Bridget to confirm during the week prior to my trip, but this
is not so unusual for Peace Corps volunteers, so I went ahead and hoped for the
best. As per her instructions, I arrived
at a remote boat dock before 7am to look for boats heading to Sambu. The first boat sign-up list was already full
so I signed up for the second … except soon word started spreading that this
second boat driver decided not to come that day. So now what?
I heard some talk about taking a different boat to Garachine and then
some form of land transport from there to Sambu (car? motorcycles? hmm). After talking to a bunch of people, I was
convinced this idea was worth a shot and by 9:30, I was finally out on the
water.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglhPMbxDRNVTA-msDA_fJ9rGLbtpaT8FSoJe04RNgkGHrY8ugCt_tbnEqx36UXTOkPn3V6Y0QMbyge75Xa1Qxj6BKy3hpPhyQ9R3lapRq3l4_XXYa_kGUSl5CL_3VCVSO8CcmT-O_MLQOs/s1600/1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglhPMbxDRNVTA-msDA_fJ9rGLbtpaT8FSoJe04RNgkGHrY8ugCt_tbnEqx36UXTOkPn3V6Y0QMbyge75Xa1Qxj6BKy3hpPhyQ9R3lapRq3l4_XXYa_kGUSl5CL_3VCVSO8CcmT-O_MLQOs/s1600/1.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">At least waiting by the boat dock was pretty</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEji2baCr3PFZOfItNFkm29r4Nn9YDC8UIg6W3K-CBiY3iQaLCQJxdXOHELoydeK8Hdu77iPqz-ThBsJTOulgamLwWiR2w_m3ZxYb8EqJhu8P8ByZ7Qa1DnVHA6ycGSrRWBAZqvijo6Vglxg/s1600/2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEji2baCr3PFZOfItNFkm29r4Nn9YDC8UIg6W3K-CBiY3iQaLCQJxdXOHELoydeK8Hdu77iPqz-ThBsJTOulgamLwWiR2w_m3ZxYb8EqJhu8P8ByZ7Qa1DnVHA6ycGSrRWBAZqvijo6Vglxg/s1600/2.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Heading out</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Around 11:00 we stopped somewhere for gas and a couple guys
got off the boat looking for their own type of fuel. An hour later the gas tank was full and the
beer-wreaking dudes finally came back so we could continue. Thankfully I had an umbrella to shelter me
from the brutal midday sun and was also able to shade the older Embera woman
sitting next to me. Around 1:30 we
reached Garachine and I helped that older woman and her daughter carry their
stuff to where we were to get picked up.
They bought me a bottle of water as thanks. Such a bonding experience! So the large group of us heading to Sambu
piled in the back of a cattle truck and marched onward. It was all I could do to not smash my head
against the metal cage bars as we bumped along (not such an issue for the
shorter Panamanians), and by the end I was covered in bruises and a layer of
dust (dry season in the Darien is <i><u>dry)</u></i>.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjn_NxoOfqvApCaTGtGRrCKa38RtZTY2tYOfMMfPfU_rY6pCuKR01z3MtgJ1XswFPsbyiYnywk66hWCqaREyirsf6beEJtl8Lqnj51qInO7_ufmKRfdOzzecPyZB9DRlWTuNo76BIwDwigG/s1600/3.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjn_NxoOfqvApCaTGtGRrCKa38RtZTY2tYOfMMfPfU_rY6pCuKR01z3MtgJ1XswFPsbyiYnywk66hWCqaREyirsf6beEJtl8Lqnj51qInO7_ufmKRfdOzzecPyZB9DRlWTuNo76BIwDwigG/s1600/3.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I am too tall for this cattle truck</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
After reaching Sambu around 3:30, it didn’t take long to
find Bridget who’d been patiently waiting for me all day to hike back 1.5 hours
to her community Day Puru. When we made
it I had the worst dehydration headache I’ve ever experienced, but Bridget took
good care of me and spoiled me with all kinds of delicious food and much-needed
water-chugging.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgT9AYAteNJz2ThqXjb6EX0VwiuB3D0Lmid32OoVefqXOzRiesQ5JC5OyII7hpeLal1qiUY2pnAcsIom4iThsdbFdXZJxIl198jdgckjyV3jv04uP1-rBKDrkXz0WrTRT-1jThEm23ovZ-3/s1600/4.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgT9AYAteNJz2ThqXjb6EX0VwiuB3D0Lmid32OoVefqXOzRiesQ5JC5OyII7hpeLal1qiUY2pnAcsIom4iThsdbFdXZJxIl198jdgckjyV3jv04uP1-rBKDrkXz0WrTRT-1jThEm23ovZ-3/s1600/4.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bridget cooking away</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgU4qQC8rx-Dx1JHjM7w0bD0e6R1J3QIsZc6s26iVxF2lkT7jLMHjbJaxddSOw_mYEB5ABvedyjp8aKCctan-hZ9T6YTvAXfc5zk96vLZ4OVZZ2EW8Hkjmr-eQbP-3Tv_2f0MBamI8eJBzA/s1600/5.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgU4qQC8rx-Dx1JHjM7w0bD0e6R1J3QIsZc6s26iVxF2lkT7jLMHjbJaxddSOw_mYEB5ABvedyjp8aKCctan-hZ9T6YTvAXfc5zk96vLZ4OVZZ2EW8Hkjmr-eQbP-3Tv_2f0MBamI8eJBzA/s1600/5.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bridget's scary (but typical) ladder for a her stilted house</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGW2tXsypAhY1BU7bkQb0sL8cuwkWtZypM8fXfBJOQ6_2XUCIfMJX7g7k0ZIqapHbtpbCrX4akubxGnqPSM2ZOUNj4ldUAGuaq6Rmoox2eWpnM91Aojw16QG7dnq9MFOIxXQuhEG0rtxeg/s1600/6.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGW2tXsypAhY1BU7bkQb0sL8cuwkWtZypM8fXfBJOQ6_2XUCIfMJX7g7k0ZIqapHbtpbCrX4akubxGnqPSM2ZOUNj4ldUAGuaq6Rmoox2eWpnM91Aojw16QG7dnq9MFOIxXQuhEG0rtxeg/s1600/6.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cute neighbors</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The next morning’s business presentation went really
well. I helped the women’s group create
a working mission statement and covered a bunch of my normal topics like how to
evaluate which activities generate greater profits for them. It was also an interesting experience for me
to give a presentation to a group of women who were not all wearing tops. Different culture!<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZMVh5-WQSHRSfQO97b4tIIrmG61ipIBMmY_zpLQfqEDDzAGfTlrhmOkBCo53ugx3UqSd26X1DXrWqCCMGwYV0IaIe0-yjIemSfSGse_47FcHa56KrVhbj7O08YXYmg8l9-NsMLf0QpTtM/s1600/7.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZMVh5-WQSHRSfQO97b4tIIrmG61ipIBMmY_zpLQfqEDDzAGfTlrhmOkBCo53ugx3UqSd26X1DXrWqCCMGwYV0IaIe0-yjIemSfSGse_47FcHa56KrVhbj7O08YXYmg8l9-NsMLf0QpTtM/s1600/7.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Business presentation</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXiPUy9HnIFNSiOmBBGl91mYf_ECuBTjJ6m1NfAdKu_xMVQusL9Emb3EGlN6QEdbJpKmH-uSDiU2H_BSVUBA2CJY7IxiTxute0KxBUEbMksS-J5lJeZKeH3Bp7MW3zmD0XDXohLl8LbMvB/s1600/8.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXiPUy9HnIFNSiOmBBGl91mYf_ECuBTjJ6m1NfAdKu_xMVQusL9Emb3EGlN6QEdbJpKmH-uSDiU2H_BSVUBA2CJY7IxiTxute0KxBUEbMksS-J5lJeZKeH3Bp7MW3zmD0XDXohLl8LbMvB/s1600/8.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Women's group</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
After the talk, I was painted in the traditional style using
a plant-based dye that lasts about a week.
Loved it! After this short visit,
I said goodbye to Day Puru and Bridget walked me back to Sambu so I could catch
the 3am boat back out. I wish I could’ve
gotten pictures of that gorgeous, moonlit river journey…<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7FnA2fKju1uWa_qnkfcudRvrMVgsQ6dPnFl97f_uUdNgUuBwwr-70aNNsHFOTQGIb_Yzttgv6XiXfJ1wGVHa0ndJXaIvMjXZ5s0etyMeqRrY1YRVyKTthiyjNh0fhhHQvvnAj5pd-X8Sn/s1600/9.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7FnA2fKju1uWa_qnkfcudRvrMVgsQ6dPnFl97f_uUdNgUuBwwr-70aNNsHFOTQGIb_Yzttgv6XiXfJ1wGVHa0ndJXaIvMjXZ5s0etyMeqRrY1YRVyKTthiyjNh0fhhHQvvnAj5pd-X8Sn/s1600/9.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mixing the dye</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5v47wTdVYP8Q7NK6T4-KBiO6lx3GLCqthkg-euoInQXlm6sJCiz4S2s_zbmKsmD2tMpII6bDU8mqJ5_HrorUBiqCTX9PqsFGZxXSOg8k4TCI77X3fWtReloSVOkZGHTyGHjDlhllPsW_E/s1600/10.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5v47wTdVYP8Q7NK6T4-KBiO6lx3GLCqthkg-euoInQXlm6sJCiz4S2s_zbmKsmD2tMpII6bDU8mqJ5_HrorUBiqCTX9PqsFGZxXSOg8k4TCI77X3fWtReloSVOkZGHTyGHjDlhllPsW_E/s1600/10.JPG" height="320" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Getting painted</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieksiRVNn_n1epVBbExmPFaIF9cwGbuUAXs6ZkbqKd3rsoj6x2W25f06L4M36q4jRLkC8ElarftCaLtinNzRiwvhFvb9DetpfjKSqVPU9oIXdnLi3U7arQjS6DVrMDYcw26RzppQahTJqq/s1600/11.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieksiRVNn_n1epVBbExmPFaIF9cwGbuUAXs6ZkbqKd3rsoj6x2W25f06L4M36q4jRLkC8ElarftCaLtinNzRiwvhFvb9DetpfjKSqVPU9oIXdnLi3U7arQjS6DVrMDYcw26RzppQahTJqq/s1600/11.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bridget showing me around Day Puru before heading out again</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
After this successful visit, I headed across the Darien to
visit my friend Alex in a remote Latino site called Candelilla. This time no boats were involved – just a
bumpy chiva ride and a two hour hike.
Whew. Alex joined the Peace Corps
a year after me and having helped with her training, it was really cool for me
to see her all settled in and working hard.
We tag-teamed an agribusiness presentation for the few members of her
community that showed up (her community is small to begin with and suffers from
the normal Panamanian “no-show” syndrome).<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigKo5geKrazppLr_K4k4Ue3MzdKNIQt8R9IBX3cUdbVR6YZdQ2rAtrdxCWxLYl1n9kMIMEWu2pJaLpTinDht2L_aKaTJhjTzBTwAnuwX_07QfjquRsEY8TYwz4K02YdUX4vHCbSPCc6xvN/s1600/12.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigKo5geKrazppLr_K4k4Ue3MzdKNIQt8R9IBX3cUdbVR6YZdQ2rAtrdxCWxLYl1n9kMIMEWu2pJaLpTinDht2L_aKaTJhjTzBTwAnuwX_07QfjquRsEY8TYwz4K02YdUX4vHCbSPCc6xvN/s1600/12.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Agribusiness charla</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfmTQNo66TPRVWFYyQYj4dN7Zmkv0OX9a-9I1Wfe1Se-VdPXtOatEn7NAwp09b7ClDzdDnZBzrf_bkHtXtm5zv61pmu4YPcXYnO3KwK3BMy88RFp1Wvu8O-BRaLL1NUPsu93WNuUJCipbs/s1600/13.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfmTQNo66TPRVWFYyQYj4dN7Zmkv0OX9a-9I1Wfe1Se-VdPXtOatEn7NAwp09b7ClDzdDnZBzrf_bkHtXtm5zv61pmu4YPcXYnO3KwK3BMy88RFp1Wvu8O-BRaLL1NUPsu93WNuUJCipbs/s1600/13.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Me, Alex, and her charla participants</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Overall, I really enjoyed my Darien adventure, although I
know I only got a taste of it all, and I was left in awe of how far out there
some of these communities really are. On
a more serious note, several of my volunteer friends in a different region of
the Darien were recently removed from their sites due to violence involving
Colombian drug runners. My heart goes
out to them and their communities who are dealing with a very complicated
situation.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><u>Other March Events</u></b><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
In addition to my travels in the Dirty D, other events kept
me out and about during most of March.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
- I organized my first “big” regional agribusiness seminar
in the province of Veraguas.
Unfortunately I unknowingly planned it in conflict with a regional pilgrimage
festival honoring Jesús Cristo de Atalaya.
OOPS! The low attendance was a
big disappointment, but I feel we did the best we could with the information
available. I learned many good lessons
that I will use in my next two seminars later in April and May.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEUIxJOTjBlsNuTU7r70HRBb0OF8zDT62vDuW-TizGNcHjnk6P0DTm9jy6wgAsRm7885C3qRh7Bd-PtRuPqWMX3cVgIMTO_vjPB9rnYfCHAsQsSVLXA0wuGS-oxUF8wN0Z2HfzzgdP5zhp/s1600/14.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEUIxJOTjBlsNuTU7r70HRBb0OF8zDT62vDuW-TizGNcHjnk6P0DTm9jy6wgAsRm7885C3qRh7Bd-PtRuPqWMX3cVgIMTO_vjPB9rnYfCHAsQsSVLXA0wuGS-oxUF8wN0Z2HfzzgdP5zhp/s1600/14.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I think the high facilitator to participant ratio helped people get a lot out of it</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQPM04IOSJOi5KCnbNZb-7f4GECHYSsfSiDPtk6QfJjgBYWf_P8_BUCvsOMw1DEUP0GZ5TKY4I7HePp2DZh51XrSwtGhnV653co_Yg9s2-g6JhHbvIDN-BTRtlQwXcTRO4wOug_kW56MrJ/s1600/15.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQPM04IOSJOi5KCnbNZb-7f4GECHYSsfSiDPtk6QfJjgBYWf_P8_BUCvsOMw1DEUP0GZ5TKY4I7HePp2DZh51XrSwtGhnV653co_Yg9s2-g6JhHbvIDN-BTRtlQwXcTRO4wOug_kW56MrJ/s1600/15.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Seminar complete</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
- I attended a UPenn Wharton Global Forum in Panama
City. It was quite a shock to my system
to preview the business school world I will join next year, but the speakers
were interesting and I enjoyed the event.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiV260Y1k13KsoOP-wHApNxj3Aoet5lGukcG6Sm3DOV3YqHBnb7DDaPe8rhyphenhyphennFq3zPFsDo5Hq3xzCjVS7cdl6-lxOnHwrCqLziqdyIL-jJOWONqGUgmUvkZXNAEo8P9e43nV8Xo-pgyt8V/s1600/16.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiV260Y1k13KsoOP-wHApNxj3Aoet5lGukcG6Sm3DOV3YqHBnb7DDaPe8rhyphenhyphennFq3zPFsDo5Hq3xzCjVS7cdl6-lxOnHwrCqLziqdyIL-jJOWONqGUgmUvkZXNAEo8P9e43nV8Xo-pgyt8V/s1600/16.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Exciting</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1EesT0AEXi_RJ6IdXL_IL7-mpvy8jAzit7St0ZcCMQcRgA8WOVJfkFIc7veHSPdYbS7xZkExun3yBRi4Dd0l24QI1C437lJzRTFdKtNfazjrZBnMoESkBCpHJnoR1rl1jZbeggCceXHGk/s1600/17.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1EesT0AEXi_RJ6IdXL_IL7-mpvy8jAzit7St0ZcCMQcRgA8WOVJfkFIc7veHSPdYbS7xZkExun3yBRi4Dd0l24QI1C437lJzRTFdKtNfazjrZBnMoESkBCpHJnoR1rl1jZbeggCceXHGk/s1600/17.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This is the President of Panama</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEsFArw7HmwX2PUhjxcpHHW0uqxuNb6L2maN0fKtWYPQgh_Oif2tDwcrje9IKWOHrUiCTIgPxVkt2Q4iPvxTHw9ZKZ26AB9t36-xaXEFqBtyis1C0c2JWIXV6hoex-w_bwPoTw2YowrwZ7/s1600/18.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEsFArw7HmwX2PUhjxcpHHW0uqxuNb6L2maN0fKtWYPQgh_Oif2tDwcrje9IKWOHrUiCTIgPxVkt2Q4iPvxTHw9ZKZ26AB9t36-xaXEFqBtyis1C0c2JWIXV6hoex-w_bwPoTw2YowrwZ7/s1600/18.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Fancy poolside dinner equipped with open bar and interesting performers</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLuqyimo-ZqWvt1xItIyVCVJ6d5q37ENF05vk6v13RiSv7JpD4cXn3izTYxHicmzDpsmTX4NDwNXrzNwMtLCgTM07HJ7cofh01brNipNgyRp6XbbDvqZoaMxhhMDl4iJU9NLHJizWyHE6a/s1600/19.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLuqyimo-ZqWvt1xItIyVCVJ6d5q37ENF05vk6v13RiSv7JpD4cXn3izTYxHicmzDpsmTX4NDwNXrzNwMtLCgTM07HJ7cofh01brNipNgyRp6XbbDvqZoaMxhhMDl4iJU9NLHJizWyHE6a/s1600/19.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Meeting people</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
- Peace Corps Close-of-Service Conference occurs for volunteers
three months before we actually leave.
The idea is to start getting us mentally, physically, and
administratively (so much paperwork!) prepared to leave Panama. My official
departure date has been assigned: June 27, meaning I need to leave my community
to spend my last days in the Peace Corps office on June 22. In one cheesy activity, we passed around a
candle and shared whatever we wanted with the group. I’m pretty sure this activity is designed to
make us cry. It worked. We also put together this awesome video that
I recommend watching (I come in at times: 6:05, 8:26, and 12:34): <a href="https://docs.google.com/file/d/0B97wv31senALaW1CdUpoOWpHQVk/edit" target="_blank">“Happy” Peace Corps Panama Group 71</a>.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
To celebrate the end of the conference and the last time
we’d all be together as a group, I organized a party boat to take us on an
evening tour of the Panama City bay.
Organizing this yacht had stressed me out for months, but it was totally
worth it.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyu2pHMqKDH0BjtmXFMAhEvj99rEAW1JBpaK_ZHE6jgJwfKp2MtRFstjEuk0zb8GfKPGHk7Gf1DdbxV3VrAYLPMCmUBm84kG5Avo9lW2VLkxrH25q5dVs0nylVEviambPUSRykz9CORXfI/s1600/20.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyu2pHMqKDH0BjtmXFMAhEvj99rEAW1JBpaK_ZHE6jgJwfKp2MtRFstjEuk0zb8GfKPGHk7Gf1DdbxV3VrAYLPMCmUBm84kG5Avo9lW2VLkxrH25q5dVs0nylVEviambPUSRykz9CORXfI/s1600/20.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Yacht passing through the canal</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9Zj4brFvzTICS3om0SPT4eeZBK8jKKWCcV6gjottCycXGA2YwqssxADAQvufZVf4cKVxXirBJatIwPw8-rYG690oicrWLvo-JOA-2GEYPvljQzyDMMxjCgobtNyYCDUYtMsKL1zF8amx-/s1600/21.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9Zj4brFvzTICS3om0SPT4eeZBK8jKKWCcV6gjottCycXGA2YwqssxADAQvufZVf4cKVxXirBJatIwPw8-rYG690oicrWLvo-JOA-2GEYPvljQzyDMMxjCgobtNyYCDUYtMsKL1zF8amx-/s1600/21.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Party planners making a toast</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
- Dani Dagan visited me!
We played with monkeys and did some other touristy things around and off
the coast of Panama City before spending a couple days in my site.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEismoO4-0gYJ5LgTMjuBQFB1NE1SczUHDh0QXfq2qJC2i9U2qbNkgZGBHoTCIaHQQ_D8CoYHIfmDCgfuf290zyuke2XaCyYj8Io4Z-Hq7alJv_iTf35pcsuptEsvTRALqaO1L1EF8cXGCy9/s1600/22.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEismoO4-0gYJ5LgTMjuBQFB1NE1SczUHDh0QXfq2qJC2i9U2qbNkgZGBHoTCIaHQQ_D8CoYHIfmDCgfuf290zyuke2XaCyYj8Io4Z-Hq7alJv_iTf35pcsuptEsvTRALqaO1L1EF8cXGCy9/s1600/22.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Monkey friend</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg41hp_gN79kVfRudod8h-7DH61EuW_MJTG2V-MZcLe5QKzOVbisC6tKvP8b_h0G-RXRLVrOQQM9ppi3ZqXG-DNkWH0VTo_nHpG4JrI9UzDEbPvoBT5wJMK_x0Ttg3qRGD8k2m4nxm6awQl/s1600/23.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg41hp_gN79kVfRudod8h-7DH61EuW_MJTG2V-MZcLe5QKzOVbisC6tKvP8b_h0G-RXRLVrOQQM9ppi3ZqXG-DNkWH0VTo_nHpG4JrI9UzDEbPvoBT5wJMK_x0Ttg3qRGD8k2m4nxm6awQl/s1600/23.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Touring a Wounaan indigenous village</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4bfuXkrnv6JLn695nu_OvxhbuWcHMW3k_V2ZBc1X5GTeDiuvGW71hSOxg_4MSkMeH5bYiex2YBeyTNmxM4P_f2S_7-Cml5q1H-JsVtQvcZlH1m8_IHea2p6r0dozZBZ4icYEV2ew-67tu/s1600/24.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4bfuXkrnv6JLn695nu_OvxhbuWcHMW3k_V2ZBc1X5GTeDiuvGW71hSOxg_4MSkMeH5bYiex2YBeyTNmxM4P_f2S_7-Cml5q1H-JsVtQvcZlH1m8_IHea2p6r0dozZBZ4icYEV2ew-67tu/s1600/24.JPG" height="320" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pineapple on Taboga Island</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I want to say a big THANK YOU to all who had the chance to
visit me in Panama: Dani Dagan, Molly James, Laura Holzman, Rebecca Powell,
Aloni Cohen, Sadie Diaz, Marisa Gonzalez, Erica Goldman, and Ashley
Thompson. It really meant a lot to
me. I can’t believe that the next time I
go to the airport it will be for me to really leave. AHHHH!!!<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
- I got recognized by the Embassy! Check it out in Spanish: <a href="http://panamausembassy.wordpress.com/2014/03/25/2720/" target="_blank">Panama US Embassy</a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><u>#ThirdWorldProblems
(of a first world girl)<o:p></o:p></u></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Oh yeah, remember this segment? It’s back!<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
- I repeatedly hear a volunteer friend complain, “I am just
so tired of cockroaches poopin’ on my clothes.”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
- My new definition of “clean clothes” is: smells ok and has
three or fewer visible stains<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
- My new definition of “nice clothes” is: my Peace Corps
polo and/or any T-shirt with no holes or visible stains.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
- The clothes on my line were almost dry before that
downpour came.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
- Any beverage with ice in it is fancy.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
- Any wine that comes out of a bottle instead of a box is
classy.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
- The day we tried to teach community members how to use
voicemail on their cell phones, we couldn’t find strong enough signal for them
to activate their mailboxes. We blamed
it on the wind.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
- How did a mosquito get me there?<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
- I once flicked a cockroach out of my plastic cup of wine
and kept drinking<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
Lila Holzmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04835795566712471159noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7806512992221081052.post-19715639004036152302014-02-26T16:32:00.001-08:002014-07-14T11:29:03.104-07:00A Week in the Life ...<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
People have asked me what a typical day for me is like. The truth is “typical” may not exist. My life is a crazy roller coaster, but I felt
like the week beginning Monday, February 17 was as close to an example of
“typical” as I can get, so I decided to document it …<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I started off the week with a few main goals. The first was to spread the word about a
fast-approaching meeting with the Peace Corps Environmental Health Program
Specialist, which would determine if El Harino will receive a follow-up
volunteer. After two volunteers whose
work focused on sustainable agriculture, I believe my community will benefit
from a program change and support for our mismanaged, lacking aqueduct systems
and latrines. Strong attendance at the
meeting was important. My second goal
was to spread the word about an upcoming bridge project work day. We are in the process of gathering an insane
amount of rocks, sand, and gravel so the materials will be ready when
construction begins later in March. The
third was to offer my services as photographer to those families who are currently
trying to get the official titles to their land and need a photo to complete
their paperwork. This process is costly,
so not many have taken me up on the offer yet.
Goal four was to begin gathering data on how much nutrition has improved
since it was voted El Harino’s biggest problem in September, 2012. My strategy was to ask people what foods they
eat a lot and to compare to their answers from way back then. And of course, my permanent goal when I am in
site is to be a visible, well-integrated member of the community. As with most weeks, I set myself a rough
schedule, which was bound to change.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsgvLml7ZZAfuJx5ho8wv9eVj-7HjeEo3yq6nzd5mmqSH5nisrqnyYgBLYn5mI2-hRtKkvPWwv82ZknnShPM3MCYL0s_41Vqz-4468rGvOwL_HfDfj4jc7T3AzL62kdF2zhPoFshtDAlpp/s1600/P1060473.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsgvLml7ZZAfuJx5ho8wv9eVj-7HjeEo3yq6nzd5mmqSH5nisrqnyYgBLYn5mI2-hRtKkvPWwv82ZknnShPM3MCYL0s_41Vqz-4468rGvOwL_HfDfj4jc7T3AzL62kdF2zhPoFshtDAlpp/s1600/P1060473.JPG" height="400" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Publicity for Environment Health follow-up volunteer meeting</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><br /></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i>Monday, February 17.<o:p></o:p></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Monday morning I climbed my phone hill to call Panama’s
fishery organization. My contact there
helped us get fish for a couple projects here in August 2012, so I thought he
might help us get the tubes that MIDA has failed to provide for almost a year
(my last inquiry informed me that the only farmer on the short list to receive
tubes happens to be the only one who is a member of MIDA’s political party.
Hmmm). Señor Cobas told me his organization doesn’t have
tubes, but that he was meeting with MIDA the next day and would plead my
case. I was to call back Wednesday to
see how it went.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
After the call, I set out on a Power-<i>Pasear</i> route hitting nine houses.
I won’t describe each visit, but just a few highlights. Three houses gave me food to eat: rice with a
little meat; soup with rice, pasta, yucca, and a little meat; and soup with
yucca, otoe, ñame,
and a little meat. I don’t eat red meat,
nor do I usually eat three lunches, but it was a long day and I managed. I drank coffee, juice, and tea. I was gifted yucca, ñame, tomatoes, eggs, and plantains. I had some good discussions and talked up the
Peace Corps meeting. People agreed with
my assessment that they don’t need another agriculture volunteer (saying that
even though not everyone is practicing techniques like compost, they at least
get the idea) and that getting help with water is a necessary priority. I found out that a couple more families are
backing out of getting their land titled (<i>no
hay dinero). </i>To my incredible
excitement I saw that one of my farmers’ dugout fish tank is now full of water
and fish and accompanied by a second functioning fish pond. Apparently the farmer I’d worked with on it
let his brother take over and the brother decided to invest his own resources
to get the tanks up and running. Woo!<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijYjwGP6HWYdbtTDCSkovRuhJoNIBybR4_WGwqsYCTMwGAkVRs4GDDjdTzjSJvCpb-hA4cobpNl2GjO-3Oy4NB5d81DYSJ4VxY0DQgZCDWHbTd9qgFWKVSNVVGIeRaE8_oqmNEtv2kxf05/s1600/P1060531.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijYjwGP6HWYdbtTDCSkovRuhJoNIBybR4_WGwqsYCTMwGAkVRs4GDDjdTzjSJvCpb-hA4cobpNl2GjO-3Oy4NB5d81DYSJ4VxY0DQgZCDWHbTd9qgFWKVSNVVGIeRaE8_oqmNEtv2kxf05/s1600/P1060531.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tanks finished up by original farmer's brother</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i>Tuesday, February 18.<o:p></o:p></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Tuesday I knew I’d have kids over for reading club in the
afternoon so I set out for a “quick” three-house <i>pasear</i>. One of these
families is new in town and the single mom there told me her tough story of
leaving her husband after 20+ years and starting over. We talked about more pleasant things as well,
and by the time I left, I had gotten to hold her adorable infant, said hello to
her teenager, and set a date to work on making them a compost pile. House #2 surprised me with another revived
fish project. This farmer had
temporarily given up on the project when strong rains caused a nearby creek to
overflow and carry away his fish several months ago. Now that it’s summer here, he got new fish and
is strengthening his pond to withstand the next rainy season. I left there after drinking some coconut
water and with a couple eggs in my purse.
We also set a date for him to take me to his farm to take a photo for
his land title paperwork. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2A_3CWM1WdEp-Y3uuvOTtHSL2PYXZOovGfI_4vTW_TOczW-pmHSTyxU8tEEcgoG2HTs9vDdHrty9m3h_mqcGvaZQHe2EVx6L_Rjh87jk0rintSuD7loCwz-m-bb1HNf0kLEy1MAp2dUjX/s1600/P1060537.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2A_3CWM1WdEp-Y3uuvOTtHSL2PYXZOovGfI_4vTW_TOczW-pmHSTyxU8tEEcgoG2HTs9vDdHrty9m3h_mqcGvaZQHe2EVx6L_Rjh87jk0rintSuD7loCwz-m-bb1HNf0kLEy1MAp2dUjX/s1600/P1060537.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Fish tank revival</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I got home just in time to scarf down some lunch before the
kids arrived to read. As usual we read a
few short stories and then a chapter of a longer one—we finally finished
Charlotte’s Web! They all confirmed they
had never read a book that long before.
At the end I gave out a snack and got out some balls to kick around, but
to my amazement they all went for the bag of books and read individually for a
while. So great. Eventually they put the books down and we all
played catch for a bit. Then we headed
over to the school to say hi to the teachers who just arrived this week to get
organized for the new school year, which was to start February 24. It was nice to see the teachers back and they
invited me to the PTA board meeting the next day at 2:00. We all played dominos for a while, and then I
went home.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i>Wednesday, February
19.<o:p></o:p></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Wednesday morning I did about an hour and a half’s worth of
laundry. Then up to my phone hill to
check in with my fish friend. He hadn’t
had much luck, but reported that our tube request still was in an
approved-but-not-yet-filled status. So
the waiting continues. Before climbing
back down the hill, I was asked to play hair dresser and gave two girls French-braided
pig tails. Super cute. Their grandma then gave me a bunch of tomatoes
from her garden.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Heading out for another “quick” two-house <i>pasear</i> before the afternoon PTA meeting,
I ran into a community member out telling people that the land-measuring guy
would be coming here on February 26 – the same day as my Peace Corps meeting!
ARG! Now I (selfishly?) felt lucky that
not many families are actually measuring their land and so hopefully this will
not conflict too much with my meeting.
Still frustrating though, considering I’ve been telling everyone about
this date for over a month now. As I
headed to visit my first host family’s house, I ran into some city Panamanians
who said they were going there too and asked if I would lead the way. As we hiked, they told me they came out here
occasionally to participate in the Evangelist Church’s activities. They were out here on this particular day to
deliver a special vine plant known to cure leishmaniasis. I remembered a gnarly-looking sore I’d seen
on 12-year-old Diana’s arm the week before and my heart sank. We learned about the flesh-eating parasite
called leishmaniasis in training. Getting "lesh" for a volunteer means three weeks in Panama City with daily intravenous
treatments. What does it mean for people
out here? Sure enough, when we arrived I
saw that all the kids had itchy, open, large sores on their skin. The man I’d led explained to them to keep the
sores clean and to apply the salve from within the vine plant twice a day. He also explained the origins of the parasite
carried from sloths to people by way of biting sandflies. I was horrified by what I saw, but the kids
were in good spirits. They said the
sores itched a little but not too bad.
They applied the salve and were soon off playing again. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBxRo0if4AH-S1-NTlIRCK-F1Yo-WCumgbrynl0e8R9XiLRh5KD7nGIQIjRkGv7_9cNph2blHm2ZADMbfdbU5QtPwajYhA-eTO7xzF7A7l1fEKdjzFRU9MXQKuYVbStANr9f9oZAMBZNsY/s1600/P1060539.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBxRo0if4AH-S1-NTlIRCK-F1Yo-WCumgbrynl0e8R9XiLRh5KD7nGIQIjRkGv7_9cNph2blHm2ZADMbfdbU5QtPwajYhA-eTO7xzF7A7l1fEKdjzFRU9MXQKuYVbStANr9f9oZAMBZNsY/s1600/P1060539.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Explaining how to get the salve from this vine plant</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_ypYCVPONK3PJFIIVYU_rUQ9LKWoZEMue3RVV0v06H_mPGhheYOzDkzoYsoEotwWAlAFpQyPpxTFXHzfh7gQ0U5QvHFxTLJBSWE0Mx6ds4D6O576QEk62KMW-vqpXB8g16-aMPtW9EF45/s1600/P1060543.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_ypYCVPONK3PJFIIVYU_rUQ9LKWoZEMue3RVV0v06H_mPGhheYOzDkzoYsoEotwWAlAFpQyPpxTFXHzfh7gQ0U5QvHFxTLJBSWE0Mx6ds4D6O576QEk62KMW-vqpXB8g16-aMPtW9EF45/s1600/P1060543.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">a sore caused by leishmaniasis</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6m3qLX8vnlN41RFYm_txwSbR84WDIHogTHCgWpjoc4LLzEGAsUByAs4SmU-K-tS08n3_fSwwbjteHVLxgSZJHJoxIrB9ntmEXHIaZ04FN4zlHS2Ohzo7LbHDMm9bMofnblE_Xa-3gpsmQ/s1600/P1060551.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6m3qLX8vnlN41RFYm_txwSbR84WDIHogTHCgWpjoc4LLzEGAsUByAs4SmU-K-tS08n3_fSwwbjteHVLxgSZJHJoxIrB9ntmEXHIaZ04FN4zlHS2Ohzo7LbHDMm9bMofnblE_Xa-3gpsmQ/s1600/P1060551.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Even the baby got it</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I hung out for a while and talked to their parents about
community issues like water. They agreed
that an Environmental Health volunteer could help the community, but warned me
about some gossip. Apparently some don’t
want another Peace Corps volunteer because my landlord makes too much money. Seriously?
That’s a legitimate reason to not want another volunteer? I said that sounded resolvable since after my
two years of paying $30/month, my house will have finally paid for itself so
maybe the next volunteer would pay less or split the rent between my landlord
and a community fund like the school or the town hall. For lunch they fed me boiled yucca with fried
chicken-based hot dog, gave me a couple eggs to go, and then I was on my
way. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Leaving there, I stopped by my second host family where my
25-year-old host “mom” was nursing her one-week-old baby (she had the baby at
home instead of going out to a hospital, but everything was fine “<i>gracias a Dios”)</i>. We talked about how she now has two girls and
two boys and would like to leave it at that.
She is looking into the paperwork involved to get her tubes tied. It sounds like a long process, so I attempted
to explain the rhythm method for the meantime. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I arrived at the 2:00 PTA meeting around 2:30. The president of the PTA didn’t get there
until 4:00. Once the meeting finally
started we talked about school projects like fixing up the cafeteria, etc. They need to have a meeting with all the school
parents and decided to set it for the 26<sup>th</sup>, after my meeting
ends. Hopefully that will work to my
advantage and get more people to come since they have to be there anyway. The president told me they were all
machete-chopping the school lawn on Friday and that I should come to promote
the 26<sup>th</sup>’s meetings. By the
time I got home I found my sheets and most of my clothes had dried in the hot
sun. I prepared myself a dinner of all
things I’d either been given or had grown in my own garden: ñame, eggs, tomato, and
mustard greens. YUM!<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdl5kXJ0-qLYcG-gb1E0n49G-juWHTMefahXqmG__4TL3fUTsXOwtWH9JJ-B6pa_IwMFNHHe_hw2kBzkNgtDQyFpY3A2Idlf9igHAlon5u5QzBQ7Htabo-vgs9lyQxevB5l0rSa0LoQMPU/s1600/P1060554.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdl5kXJ0-qLYcG-gb1E0n49G-juWHTMefahXqmG__4TL3fUTsXOwtWH9JJ-B6pa_IwMFNHHe_hw2kBzkNgtDQyFpY3A2Idlf9igHAlon5u5QzBQ7Htabo-vgs9lyQxevB5l0rSa0LoQMPU/s1600/P1060554.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Colorful, local food bowl</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i>Thursday, February 20.<o:p></o:p></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Thursday morning I woke up early and it wasn’t quite light
yet. I went to turn on my solar lamp and
found my hand stung by a bee hiding on the lamp string. Good morning to you too! I laughed to myself remembering that in Peace
Corps training we’d been reminded that ice is good for stings like this. Ice.
What a luxury. I ran cool water
over my hand for a few seconds and went on with my day. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Now my day got confusing.
Last week a farmer had told me MIDA was coming to inspect his farm and
see how his MIDA-sponsored poroto (bean) project was going. This proud farmer invited me to come early
for breakfast and to see other products he was growing before MIDA got
there. He told me that <b>he did</b> <b>not burn his land</b>, but rather had left cut down debris on top of the
land around where he planted his crops and had noticed that the soil was
producing well (the nutrients from the debris were returning to the soil as the
dead plant material decomposed), the soil was holding moisture better, and that
less weeds were coming up. I told him I
was so glad he was able to see these positive results with this
experimentation, and that I couldn’t wait to see it myself. But then when I had passed by his daughter’s
house the afternoon before, she told me MIDA wasn’t going to her dad’s and
instead wanted me to accompany them and a few other El Harino farmers to see a
garden project in a nearby community. So
when MIDA came for me, I hopped in the back of their pickup truck and
went. Except I discovered too late that
in fact two different MIDA groups had organized separate events for the same
day and expected me to be at both. Hmm.
I had a nice visit to the garden project and took the opportunity to push some
more for help getting fish tank tubes, but as soon as I got back I rushed over
to the proud bean-farmer’s house to apologize for not showing. Thankfully he understood the confusion and we
set a new date for me to come see his beans.
While there I played with his grandkids, French-braided a 4<sup>th</sup>
grader’s hair, was fed purple-colored rice and coffee and was gifted three
bananas for the road.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSbSX8X1gbi5nnGMGP-HHVQdv9cPChkuNuW9pGcOuZblW9iyyWDwaEzKJLoUM3Zlsg_2bdbz4tiYzcfN5BaraOZ3vM4ZHtBDKQHVejoJOq17PKG9LQAJ1LjjjhLYKYWBI2aSgx03fjmMZP/s1600/P1060557.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSbSX8X1gbi5nnGMGP-HHVQdv9cPChkuNuW9pGcOuZblW9iyyWDwaEzKJLoUM3Zlsg_2bdbz4tiYzcfN5BaraOZ3vM4ZHtBDKQHVejoJOq17PKG9LQAJ1LjjjhLYKYWBI2aSgx03fjmMZP/s1600/P1060557.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pickup truck ride to see a garden project in a nearby community</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzW9DD4BPwWtONAm6adWr8qVwsLUzwgkwIhRC0CudCKxpPG9cujdKIPtkcR_lrs9NkYWxsZZlxeJgAR6X7B3qb0j2vDNbO_Ln9727fHt2nuRKG9DRg5zySmBAaY1M0eb205TsQfZ2GUXj0/s1600/P1060563.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzW9DD4BPwWtONAm6adWr8qVwsLUzwgkwIhRC0CudCKxpPG9cujdKIPtkcR_lrs9NkYWxsZZlxeJgAR6X7B3qb0j2vDNbO_Ln9727fHt2nuRKG9DRg5zySmBAaY1M0eb205TsQfZ2GUXj0/s1600/P1060563.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Learning about simple sticky traps for insects</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8bzfssyFu8ATI6zAFuRzqnt1Yz3NO9DRgWrLQxwgv3VCcRPLPdi3gFjyXTKSwvHNA8vtTqbNxdudAYpn7e57WxX_SUSyzQOlYeDNyKohVH27IamJAcSoWjxb20OjRxqFznDtekHGEZL07/s1600/P1060578.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8bzfssyFu8ATI6zAFuRzqnt1Yz3NO9DRgWrLQxwgv3VCcRPLPdi3gFjyXTKSwvHNA8vtTqbNxdudAYpn7e57WxX_SUSyzQOlYeDNyKohVH27IamJAcSoWjxb20OjRxqFznDtekHGEZL07/s1600/P1060578.JPG" height="320" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Farmer's grandbaby who knows my name now!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
,<o:p></o:p></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDMNB-W2UA31vsncveC2nUMMJVu0Yxdh0OlDqW7XKOnvqUwga5VzTQdiuJ_ITSvDoY54dVKDawBk5UxuQqbKQrHf9WLcyZZjYOJV195qmxFraHDHBI7Zw_SVBen-AiuxFDjO8elIk0lefP/s1600/P1060645.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDMNB-W2UA31vsncveC2nUMMJVu0Yxdh0OlDqW7XKOnvqUwga5VzTQdiuJ_ITSvDoY54dVKDawBk5UxuQqbKQrHf9WLcyZZjYOJV195qmxFraHDHBI7Zw_SVBen-AiuxFDjO8elIk0lefP/s1600/P1060645.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Once I made it to the bean farm early the next week, it was gorgeous!!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh845OPTq2YcGxtg1Rj6x1q6bvb30F4XoC6PydGEb0tktBCoa9U2cLL3PfWr8LdqfFt-dH6EQiuXTOKtgy3Tole2A7hb95DK9LiCoNQuBqFMRhDNZqAvQP8vQRN4khruZWYimeE8DK-6Xg3/s1600/P1060652.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh845OPTq2YcGxtg1Rj6x1q6bvb30F4XoC6PydGEb0tktBCoa9U2cLL3PfWr8LdqfFt-dH6EQiuXTOKtgy3Tole2A7hb95DK9LiCoNQuBqFMRhDNZqAvQP8vQRN4khruZWYimeE8DK-6Xg3/s1600/P1060652.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The farmer had his son give me the tour (hmmm trying to set me up, perhaps? no gracias)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i>Friday, February 21.<o:p></o:p></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I arrived fashionably late to the machete-chopping at the
school. The truth is, my machete could
use a more professional sharpening than me and my little file are capable of,
and so machete-chopping fields is not my favorite thing to do right now. My timing worked out well. I said hello to everyone and then helped peel
and cut root vegetables with the only two women present for the soup they were
making for the men. Once the guys
finished chopping the field, they switched to mixing concrete for the floor of
a new room for the 7<sup>th</sup> grade teacher (she had complained last year
that her old room was too far from the other teachers and that she got scared
at night … I find this silly since I live by myself much farther from any human,
and I don’t get scared at night, but the school parents are trying to keep her
happy). I like this work better and
grabbed a shovel to dig in. I had a nice
day talking, working, and hanging with the guys. One particularly entertaining
topic of conversation was that apparently witches have been around a lot
lately. One guy said he felt a witch
grab him in the middle of the night and woke up with bruises on his arm. Witches…
Right… At the end of the day the
PTA president and I made sure everyone knew about the meetings on the 26<sup>th</sup>. They began talking about selling fried bread
and coffee that day as a school fundraiser.
Sounds good to me!<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
When I got home, I did a little tidying up and looked
through some books I was thinking of donating to the Peace Corps office. SURPRISE ANTS! I sprayed some Raid, did some sweeping, and
highly doubt I got them all. Sigh. Don’t worry mom, my business calc book was
safely stored in a Ziploc bag.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I would also like to note, that this day was ERICA GOLDMAN’S
BIRTHDAY! HAPPY BIRTHDAY!<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i>Saturday, February 22.</i><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Saturday the district mayor was scheduled to come out. He actually was supposed to come one week
before, but postponed for one reason or another. Also the meeting location changed. It was supposed to be at a faraway house and
I’d planned to <i>pasear</i> my way over for
the noon meeting, but it switched instead to a close by house, leaving me with
a newly emptied morning (and the realization that I probably wouldn’t make it
to all those houses before the 26<sup>th</sup>’s meeting). After breakfast I cleaned the tomato seeds
I’d harvested from the previous night’s dinner and let ferment overnight. As I set them out to dry, I was visited by my
20-year-old neighbor who asked to borrow $20 so he could take his niece out to
the city back to her mom’s house. This
family is always responsible when I loan them money and they are always
generous with me, so I lent him the money.
A little while later I went up to his house to get signal and check my
phone, and my world got rocked just a little.
As Agribusiness Coordinator with a grant sponsored by many of you lovely
people, I am organizing three agribusiness seminars, the first of which is
coming up in the Veraguas province March 7-10.
But on this morning, I listened to a voice message from the volunteer
whose community is hosting the seminar saying he was just informed that there
is a big provincial festival called <i>Cristo
de Atalaya </i>involving some kind of pilgrimage that same weekend. He wasn’t sure how many participants would be
affected, but considering this seminar is for Veraguas farmers and this is a
local Veraguas holiday, this did not sound good. I made a round of calls to other Veraguas volunteers
asking them to confirm their farmers’ desire to attend or if they were all actually
busy with the holiday and had somehow failed to realize the dates
conflicted. But of course, none of us
have cell signal, so the phone tag began.
ARG! If I have to postpone this
seminar, it will wait until at least April.
FRUSTRATION. I then called my mom
to vent (and just because I like to call home about once a week), and she
reminded me in that mom kind of way that in spite of my type-A personality, many
things are out of my control here, and that all I can do is my best. Thanks mom.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
At around 11:00 one of my neighbors said she was heading to
the mayor’s meeting, so I went with her.
I had seen billboards with this guy’s face, but I think he was even more
comical in person. Fatter (obese,
really), darker skinned (he looked orange on the billboard), and with a raspier
voice than I expected. He arrived with a
big posse of helpers who immediately set to work cooking lunch, amazing my
community’s women with modern technology like a device that cuts hard boiled
eggs for you without a knife (“Really Lila?
You’ve seen that before? This is
the first time I’ve ever seen something like that.”). He and a few members of his posse all took
turns addressing the crowd. This is an
election year for Panama (coming up on May 4th) and I’ve seen politicians come
in with some pretty strong rhetoric.
This one kept it relatively short and sweet and gave out shoes to all
kids present and huge lunch portions to all.
After the speeches, our bridge committee asked for his support following
up on a formal solicitation letter they’d already sent to his office. He agreed he wanted to help, but said he
couldn’t exactly make any promises, so we shall see. In any case it was a good opportunity for us
to remind everyone about the upcoming bridge work day. As the meeting ended, one of the creepy
politician guys accompanying the mayor told me he’d been born too early and
that if he’d been born at the right time, I would’ve been the mother of his
children. GROSS!<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXrIXc0DiiDru8PyaInUECSiC3Hab7HeJ_i2h9NJ6n3ebojtnGZYJnRf5C_whsGL3ML-LmeW430IacqvE9YN4Eo-sNRWMpKgFPIQvmDuoUF6cuYF6aOb2RIK_fhoGzoNTVmyhQBhUWlXZ3/s1600/1621902_10152916651266029_1864198230_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXrIXc0DiiDru8PyaInUECSiC3Hab7HeJ_i2h9NJ6n3ebojtnGZYJnRf5C_whsGL3ML-LmeW430IacqvE9YN4Eo-sNRWMpKgFPIQvmDuoUF6cuYF6aOb2RIK_fhoGzoNTVmyhQBhUWlXZ3/s1600/1621902_10152916651266029_1864198230_n.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Check this guy out</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUnpaagRRi3u217rAyfgpSBpcw027y3nnpTBGoAsaZayRmUb6j7ycaNC-9Zb-MtvbuWCt4P2dLeTXcUdZGERy8qPgCc4X3zTURhRLsLJxoJokh9CX92ooITfHldVDmN1Tea0MI7I-txPzS/s1600/P1060583.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUnpaagRRi3u217rAyfgpSBpcw027y3nnpTBGoAsaZayRmUb6j7ycaNC-9Zb-MtvbuWCt4P2dLeTXcUdZGERy8qPgCc4X3zTURhRLsLJxoJokh9CX92ooITfHldVDmN1Tea0MI7I-txPzS/s1600/P1060583.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The man in person. Buying votes with lollipops?</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I got back to my house in time to freshen up a bit before
heading out again. One family had
invited me over for that evening to celebrate three of their birthdays: father,
son, and daughter’s quinceañera. The daughter had actually turned 15 in November,
but they’d decided to wait and group everyone together. I got there at around 6:15 in time to help
with the last bit of cooking. Then we
all hung around waiting for more people to arrive. The 20-year-old birthday boy kept giving me
swigs of the typical fermented corn drink <i>chicha
fuerte</i> intermixed with shots of Seco, a Panamanian sugarcane rum that
tastes like burning. The kids around
took notice and asked me, “You drink that stuff?” “Yes, but only a little,” I replied. “But what if they give you a lot?” “Then I stop.” I realize my fight against the macho
binge-drinking culture here is probably futile, but I still try to lead by
example. In between taking shots that
burned my insides, I mostly played with the kids, who took to playing with my
hair, repeatedly commenting that, “Lila has such <u>yellow</u> hair!” Meanwhile the men, growing in number, were
all getting noticeably plastered. When
we finally reached critical mass there were speeches on behalf of the quinceañera (who looked gorgeous
in a nice, white dress) and the birthday boys. We sang <i>feliz
cumplea</i><i>ños</i> and watched a brief father/daughter
dance. Then around 9:30 the food was
served and for the second time that day I ate <i>arroz con pollo</i> and potato salad with beets and mayonnaise (I have
yet to figure out why Panamanians think that is a typical food of theirs since
none of those ingredients are local), and for the second time everyone ate two
full plates to my one. Cake was also
served – always the same dry, white cake with sickeningly sweet frosting. After that the kids started falling asleep on
their moms’ laps and the men started getting rowdy. The most amusing town drunk entertained all by
dancing by himself with surprisingly good rhythm. At 11:00 a few people started trickling out
and I jumped on that bandwagon. The family
thanked me for coming and for taking photos and tried to give me more food for
the road. I said no, saying that I didn’t
want to get fat, which made them laugh.
“Crazy gringa,” I could read their thoughts. They sent a random visiting cousin to walk me
home, which I told them wasn’t necessary, but it was nice. I was finally in bed a little before midnight
– hours past my normal bedtime.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTLRNlWPL3qU0CfWfOc-ty6mQ7QvEXC4PGma1cdxXli5S-BPBMAwWggsiXYjwdEr8cmJuw-QtqEAil2rPksnjpwkWP9_EV862DyyG1BYOvbVppjrrSmYqMfIm-dpvhWzrPutTg8IKVKDX9/s1600/P1060585.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTLRNlWPL3qU0CfWfOc-ty6mQ7QvEXC4PGma1cdxXli5S-BPBMAwWggsiXYjwdEr8cmJuw-QtqEAil2rPksnjpwkWP9_EV862DyyG1BYOvbVppjrrSmYqMfIm-dpvhWzrPutTg8IKVKDX9/s1600/P1060585.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Quinceanera and kids</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYKEQFXYQZK_YOxv-pLBs3Pm-n7HcHNBBwOcuDcVwzid42T3Ga5kW0aSw6jtAGunMEjegZY2aXm-qkzjtMGAtkcc6JDE_zTbOVUhvFAvAYdiLtAxOxK5LTpNty85hsVoJnxsn7QR-H9RDw/s1600/P1060608.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYKEQFXYQZK_YOxv-pLBs3Pm-n7HcHNBBwOcuDcVwzid42T3Ga5kW0aSw6jtAGunMEjegZY2aXm-qkzjtMGAtkcc6JDE_zTbOVUhvFAvAYdiLtAxOxK5LTpNty85hsVoJnxsn7QR-H9RDw/s1600/P1060608.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Birthday family</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i>Sunday, February 23.</i><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I usually try to save up my housework for Sundays. Most people in my community either spend
Sundays in church or getting drunk and either way, I’d rather stay out of it. So in the morning I stayed in and spent a few
hours of badly needed work in my own neglected garden (clearing out old tomato
plants and weeds and adding compost to my terrible soil). I also spent some time up on the phone hill
with my neighbors, but still reached no conclusion on whether or not I’d have
to postpone the agribusiness seminar (although I was relieved to hear the holiday might not actually affect too many participants). <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
For the afternoon, I’d been invited to yet another birthday
celebration, one that I knew would be tamer than the night before. I’ve seen birthdays here celebrated in a wide
variety of ways. Sometimes with a piñata for small kids. Sometimes with men getting drunk as on
Saturday night. Sometimes with a small,
simple meal as this day would be. And
sometimes people have no idea when their birthday even is. So around noon I ventured out to one of the
farthest houses in my community. When I
got there I helped cook for a bit and then played cards with the kids (I lost
“war” twice). We then set the table to
eat, guess what? Yep, <i>arroz con pollo </i>and that purple
potato/beet salad. Again, all ate two
plates to my one. We took a few photos
and I was off again. </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p><br /></o:p></div>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQd3agrdbPj22H8NemDgwGvg6mTSMhCoyR8np3dgutJrApO-AQ7C0vKEdj_K2DwhG-H0_xR8VU93EIHy1PT0Dc99s3ctHuuD3X7Uv1_9S4kZlIHeSw5Kq071RCwZ1JYQnAKIrsiZTarYaV/s1600/P1060620.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQd3agrdbPj22H8NemDgwGvg6mTSMhCoyR8np3dgutJrApO-AQ7C0vKEdj_K2DwhG-H0_xR8VU93EIHy1PT0Dc99s3ctHuuD3X7Uv1_9S4kZlIHeSw5Kq071RCwZ1JYQnAKIrsiZTarYaV/s1600/P1060620.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Birthday boy and his step-mom</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgypKBp0pK_W7THJAKPWBDXnX_KJ1jbxtTH4oNloTLz9k3Vu9aDxF-cMFQq0UVwDV3KX1Qb1DN1mOzCFa4STk-r4HQFUWYuLtaX30fr9RWJ3eM9dvaSE3Ha1SsZS0SdO2lAoQ78Ufklv9_I/s1600/P1060624.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgypKBp0pK_W7THJAKPWBDXnX_KJ1jbxtTH4oNloTLz9k3Vu9aDxF-cMFQq0UVwDV3KX1Qb1DN1mOzCFa4STk-r4HQFUWYuLtaX30fr9RWJ3eM9dvaSE3Ha1SsZS0SdO2lAoQ78Ufklv9_I/s1600/P1060624.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Family birthday lunch</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
On my way back I ran into a drunk, sweet farmer who asked
me, “You’re not going yet, right?” Me:
“Going …?” Drunkard: “You’re going in
like July, right? We’re all going to
cry. We don’t want you to go.” Me: “Ayy, I’m leaving at the end of June, but
I still have a lot of time before that, and then I will cry too.” This went on for a bit before I could excuse
myself.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
As I passed by my second host family’s house (the one with
the one-week old), they asked me to come in.
At church that day they’d received boxes from a Red Cross Christmas project
and their box came with a letter in English they wanted me to translate. So I translated the adorable letter from a
girl in Huntington Beach, California.
There was an address listed, so I told this family I’d help them write a
thank you letter to send back. They were
very grateful for the box filled with useful school supplies as their
5-year-old gets ready for kindergarten.
Before leaving, they sent me with a portion of squash to take home. Yum.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Just as I arrived home, some neighbors who live 10
minutes away and who don’t have water at their house came by to fill up their
daily buckets, so I chatted with them for a bit. As we talked, an escaped cow stumbled onto my
property. We chased it off, but it came
back again later and my uphill neighbors helped me notify the cow’s owners who
later came to reclaim it. They were very
worried on my behalf since cows eat everything and likely would have eaten the
tarp off my compost or would have trampled my garden had it been left here
overnight. Silly cow.<o:p></o:p><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcZsXSHndgmiz-N3cWBX1nNEoNb220Eiu4quZQSAzeQrG3fQgjbY6d8RF2Bp5lxHq5QtldnRQZvdPdMgaP-weNIczfC8f9rEF5_uSWTPyrB4Gocp-hh2yrInDgtURQdUx8krSjw-Mlnick/s1600/P1060689.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcZsXSHndgmiz-N3cWBX1nNEoNb220Eiu4quZQSAzeQrG3fQgjbY6d8RF2Bp5lxHq5QtldnRQZvdPdMgaP-weNIczfC8f9rEF5_uSWTPyrB4Gocp-hh2yrInDgtURQdUx8krSjw-Mlnick/s1600/P1060689.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Example of a cow eating something he shouldn't</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i>Overall</i><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
These daily summaries left out a lot. I didn’t talk about all the pretty birds I
see and hear when eating breakfast or dinner on my porch in my hammock. I didn’t talk about the random rain storms I
hear pelting my metal roof. I didn’t
talk about all the gorgeous stars and fireflies I see when I get up to pee in
the middle of the night. I didn’t talk about how I am now used to
eating just about anything with only a spoon.
I didn’t talk about how hard it is to not scratch all of my bug bites
all of the time. I didn’t talk about all
the cute puppies I played with or the pathetic ones I already see turning mangy
and sick. I didn’t talk about how
whenever I <i>pasear/</i>hike around, I
marvel at the gorgeous tropical paradise scenery all around me. I didn’t talk about how I spent much of my
time on my phone hill this week coordinating the complicated logistics for a
party boat night for my volunteer group to celebrate our Close-Of-Service
Conference in March (three months before we actually leave the country). I didn’t talk about any of the mild boy drama
that I somehow manage to get myself into when I am out of site (sorry, those
stories will never go on this blog!). I
didn’t talk about how a few emails/Whatsapps/texts from you at home totally
brightened my days.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
My life is frustrating and weird. It is also rewarding and incredible. Many daily challenges that I now consider normal,
I realize are bizarre and un-relate-able to most. Same goes for many of the things that make me
happy. My principal obligation for two
years has been simply to help people and to be myself, and I feel so lucky for that. I know I have a lot to look forward to with my
next move, but I also know I will miss this world more than I can explain. It is a very strange feeling to want time to
both hurry up and to freeze.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQj-W7PVEMDgLFqh1Hm1HYSck9cYK09mR7QK-rnavSQ5Uihaw1B6VzvwFCmw1Z-gy-Lx-BOovcmry5KUgmdcRflES9LLu9nd82KxcHNbd-6HM8-fn1I2mwD6EbdmYtOMfGzeV79GBq6N-S/s1600/P1060664.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQj-W7PVEMDgLFqh1Hm1HYSck9cYK09mR7QK-rnavSQ5Uihaw1B6VzvwFCmw1Z-gy-Lx-BOovcmry5KUgmdcRflES9LLu9nd82KxcHNbd-6HM8-fn1I2mwD6EbdmYtOMfGzeV79GBq6N-S/s1600/P1060664.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">Extremely high
turnout for the meeting to talk about getting an Environmental Health volunteer
to follow me up in El Harino. Exciting!</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
Lila Holzmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04835795566712471159noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7806512992221081052.post-69462381729893874312014-01-16T15:11:00.001-08:002014-01-17T14:09:48.835-08:00Christmas Craziness, Explaining Peace Corps, Out-of-Site-Guilt, & FUTURE LIFE PLANS<div class="MsoNormalCxSpFirst">
<b><u><span style="background: white; color: #222222; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Am I Scrooge? </span></u></b><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span style="background: white; color: #222222; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">I’m sorry if this offends
anyone, but I have never been a fan of Christmas. And not just because I was raised Jewish or
because my friends’ parents got mad when I was in 2<sup>nd</sup> grade and told
their kids that Santa didn’t exist. My
dislike of Christmas stems from its overwhelming focus on consumerism. Of course I think kids should be gifted toys
from time to time, but they should be meaningful ones and not in excess. I think the charity efforts that accompany
the Christmas season are well-intentioned but often miss the mark when it comes
to truly helping, as I recently witnessed in my community.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span style="background: white; color: #222222; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Over the holiday season, El
Harino received a total of 7 groups who came out, played some games with the
kids, brought piñatas, a meal, and a ton of presents. I have heard community members comment that
many of the toys are cheaply made and break quickly. I have watched kids looking dazed and
confused at the random items being thrust at them by strangers posing for
pictures. I have seen our school trashed
with wrapping and packaging. That being
said, I have also seen some great gifts.
My host family got the game Monopoly and playing with them, I love
seeing them practice the necessary arithmetic skills as well as the concepts of
buying property and investing. And some
toys are just so much fun you have to love them, like the colorful, inflated
cows and horses a local politician gave out to toddlers.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZBZ6waK5sCRVz8ZcuRfblvIHkvJXZfhL8UIDhWMJW2Pec5woM8CujAAzwS9vzFh4xuCDG_JqJwNt-0IVw38eUBh1J3lPhw9ikuCjTSrve9dM4jLxznzHK9ylOAOe7qqMdD1RxHE3z4JUn/s1600/P1050588.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZBZ6waK5sCRVz8ZcuRfblvIHkvJXZfhL8UIDhWMJW2Pec5woM8CujAAzwS9vzFh4xuCDG_JqJwNt-0IVw38eUBh1J3lPhw9ikuCjTSrve9dM4jLxznzHK9ylOAOe7qqMdD1RxHE3z4JUn/s1600/P1050588.JPG" height="320" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">These double-wrapped juice sticks were strewn everywhere by the end of the day. But oh, that smile is precious</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0CJ5aDl-Z09Z32h1ohOnqD0FMhQc2f5-VwJcWdukLeOse_zr8-wu_y6LJ0GgXGN8eF9jgi-6pWV3SDTlGA1qytuWkxAwcEOzOvVwCZa8bqw2zrjCwZXkg1Igd45SDYAlVOV5b30m2GvNw/s1600/P1050613.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0CJ5aDl-Z09Z32h1ohOnqD0FMhQc2f5-VwJcWdukLeOse_zr8-wu_y6LJ0GgXGN8eF9jgi-6pWV3SDTlGA1qytuWkxAwcEOzOvVwCZa8bqw2zrjCwZXkg1Igd45SDYAlVOV5b30m2GvNw/s1600/P1050613.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pinata photo op</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFBT-OnH5EmIanj69rtQKAzEPQguxv1spiMivcJ92D6FtpI0_30WAYBUISIRLSfN8jgjTUXQ_8aKjVLPqJd1rAqNqePS4dg3eNOnVyWGLS_FHPXwfpgBK6_HoW8MA9shyphenhyphenlEVdxPX819m6F/s1600/P1050668.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFBT-OnH5EmIanj69rtQKAzEPQguxv1spiMivcJ92D6FtpI0_30WAYBUISIRLSfN8jgjTUXQ_8aKjVLPqJd1rAqNqePS4dg3eNOnVyWGLS_FHPXwfpgBK6_HoW8MA9shyphenhyphenlEVdxPX819m6F/s1600/P1050668.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Santa photo op</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFc9z9jGUL7IfHg70Lh1YqaCL3PsxrHGbGwD11x1kGqoNQ8f5d6Vm0z5GGchj20n6XeddmOhC2-MjLEn5IzMefrCC3AIMLlSHVQ4dDXmb4Cieg2SfTZ1w9jhrQHHzc5pqCJj48YT4WJpLS/s1600/P1050718.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFc9z9jGUL7IfHg70Lh1YqaCL3PsxrHGbGwD11x1kGqoNQ8f5d6Vm0z5GGchj20n6XeddmOhC2-MjLEn5IzMefrCC3AIMLlSHVQ4dDXmb4Cieg2SfTZ1w9jhrQHHzc5pqCJj48YT4WJpLS/s1600/P1050718.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">BMW Moto Club came over</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhR6Dk-6EtkZq5uf5NZTdn6lqVJKV4d1LMAAvXq16xEVEsuImwBI53QJT8dlqwyn_okPVr-TQUIO_HVd3TbYnnd8l-Ozj4Pf2fQ_iLbHdQNoAEpVe3EBIVOkie0N9JsARKLY3SeFWh49gsL/s1600/P1050721.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhR6Dk-6EtkZq5uf5NZTdn6lqVJKV4d1LMAAvXq16xEVEsuImwBI53QJT8dlqwyn_okPVr-TQUIO_HVd3TbYnnd8l-Ozj4Pf2fQ_iLbHdQNoAEpVe3EBIVOkie0N9JsARKLY3SeFWh49gsL/s1600/P1050721.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">BMW Moto Club unloading goodies</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi67DTnnaJY-GQy3xbcDFMksRyMWscy0T0Il3PwxJ-ENxQQDjstuyPzrJio9LKbboPovBVQ1KFgckhXse5Y0vvc67cF3pNLpby3IYr2BgZ0sKUMs5UlUNLUB7nRHllnSlKa_f78CUF-ApGm/s1600/P1060043.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi67DTnnaJY-GQy3xbcDFMksRyMWscy0T0Il3PwxJ-ENxQQDjstuyPzrJio9LKbboPovBVQ1KFgckhXse5Y0vvc67cF3pNLpby3IYr2BgZ0sKUMs5UlUNLUB7nRHllnSlKa_f78CUF-ApGm/s1600/P1060043.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Santa on a horse led by a creepy clown</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYXxuqwswgH5f5Yp4dvtp56mLBPPYKwz67KBJeqGYOpcKyIO3BzSQWb1V2pw9wNNXeQAA8mvjNKbVnwSgNNPm7SeD9phAtERtsP0odXvKsol2gw9aBlBAvK_5XqnYxG8jB9GjiXZ22m42B/s1600/P1060059.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYXxuqwswgH5f5Yp4dvtp56mLBPPYKwz67KBJeqGYOpcKyIO3BzSQWb1V2pw9wNNXeQAA8mvjNKbVnwSgNNPm7SeD9phAtERtsP0odXvKsol2gw9aBlBAvK_5XqnYxG8jB9GjiXZ22m42B/s1600/P1060059.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Politician and posse</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEYNNTFv8-E4rLAt1zZDYflDSxvoV8cXY2zP7t2RWKMR83vdI_yRP3IPuVDE04FWM7Q-Cvi74FzpdC7NnBB-j5xTfUwLwKMhcYzqF9R0Xl7kzQDRnxvNzvGOQ2Z0xf6medYYdquh8u53kH/s1600/P1060075.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEYNNTFv8-E4rLAt1zZDYflDSxvoV8cXY2zP7t2RWKMR83vdI_yRP3IPuVDE04FWM7Q-Cvi74FzpdC7NnBB-j5xTfUwLwKMhcYzqF9R0Xl7kzQDRnxvNzvGOQ2Z0xf6medYYdquh8u53kH/s1600/P1060075.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Politician photo op</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGMeA9vlJYGxQuHRNYmo4CifgjZyS8A-cGeBmZIERzaf1OIVTh-RcjGPekEgCU-uLVOcdM-RIS0ZGxEQr11HdviXomHSHVI_Ms2tXw9YETkOdmNe6h01PQhcqYuVukHmkEaNIItkpup178/s1600/P1060089.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGMeA9vlJYGxQuHRNYmo4CifgjZyS8A-cGeBmZIERzaf1OIVTh-RcjGPekEgCU-uLVOcdM-RIS0ZGxEQr11HdviXomHSHVI_Ms2tXw9YETkOdmNe6h01PQhcqYuVukHmkEaNIItkpup178/s1600/P1060089.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Best toys ever: inflated horses and cows</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsHtBQ_3G-hE4EcmiO5GGA4WFTe8SGQXPiDcGpFBc9Bx_JSh0IdjcmiIWy-idvjOdD8ECGN8_xGExISCJixptHM3rVXZfCHkWKtTiSO3if10-8dqiY7v_ZuYwTY87vglpnh2CfRgFZoBu2/s1600/P1060129.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsHtBQ_3G-hE4EcmiO5GGA4WFTe8SGQXPiDcGpFBc9Bx_JSh0IdjcmiIWy-idvjOdD8ECGN8_xGExISCJixptHM3rVXZfCHkWKtTiSO3if10-8dqiY7v_ZuYwTY87vglpnh2CfRgFZoBu2/s1600/P1060129.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">So much musical chairs</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwA_dSJMF2JlJi0hwvxxkfw0oOSj4m5wHCqEIhckqLjO7BxowxgRXwBiRGUHIQ6J-k0bA0WLZtqc6v3XPDXbyswhfI0tXdpU7p3HpsIbCbUhMEtKaeybpLUG5G0nTbySYO9k0NJk3GWB2D/s1600/P1060141.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwA_dSJMF2JlJi0hwvxxkfw0oOSj4m5wHCqEIhckqLjO7BxowxgRXwBiRGUHIQ6J-k0bA0WLZtqc6v3XPDXbyswhfI0tXdpU7p3HpsIbCbUhMEtKaeybpLUG5G0nTbySYO9k0NJk3GWB2D/s1600/P1060141.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Creepy toy. Label says it's from the Panamanian Government. That girl does not look Panamanian</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCn_xs2JRHSZOcNzB4c1ztu2G0JOYIa2-WfdJRUJsRoySdUH9-Qf4yX4zwAruf_Idww_zxxK4S1x-nm2kWuQsrOXklrdW7CdoHEpeOsmfVuO667f99C9PABrCEqCZv60NILDgs7tvrc4OC/s1600/P1060144.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCn_xs2JRHSZOcNzB4c1ztu2G0JOYIa2-WfdJRUJsRoySdUH9-Qf4yX4zwAruf_Idww_zxxK4S1x-nm2kWuQsrOXklrdW7CdoHEpeOsmfVuO667f99C9PABrCEqCZv60NILDgs7tvrc4OC/s1600/P1060144.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">What's a volleyball?</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7idPB4XnCQwA_sonH3Kf3knssZTkDhlg97jCASVbd_LQI-YmT0dbdaer0ZkloqEZ1eLI3RvtC4g7o5rPym60G6hf2WjqXtn4pjv1dICwPu3h62SFJa4M3XfJuS1XNITvUfqoSIxO_kumM/s1600/P1060151.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7idPB4XnCQwA_sonH3Kf3knssZTkDhlg97jCASVbd_LQI-YmT0dbdaer0ZkloqEZ1eLI3RvtC4g7o5rPym60G6hf2WjqXtn4pjv1dICwPu3h62SFJa4M3XfJuS1XNITvUfqoSIxO_kumM/s1600/P1060151.JPG" height="185" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Long line for bags of candy</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span style="background: white; color: #222222; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">I guess my main point is that
thoughtfulness and moderation should play a bigger role in Christmas charity
planning. While El Harino received many
visiting groups, other neighboring communities did not. The paved road ends in my community. Cars can get here with minimal difficulty,
but they can’t get to several others around us.
I felt somewhat guilty about this blatant unfairness, but El Harino
inhabitants didn’t seem to. They did not
make any effort to include other communities or suggest that the visitors try
to extend their reach, but instead accepted all of the groups and all of the
gifts with open arms. Again, I’m all for
the idea of helping people around the holiday season, I just wish more thought
went into questions like:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span style="background: white; color: #222222; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">What do people here really
need?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span style="background: white; color: #222222; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">What can we give that will
last long-term?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span style="background: white; color: #222222; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Are we arbitrarily leaving
people out?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<b><u><span style="color: #222222; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Repping for Peace Corps</span></u></b><span style="color: #222222; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><br />
<br />
<span style="background: white;">Recently, I've had a few opportunities to serve
as an unofficial spokesperson for The Peace Corps, and have really enjoyed it. Formally,
I prepared and gave presentations to high school Environmental Science AP
classes when I was home in November, and then used mostly the same spiel to
co-present with Peace Corps Panama’s Country Director for a group of visiting
business school students from Seton Hall in January. Casually, I found that
while traveling with my mom in December, both Panamanian tour guides and
American tourists seemed very interested in what I'm doing here and engaged me
in some interesting discussions. Here
are bits and pieces that stood out from such experiences:<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<br />
<ul>
<li><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"> Some American tourists
staying at nice Panamanian resorts were surprised to learn that there is
poverty in Panama. Yes, there is extreme
poverty here. Nearly all of Panama’s
economic wealth and growth is concentrated in the capital city, known for
closely resembling Miami.</span></li>
<li><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"> I forget how bad healthcare
is for people in my community until I start explaining how the nearest hospital
is over an hour’s drive away (and what if there’s no car around?) and that
people are carried in hammocks from their houses that can be 45+ minutes from
the paved road. Tourists were rightfully
appalled by this. “And what about </span><i style="color: #222222;">your</i><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"> healthcare?” they asked me. I explained that Peace Corps completely
covers me and reimburses any travel costs associated with getting me to a
doctor when needed. “Are you ever
scared?” Sure, when I’m walking between
houses in the middle of the jungle and I remember that there are poisonous
snakes around. But what can I do? Fear of those things doesn’t stop my
community members from living their lives, and it won’t stop me either. Besides, according to the Peace Corps medical
staff, as long as I find another human being who can help me get out after a
snake bite within the 5 hours I have before I go unconscious, I’ll be
fine… (Mom, forget you read that
part)</span></li>
<li><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"> I was asked if I ever just
give out money to people. This question
gave me the opportunity to explain why hand-outs are largely ineffective. People don’t appreciate what they are given
without having invested themselves, and therefore do not care for such gifts
responsibly. Panamanians are not known to be good at money management and
quickly spend cash that comes their way.
My role as a human resource, well-integrated into my community’s
culture, would be completely undermined if my neighbors viewed me merely as a
rich foreigner handing out $$</span></li>
<li><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"> The business school
students asked thought-provoking questions about long-term monitoring of our
impact. The truth is there is no budget
for that. Peace Corps typically sends
three volunteers through a community for a total of six years of Peace Corps
presence in one place. While volunteers
are there, we are required to submit trimester reports quantifying our
activities including counts of how many community members we have trained in
new practices and how many are actually implementing those techniques. Once a community is left with no more
volunteers, there is no more recorded data on our long-term impact. And then there is the issue that much of a
volunteer’s work is simply unquantifiable.
How do you measure cultural exchange and understanding? How do you measure community empowerment?</span></li>
<li><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"> In spite of the above, I
feel confident in presenting a few clear examples of things I consider
successes, however small. While far from
everyone in El Harino has a perfectly managed compost pile, people at least do
understand the concept that soil needs nutrients and that organic material has
those nutrients. When I ask how people
are fertilizing their plants, I used to only hear that either they didn’t at
all, or that they used a chemical. Now
they tell me they are mixing manure, ash, and kitchen waste into
their soil. The home gardens I helped
several families start over the last year are still going. Even if families neglect their gardens for a
while, they eventually clean them up and plant in them again. Some families who I helped start just a
couple beds, took it upon themselves to expand their gardens and found their
own materials to use as fencing (chicken-protection) beyond what I provided
them. Some families that never asked for
my help saw what their dad/brother/friend had going and started their own after
seeing positive results. My neighbors up
the hill where I go every single day to get signal had always told me they
wanted to start a garden and would let me know when. I took their “I’ll let you know…” comment as
the Panamanian way of saying “Not gonna happen” and was confused since we get
along so well and they seem to care about me and my work. Around New Year’s (a year and a half after I
arrived) they showed me the garden they’ve started, and the woman in charge
proudly told me she’d done the whole thing by herself. Nothing could make me happier. </span></li>
<li><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">Talking about this stuff to
students and tourists gets me so excited.
I am passionate about the work I’m doing and have discovered that I
probably have more to say than a polite tourist cared to hear. But hey, they asked.</span></li>
<li><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: #222222;"> Here's a link to see the presentation I made for both the Environmental Science AP and the Business School students: </span><a href="https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/13MWoM7CyfbrQC7CDEFCg6Sr4sb2xmOQ-4WOORNt97hY/edit?usp=sharing">Presentation</a></li>
</ul>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span style="color: #222222; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7qmvlgsqABotvEN7RWypoNIaZWPVCYc73B5Oy2e9d9l4aUrEt5cwTHtHL6uTuirRVz6zL6Xt0f6mWMmCDkIbuFkRTq7x1lwgfo9lPZ1vZmpQsXezMzwbkeSJXrjgXgC63BRaiK9-Rqa2p/s1600/P1060156.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7qmvlgsqABotvEN7RWypoNIaZWPVCYc73B5Oy2e9d9l4aUrEt5cwTHtHL6uTuirRVz6zL6Xt0f6mWMmCDkIbuFkRTq7x1lwgfo9lPZ1vZmpQsXezMzwbkeSJXrjgXgC63BRaiK9-Rqa2p/s1600/P1060156.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Martina watering the garden she started all by herself</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span style="color: #222222; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><br />
<br />
<b><u><span style="background: white;">Out
with the Out-of-Site-Guilt</span></u></b><br />
<br />
<span style="background: white;">Telling myself to stop feeling guilty every time
I leave site is easier said than done. People living in my community do not
leave often. The chiva ride is expensive, and leaving El Harino is considered a
big deal and saved for special occasions and needs. Even though my neighbors
smile and nod when I explain why I have to leave this time (I have a medical
appointment in the city, I am giving a presentation to MIDA, I have a meeting
at the Peace Corps office, etc.), I still feel that they can't really relate.
My constant comings and goings are a blatant reminder that even while I
technically live with them, in a traditional hut attempting to fit into their
lifestyle, the reality is that to a certain extent we continue to live in
different worlds.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="background: white;">Due to the increasing obligations I've taken on
within Peace Corps such as my role as Agribusiness Coordinator, involvement in
our Volunteer Advisory Council, and other random projects I help with in the
office or with other volunteers (not to mention my remaining vacation days that
I’d like to use), I now leave site almost every week, if not more. That seems
crazy. However, my tangible work in site seems to be winding down (gardens have
been started, fish ponds have been dug, etc.), and I am proud of the impact
I've had in El Harino. While I will continue to work and share with my
community to the extent possible in my last months, I need to remind myself
that my experiences out of site are also important.</span><br />
</span><br />
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span id="goog_1190979026"></span><span id="goog_1190979027"></span><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbv3c8HkFCDXez8BKhCfTj_GDk7ARGTrR_fVhlB0nkGMsE-ooKcZTuepxGrUfh9kjXwRQOZzb1bgRx5ldrJv3K3GI1Ld1C24u34nU0ZlXzjKn43wjO_XxrNdc9VXVco_-7L6v75FS6t0os/s1600/P1050376.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbv3c8HkFCDXez8BKhCfTj_GDk7ARGTrR_fVhlB0nkGMsE-ooKcZTuepxGrUfh9kjXwRQOZzb1bgRx5ldrJv3K3GI1Ld1C24u34nU0ZlXzjKn43wjO_XxrNdc9VXVco_-7L6v75FS6t0os/s1600/P1050376.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I miss this view from my porch when I'm not in site.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<b><u>From
Panama to Pennsylvania!<o:p></o:p></u></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
The morning of December 9<sup>th</sup>, I hiked around
visiting families and passing out some photos I’d recently gotten developed for
them (they love getting photos!).
Walking through a particularly treacherous patch of mud mixed with cow
manure, I slipped and fell catching myself with my left hand sinking into the
muck. In that moment, with my arm
submerged up to my elbow in poop/mud, I thought to myself, “I hope I get into
Yale today.” It turns out that indeed I
had!<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
So how did I get to that point?<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
Various experiences have reinforced for me the concept that
any truly long-term sustainable solution to a societal problem must be
environmentally, socially, and economically sound. So I studied the environmental science part
in undergrad, am working with the cultural/people side now in the Peace Corps,
and have been planning for some time to pursue an MBA as my next move in order
to better understand that last sector.
My goal is to keep working in international sustainable development and
keep learning how to be more effective at it.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
For my entire first year of service, I did not have to think
about what comes next. I immersed myself
in this experience and loved it. Towards
the end of July, business school applications started coming online and I
abruptly switched gears to start planning for the future. Needless to say, applying to schools while
living in a hut with no electricity presented some interesting challenges…<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<i>Online
access</i>. To make the whole
process more manageable (and because my third cheapy phone had recently gone
kaput), I invested in a blackberry. From
the hill I climb once a day to get cell signal I can now also receive and send
email. This was a huge life changer and
helped me immensely. Even my hill;
however, lacks strong enough signal to use the blackberry’s browser. When it came time to schedule interviews
through websites, I had to call my mom and have her login as me to read me the
options over the phone.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<i>My
laptop</i>. Thankfully my
laptop has close to a six hour battery life, and the teachers sometimes let me
charge it at the school where there’s a solar panel. But even so, there were times when I had to
work on essays the old-fashioned way, by hand.
I often worked at night which meant innumerable creepy bugs attacking my
bright computer screen as I went. One
night a cockroach flew directly at my mouth and I remember thinking, “I will
look back on this and laugh as long as I get in somewhere.” And yes, some cockroaches here can fly.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<i>City
trips</i>. I managed to not
have to take too many extra trips out of site.
But to fully take advantage of my normal, 2-day city outings, I
abandoned the fun Peace Corps hostel for a few months and instead hid in a cheap
private hotel room each time I came out. No distractions!<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<i>My
support.</i> My sister, my
undergrad college counselor, my mom, and my sister’s friend all helped review
my essays. I would send my latest
versions from the city and then return to site.
When they emailed comments, I would get them on my blackberry and bring
them back down my hill to work. Thanks
for the help, team! And thanks to all
who gave me encouragement along the way or who patiently listened to me stress
out.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<i>My
mentality.</i> Writing personal
statements in the past tense about what I learned and the skills I developed in
the Peace Corps was very strange. I am
still here and still learning.
Additionally the idea that I could even attempt to summarize this
experience (and my future goals, etc.) in 750 words or less just seemed silly. It really made me appreciate this blog where
I can write whatever I want and don’t have to worry about word or character
limits!<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<i>Interviews.</i> When
I planned my trip home for Thanksgiving, in the back of my mind I thought maybe
I’d have some business school interviews around then. This worked out better than I guessed and I
squeezed in two in-person and two Skype interviews while I was home. Wearing a suit was weird. I had never owned one before this trip. Here’s what I looked like in one on my way to
an in-person interview. I looked the
same for my Skype interviews except I wore sweat pants and slippers on my
bottom half.<o:p></o:p><br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgo2Kv5ybHLTzQ_hSaYbtLMVofZpV2TVM0tIet7E5yV9Omr4Eg4qLoMnNP-AHp2c3cobIMlgGwOkpWwt1L5lTeMPcahLqR3p-GTVKWJHKrXHtPlINe7jG16areLceotYlKNsYKCNJP-Bm7-/s1600/photo+1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgo2Kv5ybHLTzQ_hSaYbtLMVofZpV2TVM0tIet7E5yV9Omr4Eg4qLoMnNP-AHp2c3cobIMlgGwOkpWwt1L5lTeMPcahLqR3p-GTVKWJHKrXHtPlINe7jG16areLceotYlKNsYKCNJP-Bm7-/s1600/photo+1.JPG" height="320" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Very different from my REI quick-dry pants, tank-tops, and rubber boots</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<i>Rejection</i>. Lest you think I had a perfect score, a few
of my top choice schools rejected me, and one dragged out its decision on me for longer than I thought necessary.
Such is life.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<i>My
community</i>. No one here in El
Harino can fully comprehend what this application process is like. I think some are still confused at why I’m
applying to universities again since they know I already graduated from
college. I explained that I want to get
a Masters studying business so I can keep helping people with few resources,
but with a better understanding of how to help them also make money. They seemed to get this. It’s also cute to see that even if they don’t
fully understand, they are happy when I am happy. As I sat with my neighbor up the hill where I
get signal and I told her that a good university had just accepted me, she
clapped her hands and said, “<i>Gracias a
Dios.</i>”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<i>Decisions.</i> I got into some great schools and was lucky
enough to have the “problem” of having to choose. I am a full believer that anyone can make the
best of wherever they end up. While in
some ways it was hard to wrap my head around my options, I did as much research
as I could from so far away, and I had plenty of time to think and meditate on
it from the solitude of my little hut.
But I have finally decided that come August 2014 I will be headed to the
University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School.
I am already bracing myself for some intense culture shock and look forward
to a whole new kind of challenge :)<o:p></o:p></div>
Lila Holzmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04835795566712471159noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7806512992221081052.post-38046487804441432512014-01-03T06:25:00.004-08:002014-01-03T07:19:38.980-08:00Guest Blog from my mama, Laura Holzman!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I had a wonderful and much needed vacation in Panama with
the best guide in the world … my lovely daughter Lila. I am her 6<sup>th</sup> visitor from the
states. We spent two nights each in
Panama City, El Valle de Anton, Gamboa, and the tiny village of El Harino. We explored city life, then gorgeous trails
in the jungle and rainforest. I spent
time with some of the people Lila serves as a Peace Corps volunteer and got a
taste of the joys and hardships she’s experiencing during her 27 months of service. I have greatly increased my understanding of
the lives of people here by witnessing their patience, generosity and love of
family. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEie6-ZfKa8X7lp33LBPGFyn7GFHZiAqHUd0sUuBqTi_TfPHQ_2MW4UJSdwGNqbV8HkmRpoGK0-xDtVELAGyb1zqL3cFwJVDLGl_xyKndpW_zaZM3-fiiPPp6Ei4YcBq0jBKB16TRYRP1QvX/s1600/P9040167.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEie6-ZfKa8X7lp33LBPGFyn7GFHZiAqHUd0sUuBqTi_TfPHQ_2MW4UJSdwGNqbV8HkmRpoGK0-xDtVELAGyb1zqL3cFwJVDLGl_xyKndpW_zaZM3-fiiPPp6Ei4YcBq0jBKB16TRYRP1QvX/s320/P9040167.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Panama City</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiSR5I9t70elblr3cynDRxvh8risKuWX4WR9zDK_Fb2pu1b1vfGLnBgwpbpRtnHe8Zm0I_mqHSrpnBgWCG3o6iiIAPhq6b2HQ988eoXLX0to5K-ZAGoV5p0nkH7fM6FdEmUVxjJIAQej8t/s1600/P1050786.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiSR5I9t70elblr3cynDRxvh8risKuWX4WR9zDK_Fb2pu1b1vfGLnBgwpbpRtnHe8Zm0I_mqHSrpnBgWCG3o6iiIAPhq6b2HQ988eoXLX0to5K-ZAGoV5p0nkH7fM6FdEmUVxjJIAQej8t/s320/P1050786.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Horseback riding in Valle de Anton</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiigen8mOLCQX8UIyeEobKYCN6TcBubQ3bv3RSHwOd8e_8itjA2lDk5QKRm9zaz1tB73GH0Y5bJuL-lqwAbS4ZZiNeAZSlzF5mwVNrgLdSmlMIKyX94-XicTUle_QX7U1n076afy-grgbrD/s1600/P1050814.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiigen8mOLCQX8UIyeEobKYCN6TcBubQ3bv3RSHwOd8e_8itjA2lDk5QKRm9zaz1tB73GH0Y5bJuL-lqwAbS4ZZiNeAZSlzF5mwVNrgLdSmlMIKyX94-XicTUle_QX7U1n076afy-grgbrD/s320/P1050814.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Air-tram in Gamboa</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7k_Mlzv0klspfXP16Tev-WY_NzwNz0tpTq8Da5NWgShbnb5_sztJzrooBsOwtpcFPWvGFEQAn4y0buLTeK3btxeqA414v__OLeg6dwHupfzDC75K9NswhdrPwc6pSg1mt-NklgHsp6luf/s1600/P1050917.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7k_Mlzv0klspfXP16Tev-WY_NzwNz0tpTq8Da5NWgShbnb5_sztJzrooBsOwtpcFPWvGFEQAn4y0buLTeK3btxeqA414v__OLeg6dwHupfzDC75K9NswhdrPwc6pSg1mt-NklgHsp6luf/s320/P1050917.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sloth sighting in Gamboa</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Though I speak no Spanish, I thoroughly enjoyed hearing her
interact with everyone, then interpreting for me. Some things just don’t make sense to us, like
how calm and serene people are even when put in extremely annoying
situations. For example, our chiva (a
pickup truck with benches in the back) allowed a man and his sons to jump off
to run errands, leaving his 6 year old daughter with us. We all sat back there baking in the heat for
a very long time. Lila knows this
family, and after we finally got going, had a fun conversation with them. Then we stopped again so they could jump off
and buy a 6 pack which they shared with us.
I had to stop being mad about the delays!<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcimHLBHB-N8i2A7wJeHjueCUxShM3Mx6wn8pG1YMtRmoC8amu3pI-o8xilQCJuNZsWlLOPneXLf_1tSGHuLC9gMdqR8N-NRJPvrQmfOYcDPyiSiN-clRBkvI39F6xC6kAzt7Fzfs15LH9/s1600/P1050935.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcimHLBHB-N8i2A7wJeHjueCUxShM3Mx6wn8pG1YMtRmoC8amu3pI-o8xilQCJuNZsWlLOPneXLf_1tSGHuLC9gMdqR8N-NRJPvrQmfOYcDPyiSiN-clRBkvI39F6xC6kAzt7Fzfs15LH9/s320/P1050935.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Getting on the chiva before 15+ other people joined</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
No photo can sufficiently represent what it feels like to
sit on her front porch, with chickens walking by, fireflies at night, other
animals in view, neighbors yelling out greetings. At my own home I could never sit so long
doing nothing. But out here, this “nothing”
defines these people and they are calmer because they can and do sit still.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1oMiv5kTCfMIZdptpAqpXbQv9UCC-lRSfoy2Yb2lrJbnKXVoyUc1Yf361I11IG7imztquaRUY7AcfLoipStuHrIrebLr5Jr7EIrDU9uymgX-NO2UhxHgSQWKVd5Ix7OG3GvdZukgkqq45/s1600/P1050993.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1oMiv5kTCfMIZdptpAqpXbQv9UCC-lRSfoy2Yb2lrJbnKXVoyUc1Yf361I11IG7imztquaRUY7AcfLoipStuHrIrebLr5Jr7EIrDU9uymgX-NO2UhxHgSQWKVd5Ix7OG3GvdZukgkqq45/s320/P1050993.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hanging with kids from Lila's previous host families</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyh-MjXSHTYt-_OPIDqRlUHrL13CfOBoDe3vWwOelpoMlUfJ365j1BJPyQw3zefFsl4Lw__gM-g7QN1pT0xIL1Z4ZiEQJ6uLqVuqrp2dne8yLzyirVebtIu3NYm7aOR932EedTgUW49yCs/s1600/P1060004.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyh-MjXSHTYt-_OPIDqRlUHrL13CfOBoDe3vWwOelpoMlUfJ365j1BJPyQw3zefFsl4Lw__gM-g7QN1pT0xIL1Z4ZiEQJ6uLqVuqrp2dne8yLzyirVebtIu3NYm7aOR932EedTgUW49yCs/s320/P1060004.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Playing with animals and cameras</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1gOgqw-2f04DcGS6rBxgWiGN2yy22urX9BXu8HQtsP4VSo4T5PuUnpylBpefAIpcYsekhLKk7I_d8KvCdwYkrRfxHTbTc1604CydKpdh1O6GvJVy3CySQIfrS-z4yuSKPR8tplsMNwwfS/s1600/P1060008.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1gOgqw-2f04DcGS6rBxgWiGN2yy22urX9BXu8HQtsP4VSo4T5PuUnpylBpefAIpcYsekhLKk7I_d8KvCdwYkrRfxHTbTc1604CydKpdh1O6GvJVy3CySQIfrS-z4yuSKPR8tplsMNwwfS/s320/P1060008.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">We were gifted a purple root vegetable called Nampi for lunch</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I will miss Lila terribly during her last six months in Panama but am relieved to witness her extremely meaningful life and the people around her who care very much about her.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiE7DbopIIzo_KCDQvP83xOZg3HtvEJrvnCNHcmClS0j9ZsojHAgXtUIB4P9qn8jG_D8pZJqSu_sDCcCML4a2ZLvR2FUPcqSgYTCWLGm2BevrQYEZyz7Z66f-Xxd9NByYqqa5LflQ0uc62Q/s1600/P1050984.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiE7DbopIIzo_KCDQvP83xOZg3HtvEJrvnCNHcmClS0j9ZsojHAgXtUIB4P9qn8jG_D8pZJqSu_sDCcCML4a2ZLvR2FUPcqSgYTCWLGm2BevrQYEZyz7Z66f-Xxd9NByYqqa5LflQ0uc62Q/s320/P1050984.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Spending New Years Eve with Lila's neighbors, which involved a lot of fire crackers and the Panamanian tradition of blowing up a life-size, scarecrow-like doll</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSCxAot8j368JiAfFpzMzvb_6q1Ik6aEFKTSdNH0iUvmvEa_6hwIqfk6_ENYGaZF-su87Kj38Z-a8OiyxCiWPWNKNY4ma3ZwA6C0llFpRyzzspfTXSBW108PAuH-NNOdA8yzMbCANw_iAR/s1600/P9100199.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSCxAot8j368JiAfFpzMzvb_6q1Ik6aEFKTSdNH0iUvmvEa_6hwIqfk6_ENYGaZF-su87Kj38Z-a8OiyxCiWPWNKNY4ma3ZwA6C0llFpRyzzspfTXSBW108PAuH-NNOdA8yzMbCANw_iAR/s320/P9100199.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A home vegetable garden Lila helped this young man start</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPtJGnmQ9pjqqWVaarNQYMxrzVAJMFDtnDUP-uQM1RjmvqysC97Na6BaPvNh4dDVS4U3sJFfDcqidXcPrfLXhTgO6n0mUQyB3aO7LL_ZWmM3Bsyx4avouG39hBTncNAlLH18GvxdOIfRYA/s1600/P9100202.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPtJGnmQ9pjqqWVaarNQYMxrzVAJMFDtnDUP-uQM1RjmvqysC97Na6BaPvNh4dDVS4U3sJFfDcqidXcPrfLXhTgO6n0mUQyB3aO7LL_ZWmM3Bsyx4avouG39hBTncNAlLH18GvxdOIfRYA/s320/P9100202.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Spending more time with kids</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYQdqoTz5n3wNAKnqHh1-gPYGTIFqPcRZx7x7_0qmscr4dfQu5vSz_lAtJNubf_IXp2w-fxGLQSkOKqBJsHWJyld6q5tgHiNwHzH10I22hdxTAUJMUHXPVTuAJEMQjbVd1MtJ60D3sohBg/s1600/P1050997.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYQdqoTz5n3wNAKnqHh1-gPYGTIFqPcRZx7x7_0qmscr4dfQu5vSz_lAtJNubf_IXp2w-fxGLQSkOKqBJsHWJyld6q5tgHiNwHzH10I22hdxTAUJMUHXPVTuAJEMQjbVd1MtJ60D3sohBg/s320/P1050997.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Eight-year-old Yeni learned how to use Lila's camera</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div>
<br /></div>
Lila Holzmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04835795566712471159noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7806512992221081052.post-67381224455694418092013-12-11T11:48:00.001-08:002013-12-11T11:48:38.866-08:00Jumping Worlds<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><u>Culture Shocking<o:p></o:p></u></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I experience culture shock every time I come to Panama City
and see Panamanians that look, dress, talk, and act differently from my humble
neighbors in El Harino. As I travel out
in the back of a <i>chiva</i> I watch as the
green jungle scenery gives way to concrete and buildings. Houses change from thatched roofs to zinc to
tile. Electricity lines appear. And suddenly (after about four hours of
travel) I’m dumped into the hustle and bustle of the capital city.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I came home to Los Angeles for two weeks in November. Beyond the generic “I’m in a city” culture
shock described above, here are some observations that amused me during my
trip.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
- Whenever I hear a siren, I expect to see a truck driving
through town selling fish, chicken, or vegetables.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
- I was surprised every time courteous drivers stopped to
let me, a <i>pedestrian</i>, cross.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
- I am better at coping with L.A. traffic than I used to be. Waiting hours for <i>chivas</i> and buses has made me more patient. I think the reverse is also true (L.A.
traffic helps me tolerate inefficient Panamanian transportation).<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
- Two Panamanian gestures seem to have adopted me. 1) The lip point. When asked where something is, Panamanians
point with their lips instead of their fingers.
It looks silly. I have been
caught doing this several times. 2)
Measuring from the tip of your index finger.
To show size, Americans hold their hands apart the given distance. Panamanians hold out their left arm pointing
their left index finger, and use their right index finger to measure along that
left, extended arm.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
- Typing on the iPhone I borrowed from my mom was terribly
difficult. This was my first experience
with a touch screen phone, and boy did I struggle. In general, I am bad at communicating via
text messages and noticed myself accidentally waiting days to respond to people. I’m pretty sure that’s unheard of in the
states.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
- It was hard to not smile and say, “Buenas, Como está?” to
everyone I passed and to resist the urge to offer them a limp, Panamanian
handshake.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
- The peacocks found all over Palos Verdes are prettier and
less noisy than roosters, but roosters are friendlier and have more personality.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
- Radio stations play such a variety of music! Even my
favorite reggaeton station in Panama for some reason only plays the same few
songs over and over again instead of all the new good stuff on the radio in the
U.S.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
- It was weird to blend in and not get stared at everywhere
I go. It was weirder to dress up, put on
make-up, and blend in better.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
- Materialism bothers me even more than it used to. Our culture just focuses so much on <i>stuff</i>.
I’d rather focus on people and human interactions. I laughed watching my little cousins open numerous
Hanukah presents only to prefer playing with the wrapping paper instead. What a waste of material.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
- I am more empathetic than I used to be. People-watching out at a fancy LA bar, I saw
individuals that looked rather superficial to me. But what do I know? Getting to know people in my community has
taught me that everyone has a story beyond what you might guess. You never know what people are dealing
with. I’m sure no one who saw me at that
bar suspected that I live in a hut in the jungle with no electricity.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
- The two electric appliances I miss the most are
refrigerators and laundry machines. I
loved eating leftovers while I was home.
In Panama I can’t do that ever. And
I loved how clean my clothes got with such little effort.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
- Shaving my legs is much easier when I don’t have to worry
about avoiding the mosquito bites.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
- Unpacking my backpack in my parents’ living room, I was
horrified to find I accidentally brought home a few cockroaches. If you hear
about an outbreak of Panamanian cockroaches in Palos Verdes, you know who to
blame…<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
- I spoke to two Environmental Science AP classes at my high
school about sustainable agriculture and the life of a Peace Corps
volunteer. This was extremely rewarding
and I could tell some of these teenagers were genuinely interested and excited
to listen. This also made me feel very
old. I was “that adult” that comes in to
talk to kids about what they can do when they grow up. Weird!<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
- I really appreciate my friends and family in the states
and miss you all a lot. It’s amazing how
easy and comfortable it is to slip back into that world and feel at home, even
coming from somewhere so different yet that also makes me happy.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Here are some photos of my time home:<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKSWLnVl8VvpiIvzCmZfQSJxKcb4X1tVztEZ4TqQvoBjqrjAlmdDIzJONegZwn-znrpQZ5gDWeWIV3aTYlWTg1-x33SOaADpcOKqSM8SYVldlIEZdZNOMONKi0awvfAbEPgFL1fuKgPwNr/s1600/1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKSWLnVl8VvpiIvzCmZfQSJxKcb4X1tVztEZ4TqQvoBjqrjAlmdDIzJONegZwn-znrpQZ5gDWeWIV3aTYlWTg1-x33SOaADpcOKqSM8SYVldlIEZdZNOMONKi0awvfAbEPgFL1fuKgPwNr/s320/1.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Celebrating my 27th birthday</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_ZVLCtPTvCKRCVEBttoSimhFEVjUDI4pUmTu_OHc7KDGC_z6h-2MNMiO0CzLKd3WESMz1yBjGeCUPYitfir0GMGxfu5_xLdTR1yubmMFrp0M8LQ868_4ItQHNuEljf1SzPPEsGXLKXFBC/s1600/2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_ZVLCtPTvCKRCVEBttoSimhFEVjUDI4pUmTu_OHc7KDGC_z6h-2MNMiO0CzLKd3WESMz1yBjGeCUPYitfir0GMGxfu5_xLdTR1yubmMFrp0M8LQ868_4ItQHNuEljf1SzPPEsGXLKXFBC/s320/2.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Friends from high school</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAXJfPAR46kXPtJ78XOjysYpoUlk3Xw3pL837im3t5stNiizKNSLYhcrhp7vphF1ef7Bd2f5CxEPgxlQSE39ZidEsmi8vXeTYvpellF_NzuS8KmF-3HsKirFHECktKlortiiLRl0CFlSIQ/s1600/3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAXJfPAR46kXPtJ78XOjysYpoUlk3Xw3pL837im3t5stNiizKNSLYhcrhp7vphF1ef7Bd2f5CxEPgxlQSE39ZidEsmi8vXeTYvpellF_NzuS8KmF-3HsKirFHECktKlortiiLRl0CFlSIQ/s320/3.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Out at a fancy LA bar</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiesctP01Q0z9qIToVQ1mFvUf_Tyu2Ae5El64Dnp8OtcheFwseqMZTJhjZoKmG4UwAq1MysDsG7LcS1g9KPBgC-OFZLyYGXPR-g24JROaybLxXYWISNwGLHHiAop7OsTn5B6xvEkaaeBhD/s1600/4.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiesctP01Q0z9qIToVQ1mFvUf_Tyu2Ae5El64Dnp8OtcheFwseqMZTJhjZoKmG4UwAq1MysDsG7LcS1g9KPBgC-OFZLyYGXPR-g24JROaybLxXYWISNwGLHHiAop7OsTn5B6xvEkaaeBhD/s320/4.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Thanksgivukah with my family</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4Zl-K25hC951LErnBn3ahcDxEv2jh7PKygi6q4UwQfKfZd3UFeyDapxDpCT3NT_SMgmW2DG1vc7hbj-Le2eUQ_nZaohIgpFIdjhrL8LliXV7YRQrRkXHXTxgcLCPSg_KLxefkL0fsUE_R/s1600/5.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4Zl-K25hC951LErnBn3ahcDxEv2jh7PKygi6q4UwQfKfZd3UFeyDapxDpCT3NT_SMgmW2DG1vc7hbj-Le2eUQ_nZaohIgpFIdjhrL8LliXV7YRQrRkXHXTxgcLCPSg_KLxefkL0fsUE_R/s320/5.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hiking around Palos Verdes</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimsHPFAKj8CrkBHFpTVDJuvgThHKJHnjxIrNIJ2-0NrEQK0hl4h5mja-ih4Vog5DjfPb4J-biXhdZDEw6e3wB1uC5OlaDrZFLNyYoxbEmPi4ppiJCeZXMM1tFR0HcLNWyVWmpA8Ti7Waei/s1600/6.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimsHPFAKj8CrkBHFpTVDJuvgThHKJHnjxIrNIJ2-0NrEQK0hl4h5mja-ih4Vog5DjfPb4J-biXhdZDEw6e3wB1uC5OlaDrZFLNyYoxbEmPi4ppiJCeZXMM1tFR0HcLNWyVWmpA8Ti7Waei/s320/6.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pretty downtown LA sunset view from my house</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I landed in Panama City at 8pm on a Saturday and hopped on a
bus to my hostel. Walking across the
small park between the bus stop and the hostel, I completely ate it in a mud
puddle. I noticed the mud and tried to
walk around it, but my foot slipped out in front of me and I fell backwards on
my butt. Thankfully I didn’t hurt
anything and no one saw me. If they had,
it would’ve been quite a sight to see a tall Gringa struggling to pick herself
up from a mud swamp while trying to keep my backpack and other bags from
getting completely submerged in the muck.
I like to think Panama was just telling me, “You look too clean to be
here … Welcome back!”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><u>Back to the Grind
(sort of)<o:p></o:p></u></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
It is acknowledged that very little work gets done during
November or December in Panama. In
November there are something like four separate holidays relating to Panama’s
independence (from Colombia, from Spain, and I’m not sure why else). In December, in addition to Christmas, Panama
celebrates Mothers’ Day and various graduations around the middle of the month
when schools break for summer (they start up again late February).<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
So I am back in site, and quickly booked up my calendar with
fun community events and not much real work.
But hey, community integration and cultural exchange is a critical part
of my job too, so I’ll keep at it just the same!<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVNRuthGe6B8HSQ_XEgkNug_hPF7qQppTQFNSuZ8hjJsm5-vBvIqQ7MvZE1xl7jCBlZjVQZewIjGgJ3gIdlksYTqZDB-4nCuHrmhzEjIQ5I11Txk8TqImoSJSQheV3IR2_99KExd0g7kvn/s1600/7.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVNRuthGe6B8HSQ_XEgkNug_hPF7qQppTQFNSuZ8hjJsm5-vBvIqQ7MvZE1xl7jCBlZjVQZewIjGgJ3gIdlksYTqZDB-4nCuHrmhzEjIQ5I11Txk8TqImoSJSQheV3IR2_99KExd0g7kvn/s320/7.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mothers Day celebration at the school</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBFlNF5d_QbT3oU0J25TkDHWiPzm-hf3XV4GmDt9K3v5sYwQrdZZgk1ismSHSMpEIZbjOIAtp2xa0Pf-LVlTL3bqoWSJ_GoU2oUTVhBXEfXx3N0UwKOqF9DbDkb69O1UiuIN0S6ZZC-kc0/s1600/8.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBFlNF5d_QbT3oU0J25TkDHWiPzm-hf3XV4GmDt9K3v5sYwQrdZZgk1ismSHSMpEIZbjOIAtp2xa0Pf-LVlTL3bqoWSJ_GoU2oUTVhBXEfXx3N0UwKOqF9DbDkb69O1UiuIN0S6ZZC-kc0/s320/8.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Taking a pic with this year's "Queen Mom"</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbEFf0ty63muTHrGq03i0gz2QwTzaz1tNLA7iDYUPCvEk9GTtcE1Az4TUP7wdNYWjuhZer0vhArWZbR_5kjmG-4CKzQjSy8DAiykLhWNGzzHnFB-HEQNyJNwQvhdJ9Ra3PlPppdzGD_QWI/s1600/9.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbEFf0ty63muTHrGq03i0gz2QwTzaz1tNLA7iDYUPCvEk9GTtcE1Az4TUP7wdNYWjuhZer0vhArWZbR_5kjmG-4CKzQjSy8DAiykLhWNGzzHnFB-HEQNyJNwQvhdJ9Ra3PlPppdzGD_QWI/s320/9.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Xmas school procession</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg59-73DlZhOax8FbBw6NHy76F4wYO1tYG5TifaiJhv7jrfnAzYYInLN-c-RN44D8T4root9qqXThtwxogOEgvs4Ugl4FV7uCq-a3Y98J1PQ0jsbGglDPrMiFe0xwYNzdeZ6Mz1_VypYaN5/s1600/10.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg59-73DlZhOax8FbBw6NHy76F4wYO1tYG5TifaiJhv7jrfnAzYYInLN-c-RN44D8T4root9qqXThtwxogOEgvs4Ugl4FV7uCq-a3Y98J1PQ0jsbGglDPrMiFe0xwYNzdeZ6Mz1_VypYaN5/s320/10.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">School nativity scene equipped with live goats and real baby</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9BHhYzV1qCTbJqbYHzg4Q1oPeVo4TmKJSqenDr2HzRZnZToZVhKuNDNEW-XeXuaUGfzQkqVWNGgau8jN2shgNWa2YT46Ehu0TtKIfSClIsDo45wUU6AIjxTEK0oTdbUvu7y6SawOcxGDm/s1600/11.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9BHhYzV1qCTbJqbYHzg4Q1oPeVo4TmKJSqenDr2HzRZnZToZVhKuNDNEW-XeXuaUGfzQkqVWNGgau8jN2shgNWa2YT46Ehu0TtKIfSClIsDo45wUU6AIjxTEK0oTdbUvu7y6SawOcxGDm/s320/11.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pretty sunset view from my hammock on my porch</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Lila Holzmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04835795566712471159noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7806512992221081052.post-17602287677263658302013-11-13T09:53:00.000-08:002013-11-13T10:05:59.817-08:00Last Thursday I Helped Dig a Grave<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><u>La Semana de los
Muertos<o:p></o:p></u></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
On Sunday, November 3<sup>rd</sup>, a man in my community
drowned in a river. The Rio Indio
divides the province of Panama Oeste from Coclé, and the community El Harino
from Vallecito (where my close friend and neighbor volunteer Siobhan lives). November 3<sup>rd</sup> is Panama’s
Independence Day, which means a lot of parties go on. Teodoro was partying during the day in
Vallecito, but planned to come back to El Harino in time for the big <i>baile</i> at our cantina that night. Crossing the river (whose depth varies from
knee-high to neck-high depending on the rains) drunk and in the dark is an
obviously bad idea, but many do it regularly.
Teodoro’s family began to worry on Monday that he hadn’t come home. Frantically organized search parties found
his body downstream on Tuesday morning.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The loss to his family and to the community is
tremendous. While I personally did not
know him well (he’d attended a few of my <i>charlas</i>
but never invited me to work with him), his family has always been very kind to
me, and I know they are a family that has already suffered many hardships. One of his daughters is only 16 and has
already had two babies, the most recent of which died as a 1-month-old in
August. The husband of one of his older
daughters (who is a good friend of mine) died years ago in a mudslide. She is one of the strongest women I know.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Leave it to Panama’s bureaucracy to make death all the more
painful to deal with. When the body was
found Tuesday, the law is such that he had to be taken into the city for an
autopsy. The ensuing paperwork lasted
longer than 24 hours and the body was not returned to the community until late
Thursday. By that time, I had helped a
large group of men dig his grave (definitely a first for me, and hopefully a
last), but his family preferred that he spend one last night at home. Friday morning the coffin was carried to the
church (about a 20 minute hike) for a short prayer session and then to the
cemetery (another 15). His family
retained composure throughout the morning, but as soon as the coffin was
lowered into the grave they lost it, and so did I. Panamanians very rarely show strong emotion,
which made their grief all the more powerful and saddening (the word “wailing”
came to mind). A few relatives spoke,
mostly saying thank you to all the community for showing support. On behalf of the immediate family they asked
that support continue to be given either in the form of money, food, or work
(fields of the family’s rice need to be harvested as soon as possible). I heard people talking about how even the
cheapest of coffins cost more than $100.
This amount of money is extremely hard to come by.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3dVm7ni3sDms6lRu8Ci46-Bh446iO_DupjzfHe0bCWwnLUF24HBeKq36k1npYQa1PguWvyfiL0YKBr9ygmtbSz1hHT4d23tAoghaqYs47oA7HxVYb2qmC0xkuMlyNvyph35V9dgyX6v2P/s1600/P1050091.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3dVm7ni3sDms6lRu8Ci46-Bh446iO_DupjzfHe0bCWwnLUF24HBeKq36k1npYQa1PguWvyfiL0YKBr9ygmtbSz1hHT4d23tAoghaqYs47oA7HxVYb2qmC0xkuMlyNvyph35V9dgyX6v2P/s320/P1050091.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="text-align: start;">On November 2</span><sup style="text-align: start;">nd</sup><span style="text-align: start;">, much of Latin America celebrated </span><i style="text-align: start;">El Día de los Muertos</i><span style="text-align: start;"> (Day of the Dead).</span><span style="text-align: start;"> </span><span style="text-align: start;">We had celebrated that day with a service at the cemetery.</span><span style="text-align: start;"> </span><span style="text-align: start;">These are Teodoro’s daughters paying respects to their recently lost baby.</span><span style="text-align: start;"> </span><span style="text-align: start;">Less than a week later, they buried their father here as well.</span></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7PHtCUz0TtcOhCyj65j7Xeal1Vh5vedFRnNIswxYYQ063zAJ3dfdGAX2P6dkJDSe6kDo6Yq-19XN38JoRQTND7m3rCtKNr-PKhQ7DK-3QL9N9YstiFhQ8-rEvYJQhkGwVUVufOEn5Sn61/s1600/P1050224.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7PHtCUz0TtcOhCyj65j7Xeal1Vh5vedFRnNIswxYYQ063zAJ3dfdGAX2P6dkJDSe6kDo6Yq-19XN38JoRQTND7m3rCtKNr-PKhQ7DK-3QL9N9YstiFhQ8-rEvYJQhkGwVUVufOEn5Sn61/s320/P1050224.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Procession from the church to the cemetery. The coffin is being carried up front</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsXtoguw510Bf1GfmCzC20_prhCuOukClZQfnjDu6U6R8bqVVpUDJlHXHJk3CIEssH0v01A29EjALPWEkT9n-tSbR3wpcGiDur8CZRJqtKgMXWgqrIphmMNTw8EiptqEJb3QJYPA3gzjAv/s1600/P1050226.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsXtoguw510Bf1GfmCzC20_prhCuOukClZQfnjDu6U6R8bqVVpUDJlHXHJk3CIEssH0v01A29EjALPWEkT9n-tSbR3wpcGiDur8CZRJqtKgMXWgqrIphmMNTw8EiptqEJb3QJYPA3gzjAv/s320/P1050226.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><div class="MsoNormal">
Every evening for nine days following the death of Teodoro,
a prayer session is held at his family’s home.
This altar was made for this occasion.<o:p></o:p></div>
</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Siobhan, who crosses this same river regularly, has been
working with Engineers Without Borders groups on a bridge project so that
people and horses will be able to cross safely at any time. We are hopeful that construction of the
bridge will begin as early as April.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p> <table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhto7jM_36a8_w74tRw8ZItv4G2CRqSx7Iy51a8CgvFOz48uszr9WjYrrNDgQKmnQaMFG5vNxHpcmQ7I7xLGTsFVZHP7kbYDZ7zwiozHxuTUBAy6NOJGIkT0kjKI3Xxs-UKNLmtncnznvYB/s1600/bridge.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhto7jM_36a8_w74tRw8ZItv4G2CRqSx7Iy51a8CgvFOz48uszr9WjYrrNDgQKmnQaMFG5vNxHpcmQ7I7xLGTsFVZHP7kbYDZ7zwiozHxuTUBAy6NOJGIkT0kjKI3Xxs-UKNLmtncnznvYB/s320/bridge.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Surveying a possible bridge location</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
During this same week I received news from home that the
father of two close friends from high school passed away. These friends have stayed in my thoughts and
heart and I wish them all the strength and love in the world as they get
through this hard time.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><u>On a Happier Note</u></b><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Aside from such significant challenges, life and work have
continued to go well for me in El Harino.
Here are some highlights:<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
- I helped facilitate a workshop called “Choose your life”
for school kids in Siobhan’s community.
The workshop focused on helping teenagers develop goals and identify
resources and steps to help them achieve their goals. A session on sex-ed is also included.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdP41r3KfDZspzxp31a1iDfudJ-4Fb8g2dph-i5rlGkWrDi4Ebb1AYym4lZoaZDCUIJ4bFagRIpxujIf4b4ZCZGDgVdqZSrwaMqmzYvbmyK4PPjlgDd0ikptwl4RywTbKkPeeGYStaeOVc/s1600/P1050248.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdP41r3KfDZspzxp31a1iDfudJ-4Fb8g2dph-i5rlGkWrDi4Ebb1AYym4lZoaZDCUIJ4bFagRIpxujIf4b4ZCZGDgVdqZSrwaMqmzYvbmyK4PPjlgDd0ikptwl4RywTbKkPeeGYStaeOVc/s320/P1050248.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;">Explaining different
types of resources they might have available and that money isn’t everything</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">.</span></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifXV7Oieoy_VCSq_7ZKa13VPY6XG7mHrigk0tBlgmmNwgimJoEuJPtAfEfNgEyRZuB9Fw90Mdls-dshP6Kr7qSQ2V0PLz_zuXzlbYVEkJt86n-2TBKwWTaQZyD-_mnSQp3ea_G8HwA3w3f/s1600/P1050274.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifXV7Oieoy_VCSq_7ZKa13VPY6XG7mHrigk0tBlgmmNwgimJoEuJPtAfEfNgEyRZuB9Fw90Mdls-dshP6Kr7qSQ2V0PLz_zuXzlbYVEkJt86n-2TBKwWTaQZyD-_mnSQp3ea_G8HwA3w3f/s320/P1050274.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small;">They did an activity
where they had to guess if HIV could be transmitted or not transmitted. Alex went through and explained that actually
no, you can’t get HIV from somebody coughing, sneezing, sharing a cup, etc.</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2p9Oyuyy_nrNPgkBi9HVq8t_rCVvPNWJxdOquQ3teXAjlM8nbk4C9vdevEYdG9AeDkGtKzi_EXav3PN83x9_36ftRFKVYLPa9J1FRl5jXO5sDSe2IqSPrefZF6QxjCH2LSL2b7V1d96t0/s1600/P1050290.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2p9Oyuyy_nrNPgkBi9HVq8t_rCVvPNWJxdOquQ3teXAjlM8nbk4C9vdevEYdG9AeDkGtKzi_EXav3PN83x9_36ftRFKVYLPa9J1FRl5jXO5sDSe2IqSPrefZF6QxjCH2LSL2b7V1d96t0/s320/P1050290.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;">Practicing how to put
a condom on</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">.</span></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
- During Panama’s Independence Day, I accompanied the school
kids on their annual parade down the main road.
That night some neighbor volunteers came over to hang out and we made a
brief appearance to dance some <i>típico</i>
at the <i>baile</i>.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqz1PaFED6F2QhdOYZGX8omhXML2TeHStN1_tgcr0XYIYmC10WWWuQGyjG-zijAgAZCgNjeYiCMHb1azsdlLBdQONYQwd8be0b5VSgqUrZG_IYWP-araNzEV36eqoZ-noFu7LGaYHGX1Zv/s1600/P1050137.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqz1PaFED6F2QhdOYZGX8omhXML2TeHStN1_tgcr0XYIYmC10WWWuQGyjG-zijAgAZCgNjeYiCMHb1azsdlLBdQONYQwd8be0b5VSgqUrZG_IYWP-araNzEV36eqoZ-noFu7LGaYHGX1Zv/s320/P1050137.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">School parade</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi81YweDSUE5EnC7b30rU5hRtva9SiwZQnLrwZDGy5qiIV3nyHCZy3COST2jZiuKcj2G2ErkNfLCOkhW3UtyaQq4RGfTPtOAAehL2PTJz_Y4LBphG3Ary0JrXvREtioCiDaFdJZLCxwPcj6/s1600/P1050205.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi81YweDSUE5EnC7b30rU5hRtva9SiwZQnLrwZDGy5qiIV3nyHCZy3COST2jZiuKcj2G2ErkNfLCOkhW3UtyaQq4RGfTPtOAAehL2PTJz_Y4LBphG3Ary0JrXvREtioCiDaFdJZLCxwPcj6/s320/P1050205.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Baile at the cantina</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
- I hiked the long way out (through Siobhan’s community on
the Coclé side of the river) to make it to a Peace Corps Halloween house party
in Coclé’s capital city Penenomé. The
hike took close to three and a half hours.
The party featured costumes, dancing to American music and playing the
American game of beer pong.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilJdfVppTwA3Gy4D1RMVyYhL0N_7vDmz2XDJDpWXp47atZaZ7n29NTiNjdyKNkOvaqG4gM5UcJX99ct0SJMbY-iqHelBENBKAGaapUjb04y17HZVJgnY7fI0_KmmqalNLTzoSlqzcXzd6w/s1600/P1050061.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilJdfVppTwA3Gy4D1RMVyYhL0N_7vDmz2XDJDpWXp47atZaZ7n29NTiNjdyKNkOvaqG4gM5UcJX99ct0SJMbY-iqHelBENBKAGaapUjb04y17HZVJgnY7fI0_KmmqalNLTzoSlqzcXzd6w/s320/P1050061.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pretty hike</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhk8RfVJMPFlajrPLiXev_o8cgnKXPBVnhtzIo5UKKzn5HcOALPdnKrMPHN7RpCPeWuo7BrSxyGeztGpbsx65SvfmuwrlXUj_kJN-_ajDrOo939D_w7vU-p3uUppwr7zq2Ww-kYxJN2XJg4/s1600/P1050077.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhk8RfVJMPFlajrPLiXev_o8cgnKXPBVnhtzIo5UKKzn5HcOALPdnKrMPHN7RpCPeWuo7BrSxyGeztGpbsx65SvfmuwrlXUj_kJN-_ajDrOo939D_w7vU-p3uUppwr7zq2Ww-kYxJN2XJg4/s320/P1050077.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Halloween sheriffs. Don't worry, my gun was 2-D</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
- I collaborated with Panama’s Center for Environmental
Development to host a talk on reforestation and tree-nursery management with
our 7<sup>th</sup> grade.<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLwpalTAzqAjJhwsCK3GcAgqj2SUhaVWCSk6usZSSiFZ2ZuOqwCOCyrSORF4hMN-kBLGcr8ZGfDFL53yUpoe3UaHArOmzsfbPJEXBRpHoCxsO7fgZplI179Q81X3BVwOydj9TqAijQsmfe/s1600/P1050051.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLwpalTAzqAjJhwsCK3GcAgqj2SUhaVWCSk6usZSSiFZ2ZuOqwCOCyrSORF4hMN-kBLGcr8ZGfDFL53yUpoe3UaHArOmzsfbPJEXBRpHoCxsO7fgZplI179Q81X3BVwOydj9TqAijQsmfe/s320/P1050051.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Filling seed bags with a good soil mix</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyHGwWHC_iT6MS9W7IWuZwJ5RKx9A-gSsIKGg5yM3pJucSCuBHMYl47cnJVJBHCdzKex8OYbbxwzpD0Njq9NVNodiZFPqddnOQaPUqMA5n4N2WI9nK8q6k9wAV1eiXiiJCnE5bjrQHfdSH/s1600/P1050055.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyHGwWHC_iT6MS9W7IWuZwJ5RKx9A-gSsIKGg5yM3pJucSCuBHMYl47cnJVJBHCdzKex8OYbbxwzpD0Njq9NVNodiZFPqddnOQaPUqMA5n4N2WI9nK8q6k9wAV1eiXiiJCnE5bjrQHfdSH/s320/P1050055.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Watering in a small tomato plant</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<div>
<br /></div>
Lila Holzmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04835795566712471159noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7806512992221081052.post-9007547461079392692013-10-16T14:09:00.001-07:002013-10-16T14:09:51.133-07:00Wanderlust for Life<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<b><u>Comarca
Ngobe-Bugle</u></b><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
At the beginning of October I had the opportunity to visit
the Comarca Ngobe-Bugle for the first time.
The term “Comarca” refers to an indigenous reservation. People who live inside comarcas are citizens
of Panama, but also follow a separate set of rules established by their
tribe. About five tribes have such
status throughout Panama, and the Ngobe (pronounced no-bay) are one of the
biggest groups.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
A good friend said that the group of farmers turned
gardeners he is working with could use some help with agribusiness, so he
invited me out to give an informal talk to his group. After getting off a six hour bus ride in a
city called Tole, Reid met me and together we hopped on a chiva which took us
across the line into the Comarca. After
that, we began what Reid warned me would be a two hour hike. “The good news is that the hike is half
downhill,” Reid said cheerfully, “but that means the other half is
uphill.” He was not kidding. Down one mountainside, across a bridge over a
river, and up the other mountainside was quite a trek that my asthma was not so
happy about. Luckily it was gorgeous the
whole way.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpE1rOfKmnWiL8fpsCpokJJloxNgxwCx2CgzEYFQpeY5ctkA6dC3UEpbXM7T0JhyphenhyphenxAeG9Gdmt51dGZAWiwztYWO2rv2ypWUriCvE5ujpcvuJzOG1UQaowPZEaGw_YTCpepJk6_7vzv0IGK/s1600/P1040829.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpE1rOfKmnWiL8fpsCpokJJloxNgxwCx2CgzEYFQpeY5ctkA6dC3UEpbXM7T0JhyphenhyphenxAeG9Gdmt51dGZAWiwztYWO2rv2ypWUriCvE5ujpcvuJzOG1UQaowPZEaGw_YTCpepJk6_7vzv0IGK/s320/P1040829.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOkywP5suuZ5ATO1ZrP-yweP-33lc4yJv3EJlVvbZa29OTyCaC-Vc-Lx5kkwTg_DI657rLTxxZ4WS3qvI2nfc4Pu1wAsNCbA9E3wLpmQ15ugIDFbCprO0UpvZdcrgy6-rbXaEI1dr6Ds8r/s1600/P1040833.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOkywP5suuZ5ATO1ZrP-yweP-33lc4yJv3EJlVvbZa29OTyCaC-Vc-Lx5kkwTg_DI657rLTxxZ4WS3qvI2nfc4Pu1wAsNCbA9E3wLpmQ15ugIDFbCprO0UpvZdcrgy6-rbXaEI1dr6Ds8r/s320/P1040833.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
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<o:p></o:p><br />
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Shortly after making it to the community La Tijera, the
daily afternoon downpour began. We hid
inside and Reid taught me how he makes chocolate from the cacao found around
the area. Yum!<o:p></o:p></div>
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The next day, five of the seven members of Reid’s group
turned up for the <i>charla</i> (pretty
decent turn out!). The talk went well
and the group seemed interested and caught on pretty quick. I had heard the stereotype that many Ngobe
are stone-faced and reserved. While the
people I encountered throughout this trip did seem a little more reserved than
the louder Latinos I live with, and I did notice I was getting openly stared at
by serious-looking eyes everywhere I went, Reid’s group had no problem
participating in the session and even laughed at our jokes. Whenever the conversation slipped into the
local Ngobere language, I said the one phrase Reid taught me, meaning: “I don’t
understand what’s going on at all,” and that seemed to go over well.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEQuRwNhAblOitbcHzlEZGZwmEm2OvOu8FAIWGpJ3jxke8qrSflImdkgS9Bo_7Un2Qy5vBMQpPxruadf01_71LuUCeXlp0QOQ4fdDoci86Y2TtI-eDw8uV9w1Y9QLDSu5I48SyHYWuKDCa/s1600/P1040850.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEQuRwNhAblOitbcHzlEZGZwmEm2OvOu8FAIWGpJ3jxke8qrSflImdkgS9Bo_7Un2Qy5vBMQpPxruadf01_71LuUCeXlp0QOQ4fdDoci86Y2TtI-eDw8uV9w1Y9QLDSu5I48SyHYWuKDCa/s320/P1040850.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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I really enjoyed this visit.
While I fully believe I would have been happy wherever I ended up and
that each site has advantages and disadvantages (physical, cultural, etc.), I
was struck by how different my life would have been for these two years if I
had as intense of a hike in as Reid does.
Leaving for appointments, bringing home groceries, having friends visit
… These things are complicated enough for me as it is. A two hour sweaty, wheezy climb would add a
whole new level of challenges. Additionally,
it was hard to imagine how this community functions so far off the path. People must haul in heavy materials like zinc
sheets for roofs and food for the small stores.
If someone gets sick, they are carried all the way out in a
hammock. One advantage of the higher
altitude community of La Tijera is cell phone signal everywhere. Overall I feel lucky to live where I do, and
lucky to have the chance to travel and experience sites like Reid’s.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Reid and I talked a bit about what the future holds. We still have eight months here, and
sometimes that seems like a lot, but time does fly. Reid says he has really enjoyed this
experience, but he thinks it may have satisfied his wanderlust and that he will
now be ready to settle down in the U.S. permanently. I have to say that I do not feel the same
way. It is true that I am looking
forward to spending time stateside and plan to attend business school somewhere
in my native country. However, for me
this experience has confirmed that I want to continue working in international
development and has strengthened the connection I feel to Latin America. Right now I cannot imagine myself in a
long-term lifestyle that does not involve traveling abroad. So we’ll see what the future holds, but
something tells me, my wanderlust may not be curable.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9Vjq7Wxkgk6db6ubdK_HzN40vqKRI7RnoAASG9TLZFDrlMBCAn-7lAhhVgWEWtmqYY2Trh45yqiZsmvDdC2PLFxfbwCIsrA1CAqPwphzzo3HY-EWHmrRvXBGGMHi8iDYPc7yTKFB-gjSN/s1600/P1040856.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="204" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9Vjq7Wxkgk6db6ubdK_HzN40vqKRI7RnoAASG9TLZFDrlMBCAn-7lAhhVgWEWtmqYY2Trh45yqiZsmvDdC2PLFxfbwCIsrA1CAqPwphzzo3HY-EWHmrRvXBGGMHi8iDYPc7yTKFB-gjSN/s640/P1040856.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<b><u>Fútbol-Mania<o:p></o:p></u></b></div>
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I made it to the Panama vs. U.S. soccer game and it was a
pretty awesome experience. I had
carefully planned my schedule so that I would be in the city at just the right
time. Several things almost went very
wrong that could have led to minor disasters, but somehow it all worked out
great.<o:p></o:p></div>
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I came out of site on a Monday to go to a city called
Penonome in order to give an agribusiness training session to the government
agriculture organization MIDA. My
volunteer team powered through the all-day training session on Tuesday, cutting
off Panamanian tangential rants left and right, and somehow wrapped things up
by 2pm. From there we hopped on a bus
and after just over four hours we’d made it through rush hour traffic to get to
the hostel in Panama City. A quick
change and a few beers later we were en route to the stadium, again with much
traffic and the added pleasure of a totally sexist cab driver transporting four
independent female volunteers. Ayayay.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMvME06rQgRPDIeIAWmVpIjXKEEijfsBBpIXYbgSmKTzd7Z1pEG-5yS7hN3eWe1dnumymUs4al2TIsonSIEZueyvk0Tr01jupxG7TRtHBWnTHoAPVePEqVY514tpcJKcUoIfPEMy1U9dq8/s1600/P1040944.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMvME06rQgRPDIeIAWmVpIjXKEEijfsBBpIXYbgSmKTzd7Z1pEG-5yS7hN3eWe1dnumymUs4al2TIsonSIEZueyvk0Tr01jupxG7TRtHBWnTHoAPVePEqVY514tpcJKcUoIfPEMy1U9dq8/s320/P1040944.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">MIDA employees taking the stage</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFU1_vgoagM8YDO3McIrr_figKaOK4haB4vlEKm2xt1kzsdM0Jm7rjziriCnL452NLK6wRHeomM6PIvDsCuxIWhJQ9aWIuVAg4PJNDA2pqqi8t2DZh6tUnOhoxgEF_2Bvsm8zRoZciD3kr/s1600/P1040950.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFU1_vgoagM8YDO3McIrr_figKaOK4haB4vlEKm2xt1kzsdM0Jm7rjziriCnL452NLK6wRHeomM6PIvDsCuxIWhJQ9aWIuVAg4PJNDA2pqqi8t2DZh6tUnOhoxgEF_2Bvsm8zRoZciD3kr/s320/P1040950.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Explaining how to calculate production costs with small scale farmers</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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Finally made it to the stadium before 8pm for an 8:30
kick-off (although the tickets said 9:00) .
For some reason, they split the entering line male/female and only
females were required to get an invasive pat-down (by female officers), so as
always, the girls line was insanely slow while the boys walked straight
in. The women started getting
pushy. I am usually a wait-in-line kind
of person, but by this point, I was in dire need of finding a restroom, so I
pushed my way in and made a run for it. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaHyY6ViyUk-2APi6z21X56KHEltHUs2Qg6qPzHSO7ghkKfp5xe4w6zeOlzbyBFZZxjtRoM8NYVB_gnkk7j9LRg_eZumwarTZLOqj-wHa2nuX0y5Pvt-XfM7LXeGM2JfVKUSditNolZ19x/s1600/P1040967.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaHyY6ViyUk-2APi6z21X56KHEltHUs2Qg6qPzHSO7ghkKfp5xe4w6zeOlzbyBFZZxjtRoM8NYVB_gnkk7j9LRg_eZumwarTZLOqj-wHa2nuX0y5Pvt-XfM7LXeGM2JfVKUSditNolZ19x/s320/P1040967.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Girls line to enter the premises</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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Disaster! They seemed
to have oversold my section and had closed the doors. I waited with angry Panamanians who tried to
bully the security guards into opening the door. I let it be known that I was just trying to
get in so I could pee, and the Panamanians instantly supported my claim and
called the security guards out for their shameful treatment of foreigners in
their country saying things like, "I bet the U.S. wouldn't do this to people at their stadium!" (a little extreme, but then again, seriously, put some bathrooms
on the outside!). A door squeaked open
and all rushed in. I saw security guards
pulling out the pepper spray. AHH! I approached one and calmly asked where the
bathroom was. She looked sympathetic and
pointed where to go. Finally!
Relief! And then … Uh oh, where are all
my friends? I had bolted and left my
large gringo group somewhere behind.<o:p></o:p></div>
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I made some phone calls, but no one was answering / signal
was not so good (of course). I started
watching the game. I got a few weird
looks since I was a white girl by myself in a sea of Panamanians. A couple people nearby started making
conversation and once I told them I was rooting for Panama, all were instantly
friendlier and invited me up to get a better viewing spot. And then Panama scored. GOOOOOOOAAALLLL. Beer rained down and the energy was
contagious.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivSXDYRJ2uxmUt53Roov90QgC3ZHmaS1hjiovFqlWKQb39lTh3ik1Pe1KuibooEXPZr4IbCxMe45SY_3Y5M92kHwAFenqvDKrNK9bRUB2kmmYntLjjGqURIN3SSv7DWx1LXewFuWx_K0RB/s1600/P1040972.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivSXDYRJ2uxmUt53Roov90QgC3ZHmaS1hjiovFqlWKQb39lTh3ik1Pe1KuibooEXPZr4IbCxMe45SY_3Y5M92kHwAFenqvDKrNK9bRUB2kmmYntLjjGqURIN3SSv7DWx1LXewFuWx_K0RB/s320/P1040972.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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I spotted a few volunteers walking by. I latched on and we explored a different
section (supposedly you were only allowed the sit in your assigned section, but
I found this was not totally the case, especially considering they’d oversold
mine), and we were thrown free Panama jerseys along the way. Eventually we made our way to where a large
group of volunteers had congregated.
Many were decked out in vibrant U.S. apparel and were very loud in
supporting the stars and stripes. I
personally kept rooting for Panama just because I think a win would have meant
more to Panamanian citizens than to Americans who generally barely care about
soccer. After a few more goals and beer
rains, the game was approaching its end and Panama was up 2 to 1. So exciting!
Then the U.S. scored. Woah! It’s tied.
The score board had not even caught up and then BAM the U.S. scored
again! It was done. Just like that the U.S. came through 3 to 2
and Panama’s hopes were destroyed. I
felt bad, but the excitement of the other volunteers was hard to resist. U-S-A! U-S-A!<o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjInV9kjvjXUQWHti3SJJQRQBKCZhZdihWQN2W1LZIA2IhgPW3GDzCG9SZu6rUJdpaLnUTU445MsFOr7nxxMtoOMEKF-MNiXXwfLyeY4ovmqsPCA86RfQN7L5ulFC3ISW6GclhuAxJrtdOO/s1600/P1040978.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjInV9kjvjXUQWHti3SJJQRQBKCZhZdihWQN2W1LZIA2IhgPW3GDzCG9SZu6rUJdpaLnUTU445MsFOr7nxxMtoOMEKF-MNiXXwfLyeY4ovmqsPCA86RfQN7L5ulFC3ISW6GclhuAxJrtdOO/s320/P1040978.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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Overall, the soccer game was an extremely disorganized
adventure that could have gone terribly wrong at a few different points, but
ended up being one of the coolest activities I have experienced in Panama City.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b><u>Agribusiness Grant
Update<o:p></o:p></u></b></div>
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I again wanted to thank everyone who contributed or
considered contributing to my Agribusiness Seminar Project. My grant has been completely funded! Over the next months I will begin planning
these three seminars to take place within the December to May time frame. These seminars will present all kinds of new
logistical challenges for me to conquer and will certainly keep me busy working
on something I really care about. I will
keep you posted as the project moves along!<o:p></o:p></div>
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Lila Holzmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04835795566712471159noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7806512992221081052.post-6500413951644083862013-09-17T11:46:00.000-07:002013-10-16T06:26:10.738-07:00That Time Came Where I Asked All You Awesome People for Money<div class="MsoNormalCxSpFirst">
<b><u>**UPDATE ON THE BELOW REQUEST FOR FUNDING**</u></b><br />
<b><u><br /></u></b>
**Update!** Just about two weeks after my project proposal went online, it has been completed funded. I feel humbled by and incredibly grateful for the support of all who donated and all who thought about it, but found it was already done. Thank you all. Panama's farmers and future businessmen say "Gracias" as well.<br />
<br />
<br />
<b><u><br /></u></b>
<b><u>Have I mentioned how nice you look today?</u></b></div>
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<o:p></o:p></div>
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Yes, that time has come where I ask all you
awesome people to support one of my more capital-intensive projects. As you might recall, I first got involved
with Peace Corps Panama’s Agribusiness Initiative back in November, by helping
co-facilitate a three-day agribusiness seminar for farmers participating in a
government-sponsored program in the province of Veraguas. Since then I have continued teaching
agribusiness topics both within my community and throughout Panama. I applied for and was selected to be this
year’s Agribusiness Coordinator back in May.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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So what does it mean to be Agribusiness
Coordinator? For one thing, I travel on
request to other volunteer communities to help them train farmers in agbiz
topics. I also train new volunteers on
how to present this material in their communities. I long ago realized the Peace Corps
Agribusiness Manual was not user-friendly enough for our standard audience
that, at best, received up to a sixth grade education. I significantly edited this document,
simplifying its dense paragraphs of text and trying to clarify in local terms
how to keep inventory records (people here are not used to using formats like
spreadsheets). This Initiative has
caught the attention of local government agencies, and I have been invited to
provide agribusiness training sessions in regions lacking a Peace Corps
presence. Additionally, I work with
Panamanian agency professionals to teach them how to present this material
themselves.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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But none of those things are what your money will
go towards. As Agribusiness Coordinator,
I am responsible for organizing and facilitating <b>three</b> <b>agribusiness seminars</b>
in different regions of Panama. These
seminars will be made available to farmers all over the country in areas where
they are working with Peace Corps volunteers and will take place sometime between December and May.
<o:p></o:p></div>
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<u>Here are the benefits of helping me fund these <b>three agribusiness seminars</b>:<o:p></o:p></u></div>
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- Farmers will be trained in critical skills like: farm
planning, keeping inventory records, problem identification and prioritization,
setting goals and making calendars, group organization, supply chain
management, financial record keeping, production cost calculation, value-added
products, price fixing, product quality, customer service, market analysis and
strategy, money management and setting budgets, use of calculators, etc.<o:p></o:p></div>
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- Some of these skills may seem like common sense to those
of us with a formal education or other relevant experience. These skills ARE NOT COMMON SENSE to people
who stopped going to school around age 10, have never kept records, have never
practiced the idea of planning things out before they plant crops arbitrarily
throughout their never-been-measured plots of land, have never calculated the
cost of production to see which of their products result in a profit, and which
ones result in a LOSS, and have the deeply-engrained tendency to spend money as
quickly as it comes in without thinking much about the future.<o:p></o:p></div>
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- Farmers will be able to use the previously mentioned
skills to increase their income generation and sustainably improve their
quality of life.<o:p></o:p></div>
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- By putting on three different seminars, Peace Corps is
expanding the impact of this initiative to reach farmers whose communities I
might not otherwise have a chance to visit.<o:p></o:p></div>
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- By making the seminars available to farmers from Peace Corps
communities, the volunteers from those communities will be able to provide
necessary follow-up to help farmers implement the skills they learn during the
seminars.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<u>Want to know what, specifically, your money will be spent
on?<o:p></o:p></u></div>
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<br /></div>
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- Travel costs of the farmers to get to the seminars.<o:p></o:p></div>
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- Food for the farmers to eat during the seminars.<o:p></o:p></div>
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- Paying local cooks to prepare the food for the farmers to
eat.<o:p></o:p></div>
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- Paying local families to host farmer participants in their
homes during the seminars.<o:p></o:p></div>
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- Basic seminar materials like poster paper, markers,
notebooks, pens.<o:p></o:p></div>
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- Travel costs of volunteers like me to get to the seminars.<o:p></o:p></div>
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- Believe it or not, this stuff all adds up fast.</div>
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Let me put it this way—many of you know I
like to think of myself as a “practical environmentalist.” I want to protect natural resources, help
people, and do so in an economically feasible, sustainable way. The farmers I work with have the chance to
profit from their sustainable agriculture businesses; they just need some help
developing the skills they need to make it happen.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Please help me help them to make this happen. Any size donation is welcome! Also FY<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">I this <span style="background-color: white;">tax deductible donation will be acknowledged by an official email from the Peace Corps, and t</span></span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">hey will not put you on any lists for future solicitations.</span></div>
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In case you are more motivated by pictures
than words, here are some of those as well:<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiI35Taj22ZytoYVjxoSdURLbTSYn4df6glCGcTtvQWn_THfrHXfcOO43gGnOpgYSPGXUc7g_VPxj71G2rhyphenhyphen-0uypUiTIvdbuRKl5QGxf2QM7woBTsnVGj7IFyXfmQyvgNA2QgQ_eJahHjT/s1600/Agbiz1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiI35Taj22ZytoYVjxoSdURLbTSYn4df6glCGcTtvQWn_THfrHXfcOO43gGnOpgYSPGXUc7g_VPxj71G2rhyphenhyphen-0uypUiTIvdbuRKl5QGxf2QM7woBTsnVGj7IFyXfmQyvgNA2QgQ_eJahHjT/s320/Agbiz1.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Farmers selling yummy produce</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVVq2buLdNWQF-2h9gt934SL6WX4LyLt3yM41pyEVY9DbKq-JgbZQ1pb2I7cil366kQYDTBY-4pz-owPr5S_tLufeKWSyMfa4Be75Y03vpTc_818gNnhmEeBElpdLNq8SovckAr47zVqaz/s1600/Agbiz2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVVq2buLdNWQF-2h9gt934SL6WX4LyLt3yM41pyEVY9DbKq-JgbZQ1pb2I7cil366kQYDTBY-4pz-owPr5S_tLufeKWSyMfa4Be75Y03vpTc_818gNnhmEeBElpdLNq8SovckAr47zVqaz/s320/Agbiz2.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Practicing arithmetic</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtr2elH0krEKkIwByEnz1gbvxjMMsyGsA2InqRlxcMWRc9H-7Lq4H3qlXIIzd_CjqR7oeYME9zZs2_EGby8AmuoEfAtZlosN3QqmZNuLTN9814zRyZT63m7ezTLyqo8Y9fXn-Jo063MepX/s1600/Agbiz3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtr2elH0krEKkIwByEnz1gbvxjMMsyGsA2InqRlxcMWRc9H-7Lq4H3qlXIIzd_CjqR7oeYME9zZs2_EGby8AmuoEfAtZlosN3QqmZNuLTN9814zRyZT63m7ezTLyqo8Y9fXn-Jo063MepX/s320/Agbiz3.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">One of last year's agbiz seminars that the coordinator put on out in the Darien</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIEGCcP2j1iRtfGG3278TmOLE3-pujCjkyGgk1cpSiaBuv1_P5CTSPzSW1yG9kKGoBSc6Z8wacjrZtzpERLQFlgc0fSCwp8G9e_GxmxKzy1btn3WGD7wobV_6QgTMJarHAL7uqb8GAiN9C/s1600/P1030067.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIEGCcP2j1iRtfGG3278TmOLE3-pujCjkyGgk1cpSiaBuv1_P5CTSPzSW1yG9kKGoBSc6Z8wacjrZtzpERLQFlgc0fSCwp8G9e_GxmxKzy1btn3WGD7wobV_6QgTMJarHAL7uqb8GAiN9C/s320/P1030067.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My community members doing an activity that teaches how to break down the steps involved in a production chain</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsZsa-4sQSlpqk3qEmkruXdlRhShL2PoSvRIaGuYmq_-hShKeikcOcRBNo0dT9PCv9Dd0ZD8C5aqOy4h3KalK-ZVy0g22g89YDoffU-LU4hi05O0DI94rRnMyyMpGd_BW9kDnGaQZ9fMb7/s1600/P1030073.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsZsa-4sQSlpqk3qEmkruXdlRhShL2PoSvRIaGuYmq_-hShKeikcOcRBNo0dT9PCv9Dd0ZD8C5aqOy4h3KalK-ZVy0g22g89YDoffU-LU4hi05O0DI94rRnMyyMpGd_BW9kDnGaQZ9fMb7/s320/P1030073.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">More arithmetic practice</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhE0NJtvtlizmdPBjruyQf4cTJ5qOBOfZYiaWbqMackaF7VRjnx2wWICkRpx3uG_SX1t9x2NE04ewIDf3t6A0iWfpdqWlYWWE7Z4qkTV75einBE49MMJPmI81Z5sgbVx871hztDzRDCDWjA/s1600/P1040549.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhE0NJtvtlizmdPBjruyQf4cTJ5qOBOfZYiaWbqMackaF7VRjnx2wWICkRpx3uG_SX1t9x2NE04ewIDf3t6A0iWfpdqWlYWWE7Z4qkTV75einBE49MMJPmI81Z5sgbVx871hztDzRDCDWjA/s320/P1040549.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">What I look like when I explain how to set goals and put activities on a calendar to make sure you accomplish those goals</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<br /></div>
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So here’s the link to donate:<o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="https://donate.peacecorps.gov/index.cfm?shell=donate.contribute.projDetail&projdesc=13-525-035">https://donate.peacecorps.gov/index.cfm?shell=donate.contribute.projDetail&projdesc=13-525-035</a><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<br /></div>
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Gracias.
You really do look nice today.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b><u>In Other
News</u></b><o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
Aside from my outside Agribusiness Coordinator
duties, I continue to be busy in El Harino as well. Some families are finally coming around and
only now inviting me to help them start compost of a home garden. Others are already pro’s and now asking for
help expanding and adding beds to the gardens I helped them start months
ago. MIDA, the national agriculture organization,
continues to be a pebble in my shoe. I
have visited their office and called their regional director countless times to
check on the progress of getting us the PVC tubes we need to bring water to the
fish tank projects that some six families are waiting to complete. MIDA continues assuring me the paperwork is
in process and they will let me know when the tubes are purchased … patience …
so much patience …<o:p></o:p></div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglIQLYI-nuQ3iErhz9kSzKiN_dbj1dcloGlBFIAcQN3fQmeyl9Sew9UBq3Gqbe-Wh3eE7bwz-7NlDpUcHhw3-wJdiqFGxZyL7bcdoPBpTznzTbypTvnBMZbBf_vR3d4c4rvcZywXyKcxad/s1600/P1040425.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglIQLYI-nuQ3iErhz9kSzKiN_dbj1dcloGlBFIAcQN3fQmeyl9Sew9UBq3Gqbe-Wh3eE7bwz-7NlDpUcHhw3-wJdiqFGxZyL7bcdoPBpTznzTbypTvnBMZbBf_vR3d4c4rvcZywXyKcxad/s320/P1040425.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">More compost making</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXJMSlsxHW6-Nw_yRaHKJqipMBR8NK9Gc_Ms2lreDc5OqvpgEDbKkWE1hj_c1jrSzmdOnSmOm0_2bftly2Xi4ci4liFRnc996rXFMRGqm_3IdL8mx0m-hwILvUa0TY8waGTZH3NiG_uslo/s1600/P1040429.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXJMSlsxHW6-Nw_yRaHKJqipMBR8NK9Gc_Ms2lreDc5OqvpgEDbKkWE1hj_c1jrSzmdOnSmOm0_2bftly2Xi4ci4liFRnc996rXFMRGqm_3IdL8mx0m-hwILvUa0TY8waGTZH3NiG_uslo/s320/P1040429.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">She's so happy with these two garden beds that we made a third one last week.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg78SMpR5vS6BFmJzcDzoM7ecjX3bsqq-7jh1uGFqlsXNkCtTtkIyvBHKdRlKTiM9P18pg1WxwhZ2BvlkxxtPxUoip72cCT7bSkygwGzPr3ovh4S2rTsudyTOe87Idc8g7BhDeq_w1Nb8MO/s1600/P1040568.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg78SMpR5vS6BFmJzcDzoM7ecjX3bsqq-7jh1uGFqlsXNkCtTtkIyvBHKdRlKTiM9P18pg1WxwhZ2BvlkxxtPxUoip72cCT7bSkygwGzPr3ovh4S2rTsudyTOe87Idc8g7BhDeq_w1Nb8MO/s320/P1040568.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This family started from scratch a month ago making compost and now are finally ready to start planting</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
The Sustainable Agriculture Systems Peace Corps program
trainer recently visited my site and requested a meeting with my
community. At the meeting, we reviewed
my community analysis and action plan from when I first arrived (remember this?
<a href="http://lilabailapeacecorps.blogspot.com/2012/09/community-analysis-report-given-to.html">http://lilabailapeacecorps.blogspot.com/2012/09/community-analysis-report-given-to.html</a>). We agreed that we are indeed making progress
toward the goal of improving nutritional variety, and that some families are further
along than others. We discussed that I
should keep doing what I’m doing and following up to support people with the
projects we’ve been working on. We also
highlighted some areas that clearly need reinforcing and some that will be new
to everyone, but that people expressed interest in. Such areas include: organic insect repellents,
worm composting, developing a seed bank at the school garden, etc. I heard people say out loud something that I’ve
realized, but is bothersome: people would rather me go house to house teaching
things than attend a <i>charla</i> on a
given day, at a certain time. They said
sometimes they can’t go to my <i>charlas</i>,
and that even when they can, they don’t, so it’s better if I work with families
individually. I acknowledge this seems
to be true, but tried to emphasize to them that in this case, they need to take
the initiative to<b> <u>tell me </u></b>they
are interested in trying something like organic insect repellent. Only then will I come to them. I cannot give such lessons at every single
house in El Harino because there is not enough of me to go around and I cannot
read minds to know who is truly interested.
With about nine months left, we’ll see what I can do …<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhU0JLSATx3VC8zT6BNmUE1opClU59W15si3KzxtezKqwoTfgrMkVrq3myXipxHkz-ya777U1tmmts2xIZqxzBDf2kQ_yW7BZKEdbpMboNkJuafhGFTcr3lpmLNdp-2vFRuta7vTvujSFXs/s1600/P1040525.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhU0JLSATx3VC8zT6BNmUE1opClU59W15si3KzxtezKqwoTfgrMkVrq3myXipxHkz-ya777U1tmmts2xIZqxzBDf2kQ_yW7BZKEdbpMboNkJuafhGFTcr3lpmLNdp-2vFRuta7vTvujSFXs/s320/P1040525.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Action Plan from last September. Only a couple check marks. The rest is still in progress.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJkMmsG6v6eBaD2dektRht9ox_-7hSUHCAr12cMzFqgfx6rIBsWYvqZWGJtGn7joJ9rxawqZHATFT01rYgZ6Le-Jnveeb4KpLPia_T_cFF4jqnzlMbyRUIYRqRCsPqHH1tBdIeZQA_n7pW/s1600/P1040524.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJkMmsG6v6eBaD2dektRht9ox_-7hSUHCAr12cMzFqgfx6rIBsWYvqZWGJtGn7joJ9rxawqZHATFT01rYgZ6Le-Jnveeb4KpLPia_T_cFF4jqnzlMbyRUIYRqRCsPqHH1tBdIeZQA_n7pW/s320/P1040524.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Action Plan Part II</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhVqUQZv7liMxcVzq0lnH3EpN8Z-9VSZWfgrACbRspdlK7Pq4gIxdO1g9IGi_OXIKB6KuO_sJLLYrJe3AhX3jNnbufOkz7TDTVp_OaK3iEZyizEfRsDFkh6WKhDC3PwIPLqzX8yDp1NYDC/s1600/P1040526.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhVqUQZv7liMxcVzq0lnH3EpN8Z-9VSZWfgrACbRspdlK7Pq4gIxdO1g9IGi_OXIKB6KuO_sJLLYrJe3AhX3jNnbufOkz7TDTVp_OaK3iEZyizEfRsDFkh6WKhDC3PwIPLqzX8yDp1NYDC/s320/P1040526.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Community members who gathered to talk about the work I've done so far and what we can do with my time left.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
I was banished during part of the meeting so the
SAS program trainer could ask my community to evaluate how I’m doing. She told me later they asked if there was any
way they could request Peace Corps to have me stay an extra year. Cute.
No, but still cute.<o:p></o:p></div>
Lila Holzmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04835795566712471159noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7806512992221081052.post-8927850095783750072013-09-09T17:43:00.000-07:002013-09-10T04:37:19.299-07:00Ups and Downs<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><u>Ups and Downs<o:p></o:p></u></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
It amazes me how many ups and downs I can go through in very
short periods of time. Here are some
examples.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
+ I got invited to a very cute buffet that the seventh grade
put on. The teacher’s idea was to show
kids what some restaurants are like and introduce the idea of serving yourself
a portion of each item you want. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgc5qq60JOunsbDitJXN2rc8fIlEhqudwol0YFOcFTuNbat4pO5_LKAY4S_yju8RiMBGBTMIo_2Db6JerVD919EX1b4sQ_3NClEYcuMcxJdFhkiWgoh3vMpLHDx9EO6k0WMBoA2PCaBB_MS/s1600/1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgc5qq60JOunsbDitJXN2rc8fIlEhqudwol0YFOcFTuNbat4pO5_LKAY4S_yju8RiMBGBTMIo_2Db6JerVD919EX1b4sQ_3NClEYcuMcxJdFhkiWgoh3vMpLHDx9EO6k0WMBoA2PCaBB_MS/s320/1.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">7th grade all dressed up</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
+ Watching the teacher explain that at restaurants you eat
with forks and knives instead of just spoons was hilarious.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dxloa6cFCTSHCCYtMQoj-dRugW22ULcHxd3MIY1hvkz5M79GedvACkRW29O4o8TkUTxTiW5MRLuWEqxbtU6iw' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
- Something about
watching the teacher explain first how to use a napkin holder and then how to
use a napkin made me sad to realize how little these kids are aware of the rest
of the world.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdmTbRVwmoxfDkK2v5IvG4l1lRV8eleVpxYUXDC8P0kB5kZta0g8vBiBJBey4-OBMeLjPIS-IjGfpQ6cxfYMRLZUqLs694kcL4BiMd-emYzA9pGvRT3ku1m1Yabn_4DBgAqe5-DfuEP3-P/s1600/2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdmTbRVwmoxfDkK2v5IvG4l1lRV8eleVpxYUXDC8P0kB5kZta0g8vBiBJBey4-OBMeLjPIS-IjGfpQ6cxfYMRLZUqLs694kcL4BiMd-emYzA9pGvRT3ku1m1Yabn_4DBgAqe5-DfuEP3-P/s320/2.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Learning to use a napkin dispenser</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
- The teacher had the kids get in a specifically ordered
line and practice going through the buffet.
Later, when the kids were allowed to get seconds, they were so wrapped
up in staying in the correct order and going through the line as they’d been
instructed, that they ended up sitting in the reverse order in different seats. I don’t quite think that’s how it works in
restaurants.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
+ They had salad in the buffet.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
- Hardly anyone ate the salad. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
- I thought for the first time ever the quantity of food set
out was appropriate (or maybe even light) for the amount of people. And then a ridiculously enormous plate of
rice showed up.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
-/+ All of this took place just days after I’d returned from
eating at fancy buffets at a luxury resort to celebrate with other volunteers
that we’d been here over a year. This
stark contrast reminded me how privileged I am.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaMGgM_3jDvtqtbflYGGvT_n6hX7J5a1pGR4AWlSSepgENO9y4x4ND9RJ1dU9dQ9aXOdfG18i0ijBZ9tmmqE67rMYKY2Qz8XrtF6Up6QLtloRZa7Ahwy6Lel__BIvfFIi8IJhJnR23CDYa/s1600/3.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaMGgM_3jDvtqtbflYGGvT_n6hX7J5a1pGR4AWlSSepgENO9y4x4ND9RJ1dU9dQ9aXOdfG18i0ijBZ9tmmqE67rMYKY2Qz8XrtF6Up6QLtloRZa7Ahwy6Lel__BIvfFIi8IJhJnR23CDYa/s320/3.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Getting ready for a nice dinner at a beach resort</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWGQd0paPYFQ9Aj-g-gpktfTAf67ipL4NLT04nnI_CYPW3KpLq7eyxUwlugMFok5bpQmO9Apg-xKCAmwj4V_Di22m105iubvVeSRn-FDViZj2FmHh0k5NeqAUkDYx4uZGBLtYUkZmy0G8k/s1600/4.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWGQd0paPYFQ9Aj-g-gpktfTAf67ipL4NLT04nnI_CYPW3KpLq7eyxUwlugMFok5bpQmO9Apg-xKCAmwj4V_Di22m105iubvVeSRn-FDViZj2FmHh0k5NeqAUkDYx4uZGBLtYUkZmy0G8k/s320/4.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The outside of a buffet restaurant at the beach resort</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
+ After having recently given a talk on keeping records, one
farmer invited me over to help him get started.
We walked around his farm and counted how many of which type of trees he
had. In some way it reminded me of when
I used to take inventory of the installation parts in our warehouse when I
worked at Astrum Solar, but with a significantly different backdrop.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
+ We compared notes at the end, and they mostly matched
up. However, it took him a very long
time to sum up his totals. Looking at
the notes he’d taken as we walked, I realized that tally-marks are not
universal. I showed him my way of making
the fifth mark diagonal through the last four and how this helped me count
faster. He practiced drawing the
arrangement of marks on his piece of paper and said he’d learned something new.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjv1_MCf0nZE0mmKLXPuGS77nMYxQTgkc-BVthz9HsOv-2T0pEcxrGW_fe1y73_xUaqrhMT6lxUJuGQSKFpxjspiOd4ZdXfbxNMIyW6ZuqnWtV1lc0lpa5PEXf_kJ4beUXGspx4WSwr6n6v/s1600/5.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjv1_MCf0nZE0mmKLXPuGS77nMYxQTgkc-BVthz9HsOv-2T0pEcxrGW_fe1y73_xUaqrhMT6lxUJuGQSKFpxjspiOd4ZdXfbxNMIyW6ZuqnWtV1lc0lpa5PEXf_kJ4beUXGspx4WSwr6n6v/s320/5.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">learning to tally</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
- Despite my efforts to make our Agribusiness Manual
document more user-friendly, this farmer still struggled quite a bit to
understand how to input information into the correct columns of a spreadsheet.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiL8OpBI4zi61jNxSjaLzKy7X1QuIlWVXR5M0Z3O4PIgl9_mXdTZLKDZMwYMb2oIo4hy6j3CLZClYbx_lbMyCFeyw0lZT3p-xvx7CoYIAXsp0EQ8Fb4oh872JxY7e16Osm3Rj3q_3OO4oP3/s1600/6.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiL8OpBI4zi61jNxSjaLzKy7X1QuIlWVXR5M0Z3O4PIgl9_mXdTZLKDZMwYMb2oIo4hy6j3CLZClYbx_lbMyCFeyw0lZT3p-xvx7CoYIAXsp0EQ8Fb4oh872JxY7e16Osm3Rj3q_3OO4oP3/s320/6.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Inventory spreadsheet</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
+ This family had apparently all talked about the idea of
keeping records after the woman of the house attended my <i>charla</i>. Their grandson was
so enthused he said he will double-check our counts by actually marking each
tree with a number to make sure he gets an accurate count.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
- The woman of the house shared some <i>bochinche</i> (gossip) about me.
Apparently some people in town have said they don’t want to work with me
because I don’t give out material things and therefore am no help. They also said they don’t want to send their
kids to read books in Spanish with a Gringa.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
+ She then shared that her seventh grade grandson really
likes coming to my reading group because I expose him to different kinds of
books than what he studies in school, and he can practice reading.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
+ This particular couple said they think it’s great that
they have a Peace Corps volunteer in the community because of the new ideas I
bring and that I help everyone by being a “human resource.”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
- This house served me lunch: a big bowl of rice with a
couple pieces of some very fried meat on top, which I assumed was pork. Trying not to be rude, I ate a couple bites,
and threw the rest to the dogs when no one was looking. I was later informed that this was actually
the meat of a <i>conejo pintado</i>, an
endangered species.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
- Leaving this house, I stopped to visit another and
actually screamed when a ferocious dog came running at me. Luckily all he did was bark, but I couldn’t
stop shaking for a while.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
- I got a haircut from the same friend that cut my hair last
January. This time he cut double what
I’d asked for.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
+ That friend cuts my hair for free.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
+ Months after I began advertising my help starting compost
piles and home gardens, new families continue taking me up on my offer.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
- One of those families recently stood me up for a compost
date.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
+ At the end of my last <i>charla</i>
I read “The Lorax” in Spanish out loud to the adults present to emphasize the
need for farm planning. I think it may
have been the first time in their lives that anyone read a book to them. They were mesmerized.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
+ Our school recently celebrated its birthday. We crowned a Queen of the School, who turned
out to be a second grader. The whole
royal court made “recycled” dresses for the occasion.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
- These “recycled” dresses required the purchase of
confusing amount of new materials. Nevertheless, the kids looked adorable.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibfX02hT92eeus_W7mg8lFTQWjzw3hy6cwQXhpPZOlUaXfGkFPxi1R0eIHWP82Sp0a1OpYU5UnU-zaGmR6ZCxnqpS16kDzyht9Iamqdlv-ZS1tcVcL5_VFTPEX-8-M0ReRQaIBl0M64O10/s1600/7.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibfX02hT92eeus_W7mg8lFTQWjzw3hy6cwQXhpPZOlUaXfGkFPxi1R0eIHWP82Sp0a1OpYU5UnU-zaGmR6ZCxnqpS16kDzyht9Iamqdlv-ZS1tcVcL5_VFTPEX-8-M0ReRQaIBl0M64O10/s320/7.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">School court</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
+ At the school’s birthday celebration, I Israeli danced for
everyone. People seemed to enjoy
it! I’ve gotten some entertaining
questions about it since then like “So that’s how people dance in your
country?” Me: “Umm only some people.”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUm4DRIGrXz4NOk4Iy_1odzFuvjoKgvnA6oCUh1HYlK0D8nG9V3vYC_6aLqdJoUkuuU5kNlf-SEZR8WkmBtwiTJT2Nn_6UNEK9C_-DFwxIDinIML7MuQEFnRbGJGuTy8wG3HJVMCxtEHu4/s1600/8.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUm4DRIGrXz4NOk4Iy_1odzFuvjoKgvnA6oCUh1HYlK0D8nG9V3vYC_6aLqdJoUkuuU5kNlf-SEZR8WkmBtwiTJT2Nn_6UNEK9C_-DFwxIDinIML7MuQEFnRbGJGuTy8wG3HJVMCxtEHu4/s320/8.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lila baila</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
- One of El Harino’s founding fathers is very sick and
bed-ridden.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
+ This sweet old man recently celebrated his 70<sup>th</sup>
birthday and I was honored to be invited to celebrate with is family. I felt so much love in that house<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6K_wKzyUGL2BSpoyrGFo4I3KEDIDMht52F-HubsKWDdMeNpTs9aacYZ59pQ51kiaVUvLf4R7iDdXxJ4p0wa81HddlbvIIi-PViMVcMyoNzBZhfYabdt5blpX_BGq0nErCrMuTbN8A_Y-h/s1600/9.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6K_wKzyUGL2BSpoyrGFo4I3KEDIDMht52F-HubsKWDdMeNpTs9aacYZ59pQ51kiaVUvLf4R7iDdXxJ4p0wa81HddlbvIIi-PViMVcMyoNzBZhfYabdt5blpX_BGq0nErCrMuTbN8A_Y-h/s320/9.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cuties getting ready for the fiesta</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2p3ywV1Hzk5oc0cWaBpPnhKijhhMsZKUTMpPuTYKMHecaUOg_eZJOM0LE_eM6t9bSSyH9V_NAOu6hx6YzbT7n18tmTytuGpJw4T-kin-J7a_65USIBbD3-AjIgw7uJjAFLjqIuoAhR-fg/s1600/10.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2p3ywV1Hzk5oc0cWaBpPnhKijhhMsZKUTMpPuTYKMHecaUOg_eZJOM0LE_eM6t9bSSyH9V_NAOu6hx6YzbT7n18tmTytuGpJw4T-kin-J7a_65USIBbD3-AjIgw7uJjAFLjqIuoAhR-fg/s320/10.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Happy birthday singing and cake </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
- At the end of a crazy up and down day, I sometimes feel I
have no one to talk to about these ups and downs that can really relate. Even if I wanted to try to call someone from
home, my schedule regarding when I can do so, and from on top of which hill,
often does not work for any of you awesome people back in the states.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
+ At least I have a blog where I can get some of these
things off my chest, even if I have to wait weeks between when I handwrite a
new entry until I can post it like this one!<o:p></o:p></div>
Lila Holzmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04835795566712471159noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7806512992221081052.post-672249164167806822013-08-11T15:54:00.004-07:002013-08-11T16:03:14.606-07:00Officially a Senior Volunteer<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><u>Training the
newbies</u></b><i><u><o:p></o:p></u></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Peace Corps Panama cycles through volunteer groups such that
within each year, one new group per sector comes in and one group leaves. We said goodbye to the senior agriculture
group in June, and the newbies arrived shortly thereafter, making my group the
new upperclassmen. I’ve had the
opportunity to be involved in the training of this group in a number of ways.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i>A shifting focus from
gardens to traditional crops:<o:p></o:p></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Back in March I was asked to participate in a conference called
“Training of Trainers,” in which we began planning for the new group’s 9-week
Pre-Service-Training. I was informed
that the Sustainable Agriculture program is shifting its focus from the home
vegetable garden type of work I do to instead work more on traditional
crops. The idea as I understand it is
that current traditional crop practices are alarmingly unsustainable and so of
a higher priority than improving nutrition through small scale veggie gardens. It is true that the slash and burn
agriculture method of preparing land for rice, yucca, etc. is extremely
damaging. Virgin jungle trees or past
crops are cut down, this nutrient-rich organic material is burned into ash, and
the ash, which still contains some nutrients, is washed away by rain, leaving
behind a soil of poorer and poorer quality after every burn cycle. To make up for the bad soil, farmers that can
afford it buy chemical fertilizers.
Those who cannot eventually notice lower yields and start the process
over with different land. In teaching
about compost, I have emphasized that it can be used instead of chemicals and
that all the organic material chopped to clear land can go into the making of
this compost. I acknowledge that
collecting the acres’ worth of material is daunting and have also suggested
that the material simply be left where it is instead of being burned. This way it would eventually decompose and
return its nutrients to the soil and in the meantime may help keep weeds down
by blocking them from the sun. No one
has taken my advice on this, but I haven’t tried all too hard. I have had much more success advocating
smaller home composting for vegetable gardens.
The way I see it, slash and burn agriculture is deeply engrained in
Panamanian subsistence farming culture.
While my community was open to working with me on the new home garden
idea, my comparative lack of experience with their traditional crops makes my
related suggestions far less credible.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiW7FWcUS0eKTi5SxrpLE-7rGmc26IRi5ye-kl-NTv45JcnPBTnl9BcuRlthbJj8Z_oWuRZ5vXZlYVuGxtHJ0y6gNnnvMtz4dr92RJF03QfxK3GMSQ1u0TeNFPDFFDNr7vTv1MWLckZJO4v/s1600/1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiW7FWcUS0eKTi5SxrpLE-7rGmc26IRi5ye-kl-NTv45JcnPBTnl9BcuRlthbJj8Z_oWuRZ5vXZlYVuGxtHJ0y6gNnnvMtz4dr92RJF03QfxK3GMSQ1u0TeNFPDFFDNr7vTv1MWLckZJO4v/s320/1.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This is what slash & burn looks like. It hurts me to see it.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiz3xGelxcUH7GkS-p2f_Okv64BYXIbUD5Lul_vIEwDM8NSh09eceY7rApEfJ3KyZ8gA3Gxi8hTaNLqA_jBQyA_iLGye3mknpEhHMW2I7ryYVjCJO3nC4YMwu7udcugFJjM0CW5eCyoahGv/s1600/2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiz3xGelxcUH7GkS-p2f_Okv64BYXIbUD5Lul_vIEwDM8NSh09eceY7rApEfJ3KyZ8gA3Gxi8hTaNLqA_jBQyA_iLGye3mknpEhHMW2I7ryYVjCJO3nC4YMwu7udcugFJjM0CW5eCyoahGv/s320/2.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This is what a successful home veggie garden looks like.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
While the new focus of the Sustainable Agriculture Program
is an admirable one, I wonder how effective a Peace Corps Volunteer can be
given only two years, which includes only two burn cycles. I hope their training will have truly
prepared them both technically and also culturally to <i><u>slowly</u></i> begin to change some views on this complicated issue.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i>Agribusiness:<o:p></o:p></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Agribusiness remains a Sustainable Agriculture program
priority for the new group, and this was the topic I was invited to present to
them at the end of July. Of the 24 of
them, many have more prior experience with business than they do with
agriculture, so I found them to be a very receptive audience. I had fun answering their questions and
realizing how much knowledge and experience I have gained in the last year.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoZjFvMNBouR9FwdMUrPqyJDLXOZOjINVmILZUKv0BIffKzzjxxL-9TRqo86XOfa1rgDVmFTp4ANfqVW2wmmFBs4aRyCt-avaSFnVctIYL0CzMSb3EzxY322Tiii2fcq3f695anzDRENNk/s1600/3.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoZjFvMNBouR9FwdMUrPqyJDLXOZOjINVmILZUKv0BIffKzzjxxL-9TRqo86XOfa1rgDVmFTp4ANfqVW2wmmFBs4aRyCt-avaSFnVctIYL0CzMSb3EzxY322Tiii2fcq3f695anzDRENNk/s320/3.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo of Panamanian's doing the "Cost Control" activity. I had the new volunteers try it to show them how it works, but didn't have my camera.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i>Hosting visitors and
reflecting:</i><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Another aspect of training is the volunteer visit in which
each newbie spends four nights visiting a current volunteer (remember mine?
See: <a href="http://lilabailapeacecorps.blogspot.com/2012/05/volunteer-visit-practicing-pasear.html">http://lilabailapeacecorps.blogspot.com/2012/05/volunteer-visit-practicing-pasear.html</a>). This year the visit fell over the 4<sup>th</sup>
of July, so I combined forces with two neighbor volunteers and their trainees
to celebrate. We hiked out to a
beautiful spot where we could grill burgers (eggplant for me) and buy cold
beers, including American imported Budweiser.
The weather did not cooperate and the trainees experienced what they
said was their worst downpour yet.
Welcome to Panama!</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjemp04_gRIovRW88z33taBffPGFLDUUfFXsxb2IrBS03TKJniYClUfUSJD127CyUz_2bjGQA786oNAyEW4ICN8mk4R82V1hjaT_b9Ktebql1QG7_SZybYF_7K9twGyOVQJtDTVlQ7W0GX7/s1600/4.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjemp04_gRIovRW88z33taBffPGFLDUUfFXsxb2IrBS03TKJniYClUfUSJD127CyUz_2bjGQA786oNAyEW4ICN8mk4R82V1hjaT_b9Ktebql1QG7_SZybYF_7K9twGyOVQJtDTVlQ7W0GX7/s320/4.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Grilling for the 4th</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhe_wHoRJGwTj6PotgQTiQQ47aWokdvEjnp6-SSlBi28mGjvAdTRHebNHdESbNkFbo6n9FxzutNSljnQOUePathEP7m-mbsj71e1pAXL6dwhaAQZpESCLb2WDqFM468Vv5h87E-LXpI9fF_/s1600/5.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhe_wHoRJGwTj6PotgQTiQQ47aWokdvEjnp6-SSlBi28mGjvAdTRHebNHdESbNkFbo6n9FxzutNSljnQOUePathEP7m-mbsj71e1pAXL6dwhaAQZpESCLb2WDqFM468Vv5h87E-LXpI9fF_/s320/5.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ready to celebrate despite the clearly gloomy weather</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The rest of the days I had some compost and garden work days
planned so my two guests could see what my work is like. As with any friends that come to visit me, I
enjoyed their company and their many questions.
In explaining certain parts of my day-to-day life, I realize how many
things I’ve come to think of as normal, are actually quite strange. Here are some examples.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]-->-<span style="font-size: 7pt;"> </span>Laundry.
I soak my clothes in a bucket of soapy water. Then I pull each item out, lay them on a flat
board, rub a bar of Panamanian laundry soap on particularly dirty spots, and
brush the dirt and soap off with a little laundry brush. Quite an arm work out! Then I rinse the soap out under my spigot and
hang them to dry on my line. It always
takes 1-2 hours and I always listen to music the entire time. Yes, neighbors catch me singing and dancing.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPfdM7hZ5Xi3RUJJZKBvstVsncwlHEHo5lu8GF8A_7lhKl5c_LtlSwESf5DOu7NNzbX7ZPJGd8W7OE_DitezS3lplrazNjUiXEnM27CES2jxLZl2shY31q0huqyrDL-y3O3gGIW51U3ncI/s1600/6.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPfdM7hZ5Xi3RUJJZKBvstVsncwlHEHo5lu8GF8A_7lhKl5c_LtlSwESf5DOu7NNzbX7ZPJGd8W7OE_DitezS3lplrazNjUiXEnM27CES2jxLZl2shY31q0huqyrDL-y3O3gGIW51U3ncI/s320/6.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Prettier than a laundromat </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]-->-<span style="font-size: 7pt;"> </span><!--[endif]-->Pana-radio.
Even my favorite reggaeton station bugs the crap out of me. All Panamanian DJs on all stations constantly
talk over songs saying random things, promoting events, or sometimes singing
along. Occasionally they seem to realize
they’ve talked over a song too much and so will start the song over again from
the beginning.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]-->-<span style="font-size: 9px;"> </span>Teeth-brushing.
Since I have no indoor running water, I use a water bottle when brushing
my teeth and spit out the window.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]-->-<span style="font-size: 9px;"> </span>There are microscopic ants in my latrine. Every so often I get bit on the butt, never
see the culprit, nor does it leave a mark, but the stinging lasts a while. I call them phantom ants.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]-->-<span style="font-size: 9px;"> </span>Food storage.
I use foam coolers to attempt to keep bugs out, but frequently have to
comb through my food (cereal, rice, bread, etc.) to remove ants and put food in
new plastic Ziplocs that will last a few weeks (or days) before the ants chew
threw them again. Since I don’t have
electricity, I’ve had to play the game of: how long can I keep what kinds of
food before they go bad? Sometimes I win
at this game, but when I lose, the consequences are moldy and gross.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]-->-<span style="font-size: 9px;"> </span>Clothes.
I shake out every item of clothing before putting it on in case of ants,
spiders, or scorpions. I have found ants
and other weird little bugs that I’m not sure what they are living inside and
eating my clothes. All of my clothes
smell a little funky from the humidity and some items start visibly showing the
small black dots that signify mold.
Needless to say, most of my clothes will not be coming home with me.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]-->-<span style="font-size: 9px;"> </span>I find cockroach poop everywhere.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]-->-<span style="font-size: 9px;"> </span>When I hear something thud against my wall, I
know it is a toad. When I hear something
rattling along my zinc roof, I know it is a lizard.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
- Chickens frequently come over and accompany me on my porch.</div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]-->-<span style="font-size: 9px;"> </span>I know it is not a party unless yellow rice with
chicken and purple potato and beet salad is served.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Of course we also talked about work. I explained that not all volunteers are as
busy as me. This experience is what you
make of it and you literally set you own schedule. I am not happy unless I’m productive, so I
work hard to make sure I can be. We
talked about some frustrations with the Peace Corps and also our goals for
during and after. I acknowledged that
many of the questions I came in with about how to best solve sustainable
development problems have not yet been fully answered. But I also realized that I now much more
deeply understand the complexities of these problems, which I believe will help
me continue working to solve them in the future.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjQAk3mh19VnI3M4RICRHB2SFM4fLeImP0Mrzt88ET7WDr0CvwxY9BqDEg7gtg-gzrFy4swwtJa8p6IjM14fO_nVCDwIMKrHKy2g-8j4KwJb2su70v8cTDABqFVrFiygIEq6D2JF9XTeym/s1600/7.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjQAk3mh19VnI3M4RICRHB2SFM4fLeImP0Mrzt88ET7WDr0CvwxY9BqDEg7gtg-gzrFy4swwtJa8p6IjM14fO_nVCDwIMKrHKy2g-8j4KwJb2su70v8cTDABqFVrFiygIEq6D2JF9XTeym/s320/7.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Trainees and locals working on our church garden project</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
They asked me what I consider my biggest challenge here. Without a doubt I responded that it is
whenever things are completely out of my control and result in time being
wasted. I feel like this is a very
American answer. People here just do not
value time the way we do. I get so
frustrated when a rain storm cancels or postpones something everyone has been
waiting for, or when I sit waiting for hours for a chiva to take me where I
need to go, but no one else seems to mind.
I find it infuriating when outside agencies either don’t show up or show
up late to meetings they themselves organized.
I get antsy during pretty much all meetings during which I feel that
Panamanians (both those from the city and those from out here in the <i>campo</i>) talk for the sake of talking,
talk in circles, and don’t actually say much.
For me, the purpose of a meeting is to say what needs to be said, solve
problems, and move on, so everyone can go home.
Here people don’t seem to mind when meetings drag on forever yet produce
very few useful outcomes. Even if I
don’t have anywhere else I particularly need to be, my culture tells me that it
is wrong to use time inefficiently. That
culture does not exist here.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
We talked about the experience of being dumped in a foreign
country with a group of other volunteers that will presumably become your best
friends. I shared my disappointment in
realizing that many volunteers seem to have joined the Peace Corps because they
didn’t know what else they wanted to do and wanted to travel and party more
after college. While some of us clearly
care about our work, not everyone shares the same level of commitment.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
We discussed how easy it is to form meaningful relationships
within our communities. One trainee said
she hadn’t even considered this aspect, but that after spending just one day
helping a woman and her kids make compost, she already felt close to them and
cared about their struggles. Thinking
about how much I’ve grown to know, like, and care about people in El Harino
makes me already sad to realize how much I will miss them when I leave.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiO8ujH3-h6oXDc75DR4eDkpIj0KESwrm5aMV4w5Q-ecgrfe9bH4YmswAaVNYO6OASiPKJwo-v5KBPh9UKy6AQxSA8kPWWmikIdBzQK2owkJRKA1Pqk4kdr7Q9sEkjbqkC6zzLZSSmBQ1SU/s1600/8.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiO8ujH3-h6oXDc75DR4eDkpIj0KESwrm5aMV4w5Q-ecgrfe9bH4YmswAaVNYO6OASiPKJwo-v5KBPh9UKy6AQxSA8kPWWmikIdBzQK2owkJRKA1Pqk4kdr7Q9sEkjbqkC6zzLZSSmBQ1SU/s320/8.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Me, a trainee, and a family that we had just helped start a compost pile</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Overall the arrival of the new group has caused me to
reflect on where I started out, how far I’ve come to be where I am now, and
where I plan to head next. If one thing
is certain it is that joining the Peace Corps was absolutely the right thing
for me, and that it will be over before I know it.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><u>The Little Things</u></b><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Sometimes it’s the really, really little things that bring
me joy out here. Lately these types of
things have been:<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
- I can now harvest spinach from my garden. Oh my god I missed spinach.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjQV2zQV_vpa8Rc_TQxQAHslBMnwVWZ9Ivmkzz9zFXRtWDNnFEVjr5Jf3DB-UBYXrbaGstk-aZogkhD5IFh9Clm4ovIHvIIb7X3vehGIBIxe1ekvXIDlb4KcDnH-bKYx6bROLgYGfKx8GJ/s1600/9.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjQV2zQV_vpa8Rc_TQxQAHslBMnwVWZ9Ivmkzz9zFXRtWDNnFEVjr5Jf3DB-UBYXrbaGstk-aZogkhD5IFh9Clm4ovIHvIIb7X3vehGIBIxe1ekvXIDlb4KcDnH-bKYx6bROLgYGfKx8GJ/s320/9.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">SPINACH! it grows on a vine here</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
- Someone informed me that cabbage doesn’t need to be
refrigerated. My intake of leafy greens
has increased exponentially with this discovery plus my spinach. My mustard greens are almost ready to harvest
as well.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBJ6Y6iezeYVpYhpCbbdITx8wDniYzctkIdM0odUGTmH9PDyzdsp4TaKDfWcbFEnhkTffe2oVl6L5NV8RyY5I64-Dl2Y1B4ICYXRwi97l3Qbp8wk2kV-vFniAXnpeQhvJcRaHzsFR8wrp6/s1600/10.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBJ6Y6iezeYVpYhpCbbdITx8wDniYzctkIdM0odUGTmH9PDyzdsp4TaKDfWcbFEnhkTffe2oVl6L5NV8RyY5I64-Dl2Y1B4ICYXRwi97l3Qbp8wk2kV-vFniAXnpeQhvJcRaHzsFR8wrp6/s320/10.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Spinach, tomatoes, and peanuts from my garden. Cabbage and rice from a supermarket.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZKTaPl1enKHhm116ok5-Wmh8ZUqJQMHI6PSBuRNVVjvhRQKiJJHn2h8u3ApjHAjnRoVTfT_P43j6dsqKF_l5zfveVQ3LQfXrlT02fqUUYVCYbWPYaA8Mv0lGULHAWyl_hztBMw4v3meNF/s1600/11.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZKTaPl1enKHhm116ok5-Wmh8ZUqJQMHI6PSBuRNVVjvhRQKiJJHn2h8u3ApjHAjnRoVTfT_P43j6dsqKF_l5zfveVQ3LQfXrlT02fqUUYVCYbWPYaA8Mv0lGULHAWyl_hztBMw4v3meNF/s320/11.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mustard greens growing good</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
- I love when an entire week goes by without me having to
open my wallet even once.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
- It’s pifá season again!
And orange season!<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
- I’ve been here long enough to experience seasons for a
second time.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
- It’s getting muddy again, but I’m not falling down this
time.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
- According to commercials on the
radio, “<i>Las tortugas ninja</i>” seem to
be making a comeback on Panamanian TV such that I now hear the Ninja Turtles
theme song on a regular basis.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
- One of my host families from a year ago has adorable
kittens that I get to play with. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgp_hQr7FbLoMvbEzjEoRQWRHQMSQDPGRlacq5zMkmUlCx2YSShoYCTK1ssmQFxAGIEYJxy-tjviCMnDqNNF3EsdjWoOGKugdOi2cO_qoK6Z3kcvQQb6DEGkfkT0Ycln2QIBdquq8xZ0lrU/s1600/12.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgp_hQr7FbLoMvbEzjEoRQWRHQMSQDPGRlacq5zMkmUlCx2YSShoYCTK1ssmQFxAGIEYJxy-tjviCMnDqNNF3EsdjWoOGKugdOi2cO_qoK6Z3kcvQQb6DEGkfkT0Ycln2QIBdquq8xZ0lrU/s320/12.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">kitty!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
- In general, getting to hold or play with any type of
babies just makes me so happy. Baby
kittens, puppies, piglets, and of course baby humans.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiRAOx-NhcnAUVzH9lBVyeblHoekbPv7_Gu-tdVXJ2EKT2gjvYHINXazZ4Jf1vuT0t87pMoBXlL9v_xCER06rK0n4f_KyznH737AlSktD5VZORtREMXWCXBP18ksQdLrSr7PuQmU0znV8C/s1600/13.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiRAOx-NhcnAUVzH9lBVyeblHoekbPv7_Gu-tdVXJ2EKT2gjvYHINXazZ4Jf1vuT0t87pMoBXlL9v_xCER06rK0n4f_KyznH737AlSktD5VZORtREMXWCXBP18ksQdLrSr7PuQmU0znV8C/s320/13.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Puppy. Kinda sick so I'm not sure he'll make it :-/</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBCcH-2HWZbTivO1UzGr3pQEEbdaKV-5rll4PswuvKTPFs3UZxZdNarBg-ZOVxpiIyft6pb2r0MexSB0MXAjwzEWRFFyEtJJy9FEeG6rzaLWIwkS4R6WJEkH0qGbRyMzp-DwgWX2HBAnl5/s1600/14.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBCcH-2HWZbTivO1UzGr3pQEEbdaKV-5rll4PswuvKTPFs3UZxZdNarBg-ZOVxpiIyft6pb2r0MexSB0MXAjwzEWRFFyEtJJy9FEeG6rzaLWIwkS4R6WJEkH0qGbRyMzp-DwgWX2HBAnl5/s320/14.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This kid always goes straight for my lap and always makes me smile.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Lila Holzmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04835795566712471159noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7806512992221081052.post-9331232432571864712013-07-10T11:40:00.002-07:002013-07-27T10:23:54.652-07:00Manual Labor, Superstition, & Kid Quotes<div class="MsoNormal">
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><u>Manual Labor</u></b><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I do not have a background in manual labor. I was not raised in a world where it was necessary, and I certainly never pursued it during my years of academic study. But here I have discovered deep value in seemingly simple tasks.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Physically, manual labor is draining. At the end of a day spent shoveling dirt or machete-ing a field, I collapse in my hammock with barely enough energy to get up and cook dinner. I try to listen to the news on the radio but my mind zones out, too tired to concentrate. I try to read and stay up until a respectable hour, but I’ve fallen asleep as early as 7:00pm. Physical exhaustion, however, is a very satisfying form of being tired. While working, endorphins kick in and I feel good about what I’m doing. I push myself and have seen personal progress as I clearly grow stronger. Mentally, the visible results of a solid day’s work are both gratifying and humbling. Later as I struggle to keep my eyes open, I smile thinking about whatever my hard work and sweat helped accomplish that day. I also wonder at how
the skills with which community members use simple tools and resources never
cease to impress me. I continually try
to learn from them to improve my own beginner’s techniques.<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p></o:p></div>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9S7YGm0SoV_Yn7MdqYV04881xhF-yF0iTDMaARL7TV59xp0AVZxwq1JnSpquUUu7ypzc9d838Cq-KiilV0zfckWkr0jLkxjGc_UbvxoYaLVkqpq_KrJXwV2AZksVE7868tij8HcsXFNp3/s1600/8.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9S7YGm0SoV_Yn7MdqYV04881xhF-yF0iTDMaARL7TV59xp0AVZxwq1JnSpquUUu7ypzc9d838Cq-KiilV0zfckWkr0jLkxjGc_UbvxoYaLVkqpq_KrJXwV2AZksVE7868tij8HcsXFNp3/s320/8.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 13px;">3 work days = 5 raised beds</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaabIpb9YPalfZU33wyHasE-DvUqRVm7K7aiV291IWcyP8dAQhf2_5vVOGG6ysFrFfIxmg0IgkIa3YVEblUvW5lpSfGnxMO8rtuni8GyN-CWJSLmEQ561a2ZKLwxsTJqf-VCJrd9ozD4PZ/s1600/9.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaabIpb9YPalfZU33wyHasE-DvUqRVm7K7aiV291IWcyP8dAQhf2_5vVOGG6ysFrFfIxmg0IgkIa3YVEblUvW5lpSfGnxMO8rtuni8GyN-CWJSLmEQ561a2ZKLwxsTJqf-VCJrd9ozD4PZ/s320/9.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 13px;">3 longer work days with more workers = a big fish tank </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Socially, manual labor is unimaginably important for my integration into the community and for the effectiveness of my bigger-picture work here. The guys sometimes laugh when I show up to help <i>chopear</i> a field with my shorter-than-average machete (I call it my <i>machechito</i>) and laugh more when I get on my knees to avoid hunching over so much due to my tallness as I work. But I laugh too and keep at it. As we work, we talk and joke and bond. Sometimes I stay quiet listening to the local gossip.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Did you hear Ceferino doesn’t want to work as president of the water committee anymore?<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Or that Petra’s mom is sick, but thankfully the medical tour is coming this Thursday?<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Oh and Melquiades never comes through on his PTA obligations, so someone needs to talk to him.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Sometimes I jump in and share my experience and opinion on whatever the topic. I’ve had to be careful to not sound too radical but stay true to my values when topics arise like birth control, homosexuality, religion, alcohol, etc. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
People are always surprised that I only have one sister.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
- “It’s more common in the US to have smaller families.”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
- “But how do they stop having babies? Do all the women get operations?”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
- “Some. Or the men can have minor procedures too. But other forms of birth control are more common. People use condoms and many women take pills.”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
- “Oh yeah, I think I’ve heard of that.”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
One grandmother recently confessed with embarrassment that a grandchild as old as six hadn’t been baptized yet.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
- “Oh, well I’ve actually never been baptized.”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
- “You haven’t?! They don’t do that in your country?”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
- “Some people in my country do, sure, but not everyone. My family doesn’t.”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
- “And you live like normal that way? <i>Tranquila</i>?”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
- “Yep. <i>Tranquila</i>.”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0MFyKeGuAvcorMY_En__gPHyc2IliJofNcJYJcQQg3VPWM_EqYtxwcoPQzV5_rqE6i0jHDyWs4T2at_SXMCgwjyNismAlqJEbHZbXPuD1nlYmpVmVWLYXz4E7bRH7R4VcKJbcTwfCcHSi/s1600/10.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0MFyKeGuAvcorMY_En__gPHyc2IliJofNcJYJcQQg3VPWM_EqYtxwcoPQzV5_rqE6i0jHDyWs4T2at_SXMCgwjyNismAlqJEbHZbXPuD1nlYmpVmVWLYXz4E7bRH7R4VcKJbcTwfCcHSi/s320/10.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 13px;">Tamale-making is a great time for some gossip</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Aside from staying in the community loop and exchanging cultural differences, the benefits of manual labor continue. People here know that I care about the community and all its aspects, because I literally show that I do. No matter what the specific cause, if there is a community work day, and I can go, I go. I spend days cleaning gutters, constructing classrooms, cooking tamales, and mixing concrete. There is no question that I care about the progress of El Harino, and that I’m here to help. The best feeling is when I’ve heard community members explaining to outside visitors: “Oh that’s our Peace Corps Volunteer. She helps with <u>everything</u>.”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbFXWRamSey9cFiOkTloMnF4WjQQklgG9uYynR2s1wVxWYW2fpBemmKcsuXhegjPDWop1XTRskZaXo1KWMRioefaE-NeKqooLuF2Dr4m7yS1UOdW6gEyDCOIH-d22_qI5NXo-Bba2rcAp3/s1600/11.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbFXWRamSey9cFiOkTloMnF4WjQQklgG9uYynR2s1wVxWYW2fpBemmKcsuXhegjPDWop1XTRskZaXo1KWMRioefaE-NeKqooLuF2Dr4m7yS1UOdW6gEyDCOIH-d22_qI5NXo-Bba2rcAp3/s320/11.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 13px;">New 7th grade classroom</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiadtRRoIIc8eINRDBBfWpW64_SwtkN0TGeINn8F5icmoNTI8-5DCb0rO-xzgkywlgPdjmTEYomsKPsEJLq6Caagz_U1KpUJUpu0LW4iUG3Vij34V4V2ewJzaWbsqHLsBWynwTRxQ10q4xG/s1600/12.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiadtRRoIIc8eINRDBBfWpW64_SwtkN0TGeINn8F5icmoNTI8-5DCb0rO-xzgkywlgPdjmTEYomsKPsEJLq6Caagz_U1KpUJUpu0LW4iUG3Vij34V4V2ewJzaWbsqHLsBWynwTRxQ10q4xG/s320/12.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 13px;">Off to work on road and path maintenance </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
And when it comes to the sustainable agriculture work that I am here to do, separating manual labor out would be impossible. Yes, the fish tanks, vegetable garden beds, and compost piles need to be <u>owned</u> in every sense of the word by community members. But what kind of message would it send if I gave talks on the benefits of these projects, but was unwilling to work on them myself? No way. I show them that if I can do it, they can do it, and if they want my help getting these started, I am more than happy to get my hands dirty with tasks as glamorous as shoveling horse poop and beyond. We work side by side under the hot sun (or pouring rain), we talk about community matters and the world outside, and we see the physical fruits of our labor, as we work toward the betterment of a beautiful community. At the end of the day, I collapse in my hammock, exhausted and happy and ready to do it again tomorrow.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-uao8-uljz3mFOy17iCGwRHNYfRSJ3ne5RtiWOk6fsqrfW9gBhAsmdUlg8SDowuGZO6IpUmno2bjLA4pJUqTtKLrNfEFWCZNqes4pRcwGl3Ubkxx3RaEEifRjv4h0E1OCxTdt_Tjc0N78/s1600/13.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-uao8-uljz3mFOy17iCGwRHNYfRSJ3ne5RtiWOk6fsqrfW9gBhAsmdUlg8SDowuGZO6IpUmno2bjLA4pJUqTtKLrNfEFWCZNqes4pRcwGl3Ubkxx3RaEEifRjv4h0E1OCxTdt_Tjc0N78/s320/13.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 13px;">Mixing compost full of horse and cow manure, leaves, ash, food scraps, etc.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<b><u><br /></u></b>
<b><u>Garden
Superstition</u></b><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I already knew we had some problems with our school garden
project, run by a government agency. In
theory, fruits and veggies from this garden should supplement lunches for the
students. But this year the government
hasn’t consistently been providing lunch food like it did last year (rice and
beans). So garden goods only
occasionally get cooked into lunches when kids all bring a contribution from
home of either rice or root vegetables.
Otherwise, what happens to the garden products? Good question. The secondary idea is to sell within the
community. The funds will be used to
keep the project, which also includes raising chickens for consumption, going
in the future when the government agency leaves.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPxBmVsfze9utDs9ISFSTo-3VlS-FM1A01puJzh7a_lLCslKF-JTz_u5Df083DAj8GkoFN8PXs-rlkt4j7jAq55Elyxz6ehZDZLDCXb_7g2GZg1Mt4ycsGAAXp29esj4YmfIurHlS_jfZX/s1600/1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPxBmVsfze9utDs9ISFSTo-3VlS-FM1A01puJzh7a_lLCslKF-JTz_u5Df083DAj8GkoFN8PXs-rlkt4j7jAq55Elyxz6ehZDZLDCXb_7g2GZg1Mt4ycsGAAXp29esj4YmfIurHlS_jfZX/s320/1.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><div class="MsoNormal">
Lunch for the kids featuring chicken cared for by their
parents, herbs from the garden, and a mini-salad (aka spoonful of cucumber)</div>
</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
But this business is not running so smoothly. They put me in charge of holding the funds,
which isn’t good, since I won’t always be here and should have limited
responsibility in ongoing projects like this.
The PTA treasurer has been helping to sell things and then gives me the
money, but the prices aren’t fixed and people bug her at all hours of the day
to go to the garden. The government
agency wants us to record what is harvested, but that hasn’t been happening
(people here are not at all used to the idea of keeping records), and in the
meantime plenty of goods have been going missing without payment to either the
treasurer or myself. Quite a mess.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
And to top it off, I recently was informed of a whole new
issue plaguing the garden. As I
conversed with three neighbors, I could hardly believe what I was hearing …<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
- Martina: “It’s a shame the cooks harvest and immediately
cook those vegetables for school lunches.
The plants are clearly suffering.”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
- Me: “What do you mean?”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
- Martina: “People are harvesting and immediately cooking
instead of waiting and the plants are getting sick.”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
- Me: “I’m confused.
You mean people wait too long after harvesting and the fruit goes bad?”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
- Martina: “No. People cook the fruit immediately and that
makes the plant get sick.”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
- Me: “I don’t understand.”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
- Marilis: “Yeah it happens.
When you cook vegetables right away the plant they came from heats up
and gets sick.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
- Me: “I don’t think I believe that. The best thing in the world is getting to
cook with fresh goods without having to worry about them going bad or without
having to use chemicals to preserve them longer. Anyway, how can something that’s already been
detached still affect the mother plant?”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
- Martina: “It’s true.
Some people don’t believe it, but yes, it’s true.”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
- Melquiades: “The plants could also be getting sick because
of the people who harvest them.”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
- Martina: “Yes, it could also be because of that.”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
- Me: “How do you mean?”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
- Melquiades: “When people have been bitten by a spider or
snake or stung by a scorpion, they shouldn’t harvest.”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
- Marilis: “Oh yes.
Ricardo once was bit by a snake and then he harvested one of his
oranges. His whole orange tree got sick
and died.”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
- Me: “Is that so …”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
- Martina: “Those poisons are very strong. People like that who harvest products are
killing the school garden plants.”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
- Me: “Right …”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
This is not the first time I’ve heard people here share
superstitious beliefs. But this is the
first time I’ve wanted to both laugh and cry about it. The idea that the act of cooking freshly
harvested veggies can damage the mother plant is ludicrous to me and
detrimental to one of the main benefits of having a garden. But I could tell by the tone of the
conversation that I will not change anyone’s mind about it, and better to not
show disrespect towards their beliefs.
Sigh. I personally have not
noticed the garden plants getting unusually sick beyond the normal minor insect
and fungus problems. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Moving forward, we are trying out some new systems like only
selling garden products one or two days a week, writing down what’s harvested
in a more standardized notebook, and (more or less) fixing some prices. I also heard discussion of harvesting a day
in advance of cooking for the kids so that the mother plants will not “heat up
and get sick.” As far as I’m concerned,
I’m happy to help them get organized to keep this project going as they see fit,
even if certain parts may seem to me a bit silly.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_uE_q3rMYTSZX6V32O62qviJqCa1pUB2UwK8pc737JmyyBi5XqLIeJGqz5t2LbBl3bxyRtQXXmL72AeL7pFBgogiL74Zedewmd7qBmO6FqezjORsB04Dc1YwDamw3IX8mNUxojgYOveHx/s1600/2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_uE_q3rMYTSZX6V32O62qviJqCa1pUB2UwK8pc737JmyyBi5XqLIeJGqz5t2LbBl3bxyRtQXXmL72AeL7pFBgogiL74Zedewmd7qBmO6FqezjORsB04Dc1YwDamw3IX8mNUxojgYOveHx/s320/2.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><div class="MsoNormal">
The outside agency stood us up yet again, but we worked on
the school garden anyway</div>
</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4QJDCWBKsqmcYLATHKxd6lmW5JCTFEqwQJC3Su2pCv0sz7AV865tk9kS1CrzXpt_KzmG5iKanS_MfJ3wEt05nJQJ9RBBiEF7lCC8g0nkAsFqczeugKfE8ouil_OZrvtPau6s3tTdMi7ey/s1600/3.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4QJDCWBKsqmcYLATHKxd6lmW5JCTFEqwQJC3Su2pCv0sz7AV865tk9kS1CrzXpt_KzmG5iKanS_MfJ3wEt05nJQJ9RBBiEF7lCC8g0nkAsFqczeugKfE8ouil_OZrvtPau6s3tTdMi7ey/s320/3.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><div class="MsoNormal">
Attempting to get the school garden better organized with
set pricing, a schedule for selling, and a reminder to keep records.</div>
</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><u>Kids Say the
Darndest Things</u></b><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Been saving some of these up for a while:<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
- A six-year-old grabs my sunglasses and puts them on upside
down and says, “Look, now I’m a gringa.”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
- Every once in a while a kid asks me, “Until what grade did
you study?”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“All of them,” I say, “plus university.” I get a look of wonder in return.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
- “Why is your hair yellow?”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
- “Your hands are dirty.”
So are theirs, but on darker skin it’s harder to see.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
- “Look, Lila’s sweating!”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“Yes, it’s hot and I’m working.”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
- When I brought my gringa friend Ashley to visit I heard,
“Here comes Lila with another Lila!”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
- Trying to teach kids they can eat the whole orange instead
of sucking out the juice and throwing the rest of the nutritious fruit to the
ground, one three-year-old told me proudly, “Lila look! I swallowed the trash!”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Lila Holzmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04835795566712471159noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7806512992221081052.post-34051335108572873722013-06-19T10:38:00.004-07:002013-06-19T19:57:58.637-07:00Lila Baila, Snake Slayer<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<b><u>Lila Baila, Slayer
of Snakes and Such</u></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
For a while the most dangerous thing I’d seen in or around
my house were these spikey caterpillars that apparently sting like hell if you
touch them. Whenever I see one, I grab a
big spoon, carry him a safe distance away, and toss him to the ground. Not so exciting. One day I saw a scorpion chilling in my
doorway when I was on my way back from the shower. He stayed in place long enough for me to grab
a machete and take care of him, still in my bathrobe. Later came a battle with a spider the size of
my hand in my latrine. He jumped
quickly, but my machete was quicker.
That was messy. One morning a
swarm of wasps started making their home under the roof of my porch. At the suggestion of wise neighbors, I waited
until nightfall to act. While they slept
close to their half-done nest, I quickly attacked with Raid by the light of my
headlamp and then sprinted to the safety of my mosquito net. When I gathered the courage to poke my head
outside, I saw that all the wasps had fallen dead to the ground. Whew. </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuPcvlDOsp1wAFss1sndxsM0AKFV0tKKbDMu9AtddBwJWG5smvSQOh7xeGwyg5Pg-AQMisvGKcfBKpOfJMNeW_FFS4HK89spCTUR0xBBQXSuKOOvIuPK2tiY7Oj_Xg7gs6UPb1iZ6mrvQj/s1600/1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuPcvlDOsp1wAFss1sndxsM0AKFV0tKKbDMu9AtddBwJWG5smvSQOh7xeGwyg5Pg-AQMisvGKcfBKpOfJMNeW_FFS4HK89spCTUR0xBBQXSuKOOvIuPK2tiY7Oj_Xg7gs6UPb1iZ6mrvQj/s320/1.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">wasp nest</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
And then as I was tidying up one recent Friday afternoon, I
saw something slither out of the corner of my eye. Probably a lizard? I looked closer and saw no legs. Holy shit that’s a snake! I dropped what I was doing and grabbed my
machete. I contemplated calling for the
neighbors, but what if I looked away and he hid only to find me again
later? No. Now was my chance. I swung down and hit the neck perfectly. He fell from the wall to the floor, but snake
skin is tough and I saw no blood. I
struck again piercing through the neck until I hit the concrete below. Got him!
I grabbed the camera to document my victory:<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Snake down!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I took up the machete, preparing to lift the lifeless snake
body and get him out of my house, but as soon as I touched him he started
moving. What? I chopped down a few more times and to my
horror, bloody snake pieces started squirming around my floor. Remember in Fantasia how Mickey Mouse kept
splitting a broom into pieces except the pieces kept coming back to life?* Like that, except worse. SO GROSS!
How is this possible? I started
screaming and ran outside. The uphill
neighbors looked down on me in wonder.
“There’s a snake in my house!” I called up. A 17-year-old with a machete made his way
down and asked permission to enter my house.
When he saw the scene he said, “You killed it already.”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“Yeah, but it’s still moving.”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“Yeah, they do that.”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“Oh. This is
normal? I don’t know what to do.”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“I’ll take it out for you in a few minutes.”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“Thanks.”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Ever since, my whole community has been laughing at me for
screaming <i>after</i> I killed a
snake. In any case, Lila baila is now
officially a snake slayer.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
*Fantasia clip: <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jSTWy25hRiI">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jSTWy25hRiI</a> (scroll to 6:15)<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><u>Inception</u></b><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
In Peace Corps we try to get
projects going by using what we think of as the “Inception” factor. For those who haven’t seen “Inception,” the
basic point is that you have to get people to think they came up with an idea
in order for it to really stick. In
sustainable development, it’s proven true that when individuals feel they are
truly the owners of a new idea or project, they are much more likely to stick
with it.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
When it comes to project like home
gardens and fisheries, everyone knows that these are new ideas I’m helping
bring in from the outside, but I still try to encourage their ownership as much
as possible. When I show up for a garden
work day, I bring the fencing, but everything else is up to them. They ask me questions about how to proceed,
but I try to ask them more:<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“Where do you want the door to
be?”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“How many raised beds do you want
and how should they be arranged?”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“What do you want to plant in each
bed?”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“Have you started more compost for
when you run out?”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The way I’m teaching how to make a
garden here is 1) Remove the top layer of dirt full of weeds, 2) Dig and remove
soil down about a half-foot deep, 3) Start adding back in the soil, making sure
it is loose, and mixing it with layers of composted fertilizer, rice husks,
coffee husks, ash, whatever other organic material they have around. I try to teach that there is no exact right
quantity or mixture and that they should experiment with what they have. I do the first bed with them, but depending
on time, try to encourage them to work on the others without me. While I’ve gotten quite a bit stronger, we
all know manual labor isn’t really what I’m here to help with.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjj6969ixHM5xINLmySN5cybSOivE3DGHGRRAmydpUgU4MsIAHO8ES5Frw0n663H0rcdWXSmyp8wcUCR87mZ8sSWS1dGLG1DYL4RYmcZ_GZxQGKOZpXtAM_LXKUOnNFtQ33KiXFVjqGKut9/s1600/3.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjj6969ixHM5xINLmySN5cybSOivE3DGHGRRAmydpUgU4MsIAHO8ES5Frw0n663H0rcdWXSmyp8wcUCR87mZ8sSWS1dGLG1DYL4RYmcZ_GZxQGKOZpXtAM_LXKUOnNFtQ33KiXFVjqGKut9/s320/3.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">New home garden beds that Pascuala's been wanting for a while</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhk7a8QxohMJfwv6o1Jkk6lGJ06WG9pkEje2pzE6OcZfJDfQLNDRXAn9vj9mQeSi-QTVy-aZexNoKkjOvu8-_uywTrEEwRbX6UtU-_9p-n3Ctq7WJ7ueA7DUITPFSxCtRH_KIJtXNMSZyb8/s1600/4.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhk7a8QxohMJfwv6o1Jkk6lGJ06WG9pkEje2pzE6OcZfJDfQLNDRXAn9vj9mQeSi-QTVy-aZexNoKkjOvu8-_uywTrEEwRbX6UtU-_9p-n3Ctq7WJ7ueA7DUITPFSxCtRH_KIJtXNMSZyb8/s320/4.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Margarito trying to work despite annoying chickens</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The same type of process goes with
fish ponds. I teach what I know and then
it’s on them to think about:<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“How big do you want it?”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“How high should the walls be to
avoid rain water rushing in or out?”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I don’t pretend to have all the
answers and try to make them realize that they are capable of figuring these
things out as they want, because this is <i>their</i>
project.<o:p></o:p></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgResS7HZN2LzKc13hINxtfh90djf20ShAk0nQuhqttim_-DPU7gNfSPBEnsojFjRIivcXswC-rXr19WCxaC18JC09i3qLP8KvGq0qGlhkUN-QHkP8RXeBwmN9jtQjie2z5j2Qy44rXJsiA/s1600/5.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgResS7HZN2LzKc13hINxtfh90djf20ShAk0nQuhqttim_-DPU7gNfSPBEnsojFjRIivcXswC-rXr19WCxaC18JC09i3qLP8KvGq0qGlhkUN-QHkP8RXeBwmN9jtQjie2z5j2Qy44rXJsiA/s320/5.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Proud kids showing off the fish in their pond project</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEif_KRnbQRyq0svbeHNvdxKdsPZAPNzcRcPJoRxO2YZ-KBFguRW8QigwPBv4757b3DCMS3jYgobA9GCdR5qt1pdu7tgEkDIfFQTajJ1BEJXmIX2KB-xZcc63kbcX0XYL7af17PpDR4THOo9/s1600/6.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEif_KRnbQRyq0svbeHNvdxKdsPZAPNzcRcPJoRxO2YZ-KBFguRW8QigwPBv4757b3DCMS3jYgobA9GCdR5qt1pdu7tgEkDIfFQTajJ1BEJXmIX2KB-xZcc63kbcX0XYL7af17PpDR4THOo9/s320/6.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Working hard on a fish pond</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><u>I am not going to extend for a third year …</u></b><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
… But I understand why people
do. At first when I heard of the
surprisingly popular Peace Corps trend of extending an extra year, I didn’t get
it. What more could you really get out
of that last year that you didn’t already learn in the first two?<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
But work here is <i>slow</i> and patience, a critical virtue. Whether I am trying to plan home garden work
days with local farmers (challenging) or trying to coordinate with outside
agencies for support with fish tanks (near impossible), I find that delays and
reschedulings are inevitable. While a
day here or there may feel slow or dragging, the months somehow fly by, and
progress can be a tricky thing to measure.
My projects are going well in the sense that people are still engaging
me to work and help them try new things, but concrete examples are slow in
coming. In May with the help of my
all-star visitors Rebecca Powell and Aloni Cohen, I kicked off my home
vegetable garden initiative. So far I’ve
helped start 6 gardens, but only three are complete (and I only know of five
still going that began with the previous volunteer here). Of the seven families I helped start compost
piles at the end of last year only about three have started a second pile after
using all the good fertilizer produced from the first. And then there are the fish ponds. Of the six or seven families who’ve begun
construction only one or two have completed, functioning fisheries. BUT the rest have not necessarily given up on
any of these projects… They are just taking their time and managing higher
priorities first.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9idPwNK28YFSCwMZrsJ4bgtPDiQSpwf-DRKLPdqnDZQzQ5oQRZXs67bszpwypn9c-Qspp562WYOraKUBul_IYmHJqDXbJ5ORazV0ExhteCBAJN1Q80H8NuMQ6By95fhKCl1uSguB04qR1/s1600/7.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9idPwNK28YFSCwMZrsJ4bgtPDiQSpwf-DRKLPdqnDZQzQ5oQRZXs67bszpwypn9c-Qspp562WYOraKUBul_IYmHJqDXbJ5ORazV0ExhteCBAJN1Q80H8NuMQ6By95fhKCl1uSguB04qR1/s320/7.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Rebecca and Aloni taking a break from home garden labor</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6__pm0b0mquBDBY7Wd0DyGzHhzKhmTr_rYwALVoZ6Sh5-7kvI8-jEbkK_MdDT-EoaWItrxfOdCWDO85z1fF-ropqd_OJ1WHYbSweqxfkkHKll71v_gNZSnaYg0JAUNuz1HRuP14kAxYG4/s1600/8.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6__pm0b0mquBDBY7Wd0DyGzHhzKhmTr_rYwALVoZ6Sh5-7kvI8-jEbkK_MdDT-EoaWItrxfOdCWDO85z1fF-ropqd_OJ1WHYbSweqxfkkHKll71v_gNZSnaYg0JAUNuz1HRuP14kAxYG4/s320/8.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Segundo did most of this work on his own initiative - Awesome!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUakK7otlN7rh5kRBbjmeS-eiZgaX_cfD8EYakhr9Yn2cq8iin8FXZVoN5hTg76qUTIiLiSGAnB_wL8kJuwxBv0wNLBT2jO9KR0dVOOKjbvpUlWipAOZ_U2H5JGcc8Pqclr3YN2ZZ4pOEU/s1600/9.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUakK7otlN7rh5kRBbjmeS-eiZgaX_cfD8EYakhr9Yn2cq8iin8FXZVoN5hTg76qUTIiLiSGAnB_wL8kJuwxBv0wNLBT2jO9KR0dVOOKjbvpUlWipAOZ_U2H5JGcc8Pqclr3YN2ZZ4pOEU/s320/9.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">MIDA agency people finally coming out to check on our new fish pond projects</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjk0i2-M8pMz7xedi3dZutjB3mBwfOI3JCIsuuzBPmbdqVPxsIeD5YZegHTQde085B5fV1alBG6Hn9S_rR1rsgpPDTGiQAnNAC6Kgf1GCcUYZWnCtvHhSjqIi711e3_dNtfHemTOlzqdSGR/s1600/10.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjk0i2-M8pMz7xedi3dZutjB3mBwfOI3JCIsuuzBPmbdqVPxsIeD5YZegHTQde085B5fV1alBG6Hn9S_rR1rsgpPDTGiQAnNAC6Kgf1GCcUYZWnCtvHhSjqIi711e3_dNtfHemTOlzqdSGR/s320/10.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">MIDA agency people visiting a completed fish pond</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I still have a year left here, and
I’d like to say that within that time all my projects will be successfully
completed and that my community members will be well-nourished with goods they
produce in an environmentally sustainable manner. But I need to be realistic. Knowing I want to continue in the
international development field, I greatly appreciate the ground level
experience I am getting with just how long it really takes to implement
sustainable changes. While I’m sure it
would be nice to see the additional progress made in an extra year here, I know
I will be ready to move on with what I’ve learned and will leave the next steps
for my community in the hands of its leaders and perhaps to a new Peace Corps
volunteer.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><u>Realistic Goals for Year 2:</u></b><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
- Eat less peanut butter<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
- Savor my simple dinners of
plantain, eggs, tomato<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
- Put on three nationwide
Agribusiness seminars<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
- Be able to work with a machete
for 3+ hours and not get a blister<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
- Israeli dance in front of my own
community (already have in front of others)<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
- Keep supporting and following up
with anyone who’s shown interest in vegetable gardens, compost, fisheries,
money management, etc. And keep
explaining the benefits to those who have not.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
- Go to a soccer game in Panama
City (preferably Panama vs. US in October)<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
- Go salsa dancing (what? It’s
been over a year since I did this in the states?)<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
- Stay in site for three weeks
straight (current record is 19 days)<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
- Celebrate 4<sup>th</sup> of July
by teaching community members to play corn hole – this is already planned<o:p></o:p></div>
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- Apply to business school<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
- Keep as many Tuesday afternoons
free for my reading group as possible<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
- Play more soccer at the school<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
- Soak it all in, because if this
year goes by as fast as the first, I will be home tomorrow.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh63kyFa7IEVi3v4q8CKokv7NA2rL_DqowMYlOYm0b0wTWHwNYXkiZrlLdBh94tqsbHCqMz96_99aW3fyQZzCTSorE53RM5FhpNCOzF8TIMB0Ti8DV8cQz7v8ISEQOD_YI8WzyHcagJcUm_/s1600/11.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh63kyFa7IEVi3v4q8CKokv7NA2rL_DqowMYlOYm0b0wTWHwNYXkiZrlLdBh94tqsbHCqMz96_99aW3fyQZzCTSorE53RM5FhpNCOzF8TIMB0Ti8DV8cQz7v8ISEQOD_YI8WzyHcagJcUm_/s320/11.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Free reading time with the group</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJNyPJ1bvyuTeHFXQ2-9qQdnjjcxNDugfSyus7OwYvRHwuSZVva0jjrCb9U88-j3lgFi14YMKMY9SiqNkuzYd7SnhXPKMjgBr8RZJ2Lmp24TZsXNT5_WlDq3YgkMoKS0RcVzUuUA621wEA/s1600/12.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJNyPJ1bvyuTeHFXQ2-9qQdnjjcxNDugfSyus7OwYvRHwuSZVva0jjrCb9U88-j3lgFi14YMKMY9SiqNkuzYd7SnhXPKMjgBr8RZJ2Lmp24TZsXNT5_WlDq3YgkMoKS0RcVzUuUA621wEA/s320/12.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Soccer at the school</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRPXjQ32z1peB5tPOagT7k7spHacJh5RyFfOfAW6WVBDw0Hna0tjYKanKYcicdYTdgchTEDcTdtgpufPK4yTKId5ONnbJ95CiCvdsDRTuZsSVy2YkevHRUv5BNK40o7ytglpXxo_GH8giR/s1600/13.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRPXjQ32z1peB5tPOagT7k7spHacJh5RyFfOfAW6WVBDw0Hna0tjYKanKYcicdYTdgchTEDcTdtgpufPK4yTKId5ONnbJ95CiCvdsDRTuZsSVy2YkevHRUv5BNK40o7ytglpXxo_GH8giR/s320/13.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Panamanians practicing Corn Hole at my volunteer neighbor Siobhan's house</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi25ywcdtrXq2FRewES79AtSX_2LQpuTE1ghtXS0mYlaT35sdjlWwYD5fd8j0wp54_n5buns_xQx3vA1vibNOCaboqgiUBcR6yI3QxAGPHBOGJlQY4WQS3YgpzVEgeBlZb7RJzk2Q0TAVFO/s1600/14.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="91" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi25ywcdtrXq2FRewES79AtSX_2LQpuTE1ghtXS0mYlaT35sdjlWwYD5fd8j0wp54_n5buns_xQx3vA1vibNOCaboqgiUBcR6yI3QxAGPHBOGJlQY4WQS3YgpzVEgeBlZb7RJzk2Q0TAVFO/s320/14.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">El Harino panama-rama</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<o:p><br /></o:p></div>
<br />Lila Holzmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04835795566712471159noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7806512992221081052.post-46602768622938637692013-05-14T07:58:00.001-07:002013-08-30T17:36:53.997-07:00Dancing, Learning, Living<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt;">Nobody’s perfect – the story of the stolen backpack.</span></u></b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt;">One word I frequently use to describe myself is “organized.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I don’t lose things frequently, I am good at figuring out logistics, and I’m always prepared for whatever is coming next.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But I make mistakes.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt;">Coming back from a Peace Corps conference on Project Management & Leadership, I waited at my chiva stop in front of a mini-mart for my chiva to arrive.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I had a few bags with me: purse, groceries, backpack, and duffle bag.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The chiva pulled in and we all crowded around to board.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I handed my duffle bag to a helper to put it on the roof, and up it went.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I started taking my backpack off hoping to take it inside with me, but instead handed it to a helper as well.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>While I don’t like putting my backpack full of electronics (laptop included) on the roof, I could tell this would be a very full chiva (20 people ended up squished back there) and with sunny weather I didn’t think there was risk of rain.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I hustled on the chiva to secure a seat.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilda2ZZuIOEBIvnRZ9rWDlanY5BCBtmzi_r3cegbpBICJ7Akq5oF_a7SQGtjeFUDr04gZ5sQ2b9vGVxmLrrlpoWJtVeqqDSPM5CHtuo4NobPOP0dvI2mRKw5Zj7S-zQCTwidzcqr1WFkcW/s1600/chiva.bmp" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="238" pua="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilda2ZZuIOEBIvnRZ9rWDlanY5BCBtmzi_r3cegbpBICJ7Akq5oF_a7SQGtjeFUDr04gZ5sQ2b9vGVxmLrrlpoWJtVeqqDSPM5CHtuo4NobPOP0dvI2mRKw5Zj7S-zQCTwidzcqr1WFkcW/s320/chiva.bmp" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A typical, crowded chiva</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt;">After about an hour of traveling, the weather turned dark like it was about to rain, and when we made a stop I asked the driver to take my backpack down since my laptop can’t get wet.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But the backpack was nowhere to be found.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I pulled the rest of my stuff off the truck and hopped on the next chiva going back out to town.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The chiva drivers all started calling each other to see if the bag was accidentally thrown on the wrong chiva going to a different location, but with limited cell signal, it was hard to reach anyone.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was back at the chiva stop within two hours of leaving it and asked everyone around if they knew anything about a missing backpack.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I gave my number to chiva drivers and to the owners of the store from where the chivas depart.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I spent the night crying in a hotel and was back at the stop by 7am in search of any information.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I waited as the chivas came and went, asking each if they’d seen the bag and giving out my number in case they heard anything.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I know the chiva drivers, and they know me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I think I trust them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But I do not know all the bag helpers by face.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Is it possible that I just handed by bag to some random guy and didn’t pay attention to the fact that he didn’t put it on the roof?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I guess so.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I remember he looked a bit older and was wearing a straw sombrero – the normal look for humble country folk around here.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt;">After I’d seen and talked to several chiva drivers, I gave up and went home.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I cannot express the personal value (not to mention monetary) of everything in that bag, or the frustration I feel for having lost it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I made a careless mistake and was taken advantage of.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But life goes on and crying about lost things doesn’t make them reappear.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’ve got a lot of work ahead of me to attempt to replace or recreate important materials, but I know I can handle it and make the most of whatever else gets thrown at me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt;">THANK YOU to my parents for your support throughout this mess.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Love you.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt;">Guys Pay to Dance … if they can stand up straight</span></u></b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt;">Every once in a while my town hosts a typical <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">baile</i> in the cantina.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The day of a <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">baile</i> some men begin drinking early in the morning.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The first act comes on around 8 or 9pm and is called a <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">cantadera</i> involving a guitar and singing about the daily woes of life in the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">campo</i>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Since this music is not danceable, the men continue drinking heavily as they listen.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Women start to show up around 11pm when the main act comes on: a live band playing <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">típico</i> music.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This is danced to in a similar manner as the Texas-two-step in which you move around the dance floor in a circle with your partner.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The rhythm and the steps are monotonous, and the songs are long so you are stuck dancing with the same partner for quite a while.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I miss dancing so much that I partake in this activity, but continue to wonder why other Latino dances like salsa, merengue, and bachata have yet to make it here from the nearby cities.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt;">Everyone pays a $2 or $3 cover at the door, but guys who want to dance have to pay a steeper price.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As people dance, security enforcers search around with flashlights to make sure men have the appropriate dancing ticket stapled to their collar.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Some guys try to avoid the flashlights and hide as they circle around with their partner, but they will inevitably get caught and be forced to pay up.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The pair is stopped mid-dance and the guy has to get his wallet out, pay as much as $6, and get his dancing ticket stapled to his collar before the couple can continue to dance.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Rather awkward and embarrassing. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt;">All of this of course is assuming that the guy can still stand up straight.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>While I have seen binge drinking in the U.S., it does not compare to what occurs here.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Men consume entire bottles of straight Seco – the local Panamanian rum-like hard liquor.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They often pass out on the ground asleep and wake up later only to drink more and pass out again.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It never fails to rain on the day of a <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">baile </i>ensuring that these drunks will soon be covered in mud from head to toe.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It is not uncommon for me to see passed out, mud-covered men around town on the Sunday or even Monday after a Saturday night <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">baile</i>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What is the appeal to this?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Poor men waste all their money and don’t even remember it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When sober, they all admit how bad the problem is, but come <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">baile</i>-time, it’s always the same.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I try to lead by example to show what it is like to have two beers, dance for a bit, and go home happy.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It doesn’t seem to be catching on.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibpk3Xq9kza8w28_7RjQB7GgewnpFRg938Z7PA_rfd5X42DOdv9ApXGQ4IQu86p1_FDyT2byeu7YbsZvZewrFXfhyphenhyphensrKh_hP_JICIaGrZX5BO6gA4HMehqpOAddzUeq-B9g3Xn2itlsQjM/s1600/2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" pua="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibpk3Xq9kza8w28_7RjQB7GgewnpFRg938Z7PA_rfd5X42DOdv9ApXGQ4IQu86p1_FDyT2byeu7YbsZvZewrFXfhyphenhyphensrKh_hP_JICIaGrZX5BO6gA4HMehqpOAddzUeq-B9g3Xn2itlsQjM/s320/2.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Responsible, yeah?</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt;">One other added oddity to the scenario is the Panamanian <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">gritar</i>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Traditionally, men working out in the field call to each other with a shout that somewhat resembles the bark of a dog in order to greet each other and keep morale up.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When drinking, this shout is practiced all the more.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>At <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">bailes</i> I have typically see grown men partake in what I can only describe as a barking match in which two will <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">gritar</i> into each other’s faces with increasing volume and frequency.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It is so bizarre.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>OUUUAHH.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt;">Learning to Learn</span></u></b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt;">The people I work with are smart.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They are resourceful, hard-working, problem solvers.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So why do they need my help?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt;">Growing up within the U.S. formal education system, I was told I was being taught critical thinking skills, but I didn’t really know what this meant.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I have always been a proponent for experiential learning and the idea that I learn better when I see the practical applications of whatever concept is being taught.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’ve been frustrated when I felt I was not getting much out of classes, even those covering topics of high interest to me.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt;">But here, I’ve gained a deep appreciation for my educational background.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My community members struggle with ideas that I had previously considered common sense, but now realize are learned, practiced skills. Here are a few of the many examples:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt;">- After some of my presentations, I like to give quick quizzes to make sure the important points were learned.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Community members cannot grasp the idea of a multiple choice question.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I thought this would be the easiest way to quiz since they only had to write down one letter corresponding to the correct answer. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I explained the process thoroughly, but I think these quizzes did more to confuse than to help.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt;">- With such little access to information, community members lack the ability to judge what is logical.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When talking about the strange hot, dry weather we’ve had during what should already be a rainy month, I explain that there is something called Climate Change in which pollution is causing the world to get warmer.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My neighbor told me that maybe it could be that, but that also she’d heard the sun lowered itself in the sky these days, so it’s been hot because the sun is so close right now.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Hmmm.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt;">- Giving a recent talk on Agribusiness in my community, I realized that the mathematical concept of division is really challenging. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I tried to explain that in order to find the cost of production of one bucket of coffee beans we needed to divide the cost of maintaining a hectare of a coffee farm by the number of buckets of coffee the hectare produces.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I lost everyone.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj65yxiWWoBU8MgaR10-rIg7q0zUJrFH7s2RhYk_xmPWSqcUqEHAjYGQ-WuLDOq8FwH2GNUm_V5ofaJ2xOjlDK5Xt1tSCB2Ho6x22WLoGV_rdCE4SymQj6_A8FTvMZ7_aml9FpA7Fi7jqxI/s1600/P1030073.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" pua="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj65yxiWWoBU8MgaR10-rIg7q0zUJrFH7s2RhYk_xmPWSqcUqEHAjYGQ-WuLDOq8FwH2GNUm_V5ofaJ2xOjlDK5Xt1tSCB2Ho6x22WLoGV_rdCE4SymQj6_A8FTvMZ7_aml9FpA7Fi7jqxI/s320/P1030073.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Practicing basic arithmetic like long division</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt;">- I recently attended a Peace Corps conference on leadership where volunteers were accompanied by one member from their communities.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The first person I invited cancelled on me three days before the conference, because he’d been really busy lately and needed to work on his farm.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He excused himself, “Sometimes you think you can do something, but as it gets closer, you realize you can’t.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I explained to him that in my culture, if you plan to be out of town for a week and you know about it months in advance, you plan your time and commitments to make sure you remain available.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Sigh.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Luckily I found someone else last minute.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt;">- Meetings here last forever and accomplish very little.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There is no organization (no agenda), and no one seems to mind when presenters or attendees go off on tangents or repeat points already over-covered.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And at the end of the meeting, people seem happy as long as there is a meal provided, even if no solution has been reached.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt;">- The technician helping with our school garden project required us to maintain a nursery so we can always have plants in stock to replace old ones in the main garden.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We already had a table that could have served this purpose well, but all decided that they needed to build a new table and modify the other for a different use.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Huh?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Seemed like extra, unnecessary work to me.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGmIgNFtjDAraE0CF42h9GsgWOMu5879Mt9P-a5i1AWLxu78JdqBJqTquboI6t0vzEiG0j2QQApHpOeYzf33ZuWZXXtHCAi0RBUlzblmKu5pk34ve5o7xRPZzvMjI5IkB9RGy2mYBgqe7q/s1600/P1030064.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" pua="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGmIgNFtjDAraE0CF42h9GsgWOMu5879Mt9P-a5i1AWLxu78JdqBJqTquboI6t0vzEiG0j2QQApHpOeYzf33ZuWZXXtHCAi0RBUlzblmKu5pk34ve5o7xRPZzvMjI5IkB9RGy2mYBgqe7q/s320/P1030064.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Improvised nursery table</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt;">Basically I see people here working harder instead of smarter and content with make-shift solutions that fall short of solving long term problems.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And this is where I come in.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Not only do I have infinitely more access to outside information, but I can absorb such new information quickly, trouble-shoot possible solutions, and explain the process to others.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I may not have all the answers, but I know I can help find them and am learning how to best communicate them to people whose backgrounds so differ from mine.</span></div>
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<strong><u>#Third World Problems (of a first world girl)</u></strong></div>
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- Text message received from a nearby volunteer: "Ohhhh life. I have giardia."</div>
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- Back when I had a laptop ...</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijpC2HRs3MXGRT6OHVDeUZhxcllzFECvIMAKx6H-xhttAI5MyyUYE81S-xsHKFzjSmNjZk1ithgkBpM-KemK2U2wXjAfitu69CtMKHyNIjk8bK3VkCMnANSPbphDvCT2pYn3gw6YQ6b9Aw/s1600/P1030088.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" pua="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijpC2HRs3MXGRT6OHVDeUZhxcllzFECvIMAKx6H-xhttAI5MyyUYE81S-xsHKFzjSmNjZk1ithgkBpM-KemK2U2wXjAfitu69CtMKHyNIjk8bK3VkCMnANSPbphDvCT2pYn3gw6YQ6b9Aw/s320/P1030088.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt;"><strong><u>Misc. Photos</u></strong></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQat2g0p9brRJdlW-S1bB5FwjE0BBMcZgiGtv67i5T7HzE-6HLgZJHBF09xtS05AXyuQmmFu8GxLVHB_SmO7NzmJ5wlg8MuZwHw1rM-BzWeupgv1hBBnLu7Y6dXZi4b7iVTfBkP4_WMTkL/s1600/P1030203.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" pua="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQat2g0p9brRJdlW-S1bB5FwjE0BBMcZgiGtv67i5T7HzE-6HLgZJHBF09xtS05AXyuQmmFu8GxLVHB_SmO7NzmJ5wlg8MuZwHw1rM-BzWeupgv1hBBnLu7Y6dXZi4b7iVTfBkP4_WMTkL/s320/P1030203.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Community counterparts enjoying rare time at the beach. The one on the left came with me. The one on the right came from a closeby community and had never seen the beach before.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Introducing campo Panamanians to Gangnam Style</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Me and my community counterpart presenting a new slogan for our community government: "Juntos trabajamos y asi progresamos" which in English means: "Together we work, and this is how we progress" or something like that.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A year's worth of charlas!</td></tr>
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Lila Holzmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04835795566712471159noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7806512992221081052.post-62715093055665108952013-04-17T11:22:00.001-07:002013-10-16T06:27:26.225-07:00Wrapping Up a Year in Panama<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u>Ecotourism Adventure</u></b></div>
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I have believed for some time now that one day my career will lead me to work in the field of ecotourism, whether it be at the policy level or further down the line in its business application.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>While the ever-common practice of green-washing has unfortunately obscured the meaning of the term, true ecotourism ideally implies the protection of natural resources by local people who in turn benefit from income brought by visitors.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Ecotourism infrastructure (hotels, transportation, restaurants, tours, etc.) should be as environmentally friendly as possible.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Overall, locals are incentivized to manage their resources in a sustainable manner, and visitors get to appreciate foreign culture and pristine nature.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Everybody wins!</div>
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I accepted my Peace Corps assignment in Sustainable Agriculture, Panama after my first in Sustainable Community Tourism, Guatemala fell through.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Although my 200-person farming town has me working on other priorities, I have continued to pursue my interest in ecotourism, albeit on the consumer side, and have seen some interesting things.</div>
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Much to her credit, Sadie indulged my want for ecotourism and booked one night of our recent travels at an ecohotel on an island with a small Afro-Colombian population.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Highlights included beaches with gorgeous turquoise water, a sparkly night swim in a lagoon filled with bioluminescence, a walking tour of the Afro-Colombian village, and a canoe trip through mangroves with a very knowledgeable, local guide.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Beaching</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Home sweet hut, equipped with solar panel on the thatched roof</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pretty mangroves</td></tr>
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<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This initiative seemed a pretty good example of successful ecotourism with notable imperfections, namely related to poor organizational skills.</div>
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Some examples:</div>
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- “I would show you where the nice beach is, but the owner of the hotel near it is in a bad mood so I don’t feel like going over there.”</div>
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- “I’ll show you how to get to that beach, and I’ll probably stick around and show you how to get back.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Otherwise just ask someone else.” (the small island had many confusing jungles paths and there are no maps anywhere)</div>
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- The bioluminescent lagoon (the island’s main attraction) has a dock to jump off of, but no good way to get back up.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I emerged quite bloody after barnacles cut up my foot and knee.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Put in a ladder!</div>
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- The hotel first-aid kit had iodine, but no band-aids.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Luckily I brought by own.</div>
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- Any meeting time we were given actually meant an hour later.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Sadie observed, “I can’t understand how any society can function without punctuality.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’ve found that this is how most of Latin America carries on.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Gross, mangy dogs followed us everywhere</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pretty jungle maze</td></tr>
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One guide explained that the island has strict rules requiring local businesses to hire local employees – the idea being to ensure that they benefit from growing industries like tourism.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>While I can see that this system has some value, I believe it also has clear disadvantages.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’m pretty sure this organization would benefit from some outside perspective on how to meet tourists’ expectations.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In the future I hope to help serve as this link between local, sustainable business and foreign clientele.</div>
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Aside from our ecotourism adventure, Sadie and I had spent a couple days in my site and stayed the rest of the week in the charming old town of Cartagena, Colombia.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was a truly great trip and although it went by too fast, I’m so glad I got to spend time with my sister, as she now restarts her work at a demanding law firm and her life as a newlywed.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sadie showing the magic of video recording to kids who love to sing on camera</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cute Cartagena</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cartagena fort with the new city in the background</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mud volcano adventure just outside the city</td></tr>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u>Play Hard, Work Harder</u></b></div>
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Vacations are done for the time being, and I feel as busy as ever.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In site work continues on fish tanks, coffee, school activities, and home gardens (recently got some grant money to help get fencing to protect gardens from chickens!).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Within Peace Corps I have taken on some new responsibilities.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>After losing VP in our elections for Panama’s Volunteer Advisory Committee VAC (much like a student government that communicates between volunteers and administration), I ran unopposed and got elected the VAC Regional Representative for the provinces of Panama Oeste and Colon.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Basically this means I get to voice my opinion at meetings but am not a voting member of the board.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Of more importance to my life, I applied and was named our new Agribusiness Coordinator.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This means that over the next year I will be in charge of organizing agribusiness seminars throughout the country (first one coming soon May 15-17!!), help volunteers who ask for support facilitating work on this subject, edit and develop the Peace Corps Panama Agribusiness Manual, and train incoming volunteers on how to use the manual.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Whew.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As I approach my second year in country, I am sometimes overwhelmed by all that I wish to accomplish in such a short time.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But I’m also excited to keep at it and see how things go.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Year two in Panama begins soon on May 2<sup>nd</sup> (although one year in site is not until July).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I plan to celebrate by giving my community the agribusiness talk on marketing, but more on that next time.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Here we go!</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Visiting NGO brought backpacks and other goodies.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Moving over the cafeteria hut to make room for a new 7th grade classroom</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: x-small; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">I got invited to help machete the weeds in this stunning pineapple farm.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Was rewarded with delicious pineapple</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Viviana showing off her home garden beds</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgfDsgNEhrl0hK5BstIx8gY1_axhxhUUhKk8DpN4F42EolYdmz5y_q5ZiQ0Sot8jhaE46zg9ftoUgpiQGPAHaMrWTxI3hOodQXDRyuvQo3_x9kgFNlez6lZHWZxsCn3Ualx7ZI2VYFtpvq/s1600/14.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><img border="0" dua="true" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgfDsgNEhrl0hK5BstIx8gY1_axhxhUUhKk8DpN4F42EolYdmz5y_q5ZiQ0Sot8jhaE46zg9ftoUgpiQGPAHaMrWTxI3hOodQXDRyuvQo3_x9kgFNlez6lZHWZxsCn3Ualx7ZI2VYFtpvq/s320/14.JPG" width="320" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-size: small;">Constructing the new 7<sup>th</sup> grade classroom.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Amazing what you can do with just a hammer and nail.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Yes, I sort of miss electric screwdrivers.</span></div>
</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQJdC8lVYjB94ye3RpJW9DoBuiJAoLQRwr9Y1g1GKYigntIXiWza1lZm4U9bC-Uulp1iZyU77B67hiTU33MTYc-0PNj6TDYGn8jtJVX00e_5Ebo9xgv49z2dbPSquluc00lHyezbCm9QGv/s1600/15.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" dua="true" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQJdC8lVYjB94ye3RpJW9DoBuiJAoLQRwr9Y1g1GKYigntIXiWza1lZm4U9bC-Uulp1iZyU77B67hiTU33MTYc-0PNj6TDYGn8jtJVX00e_5Ebo9xgv49z2dbPSquluc00lHyezbCm9QGv/s320/15.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: x-small; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">Moving boulders.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Not totally sure why.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I didn’t really think it was in the way.</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzoXuVWvW4Fro8uAnpndh-P4Nv7o7nbG0_HZzepNs728Lge1ouI_LldhXZpHVdtzHer_rB37-Gkf12IYBM2TwNNLS022ZnkptM4l_bG-nIweB70kYjC-Zgvn2QwTaPgx26CaLk-VEy3QVe/s1600/16.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" dua="true" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzoXuVWvW4Fro8uAnpndh-P4Nv7o7nbG0_HZzepNs728Lge1ouI_LldhXZpHVdtzHer_rB37-Gkf12IYBM2TwNNLS022ZnkptM4l_bG-nIweB70kYjC-Zgvn2QwTaPgx26CaLk-VEy3QVe/s320/16.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-size: small;">Kids helping out in the school garden</span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u>#Third World Problems (of a first world girl)<o:p></o:p></u></b></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u><o:p><span style="text-decoration: none;"></span></o:p></u></b></div>
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<br /></div>
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- I like checking my cell phone messages, but climbing up that hill to get reception is so terribly tiring.</div>
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<br /></div>
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- I get told that I’m looking fat and that’s supposed to be a compliment.</div>
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<br /></div>
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- Listening to the news on the radio is a sad substitute to watching The Daily Show, especially because the radio signal only sometimes reaches out here.</div>
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<br /></div>
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- I’ve seen cockroaches crawl out of my backpack on the bus on the way into the city.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I hope no one notices they come from me.</div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
- Why does that 5-year-old have a machete?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And why is he better at using it than me?</div>
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<br /></div>
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- I squish little bugs on my kindle when I read by flashlight at night.</div>
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<br /></div>
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- How did ants get into that?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Added protein …</div>
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<br /></div>
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- The Panamanian government recently gave laptop computers to all 9<sup>th</sup> graders in this small region (four of which are from my community).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>None have electricity.</div>
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<br /></div>
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- One of the grossest things I’ve done recently is clean the greenish guts off my machete of a spider the size of my hand.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>However I did feel pretty badass for having machete chopped that<a href="http://www.blogger.com/null" name="_GoBack"></a> massive spider.<br />
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<b><u>Videos!</u></b><br />
<b><u><br /></u></b>
Sadie recently inspired me to take short videos. Here are a few:<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dzj9_-AXDyHVyDeasS8KXe0xFplX8ojJ4zvSJtPzjHGbLY06Z2WGt0EkVbwzZMcAxMnvYjzM-E_eww9yUEmjA' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>
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A typical walk to work</div>
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<br /></div>
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<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dwYVtFKjU-lJtVIWEwrNa8vUrfRBbDHbP5l5E5kZUcwcCWJnj7_q_JCP7mr_QhDdNPrXCbslAQgDmbn1Usq0w' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>
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Rain falling on my house from my neighbors' porch where I get cell signal</div>
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<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dxLEKuwrxuRSOXHImz_HzOI1T3qgQdWPDDfjBHNJB7cdx5o_8Sc2COCw4pP5HmBjAjSGMTHp_PaCJ9EViFUyw' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>
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Watching the rain through my window</div>
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<br /></div>
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<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dw5xxyjH-_EKlTtZ3Jub8CWSVcnu3oyuptXih5j5KtgaZQS0S1F1tTzjuZVQ8qLID84w990BYoakL3cCAgmUA' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>
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Slash and burn agriculture :-/</div>
</div>
Lila Holzmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04835795566712471159noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7806512992221081052.post-15661803114369049652013-03-21T05:07:00.002-07:002013-10-16T06:27:50.112-07:00Summertime in Panama<br />
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<b><u>Learning to Like
Fish Tanks<o:p></o:p></u></b></div>
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In past blog postings, I have expressed some frustrations
with the work involved in constructing fish tanks – namely that digging in mud
is not much fun. Additionally I had
never been trained in fish tank construction or management, so I felt
unqualified to be helping such projects move forward. In February I attended a Peace Corps fish
tank seminar to help remedy this second concern, although the first will remain
forever.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Fish “tanks” are not really tanks. They are more like man-made ponds. The basic process is you find an area with
firm, clay-like soil, dig out the pond while building up walls around it,
strategically place PVC tubes to both bring in fresh water and take out dirty
water, and raise fish for personal consumption and maybe even to sell. If you happen to be growing other products
nearby like rice, you can set up this heavily fertilized water (with fish poop)
to go straight there. Very efficient,
relatively cheap, and provides an excellent source of protein. Ideally you have at least a two-pond system
to manage fish: one for reproduction and the other for fattening up the
males. This way the males grow fat
quickly since they have more space to move around and no competition for
food. Yes, we had to learn how to sex
fish in order to separate the males out.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfKCTbfuuc15h6aSDDnKxIm147WHkIOWDXWFLAYPSr6HSPbxjqJGrByu3f8GaVcuPiMDSfaqAM4TEo5JqgC1eJgxOfmTw7tOEcjeivwaCrE2yBtgjbHWmQbcQLe-jkWcxEq4ITZQfjgxOw/s1600/1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfKCTbfuuc15h6aSDDnKxIm147WHkIOWDXWFLAYPSr6HSPbxjqJGrByu3f8GaVcuPiMDSfaqAM4TEo5JqgC1eJgxOfmTw7tOEcjeivwaCrE2yBtgjbHWmQbcQLe-jkWcxEq4ITZQfjgxOw/s320/1.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Visiting a nicely constructed fish tank</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRI9-faPrXJJ2EqtN0yGMp2MwDVauu943MQnZ7ZANM-iOHrPhnvmhlAQkp5nojHYEa0Z9Mfihkunl4FYuNTsqvgFaLsKNWj3GhYXGETLLsH_anxuou3ym3CNcZr84X-KIIWt34K5qYEPqh/s1600/2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRI9-faPrXJJ2EqtN0yGMp2MwDVauu943MQnZ7ZANM-iOHrPhnvmhlAQkp5nojHYEa0Z9Mfihkunl4FYuNTsqvgFaLsKNWj3GhYXGETLLsH_anxuou3ym3CNcZr84X-KIIWt34K5qYEPqh/s320/2.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Is this tilapia male or female? How many holes does it have?</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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I brought two community members Santiago and Ricardo to the
seminar, and they both seemed to get a lot out of it. Socially, it was the first time they had
interacted with such a diverse group including several other Peace Corps
Volunteers, Panamanians from all over the country, and members of different
indigenous communities. They both came
back driven to get going on their new projects.
Santiago immediately began work with his dad (who already has a tank with
fish) to start constructing several new ponds for both fish and rice.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNgCcPvrGSxxaNE_fO5Q5qOvu9EA7gk5OfFh5RZOFwRY_EbnNRLES2IsleU5svDVt2DLlwO86m84LPa1lYwG7RMmirGDHjIIe3JxZiO6K95cJ5BrV8vEwha-s8umbJU2qU6Gl7viZh7DwD/s1600/3.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNgCcPvrGSxxaNE_fO5Q5qOvu9EA7gk5OfFh5RZOFwRY_EbnNRLES2IsleU5svDVt2DLlwO86m84LPa1lYwG7RMmirGDHjIIe3JxZiO6K95cJ5BrV8vEwha-s8umbJU2qU6Gl7viZh7DwD/s320/3.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Volunteers and Panamanians learning by doing</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVnqJFTyYGYZnKdzhivw_JZ8G5Td1mzK_WZdRYrGHz3orTxii9QVY-8f1XOKdnfOlLfk2DG93mW6JzY5168tQtNg-6_yVw0JIAoRPKU5EphdpZjaFZ7D8WQxrpPQzq0IvuaK4lApRmHSjr/s1600/4.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVnqJFTyYGYZnKdzhivw_JZ8G5Td1mzK_WZdRYrGHz3orTxii9QVY-8f1XOKdnfOlLfk2DG93mW6JzY5168tQtNg-6_yVw0JIAoRPKU5EphdpZjaFZ7D8WQxrpPQzq0IvuaK4lApRmHSjr/s320/4.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Santiago and his dad's tanks for both fish and rice</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvNrLGrLb1euxhrFl_VGoh_GXG3a_TnZy22IhKJZ1ttBnqJQWTbX_iOTWb2CjydbGH2k_Ph-kFKuT97_kPNiLvfUt-a-foAuF8wWUzUjMWmpAW1NsZNIgJM6v_-Gn8YkiH2rvqBrRxeycf/s1600/5.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvNrLGrLb1euxhrFl_VGoh_GXG3a_TnZy22IhKJZ1ttBnqJQWTbX_iOTWb2CjydbGH2k_Ph-kFKuT97_kPNiLvfUt-a-foAuF8wWUzUjMWmpAW1NsZNIgJM6v_-Gn8YkiH2rvqBrRxeycf/s320/5.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Santiago and his dad Ceferino starting rice seeds for their new tank</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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With the new information gained by the three of us, we set a
date to give a talk on fish tank construction and management to spread the knowledge
to those interested here in El Harino.
The day of the talk Santiago came over to say he couldn’t make it
because he had to work. I found this
extremely disappointing. In bringing
community members to seminars like this, the point should be that these leaders
will help bring ideas back home. In not
attending, I felt that while he himself is putting to use what he learned, he
is not helping to pass along the message.
Sigh. Ricardo, however, did come
through. The talk with us both there
went well, and afterwards a group headed over to help Ricardo start his first
pond. As we worked we explained why we
were doing things a certain way, and the participants seemed eager to learn and
willing to help.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkSSbfrjFRnA7Co1UpfiGp9_Uo-Tz2U-I0SyOnD__ELz2YwyHsAoGS38JLO3YwSdIr4yvi7jESgq-l4zPNhgjThp5-GV76Md8AY_vpXIqFe8Hb1yAt2Os9s93kpLmVu2VITItsM092tZFt/s1600/6.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkSSbfrjFRnA7Co1UpfiGp9_Uo-Tz2U-I0SyOnD__ELz2YwyHsAoGS38JLO3YwSdIr4yvi7jESgq-l4zPNhgjThp5-GV76Md8AY_vpXIqFe8Hb1yAt2Os9s93kpLmVu2VITItsM092tZFt/s320/6.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Presentation material on how to construct a solid fish tank</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMP2YCKzZrvrx78W2Y_FpWdtINzGg4vAUojbbWSlW9P4bBkDrdVah7K-NcuBmXtIZjy5gc_4anC9Zdb1SnO8dA_JdVKBFX8gd2RDzvO5IdLXX09twg3z1CZXtAhjVrTokeaWr72cvZAg3w/s1600/7.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMP2YCKzZrvrx78W2Y_FpWdtINzGg4vAUojbbWSlW9P4bBkDrdVah7K-NcuBmXtIZjy5gc_4anC9Zdb1SnO8dA_JdVKBFX8gd2RDzvO5IdLXX09twg3z1CZXtAhjVrTokeaWr72cvZAg3w/s320/7.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Participants digging in (literally) </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
This work day was made extra pleasant by the rather typical
addition of <i>chicha fuerte</i>, a
fermented corn drink. I truly felt I was
one of the guys as we all drank, worked, talked, and learned. Good times.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbUKDS5iIRrPED7rhNuuAMLiY1s2xwPw5Hzs68QKHJkKWlfde0KG7FBZpt8kCyANMqqh-Wk4GacRrqJ7gS4XD3IbTAezJvyHr056bpEjdxXtCXNh1wVHOvKGP3cPXkoLJnhCSJG5JrbxW9/s1600/8.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbUKDS5iIRrPED7rhNuuAMLiY1s2xwPw5Hzs68QKHJkKWlfde0KG7FBZpt8kCyANMqqh-Wk4GacRrqJ7gS4XD3IbTAezJvyHr056bpEjdxXtCXNh1wVHOvKGP3cPXkoLJnhCSJG5JrbxW9/s320/8.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Chicha fuerte is poured into a common cup that gets passed around</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBL8-S2gjJLlSDo3qSToDRjyvMBhwwDqB3WFeB1ifbvwE2f_DACfm148tQlCzFQgIimVNrPlTEJmJaOo62TYN3qgjEb3rblE1SQaKFwJIYkT3dRpZYWUQgKGGTT4sfBMwoPKopW46YL9Zb/s1600/9.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBL8-S2gjJLlSDo3qSToDRjyvMBhwwDqB3WFeB1ifbvwE2f_DACfm148tQlCzFQgIimVNrPlTEJmJaOo62TYN3qgjEb3rblE1SQaKFwJIYkT3dRpZYWUQgKGGTT4sfBMwoPKopW46YL9Zb/s320/9.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Found this while out there. AHHHHH</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
About 12 guys want to start fish tank projects. Whew.
Unfortunately, the weather does not seem to want to cooperate with
us. It is much easier to construct the
ponds in dry soil, rather than mud that sticks heavily to shovels and causes
wheelbarrows to get stuck. While the
summer dry season here in theory should last from December all the way through
March, we have already had weeks of rain, leaving me to believe that each fish
tank project I work on will be a muddy mess.
<i>Así es la vida.</i><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><u>Getting to know
the Caribbean & Keeping Busy</u></b><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I’ve been doing some travelling! In February I took a trip with some other
volunteers to Bocas Del Toro, the province closest to Costa Rica. We visited a volunteer’s site in a Ngobe
indigenous community and then continued on to one of the most touristy islands
I’ve ever seen. While I don’t speak a
work of the Ngobe language, they apparently love giving Ngobe names to
visitors, so my new Ngobe name is Chami.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2C7_CoKongnfc5Sp1PQMFmgrPx7QQ8px720iZnyHZIbenRz4qX5jongzDVAvEQSFgvmOIOxzS0e6LHTb8QoKT1bKl919JxfXL5pjddoiOm8XTJdpmY0AJPDCy7EE0UELvUx_TSsTmLEZr/s1600/10.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2C7_CoKongnfc5Sp1PQMFmgrPx7QQ8px720iZnyHZIbenRz4qX5jongzDVAvEQSFgvmOIOxzS0e6LHTb8QoKT1bKl919JxfXL5pjddoiOm8XTJdpmY0AJPDCy7EE0UELvUx_TSsTmLEZr/s320/10.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hiking in Bocas</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5hUbS9fz7oOgmk1B3lRGDOWgTYQFRtVgKy3tLQL6NugRNfi5fu3INkn1Cop7ZkWeYcxe6VPCCIB7xn_GsRObYdK4jzc99MQZsqcFDPoMwM4GF0F8HfHKFdZc1x1DphQRqWLbDSSmLGMCq/s1600/11.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5hUbS9fz7oOgmk1B3lRGDOWgTYQFRtVgKy3tLQL6NugRNfi5fu3INkn1Cop7ZkWeYcxe6VPCCIB7xn_GsRObYdK4jzc99MQZsqcFDPoMwM4GF0F8HfHKFdZc1x1DphQRqWLbDSSmLGMCq/s320/11.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ngobe kids who call me Chami</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVx7o5ZJeiAnsNZYpwRgit5bYV158HYwovwm1LwjL1ziJdJKcYFY53qH2_yLUglqrv_pGdulY029-VPt2MncVLn9jMg6I-DqAGUBYmvjkfcqd3aFemXttSXXm0T7yx123f9djQsqRe3sje/s1600/12.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVx7o5ZJeiAnsNZYpwRgit5bYV158HYwovwm1LwjL1ziJdJKcYFY53qH2_yLUglqrv_pGdulY029-VPt2MncVLn9jMg6I-DqAGUBYmvjkfcqd3aFemXttSXXm0T7yx123f9djQsqRe3sje/s320/12.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Boating around Bocas islands </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
In March my college roommate Marisa Gonzalez made time in her busy schedule of
impacting the lives of underprivileged middle-schoolers as an English teacher in Houston to take her precious
spring break with me in Panama. After
spending a couple days in my site we adventured to the Kuna Yala indigenous
reservation, which contains the most breathtakingly beautiful islands I’ve ever
seen. We now know what it is like to
quite literally be stranded on a deserted island, but luckily it was gorgeous
one, and I cannot thank Marisa enough for her flexibility and calmness as we
got to know a completely foreign side of Panama known as San Blas.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhv0q5y65AA1eF1iCAhyZEmVLNG6_VJ3C2Lix_uaGD_ZuxgJS7kjz1RnYP1FWCJ9-2Y8OtCx2k2ojDXn7qoZJVxMrok_8TW5XWdod6wrND6IszAyVfCHHFYNubHcaSaCOWnbhGHYlwyKQrQ/s1600/13.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhv0q5y65AA1eF1iCAhyZEmVLNG6_VJ3C2Lix_uaGD_ZuxgJS7kjz1RnYP1FWCJ9-2Y8OtCx2k2ojDXn7qoZJVxMrok_8TW5XWdod6wrND6IszAyVfCHHFYNubHcaSaCOWnbhGHYlwyKQrQ/s320/13.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Kuna women in traditional dress picking up their kids from school</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7x95z53Mx8F-IqOWBqXJOd9OO8oStb5Jdm0y2z1pBW_wjJBkdVntLQ-SYMKBvDBEwJeYENSCNoR0_ScjRumCVEAXM37bSpEZMHEojzeuoenE8TFo4wvpcr5s2rHItV565SmXHzvzvakok/s1600/14.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7x95z53Mx8F-IqOWBqXJOd9OO8oStb5Jdm0y2z1pBW_wjJBkdVntLQ-SYMKBvDBEwJeYENSCNoR0_ScjRumCVEAXM37bSpEZMHEojzeuoenE8TFo4wvpcr5s2rHItV565SmXHzvzvakok/s320/14.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Gorgeous</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJFULm6qc1OAnqxFbyvRZ1TUpdBs8eqNAcLRPpseNIOA6K3uTFEwrQavUvuRANrcksEb4vkRDzqmR_jToKa3HZyyGEzYZCBAwfe_mn6yY72CAkfGmGpi6fQhyphenhyphendmJWnXXb6yaZNoSvy6Pj_/s1600/15.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJFULm6qc1OAnqxFbyvRZ1TUpdBs8eqNAcLRPpseNIOA6K3uTFEwrQavUvuRANrcksEb4vkRDzqmR_jToKa3HZyyGEzYZCBAwfe_mn6yY72CAkfGmGpi6fQhyphenhyphendmJWnXXb6yaZNoSvy6Pj_/s320/15.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Starfish!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I’ll see the Caribbean again soon when my sister Sadie makes
her way down here at the end of the month (post-honeymoon in India). We’ll spend a couple days in my community and
then fly to Cartagena, Colombia. SO
EXCITED. As usual with all my traveling,
I feel a slight pang of guilt whenever I am out of site, but some of my time
out is always work related (I am currently at a Peace Corps capacity-building
event because they want me to help train the next group of volunteers arriving
in June), and of course I am entitled to take vacation days as with any
job. Overall, whether I am travelling
around or I am home in El Harino, I am trying to make the most of my time and
am happy to be keeping busy!<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSTbGNAmfGO_CYtD_Su-4EYTE6TD75hLeIRhYU-MB8r5U67MXXhA0LL30Mj1hqFHIOQHAkyuZzxdnfAxLtrtebYYnF35OXu8xGzjyQZXTzK2-BkRLSgkW_LwjEw2-_mFvl4rooTQ3PrdjC/s1600/16.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSTbGNAmfGO_CYtD_Su-4EYTE6TD75hLeIRhYU-MB8r5U67MXXhA0LL30Mj1hqFHIOQHAkyuZzxdnfAxLtrtebYYnF35OXu8xGzjyQZXTzK2-BkRLSgkW_LwjEw2-_mFvl4rooTQ3PrdjC/s320/16.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Participants in a talk on money management</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxbsNdYmKAdTuKN28rw-1z7BKUdfagWphgzujl3hED3gbZ-4YOfnZgYasD2XPIkHbbBOIrfp8YwbV8s9ehYJNwDJlEqPOudTu6C4PLe8Re0Hj04xe6hz8Hw9f9GWVhstbY8-MGzOz_fk-B/s1600/17.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxbsNdYmKAdTuKN28rw-1z7BKUdfagWphgzujl3hED3gbZ-4YOfnZgYasD2XPIkHbbBOIrfp8YwbV8s9ehYJNwDJlEqPOudTu6C4PLe8Re0Hj04xe6hz8Hw9f9GWVhstbY8-MGzOz_fk-B/s320/17.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Activity to practice analyzing what costs are necessary versus unecessary</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj26EvmVe0LwX3aVhHtbWo2olUh1sHmKyAPCtpRD8zxtm99hRPj4sgzB-NbFWoqVzbMiKhlZNRrNgaK0cGwZcFzNIaTQbwjURmX4tR3lpt0Axn9m2vfcwjhSPaeIPOpmdE0H5RHqrTN_Uir/s1600/18.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj26EvmVe0LwX3aVhHtbWo2olUh1sHmKyAPCtpRD8zxtm99hRPj4sgzB-NbFWoqVzbMiKhlZNRrNgaK0cGwZcFzNIaTQbwjURmX4tR3lpt0Axn9m2vfcwjhSPaeIPOpmdE0H5RHqrTN_Uir/s320/18.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Reading group</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhm_TmdGB-iZGqz-u-cyclYRAzS9rVO1jwenxG6PjUawszBvNLjjHbj8WngyAUr8NNMM6UTUUO9RDw9BB2kT-CDzxyTxwwUfiHaKDbLzW7bnds6SFDiD0jHZUqOFJBILC9vhAY2e-RBkefN/s1600/19.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhm_TmdGB-iZGqz-u-cyclYRAzS9rVO1jwenxG6PjUawszBvNLjjHbj8WngyAUr8NNMM6UTUUO9RDw9BB2kT-CDzxyTxwwUfiHaKDbLzW7bnds6SFDiD0jHZUqOFJBILC9vhAY2e-RBkefN/s320/19.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hanging on a friend's rooftop garden in Panama City</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjR5VIxWvC4UOFUnuiGwpQHj46wiw5IsvWV8tRXOrdBysE1E6e61AYGV-_nte0ylFRaXgFia43f_9mrhZKscVwpdeBGEOdvm8WRyEDpRBaVOdeY0vWYkllyKXIULJvl1X72wI0wxfWUlSub/s1600/20.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjR5VIxWvC4UOFUnuiGwpQHj46wiw5IsvWV8tRXOrdBysE1E6e61AYGV-_nte0ylFRaXgFia43f_9mrhZKscVwpdeBGEOdvm8WRyEDpRBaVOdeY0vWYkllyKXIULJvl1X72wI0wxfWUlSub/s320/20.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Guava season!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />Lila Holzmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04835795566712471159noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7806512992221081052.post-78993579086914006062013-01-30T04:50:00.000-08:002013-01-30T17:48:12.094-08:00I Introduced Tacos to Panamanians<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<b><u>Seed Saving =
Sustainability</u></b><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
At some point I realized that people have been asking me not
only for new seeds they want to try planting for the first time, but also for
seeds of plants I’d seen them growing previously. It turns out that people here have not been
saving their seeds!<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
So I gave a training session on seed gathering and
care. This topic may seem obvious, but
it is no easy feat out here. First, when
seeds are harvested they must be thoroughly dried, without getting burned. Some types of seeds are more delicate to sun
exposure than others, so while a few can be dried sitting up on a hot, zinc
metal roof, others must be kept out of direct sunlight. After the initial drying, staying dry remains
a challenge in this humid, equatorial climate.
Glass or plastic jars that seal tightly are ideal, but when farmers save
large quantities of seeds in sacks, the bare minimum they should try for is to
store the sack up, off of the ground and away from places where water comes
into a house. Insects eating seeds in
storage are yet another challenge mitigated by adding ash and strong-smelling
herbs to the seed containers.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p> </o:p> </div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIbjHqvvvo2i81fK7JLcpZdRjRr2ObPkyy0LS4o2TBsvC_xmwrB1P-MfRy0UWaoIBLIgoCGa82qQfJC7P18YxX8TUkMoYL0Wjy72C1-ZdoWvTzuQQeqebatckAyJHk8KxPzCqp3s7FDxOB/s1600/P1010633.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIbjHqvvvo2i81fK7JLcpZdRjRr2ObPkyy0LS4o2TBsvC_xmwrB1P-MfRy0UWaoIBLIgoCGa82qQfJC7P18YxX8TUkMoYL0Wjy72C1-ZdoWvTzuQQeqebatckAyJHk8KxPzCqp3s7FDxOB/s320/P1010633.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small; text-align: start;">Group gathering to learn about seed saving</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I explained that seeds should be harvested from healthy,
high producing plants. For example, the
current practice for growing new coffee trees is to let the cherries fall to
the ground, wait for baby trees to sprout, and then transplant these to new
areas. Using that method, farmers have
no idea from which tree the sprouts are coming and so have no way of knowing if
the parent tree is a strong seed donor candidate. I also explained that seeds found locally are
better than those brought in from the outside.
Seeds here have adapted to the climate, are resistant to diseases, and
are generally better suited for this environment. We have no such guarantee when buying seeds
from other sources. I put up a list of
seeds people ask me for regularly and another list of seeds I know people have
grown or are growing within this community and watched the light bulbs
click on. If people in El Harino
exchange seeds with each other, they will be able to get local seeds at low
cost. And they will be able to do this
time and time again. In theory, no one
should have to ask for free seed handouts again!<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEil7qMuiCGTxZqkR1h7JRBjvWcSNmJ4LQzGbZmX3zw-kKWV9f-Dy4VDj2BWcaK3a__aoQ9n9Q2baZjDalx3NXMkeoZvUXlhv3Ailf4WALG4RObmtG675iq9vE2pS53ppjNf7JSt8q2082_o/s1600/P1010447.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEil7qMuiCGTxZqkR1h7JRBjvWcSNmJ4LQzGbZmX3zw-kKWV9f-Dy4VDj2BWcaK3a__aoQ9n9Q2baZjDalx3NXMkeoZvUXlhv3Ailf4WALG4RObmtG675iq9vE2pS53ppjNf7JSt8q2082_o/s320/P1010447.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Example of my presentation papers</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I told everyone that I would help get seeds from the outside
only if they were truly hard to find locally or in extremely high demand. I also set some requirements for receiving
free resources from me.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
1) They have to show me the place they have in mind to plant.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
2) At said place, there must either be good soil already, or
they must begin to compost in order to improve soil quality. I told them if they need proof of the magic
of compost to come see my garden. My
terrible, clay-based soil is producing wonderfully thanks to compost! I reminded them that I am always available to
come help families get their compost piles started (I have already done this
for five households).<o:p></o:p></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj44ubb0zWDjG6HZyl2_jk9PJRV_yogcYEdiIjR7ISSp-MRuweL22Wuemz8LjryyQktDYyTZoXZ7BH4aESSPwSLfCaWorIPIoXGF3V6HojfYivU36wjoUDYOUbzNn2cOptTZ4IrJwxioJqv/s1600/P1010710.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj44ubb0zWDjG6HZyl2_jk9PJRV_yogcYEdiIjR7ISSp-MRuweL22Wuemz8LjryyQktDYyTZoXZ7BH4aESSPwSLfCaWorIPIoXGF3V6HojfYivU36wjoUDYOUbzNn2cOptTZ4IrJwxioJqv/s320/P1010710.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My garden growing wonderfully</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
3) They need to
practice some form of seed starting, whether it be a seed table like mine or
little seed bags.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
My idea with these requirements is that if families receive
seeds to plant or fencing to protect their gardens from chickens, I want a
guarantee that they are really going to try to make this work. No excuses of bad soil and that the seeds
just didn’t sprout. Not on my watch!<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><u>Try, try again.<o:p></o:p></u></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I had to give the above training session twice. The first time only six people showed
up. What went wrong? It’s hard to say. Maybe I didn’t <i>pasear</i> enough, but there had recently been many community wide
events where I’d announced the training publicly, so I’m sure everyone knew
about it. Maybe there were too many
community wide events around that date, and people were just too busy. Maybe the topic didn’t seem exciting. In any case, after the first run-through went
well with the disappointingly small group, I had to think about how to
proceed. At the next big community
thing, I asked a few people what they thought.
The consensus was that the timing was bad, they’d all been busy, and that
I should give the talk again. They
decided Sunday afternoon would be the most convenient time and so we re-set the
date. Talk number two had a much better
turnout and reassured me that people are indeed interested in working with me
and hearing what I have to say. Whew.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
It also may have helped that I’d promised to provide lunch …
tacos! Yes, a gringa introduced tacos to
a Latino community. Although a brand new
concept for them, my low-budget tacos were a success. The only complaint was that the mild salsa I
used was a little too spicy.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_Sv59INAg6QhvuKRfzPiohohQemTLIPlouqup4yxY9n0P3Ex48vEBA3sm1VdFq9JxY1pTOvDvMep-beQE07rGp2W4BaHFn80uzjw_33S3gYm1wncfQZ8Pd1uzdQCEY6awptYnx4NBCWK5/s1600/P1010632.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_Sv59INAg6QhvuKRfzPiohohQemTLIPlouqup4yxY9n0P3Ex48vEBA3sm1VdFq9JxY1pTOvDvMep-beQE07rGp2W4BaHFn80uzjw_33S3gYm1wncfQZ8Pd1uzdQCEY6awptYnx4NBCWK5/s320/P1010632.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tacos!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQoBOAXFj8tKLv5HWRYSQaeahDLMIHjSXw2ZVQBhlTgkm1l_0FD8Oni7F-pxk9a3LW2axQtcMYFmuAG95r6Rk8vQB1W-610IDKC2toYnAdvHV9pyAiwlLlfmNbaukT7KIAESCC_2K40ySL/s1600/P1010636.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQoBOAXFj8tKLv5HWRYSQaeahDLMIHjSXw2ZVQBhlTgkm1l_0FD8Oni7F-pxk9a3LW2axQtcMYFmuAG95r6Rk8vQB1W-610IDKC2toYnAdvHV9pyAiwlLlfmNbaukT7KIAESCC_2K40ySL/s320/P1010636.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small; text-align: start;">A few all-stars stayed after the talk to help with some school garden work. I gave them the washed salsa glass jars for future seed saving as a reward.</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I have now hosted three reading club sessions. Kids here learn to read in school up to a 6<sup>th</sup>
grade level, and many do not continue past this, practice at home, nor are they
ever read to by their parents. So I’ve
started a weekly meeting on my porch where I spend part of the time reading to the
group, and part of the time passing books around for them to practice out loud. During my first session only one 10-year-old
boy came accompanied by his 15-year-old sister (I suspect she may have
benefited as well). But again, I did not
let this discourage me much. Many
parents said they’d forgotten and would send their kids to the next one. Sure enough attendance has greatly improved
and I’m having a lot of fun with the group, ranging in age from six to 15. It seems some project ideas are worth more
than one try.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvQNnwljvb-YCUMAqG1BPlToB0PWRzT1fU1fVbSIjqMh3XudZw2gyFHWZkNbf447hkIan5Aix8EMioe_bjtCvtK6W43apAcyg1WZrajSGwg9AI-a8pstWih10_DsTWq3TnQj_rz4b6yMzg/s1600/P1010674.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvQNnwljvb-YCUMAqG1BPlToB0PWRzT1fU1fVbSIjqMh3XudZw2gyFHWZkNbf447hkIan5Aix8EMioe_bjtCvtK6W43apAcyg1WZrajSGwg9AI-a8pstWih10_DsTWq3TnQj_rz4b6yMzg/s320/P1010674.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small; text-align: start;">Kids books en Español</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><u>#Third World
Problems (of a first world girl)</u></b><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I have a feeling this segment may repeat in future
entries. Enjoy!<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
- I can’t wash my hair at night because if I go to sleep
with it wet, my pillowcase will mold over.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
- I hike 45 minutes to ask someone a quick question.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
- Those roosters are so loud.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
- I finish showering and step out into mud.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
- My housemates are toads, cockroaches, ants, and spiders.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
- I mow the lawn with a machete.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
- I don’t refrigerate things that say “refrigerate after
opening”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
- Vomiting into a latrine is even less fun than vomiting
into a toilet.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
- The flat board on which I hand wash my clothes gets them
dirty.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
- I don’t want to burn my trash, so I carry it out with me
to trash cans in the city. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
- The floor of my house gets wet when I shower outside.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
- My tan lines are so weird.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
- When the wind blows, my shower curtain flies open.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
- It’s 2am and I really have to pee, but it’s pouring rain.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><u>Misc. Photos</u></b><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7xzPDos5XZRBcbm2rG0mFW-0bET6vw2wjKEB35VIcPljoRMZcqLhMhUvYC6cuN7bcbAFfbenOwzaDJ9gNIz5ObN5MuXZ7J-ZIYDvPpmWR0u3jtvXcw2ocQYuQ_UKtx_orA2zEwExh09SC/s1600/P1010487.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7xzPDos5XZRBcbm2rG0mFW-0bET6vw2wjKEB35VIcPljoRMZcqLhMhUvYC6cuN7bcbAFfbenOwzaDJ9gNIz5ObN5MuXZ7J-ZIYDvPpmWR0u3jtvXcw2ocQYuQ_UKtx_orA2zEwExh09SC/s320/P1010487.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">So many kids in line for so many free toys from random politicians</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhS6-l71SBxozmzqAA_lBXhjdSaa2NWxSNOYmwVxmKE8s5aQJxv3KojpTlfvux3UhwUz9ZzXDxVUzSk55tD2atqSu1yD4R4WCi_qdHfqArN8rbWuoqUrUQmw2q6VOhufK5Scsv0hZ9hxDNX/s1600/P1010537.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhS6-l71SBxozmzqAA_lBXhjdSaa2NWxSNOYmwVxmKE8s5aQJxv3KojpTlfvux3UhwUz9ZzXDxVUzSk55tD2atqSu1yD4R4WCi_qdHfqArN8rbWuoqUrUQmw2q6VOhufK5Scsv0hZ9hxDNX/s320/P1010537.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The mom tried so hard to get this kid to smile. No way!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXZwUkSQbAABEtG6EQvGpXn31v3WrS8NNGH5j078WDHKNAyRzDOV4prS6NjqygJ7E3n-b5tto2Pz7aFac8OBg1cFcYK_d3uV8oYr_oOVKyH5TRFx9ClqkeabGskumwDGZ2TjlRTbVds1CX/s1600/P1010593.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXZwUkSQbAABEtG6EQvGpXn31v3WrS8NNGH5j078WDHKNAyRzDOV4prS6NjqygJ7E3n-b5tto2Pz7aFac8OBg1cFcYK_d3uV8oYr_oOVKyH5TRFx9ClqkeabGskumwDGZ2TjlRTbVds1CX/s320/P1010593.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My favorite baby.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXo3uq1b4LwgoEcYduRWEfWF14-q6xnd0Vel57EEYtNUzPSSdkffrk3E0t4QAShy2oQyCpPwcqPiTWfWAVR8NLr8mj0EIiGF3Vh1sOEhOWjaXG2EDsdbuqIcTXbMpgI7F12Q9MzdFDDy41/s1600/P1010626.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXo3uq1b4LwgoEcYduRWEfWF14-q6xnd0Vel57EEYtNUzPSSdkffrk3E0t4QAShy2oQyCpPwcqPiTWfWAVR8NLr8mj0EIiGF3Vh1sOEhOWjaXG2EDsdbuqIcTXbMpgI7F12Q9MzdFDDy41/s320/P1010626.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pretty pineapple</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjecKYCeHpAIEN5tbVYSsBoAcHkIJyWz5NjEeORydUH3s7KbaPySI0Ch7BQBaZX_n14Ytobb-ay3lfn0r5ZerBJRQ-8dls4JccRR8_KlWmasM7-R-Xi-TCOex5c_-RLxq8XyJn7lg2MDy1q/s1600/P1010679.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjecKYCeHpAIEN5tbVYSsBoAcHkIJyWz5NjEeORydUH3s7KbaPySI0Ch7BQBaZX_n14Ytobb-ay3lfn0r5ZerBJRQ-8dls4JccRR8_KlWmasM7-R-Xi-TCOex5c_-RLxq8XyJn7lg2MDy1q/s320/P1010679.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">Meeting about reducing the price of our chiva
(public transit consisting of glorified pick-up trucks). This got quite ugly at some point.</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiU0OsGj7OMUJH2MUcuJgPtvvbExLJ6KW956XT5wOmB31cq0csXIjvWB0xJHoImrMypidXr2UjUKfRDYaBASRdBzO-OjFwALqL6JijUQPTMEdVhenwOM5zwOpSFk-aHCoigr7heRtEo68g3/s1600/P1010664.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiU0OsGj7OMUJH2MUcuJgPtvvbExLJ6KW956XT5wOmB31cq0csXIjvWB0xJHoImrMypidXr2UjUKfRDYaBASRdBzO-OjFwALqL6JijUQPTMEdVhenwOM5zwOpSFk-aHCoigr7heRtEo68g3/s320/P1010664.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Harvesting coffee in a Panamanian fanny pack called a <i>churruca</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
Lila Holzmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04835795566712471159noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7806512992221081052.post-16782546153791108222013-01-08T14:34:00.001-08:002013-01-09T05:26:38.515-08:00New Year, Same Blog<b><u>Navidad</u></b><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I had a lovely Christmas. Christmas Eve or “<i>Noche Buena”</i> seems to be more important out here than Christmas day itself. Families typically stay up making food and enjoy a big meal when the clock strikes midnight. My up the hill neighbors invited me to share this night with them. Despite my usual sundown bedtime, I fought my sleepiness and made the vertical climb to celebrate, and I’m glad I did. Several of the couple’s sons who live and work out in the city were home visiting for the holiday. There was plenty of food (apparently grapes and apples are a typical Christmas treat here), a few cold beers (the sons brought in a cooler full of ice!), and the traditional abundance of deafening fire crackers. At midnight they recited a short & sweet prayer and shook each other’s hands, wishing all a <i>feliz navidad. </i> I even witnessed a few hugs and kisses, which were really nice to see considering how little physical affection <i>campo </i>Panamanians usually show each other.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEix8gTds6unX7JbeuYSZLQCB5NhFrEir4ore7kQoFKl26PnRu4nM_w9rJWvhqbw78mFa18XtL8bE70rtf6F8mG_JG7vaxT-dSyANCJD4idkAdEyzBsjph-_UTN2dLGiDKeptjPZ8yNIgv8t/s1600/1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEix8gTds6unX7JbeuYSZLQCB5NhFrEir4ore7kQoFKl26PnRu4nM_w9rJWvhqbw78mFa18XtL8bE70rtf6F8mG_JG7vaxT-dSyANCJD4idkAdEyzBsjph-_UTN2dLGiDKeptjPZ8yNIgv8t/s320/1.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Xmas with the neighbors</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
They kept asking if Christmas is celebrated on the same day in my country. I replied “yes, and many people there celebrate Christmas, but my family doesn’t because we’re Jewish.” Blank stares in return. Sigh.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I’d heard that there would be some activity at the church on Christmas day, but that didn’t happen for whatever reason. So I spent some more time with the up the hill neighbors and then set to work on my garden, taking some breaks to talk to the occasional visitor passing by.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-ZiTQyMXw3mJ4pj4JZOx8qCwCaVUWXwXrOgjmN8F0c6g62X8mTrzXRQzxqoOuaf_6RoVLnu_Wj5RiFvBSaMlw2Q0XEgmHlbPpDRqRoTOJci1KWUk3iKCvkdnEA7xxhlfx0opFCclambPg/s1600/2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-ZiTQyMXw3mJ4pj4JZOx8qCwCaVUWXwXrOgjmN8F0c6g62X8mTrzXRQzxqoOuaf_6RoVLnu_Wj5RiFvBSaMlw2Q0XEgmHlbPpDRqRoTOJci1KWUk3iKCvkdnEA7xxhlfx0opFCclambPg/s320/2.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">For Christmas, I made myself a garden!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
A few days later the preschool/kindergarten kids had a Christmas party. Why? Because there was money leftover in the budget that needed to be spent. So instead of using the extra funds for school related resources, which are forever lacking, the parents decided to spend it on what they do best: awkward parties with excessive amounts of food. So they all got together, cooked all morning, served lunch with the special treat of cake brought in from the city, and gave the kids presents. These consisted of bags chock-full of candy bought with the school funds and donated toys from some random nice guy who felt like delivering gifts to the <i>campo</i>. Among the goodies included Rubik’s cubes. People asked me what this was, and I had no idea how to say Rubik’s cube in Spanish, but I explained the general gist of what you do with it. I saw a few of the preschoolers break the cheap plastic before the event was over. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2l1ugV84R6LalRLHp_ezMESQu7HNYFoNLp5QW0tomjvQ2EiXPMS7Qel9XMivKF8qOgzPy_w7B2Z4mwiQEMgGJiLcHVVuD50J1uEgrVY9dby5iTPv7XN5Z2fHW6sWba4v6y5Lx5TNTjcEb/s1600/3.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2l1ugV84R6LalRLHp_ezMESQu7HNYFoNLp5QW0tomjvQ2EiXPMS7Qel9XMivKF8qOgzPy_w7B2Z4mwiQEMgGJiLcHVVuD50J1uEgrVY9dby5iTPv7XN5Z2fHW6sWba4v6y5Lx5TNTjcEb/s320/3.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Preschool Xmas Party</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBU5tn38GpnE2jJcSiEQMXVOwMphPi0uE-7mgNiXUU211kSUIESq-WAj1ee7e3RPPgexm70YeAwlKHMZaFpXz6K5fxzRFhekUpy2m4wiinzX_Q3S2IcqcO2vez6aoJWvMHwIIuqKTV_CCT/s1600/4.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBU5tn38GpnE2jJcSiEQMXVOwMphPi0uE-7mgNiXUU211kSUIESq-WAj1ee7e3RPPgexm70YeAwlKHMZaFpXz6K5fxzRFhekUpy2m4wiinzX_Q3S2IcqcO2vez6aoJWvMHwIIuqKTV_CCT/s320/4.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"What is this thing?"</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
People kept asking me what I thought of the event. I politely told them I liked to see the kids enjoy themselves. I didn’t tell them I thought the whole thing was a waste of money, providing the kids with toys and unhealthy food they don’t need (they receive plenty of other Christmas toys from various campaigning government officials). Perhaps I can relay my thoughts in a more appropriate manner when I give my upcoming presentation on money management. I’ve been working on a new slogan to counter the common practice of immediate spending: “<i>Ahorre ahora, y le </i><i><span lang="ES-GT" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: ES-GT; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">servirá</span></i><i> para siempre,” </i>which translates to something like: "Save now, and you'll have for forever.” -- Thanks for the idea, Erica :)</div>
<br />
<b><u>(Mis)-Communication</u></b><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Multiple times recently I attempted to take on the role of
town crier, hiking all over the hills to deliver time-relevant information. When local events involve the participation
of people coming in from the outside, there is always a chance that these
people simply won’t make it. Possibly
due to rain, illness, or whatever other reason they have to be no-shows. When they realize they can’t come out,
communicating this to all who expected to meet them is nearly impossible. Examples include meetings with government
officials to receive free Christmas gifts for all students enrolled at the
school (cancelled twice, rescheduled finally for January 3<sup>rd</sup>),
meetings with a social group helping to advocate for lower public transport
costs (cancelled the day of, rescheduled for a week later but with record low
attendance), and meetings with the first lady’s organization to work on the
school garden (cancelled twice, rescheduled for January 8<sup>th</sup>, again
with low attendance). <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Sometimes, I am on the tail end of receiving these
communications. I left my house and
started walking toward the meeting on transport costs and was met by a few
people who said they’d heard it wasn’t happening. They didn’t know where the information came
from, why it was cancelled, or if it would be rescheduled. Many were not as lucky as me and waiting at
the meeting spot for hours before realizing the meeting was a no-go. When the meeting did take place a week later,
much of the original group did not go because they weren’t convinced that it
was a sure thing.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The first lady’s organization communicates directly through
me, but also fairly last minute. The afternoon
before a scheduled school garden work day I was contacted to change the
date. So I tried to tell as many people
as I could and hoped the message would spread to those I didn’t reach. It’s not just that I feel bad if they waste
work time to walk over to a meeting that’s not happening, but also that when
the actual event does happen, I want people to have faith and show up. My fear was validated on January 8<sup>th</sup>
when the garden program coordinator finally arrived about two hours late and was
met by a very small group who was willing to risk another wasted day.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhh4483r-5xI5VPSkrF09UTCJEQKpN7gIosktUCi5Z6KrRXDjwpGqMR_2LH0TcH4tRG_n7lb_sRNk6_HHj5v9NGypYB4KtQhWQFl0_ZX6xOI7yNMqD7k6SmZj9WIcerfv2oH-yQK8V6fwNx/s1600/5.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhh4483r-5xI5VPSkrF09UTCJEQKpN7gIosktUCi5Z6KrRXDjwpGqMR_2LH0TcH4tRG_n7lb_sRNk6_HHj5v9NGypYB4KtQhWQFl0_ZX6xOI7yNMqD7k6SmZj9WIcerfv2oH-yQK8V6fwNx/s320/5.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The garden crew weeded while waiting for the coordinator, 2 hours late</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
It’s just so crazy to me that so much communication relies
upon happening to run into the right person at the right time with the most
accurate, up-to-date information. It’s
times like these when I miss cell phone signal…<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><u>Medical Care<o:p></o:p></u></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I recently saw an old woman being carried on a sheet held up
by two branches and two strong men from a neighboring community about 45
minutes away. An ambulance was called
and without too much of a delay the woman was taken out to a hospital. Thankfully she turned out to be okay (she’d
had some form of stomach virus), but seeing that made me really realize how
hard it is to access medical care out here for some people.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
An adorable two-year-old girl has been hospitalized for three
weeks due to a scorpion sting. This girl
belongs to one of my favorite families.
Awesome, hard-working, nice parents.
Good kids although I’ve seen the young teenage guys a bit too drunk a
few times. The scorpion was hiding in
Meliza’s little shoe when she went to put it on. While scorpion stings hurt adults worse than
a bee sting, they can be lethal for small kids.
So out she went to the children’s hospital in Panama City. We got inconsistent updates due to lack of
cell phone signal on both ends. We were
very relieved when word came that she was finally beginning to recover after
days of no improvement, but she has yet to be released. Hospital stays like this hit families
hard. Hospitals can charge about $30 per
night, and out here that is considered a lot.
Additional tests and procedures add to the bill.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I will soon be giving a money management seminar here and
will emphasize the need to save for emergencies like this. People here are not future thinkers. There is a Panamanian saying that translates
to “when there’s food, you eat.” This
explains why people here eat ridiculously large quantities at some meals even
when it’s impossible that they’re still actually hungry. They also seem to follow this way of thinking
when it comes to alcohol where there is no such thing as moderation or just
getting tipsy instead of plastered and finishing the whole bottle of hard
liquor, as well as for money. When money
comes in, it is quickly spent without hesitation. I’ve informally discussed money management
with a few families. One couple newly
expecting a baby girl showed me a piggy bank recently acquired to start saving
up for the coming arrival. This made me
so happy I immediately donated to the fund to show my support. Without bank accounts, piggy banks are about
as good of a substitute as I can expect.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><u>For New Years I
got an Erica Goldman!</u></b><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Welcome 2013! I can’t
believe how fast time is flying. I’ve
been living in Panama eight months now with a year and a half to go. The last year had some crazy ups and downs,
especially during the time when the Peace Corps cancelled last-minute my
ecotourism assignment to Guatemala and left me in limbo for weeks before
offering me Panama’s sustainable agriculture program. But I’m happy here, and find that things
always manage to work out, and that I can always make the best out of whatever
comes my way. For me, the entire year of
2013 will be spent living in Panama. A
little daunting, but mostly exciting. I
feel like it’ll all be over before I know it.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I got to bring in the New Year with my second adventurous
visitor, one Erica Goldman! Erica has
been travelling the world for months and I’m honored she squeezed me in to her
busy agenda before her next big stop, three months in Israel.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWEMYS23vNI00EamfE_H_zdLJZZcsgf7Tk1SRmvQ9gYGHJKRk5NiXWPFHI0jjL7uvjBzyfrUVejipK9DLWHZy7gWhNc3IINCsH7_9sf-6MVRgieYeP3EEyeRhoXWXkIb9EC5VPdgHQyoPw/s1600/6.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWEMYS23vNI00EamfE_H_zdLJZZcsgf7Tk1SRmvQ9gYGHJKRk5NiXWPFHI0jjL7uvjBzyfrUVejipK9DLWHZy7gWhNc3IINCsH7_9sf-6MVRgieYeP3EEyeRhoXWXkIb9EC5VPdgHQyoPw/s320/6.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">NYE in Panama City</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
We started the trip doing something I rarely do down here:
being tourists! We toured the Panama
Canal visitor’s center, wandered around Casco Viejo, and then headed out of
town to the beach.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiq5k91usLrYlIhnjKwQiBRnIB2k7xKOUmSgN4QsBSa_UGx3gEg2NDEkMyiKDCEFcIUFWJFcIvj8MDUT0Vhd3cm0O7YblszNxJs9EiSGStG5RUBBKmzxnbEo8ZyYvYAFFTMBio9nSEiPO8E/s1600/7.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiq5k91usLrYlIhnjKwQiBRnIB2k7xKOUmSgN4QsBSa_UGx3gEg2NDEkMyiKDCEFcIUFWJFcIvj8MDUT0Vhd3cm0O7YblszNxJs9EiSGStG5RUBBKmzxnbEo8ZyYvYAFFTMBio9nSEiPO8E/s320/7.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Canal Miraflores locks</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxSpRnlOQBypGT8NjjNWigyW78cGIq75oFHenm4oowAgzdNSlhHv49ub5Ucx4cHlBFkMAtrzqmEVE1lqdWfNXEFd6y5HtTj4q7h9cUzteFcyf0Dp3MKHxEAQrbWWIehKLs7VTd3kOoR2Ya/s1600/8.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxSpRnlOQBypGT8NjjNWigyW78cGIq75oFHenm4oowAgzdNSlhHv49ub5Ucx4cHlBFkMAtrzqmEVE1lqdWfNXEFd6y5HtTj4q7h9cUzteFcyf0Dp3MKHxEAQrbWWIehKLs7VTd3kOoR2Ya/s320/8.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Casco Viejo</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZVPkMCqgcJale2tyshQw69zoXRTDSjuW4ttwlNnlQE1jYWojwVVvfngN_IK9cpGaLGiMFt1YEXWMrQe_RWrH1EqZlbCUyDb724G8GZO3W5WkVWH_ysm6-8mLOXCW2I9krMHhd1eM8PN5J/s1600/9.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZVPkMCqgcJale2tyshQw69zoXRTDSjuW4ttwlNnlQE1jYWojwVVvfngN_IK9cpGaLGiMFt1YEXWMrQe_RWrH1EqZlbCUyDb724G8GZO3W5WkVWH_ysm6-8mLOXCW2I9krMHhd1eM8PN5J/s320/9.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Beach</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
After the mini-vacation, we trekked back to site. We spent the week attending community events,
playing with kids, promoting my upcoming training sessions, and of course <i>pasear</i>-ing.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-clN4QuZ_BNhfnj6YI11HUob-EUgSYJOmvOv5PpWh1Zpfo91Muk9vUwkvfmjwKwGgEQtTAIryo1_g5yfNUDwey6EPYPx1LX7obUSf8-dQvTxjNPrSUwG0gJZOXe1KUqDe9Si5A5fs8uUd/s1600/10.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-clN4QuZ_BNhfnj6YI11HUob-EUgSYJOmvOv5PpWh1Zpfo91Muk9vUwkvfmjwKwGgEQtTAIryo1_g5yfNUDwey6EPYPx1LX7obUSf8-dQvTxjNPrSUwG0gJZOXe1KUqDe9Si5A5fs8uUd/s320/10.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">playing with the neighbors</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiKa1Ddv7kCRbg5JQZzUmVHYaMjffNgAEgzMPpS1dpcTSj4rbPrCBlB1onR8hfB4lq3McUI46L4bgziuRDuM62H6J7MJMXc-c8sd11NogCxEfHIcGjOt8s3zNibpjdMh2DBlnf9dSW617d/s1600/IMG_2128.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiKa1Ddv7kCRbg5JQZzUmVHYaMjffNgAEgzMPpS1dpcTSj4rbPrCBlB1onR8hfB4lq3McUI46L4bgziuRDuM62H6J7MJMXc-c8sd11NogCxEfHIcGjOt8s3zNibpjdMh2DBlnf9dSW617d/s320/IMG_2128.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">hiking to a nearby community</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEige6pIG8D3UB8meJfsVCUmnv0C6-xpIUXrHsOaCkJgyqwKwRgo0Pp5dQeIeTwrsMiOAbtZvzRRRSQqSMkoCC7b_GOZi_K-_tIyPSUtrwLbKBXiJMg3ZJyvLLGSsIdnTXmrdhNwakxCwsp5/s1600/P1010414.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEige6pIG8D3UB8meJfsVCUmnv0C6-xpIUXrHsOaCkJgyqwKwRgo0Pp5dQeIeTwrsMiOAbtZvzRRRSQqSMkoCC7b_GOZi_K-_tIyPSUtrwLbKBXiJMg3ZJyvLLGSsIdnTXmrdhNwakxCwsp5/s320/P1010414.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Visiting host-family #1</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi09CV4eV-jOfEqVDiTk6nDQ3metx-bKVorYu4J-WCq1-UucMwGeKJMCzUQmD8xK-UoCVNLjDrlSTjZhIMw2IsH1ufcEJv19i7aW3Aq0Gv1_ucz4IWn7llj4xO-NhlMhFrubNNnuAkQQto6/s1600/P1010429.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi09CV4eV-jOfEqVDiTk6nDQ3metx-bKVorYu4J-WCq1-UucMwGeKJMCzUQmD8xK-UoCVNLjDrlSTjZhIMw2IsH1ufcEJv19i7aW3Aq0Gv1_ucz4IWn7llj4xO-NhlMhFrubNNnuAkQQto6/s320/P1010429.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Fitting right in</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I am SO GRATEFUL to Erica for her open-minded attitude and
willingness to go with the flow of my <i>campo</i>
life. To read about her recent
adventures check out her blog: <a href="http://readdancebliss.blogspot.com/">http://readdancebliss.blogspot.com/</a>. I miss you already, Erica! Thanks for a "Panamazing" week :)<o:p></o:p></div>
Lila Holzmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04835795566712471159noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7806512992221081052.post-84061040591381445292012-12-16T14:25:00.004-08:002012-12-16T15:36:09.929-08:00Apparently I missed the real rain<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<u>Upon arrival</u><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
When I hopped off the chiva back in El Harino the short,
steep, muddy entrance from the street to my path home was too scary to attempt
while carrying all my stuff. I had to
take the long way around.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The first thing I saw when I opened the door to my house
after being gone for almost an entire month was a frog hopping across my
floor. Could be worse.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Otherwise, my house was exactly as I’d left it. In a way in felt like a weird time warp and
memories came rushing back of packing things up while Ashley was still visiting.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
A scary amount of ants moved into my latrine. Raid took care of them quite nicely.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
My T-shirt-turned-pillowcase completely molded over. Luckily I brought a couple real pillowcases
back here with me.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The disconnected feeling that comes with remembering that I
can’t just shoot a quick email or text whenever I want took a few days to get
used to…<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I realized the physical adjusting my body had accomplished
to Panama’s hot, humid climate was significantly set back. I made sure to continuously chug water to
combat the dehydration.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<u>The New Things</u><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
My 25-year-old host-brother got a whole set of new fake teeth! No more gap-toothed smile.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
There are some pretty flowers around my house.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The school garden beds are growing wonderfully.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVUVM-lGaZaE11pwUAU3iTYtQNk1v1G6eyy0xTbC94jgAwxPWKp5eWAMBGW41Cm2wSMexC9lH1pqUXRqGRMUYDdrwdLm38HQJ0ITdEODrPV7cxzHk_0AsC1zlVihjX0ImqzMbobRKUkiYe/s1600/1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVUVM-lGaZaE11pwUAU3iTYtQNk1v1G6eyy0xTbC94jgAwxPWKp5eWAMBGW41Cm2wSMexC9lH1pqUXRqGRMUYDdrwdLm38HQJ0ITdEODrPV7cxzHk_0AsC1zlVihjX0ImqzMbobRKUkiYe/s320/1.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">School Garden!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
There’s a new baby in town (so far a baby has been born
every month that I’ve been here).<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
A neighbor who had said she didn’t want to have any more
kids is pregnant.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
One family is constructing a new house pretty close to
mine. Hmm less privacy.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The teenagers at my up-the-hill neighbor’s house found a new
reggaetón song to play on repeat all day long.
Luckily I like it too.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
One of my host-families got an adorable new puppy. Sad to see how much the kids torment it.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<u>Rain & Holidays</u><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
December has been a very calm month, and it seems as though
I missed pretty much nothing in November.
Everyone tells me that after I left the real rains came. When I arrived at the tail end of November it
rained day and night for three straight days.
Apparently this was the norm for all of November. How depressing! Evidently not much work got done and all
projects are in exactly the same stage as where I left them.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Now the weather has significantly improved, but December is yet
another month of holidays. Panama
celebrates Mothers’ Day on December 8<sup>th</sup>, which really means several
days before and after. My up-the-hill
neighbors threw their sons a big birthday party dangerously close to my house
on December 15<sup>th</sup>. Schools
having been wrapping up with graduation activities before their two month
summer vacation (January and February are summer here). And of course Christmas and New Years are
coming up fast. So basically, no work is
continuing to get done this month either.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
So I’m taking a little breather, and it’s been nice. After a week of being back in site I felt I
was slowly getting back into the swing of things. I looked at a calendar and planned the next
training sessions I want to put on for January.
Just putting things down on paper helps me feel better oriented and more
productive. I reminded myself that part
of my work here is to be an active member of the community. I did a round of <i>pasear</i>-ing just to say “Hi” to everyone and exchange stories from
the past month. In the process I was
invited to several other community activities and my social calendar booked up
rapidly.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJCxdNTcxXAnbJ6Y2WxW6XByIGIgmN9tmLN-psRvYYFGEEUlpATAuzRU16UcHIRF_VgJ0oGn376mC8N220GyL2K0b63jXj7V_xkVO7RuTaTj8qXF0uMYvfW27-VJRIEtPnRzFRRE5nUJkx/s1600/2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJCxdNTcxXAnbJ6Y2WxW6XByIGIgmN9tmLN-psRvYYFGEEUlpATAuzRU16UcHIRF_VgJ0oGn376mC8N220GyL2K0b63jXj7V_xkVO7RuTaTj8qXF0uMYvfW27-VJRIEtPnRzFRRE5nUJkx/s320/2.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">So I may have gone to a Catholic rosary on the first night of Hanukah ... Oy.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOdpRtsDUajhyphenhyphenuZBTO-uFZdJyQUjjwK7u6AAmd-lHYjHOBwWJfMIngTF45tW7zVlKMOiLlYh388kSYOIjBgteWsQXEKiMniCgYDsIFvm-pFgF12qxcSETsGrblmYCRSis1lyf3dU_fWBqK/s1600/3q.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOdpRtsDUajhyphenhyphenuZBTO-uFZdJyQUjjwK7u6AAmd-lHYjHOBwWJfMIngTF45tW7zVlKMOiLlYh388kSYOIjBgteWsQXEKiMniCgYDsIFvm-pFgF12qxcSETsGrblmYCRSis1lyf3dU_fWBqK/s320/3q.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"Posada" acting out of the Christmas story</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheaOWl9ccLixMuCsCPfDMKcwNmQqYEWx8ATmGHhlhpGjTvdAtzSxau6cTuT0PyrZc7KtMSEc3-qufalk4DEN5sJ53Vy830pz0F4WMeuwfCKK_C6kzTzDaUnofmIAaTJO7w3QWvSXz9ozid/s1600/4.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheaOWl9ccLixMuCsCPfDMKcwNmQqYEWx8ATmGHhlhpGjTvdAtzSxau6cTuT0PyrZc7KtMSEc3-qufalk4DEN5sJ53Vy830pz0F4WMeuwfCKK_C6kzTzDaUnofmIAaTJO7w3QWvSXz9ozid/s320/4.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mothers' Day "Queen Mother" competition at the school</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEha2OZjqqmH1ZSQs0RpchA82VIg03iWGs0bkP2mVPQMGvBQE90FC_AmQXLI2SV4xlZY5RubR2gRHXaLFjQ3faiFOHhefvtIpd876e0siVwq-rslTdl-w_JvOLrzki6Wpkgq49WCBWtO5amE/s1600/5a.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEha2OZjqqmH1ZSQs0RpchA82VIg03iWGs0bkP2mVPQMGvBQE90FC_AmQXLI2SV4xlZY5RubR2gRHXaLFjQ3faiFOHhefvtIpd876e0siVwq-rslTdl-w_JvOLrzki6Wpkgq49WCBWtO5amE/s320/5a.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small; text-align: start;"> Graduating 6</span><sup style="text-align: start;">th</sup><span style="font-size: small; text-align: start;"> graders are still hopeful that we may get a 7</span><sup style="text-align: start;">th</sup><span style="font-size: small; text-align: start;"> grade teacher hear next year. Otherwise they will have to hike to schools in other communities or simply quit going to school at all :(</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEie6ymhHK6fPO02LRjz6nk8FzU8jjsW31YINKqLopFblEk-pTdnxN0Zah8OgI0e7LoVkouBJItSwYbAEIy7DbkVWsxJhkeY-OBwwBWnTpxcqSXVvMljh8z5VbbCkA4PS2YZowa38v_SDNNf/s1600/5b.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEie6ymhHK6fPO02LRjz6nk8FzU8jjsW31YINKqLopFblEk-pTdnxN0Zah8OgI0e7LoVkouBJItSwYbAEIy7DbkVWsxJhkeY-OBwwBWnTpxcqSXVvMljh8z5VbbCkA4PS2YZowa38v_SDNNf/s320/5b.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Last Day of School!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Making appearances at events that seem to have no relevance
to my agricultural work is an important part of gaining trust here. Would you rather work on projects with
someone in your town who’s super awkward and antisocial or with someone who you
can talk to about anything? One woman in
particular opened up to me quite a bit recently. Viviana invited me to her family’s Mothers’
Day celebration. Her house is nearly an
hour’s hike from mine, but I went with pleasure. There was a lot of food and playing with the
kids. And then Viviana told me her
story. She had her first child at age
16. She acknowledges she wasn’t ready to
start a family, but that’s what happened.
Four more kids and several years later she separated from their
father. She didn’t tell me why and I
didn’t press it. Viviana spent about
eight years working in the city, sending money back home to support her kids
whom she’d had to leave behind with her mother. In the city she met her current
husband. After much convincing she moved
in with his parents here in El Harino along with her three youngest children
(the two oldest are away attending high school). Her husband comes home to see them once a
week. Viviana told me how hard it was
for her to get used to El Harino and how two and a half years later she still
struggles to feel accepted. It felt very
good to have such an open conversation and reminded me that despite our
differences, I am forming strong friendships here. Viviana and I also talked about her home
garden (started with the last volunteer), which took quite a beating during the
recent rains. I assured her that I will
be here in the coming months to help get it going again.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWg7uD6nYcmY0dOUw1KR9dRoHknAa2TvXGD9jsq0knJY_FOQQVPBM6FAECxtIndgQoUifjISRU1w0lKX0VXy35Fm1wJixffc3AA1_eQiUbMJuR2VY0f_JRnjOCpVImJUnFB9LnOc-Qjib8/s1600/5c.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWg7uD6nYcmY0dOUw1KR9dRoHknAa2TvXGD9jsq0knJY_FOQQVPBM6FAECxtIndgQoUifjISRU1w0lKX0VXy35Fm1wJixffc3AA1_eQiUbMJuR2VY0f_JRnjOCpVImJUnFB9LnOc-Qjib8/s320/5c.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mothers' Day lunch with Viviana and her family. I ended up going to four Mothers' Day meals all exactly the same: spaghetti, chicken, rice.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
In the meantime, I’ve started planting my own <i>semillero</i>! Now that I’m done traveling for a while I’m
hoping to really get stuff growing as an example for others and of course so I
can eat fresh veggies more often :)<o:p></o:p><br />
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpFyWHvAFw4enVh-Mkf3Mpw5cgZJhBCH2NxHen5vwG946Gea6qdj2l76BKN1fgvii4lxTI7aQEXlojq4TRNE6xeJ-UrtyirwcXTQdoOROA4-RDHVsQtK-SeccrnJUf2gNlHawnQV8LR1wM/s1600/6.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpFyWHvAFw4enVh-Mkf3Mpw5cgZJhBCH2NxHen5vwG946Gea6qdj2l76BKN1fgvii4lxTI7aQEXlojq4TRNE6xeJ-UrtyirwcXTQdoOROA4-RDHVsQtK-SeccrnJUf2gNlHawnQV8LR1wM/s320/6.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Growing!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I’m slowly starting to reconnect with local agencies. And I still kind of dislike them. Trying to figure out when promised food for
two of our fish tank projects would finally be delivered here took a ridiculous
amount of phone calls. I left my number
hoping they would call me when they had information. When news finally came that the food was en
route, the person I talked to said she tried to call me three times but that my
phone was off. Of course my phone was
off! Anyone who works with communities
in the <i>campo</i> should know that there
is no cell phone reception or electricity here.
Leave a message, silly. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
We had a town hall meeting with special guest county
government officials and ministry of health representatives. They were shocked by the low attendance. “When you are all notified that there is a
town meeting, why isn’t everyone here?”
Their lack of understanding of the daily lives of people out here frustrates
me. People here work hard to feed
themselves and their families and are constantly asked to attend “required”
meetings related to the school, the church, health, etc. These meetings often take forever and cover
very little substance. This particular
town hall meeting, which was called for 10am, started around 11am and lasted
until nearly 4pm. I’m still not sure
what the point of the meeting was – so many tangents and so much rambling. Seeing reunions like these makes me all the
more determined to make sure the few meetings I hold are actually useful and
efficient.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Now that school’s out, the kids are visiting me
frequently. Sometimes cute, sometimes
annoying. We play basketball, look at
the maps on my porch, and play with my camera.
Next month I plan to start a reading club and invite kids over to read
once a week. The general literacy level
around here is pretty low, and I’ve recently acquired some adorable kids’ books
in Spanish ranging from “<i>Eres mi mamá?”</i>
to <i>“Charlie y la fábrica de
chocolate.</i>” (Thanks mom!)<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKSJCpxZPOddtbGWVGDHrOEvCiavjVGOggRtkKZ88lQHGLGbv_rl5GhBfH8LieCVBikEAbYSvDfWMfveCrr0AwN3b4Pws2kydNYm2FPjef_kbHRhHK-mCvuPqccj8PlwBBeG3bKL0EUSXO/s1600/7.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKSJCpxZPOddtbGWVGDHrOEvCiavjVGOggRtkKZ88lQHGLGbv_rl5GhBfH8LieCVBikEAbYSvDfWMfveCrr0AwN3b4Pws2kydNYm2FPjef_kbHRhHK-mCvuPqccj8PlwBBeG3bKL0EUSXO/s320/7.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cuties</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh69Q4kBPids9__M9mmkTAlPFt94pazmSZRW_d9umaeFRiePAQnX1YIlKgjEEigzePQicLCdFoX-Lg3B1S3JWdT6hL99878b0bb0_YjFDvVDFlSudBrXm83dqjearYnXXSG7DYO-Cw5WkDs/s1600/8.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh69Q4kBPids9__M9mmkTAlPFt94pazmSZRW_d9umaeFRiePAQnX1YIlKgjEEigzePQicLCdFoX-Lg3B1S3JWdT6hL99878b0bb0_YjFDvVDFlSudBrXm83dqjearYnXXSG7DYO-Cw5WkDs/s320/8.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bball champ</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Whew, this was a long blog entry! If you’re still reading, I’m impressed.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
HAPPY HOLIDAYS!<o:p></o:p></div>
Lila Holzmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04835795566712471159noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7806512992221081052.post-16090953320670392062012-11-28T15:11:00.004-08:002013-10-16T06:26:52.898-07:00WhirlwindI was out of site for almost the entire month of
November. Much of the month passed with
a sort of dream-like quality, but here are the parts I remember...<br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><u>Wedding!</u></b><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
My one and only sister (Panamanians still can’t believe I
have just one) got married in LA on November 10<sup>th</sup>. I got into town Monday night November 5<sup>th</sup>
in time to fulfill my American duty by voting on Tuesday. The following days were spent with family,
trips to REI, one night of Israeli dancing, and getting caught up on wedding logistics
as a first-time bridesmaid. It was very
strange to jump so abruptly from one world to another, but it felt good to be
home. The wedding itself was lovely, and I've never seen my already pretty sister look so gorgeous. I on the other hand felt pretty uncomfortable
dressing up and, after 6 months of no make-up, sort of freaked out when fake
eyelashes were stuck on me and immediately took most of them off.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBWLD3EkiPKjDXetPGHpZIjdqyfoTsyXmxEqHLO5lwGKOdWBdGPo8tkFUZiVTAeI24RAuJTb5fDUZP5TlXwkn_RPhVMEZQXkKZi2cApW1c0fzvJCa8NokDPr6qSMpsv4I2QO3n6s0icnJk/s1600/SAM_1393.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBWLD3EkiPKjDXetPGHpZIjdqyfoTsyXmxEqHLO5lwGKOdWBdGPo8tkFUZiVTAeI24RAuJTb5fDUZP5TlXwkn_RPhVMEZQXkKZi2cApW1c0fzvJCa8NokDPr6qSMpsv4I2QO3n6s0icnJk/s320/SAM_1393.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Professional hair-do!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiq8PEC00m1EWJTxIWA77DseSGoRH3nFhDxV5HyT-TLrRb6cRzgiHL_afEzcFSc10cBPMhSOKUIuOor-wTWsyRzvafN1R-bndxAxJxTfa_HjKu-S6uxlICAnwMuButUIRG-CPBz3S0zPfg7/s1600/SAM_139811.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiq8PEC00m1EWJTxIWA77DseSGoRH3nFhDxV5HyT-TLrRb6cRzgiHL_afEzcFSc10cBPMhSOKUIuOor-wTWsyRzvafN1R-bndxAxJxTfa_HjKu-S6uxlICAnwMuButUIRG-CPBz3S0zPfg7/s320/SAM_139811.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sadie & Brennan! Stunning.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmUM5TBPB4hJOn_gn77qGKCZVGOmvf0LyIL2gCFmwFafw7n-wg5ROkMRrkIB0u_C2K4bzxA3VlEZ_kGP5f7huv329N2B1ON-1oMlnRPYr0099tl20Yq4Qf6L9bcpxie2FUEn8ZtjgzHXbH/s1600/63815_10151153550392503_1495562369_n+(1).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmUM5TBPB4hJOn_gn77qGKCZVGOmvf0LyIL2gCFmwFafw7n-wg5ROkMRrkIB0u_C2K4bzxA3VlEZ_kGP5f7huv329N2B1ON-1oMlnRPYr0099tl20Yq4Qf6L9bcpxie2FUEn8ZtjgzHXbH/s320/63815_10151153550392503_1495562369_n+(1).jpg" width="310" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Family</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Overall it was a nice trip home and saying goodbye was
hard. Last time I said goodbye I knew
I’d be home again in six months. This
time it might very well be 20. But I wasn't able to dwell on this for very long.
I hopped on a red-eye flight and landed back in Panama Monday morning
November 12<sup>th</sup>.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><u>IST = “In-Service
Training” & Turning 26</u></b><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
After being in site for four months, the Peace Corps brings training
groups back together for “In-Service Training.”
The idea is that by now we've identified key topics that our work will
focus on and so should receive more specified training in these areas.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Coming in from the states, I was a little late for IST. Arriving jet-lagged and culture-shocked made
being greeted by our training group of 40 people I haven’t seen in a few months
all the more intense. It was good to see
everyone, but hard to switch gears back into training-mode. The first few days involved sitting and
sitting and more sitting while listening to presentations. After four very active months, this was hard
to handle. And then my birthday
happened! The perpetually drunk Canadian
owner of a nearby bar got me a birthday cake, so after a nice night-swim at the
beach, our group headed to the bar to celebrate. I am now 26 years-old, and I actually do feel
like it. I am a grown-up, and I’m doing
some pretty big things.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwTOV-EzMg6iABWbM2sERX26ZWHKWPKDHRlr6dW1H0rUqjJB5x-aOokeN1ShBuz0FZkz12Ci3-xvbfVWQ6EAfW2t-sbfoCA6ZVLFDEdabjdgf0m-o6LmfHVooX1aBNncqWHoPADwTPB0uk/s1600/SAM_1441.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwTOV-EzMg6iABWbM2sERX26ZWHKWPKDHRlr6dW1H0rUqjJB5x-aOokeN1ShBuz0FZkz12Ci3-xvbfVWQ6EAfW2t-sbfoCA6ZVLFDEdabjdgf0m-o6LmfHVooX1aBNncqWHoPADwTPB0uk/s320/SAM_1441.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cake gifted to me by drunk bar owner</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-Ed3x4XZzuOPHzrIEecfri8XWs1tGw4OmwN6f_KlRs1zk26t6rR_Ia8V_VQnwQ2zFeeQ51iajbgIOW6UKUrS97Hr2rbzhG7ba4jOirgg-zfl1M5kHtp294bBPlgl7qiIApSCJyS_19LZA/s1600/SAM_1452.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-Ed3x4XZzuOPHzrIEecfri8XWs1tGw4OmwN6f_KlRs1zk26t6rR_Ia8V_VQnwQ2zFeeQ51iajbgIOW6UKUrS97Hr2rbzhG7ba4jOirgg-zfl1M5kHtp294bBPlgl7qiIApSCJyS_19LZA/s320/SAM_1452.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Peace Corps training group enjoying birthday cake!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6KSDNuIMgvwQXYqtg3Se0RUx7QzruJ6T9h0QvhQahPqeFxY8j8z5hVFsKD1b6fzkoKZoF2mYnCwUYjb9cPCVUSiwFrCE8RUIK_eG-NEIMvmtqYSOMYU_EQK0kcc5BF2Q7tSKg1_uZAxo4/s1600/SAM_1463.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6KSDNuIMgvwQXYqtg3Se0RUx7QzruJ6T9h0QvhQahPqeFxY8j8z5hVFsKD1b6fzkoKZoF2mYnCwUYjb9cPCVUSiwFrCE8RUIK_eG-NEIMvmtqYSOMYU_EQK0kcc5BF2Q7tSKg1_uZAxo4/s320/SAM_1463.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My Peace Corps program director also got me a cake, and she was the one that spelled my name wrong (the drunk bartender got it right)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVRGAs-oQCsFCiGGSN1l215xX-2a_V0rSepOK9kIzy8AONsEUDRQ0BNxHXnfPHoI6k51VvRv-ncL8J4f09Lyw6Xhyphenhyphen2V_7_RSfaqUcHAOGoF-vznpHK3f186uN-54qZSfW7sycTFQgVuEcK/s1600/SAM_1465.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVRGAs-oQCsFCiGGSN1l215xX-2a_V0rSepOK9kIzy8AONsEUDRQ0BNxHXnfPHoI6k51VvRv-ncL8J4f09Lyw6Xhyphenhyphen2V_7_RSfaqUcHAOGoF-vznpHK3f186uN-54qZSfW7sycTFQgVuEcK/s320/SAM_1465.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">26!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
My group changed locations to continue more hands-on
technical training (sadly, no longer near a beach). I was impressed to notice that some of my
fellow volunteers, who’d been more timid during Pre-Service Training, now seem
more outspoken. I no longer felt like I
was the only obnoxious student with my hand raised in class, but rather that
we all participated and contributed to the training sessions pretty
equally. I could also tell that the
group’s Spanish skills have significantly improved. Nice!
Unfortunately much of the training substance was not actually applicable
to our work. We heard from experts on
corn, rice, plantain, etc. who presented highly detailed, scientific methods of
diagnosing and treating plant diseases. I was disappointed that very little of this
will be useful out in the <i>campo</i> where
our resources are more limited.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbf-IES2Ld5rQdGMLJJDrjMHaJGTFhFrTYR952d7V3Do1YD5xRXD78MQE6NWxRqM7kHX8tcQTrFmQqp-_CzuQp79PLWXzSWMfTRHfpfGgK_-yc8tcbqj0uP8N-VdOaxz83mZunJ6x93ph_/s1600/SAM_1468.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbf-IES2Ld5rQdGMLJJDrjMHaJGTFhFrTYR952d7V3Do1YD5xRXD78MQE6NWxRqM7kHX8tcQTrFmQqp-_CzuQp79PLWXzSWMfTRHfpfGgK_-yc8tcbqj0uP8N-VdOaxz83mZunJ6x93ph_/s320/SAM_1468.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pretty outdoor classroom</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyHMgHzkpRnBWefmTzf-P0ZOAYor15XFpT1vl8PWfboJ41YoOnE3PlDfk-ln6_X_fXZiU6Jdzv7xS1_8ddvy_BnjCRdOfymA0a9_7idU2H8-WZSWZGtfsQtzZfsIjlLJy8RoyEkCx02iXf/s1600/SAM_1472.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyHMgHzkpRnBWefmTzf-P0ZOAYor15XFpT1vl8PWfboJ41YoOnE3PlDfk-ln6_X_fXZiU6Jdzv7xS1_8ddvy_BnjCRdOfymA0a9_7idU2H8-WZSWZGtfsQtzZfsIjlLJy8RoyEkCx02iXf/s320/SAM_1472.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">SAS 71 group after using machetes to cut off sick plantain leaves</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><u>Gringo
Thanksgiving</u></b><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
About 150 of the 250 Peace Corps Volunteers in Panama got
together to celebrate Thanksgiving. We
took over a hotel in the western highlands of Panama, not far from the Costa
Rican border. There we enjoyed beautiful
scenery and a shockingly cool climate.
Being around so many Americans in one place was overwhelming. The weekend involved an overload of both
partying and gossip. I suppose that is
bound to happen whenever and wherever a large group of 20-30 year-olds gets
together with no other obligations. I
found this all to be pretty intense, and although I miss my friends when I’m in
site, I was pretty relieved when the party was over.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUqnf-bZqUeOmQIGe4pWLi0o1WySxKXUt0xc-tt3LYBFndWl3EhDMC_kJZDijsChXTI8085gkX1gpiG2YG47gNik_BGGBkd934TiH6eZYHSpnfpqnJfPZQgFHdRcbgBDIh6ZwomDEpIs72/s1600/SAM_1545.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUqnf-bZqUeOmQIGe4pWLi0o1WySxKXUt0xc-tt3LYBFndWl3EhDMC_kJZDijsChXTI8085gkX1gpiG2YG47gNik_BGGBkd934TiH6eZYHSpnfpqnJfPZQgFHdRcbgBDIh6ZwomDEpIs72/s320/SAM_1545.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Deliciousness</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzQKwqnyWE7H94Tsrok9LGHq6LJgtgdemYg0zowzDVS30NRnd1a5j0m13GWtrfyOiNXn6jaRyEvWTAHBLZwObZgCa3a_7cSlvwA98nuxvGf5rr0A0HirhRxeIQCOzDRvlw9U_wSli-9jTD/s1600/SAM_1552.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzQKwqnyWE7H94Tsrok9LGHq6LJgtgdemYg0zowzDVS30NRnd1a5j0m13GWtrfyOiNXn6jaRyEvWTAHBLZwObZgCa3a_7cSlvwA98nuxvGf5rr0A0HirhRxeIQCOzDRvlw9U_wSli-9jTD/s320/SAM_1552.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Change of scenery</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><u>Intro to
Agribusiness</u></b><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<div class="MsoNormal">
When I touched down in Panama and turned on my cell phone
after a week of being in the US, the first message I got was one asking me to
co-facilitate (along with two other volunteers) an agribusiness seminar in the
province of Veraguas November 26 through 28.
My first thought was that this would be an awesome opportunity to get
more involved in agribusiness work – a topic that I’m highly interested
in. My second thought was the
realization that this would extend my already long period of separation from my
community. I feel that so much time away
is seriously disruptive to my integration and service work, but I decided that
in the long term a few extra days wouldn't make too much of a difference and
that it would be worthwhile to gain the new experience.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
We gave the seminar to a group of participants in a rural
development project, as well as to some of the employees running the project
(with the idea being that they can now give the seminar to even more participants). The mixed audience
presented some challenges. We covered
three central topics in three days: farm management & planning (including
how to keep track of inventory), product marketing & market analysis, and
general money management (prioritizing costs and setting personal budgets). The main challenge here was keeping topics
simple enough to be clear and understood, but still realistic and useful. Additionally while the employees running the
project have graduated from universities, the <i>campesinos</i> have only on average received up to a sixth grade education. We covered some basic arithmetic principles
and spent about a half hour practicing how to use a calculator. It really struck me how many things that we
may think of as common sense were actually acquired through years of formal
education. To expect <i>campesinos</i> to catch on quickly is unfair
and unrealistic. Slow and steady. Overall, I was impressed with how well the
audience paid attention, and it seemed as though they got something out of
it. The unfortunate thing about working
seminars like this, which are outside of our communities, is that we can’t do
any follow up to see if people are actually using the tools or ideas we gave
them. <o:p></o:p></div>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYv81JNdEEf5ArmJNlMQOA3WkCZj11i3XwgXe2UGgSoVjpiZJ7VFwEsVhzCDJq6SZzfI1KtmGoY18n9SFbwL1dFcPo85krJ_52iw5NALIehDfwt1UFrMDbEqUa8KMOST-oisAM97zIr4hq/s1600/SAM_1568.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYv81JNdEEf5ArmJNlMQOA3WkCZj11i3XwgXe2UGgSoVjpiZJ7VFwEsVhzCDJq6SZzfI1KtmGoY18n9SFbwL1dFcPo85krJ_52iw5NALIehDfwt1UFrMDbEqUa8KMOST-oisAM97zIr4hq/s320/SAM_1568.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Practice with calculators</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiyO8POxdmc3yT3kEZC8uKKC5FYoSHp3aIVBtnRO18jiSHjBpvjovsf8jr8bK-ZzKLzvMJ_V6jlhDZPJO6RcbIFnsLQNogDyzoDBISPVOgVFQLOJEHTYd5vt5UB8coOo9UKbOkcNBeY9NO/s1600/SAM_1573.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiyO8POxdmc3yT3kEZC8uKKC5FYoSHp3aIVBtnRO18jiSHjBpvjovsf8jr8bK-ZzKLzvMJ_V6jlhDZPJO6RcbIFnsLQNogDyzoDBISPVOgVFQLOJEHTYd5vt5UB8coOo9UKbOkcNBeY9NO/s320/SAM_1573.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Me explaining the basics of personal finances and why it's important to save money.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br />
I’m FINALLY heading back to site tomorrow. I've heard it’s been raining a lot so
hopefully my house hasn't been too damaged.
I’m really looking forward to spending some time <i>tranquilo,</i> reconnecting with my community and settling back into
the <i>campo </i>life :)<o:p></o:p></div>
Lila Holzmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04835795566712471159noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7806512992221081052.post-47848376668592102262012-11-09T16:20:00.000-08:002012-11-11T14:40:27.378-08:00Ashley's Guest Entry!During the first week of November, my easy-going, driven, talented friend from college Ashley Thompson came down to visit. A graduate of Rice University's School of Architecture and a frequent world-traveler, Ashley managed to squeeze in some time for me before she ships off to spend two years in Japan as an architect in the US Air Force. Below is Ashley's guest blog entry:<br />
<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">
<br />
<br />
<br />
Let me start by saying that everything you ever knew about Lila Holzman is absolutely true, she may very well save the world and may indeed be EVEN MORE incredible than we all ever suspected. </div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">
I´ve been in Panama for less than a week and am blown away at what Lila is doing in this part of the world. Not only is she a ´trooper´ (as Mallory put it best) but she is the happiest, hardest working, most organized girl-with-a-plan to have ever trooped into the Panamanian countryside. </div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">
It´s clear that she loves being here, loves what she is doing, and most importantly, is making a very real positive impact in her community. Peace Corps is lucky to have her. </div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">
Our adventure started on a <i>Diablo Rojo</i>: these fantastically painted and decorated decommissioned school buses from the US. For 90 cents, we were slammed into a packed bus and bounced all the way out to Chorrera, the major city in her region. </div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqvbFrYymWr46vZOxnZDkfoPx8neKVZF24XRayWdv-NzaKn-tLHH95n70B2Eg0eEQ86DBlMiDrjTCXfBD3KHPOYAxmPaQNn53Ri-BTMyo65wBNhsm0Wv-inmkn6X1_b4HSDAe-I8Kv6bej/s1600/diablo_rojo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="260" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqvbFrYymWr46vZOxnZDkfoPx8neKVZF24XRayWdv-NzaKn-tLHH95n70B2Eg0eEQ86DBlMiDrjTCXfBD3KHPOYAxmPaQNn53Ri-BTMyo65wBNhsm0Wv-inmkn6X1_b4HSDAe-I8Kv6bej/s320/diablo_rojo.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Diablo Rojo</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">
A <i>chiva</i>, which is a steel-cage outfitted pick-up truck, took us the rest of the bumpy way (also jam-packed full).</div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiohKyl8Cr_9c0q7zX4nv1S1sE0lmmbnYBUtIOA0I5CElZmp2LYiCmbONhz684TF6A8Wdpue3bEcfhchw1NM-y1iELYe32n3m8P39Imv03O1LHF4T9bFgaCjpPq9Rhue9UgRZMLu2Dp88aV/s1600/chiva.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiohKyl8Cr_9c0q7zX4nv1S1sE0lmmbnYBUtIOA0I5CElZmp2LYiCmbONhz684TF6A8Wdpue3bEcfhchw1NM-y1iELYe32n3m8P39Imv03O1LHF4T9bFgaCjpPq9Rhue9UgRZMLu2Dp88aV/s320/chiva.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Outside the back of a chiva</td></tr>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Further and further from the city, on a roller coaster of a road, the country opens up into beautiful rolling hills covered in tropical forest. Where the pavement stops, down a steep path most typically made quite precarious by slippery mud and bounding barbed wire, and a little yonder, is Lila´s house. The entire time in the country, I really couldn´t help but think how beautiful this place is. To elaborate, while it is certainly beautiful, it is also very humid, very wet, relatively buggy (although mostly it's mosquitoes and ants that are causing the problem), it can be extremely muddy, there isn´t indoor plumbing or electricity, and the shower is cold. Which depending on how you feel about some or all of those things, may affect your perception of beauty. But I think definitely for Lila, and for my short visit, it was incredibly peaceful and perfectly disconnected from the hectic world we all live in. </span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> </span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Home sweet home</td></tr>
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That said, It definitely is easy to grin and bear whatever the discomfort when you know you´re only visiting and will be out in X number of days, so all the more credit to Lila for her immersed experience (and the people for whom this is their daily reality). She tried to give me a little taste of what her typical life out here is like. We <i>pasear-ed</i> - which apparently translates into a visit-driven stroll, however is much more like rigorous hiking - to both her host families´ homes. One was much more accessible than the other. Her first host family is about a 30 min hike from the road up and back down a very high hill for the area, it was the first real "whoa, you and everyone who lives back here does this at least twice a day, including the kids going to and from school!". The head of the household gave me a tour of his coffee farm, fish tanks, home garden, and mill for grinding sugar cane. It is so impressive to see someone with so many natural resources under their domain- they survive off of what the earth yields them, literally. Less romantic, his young wife got her hand caught in that same mill and lost 4 fingers. Terrifying in general, I also am mortified at how hard it must have been to get her out and to the hospital. </div>
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Between the rain and the holiday, Panama´s Independence Day, there wasn´t too much time for working. But we also spent a morning building Lila a seed tray, and another afternoon helping a community member set up their home compost. Lila´s most recent action item has been to galvanize compost in the village in order to be used for their upcoming home gardens (The ultimate goal to grow a wider variety of food and diversify the group´s diet beyond rice and yucca).</div>
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The other primary event of the week were the holidays. Friday there was an event at the local cemetery, Saturday celebrated Panama's independence from Colombia, Sunday was Flag Day, and Monday was <span style="font-family: sans-serif; line-height: 19px;">Colón</span> Day. For this occasion there was an excellent presentation and parade put on by the school´s children (preschool through 6th grade) and also a b<i>aile</i> at the local cantina. The kids were very cute and did a great job as coached by their senior teacher despite having forgotten to sing the national anthem (and announcing this in order to reconvene). Also their electronic set up (powered by the school's solar panels) was quite amusing, apparently the mic connection to the speakers only works at justttt the right angle, which the teacher was constantly fiddling with the cord to find, and when he did, would freeze in whatever odd position his arm happened to land in. </div>
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For the baile, Lila graciously hosted other nearby peace corps volunteers at her house (the furthest came from 2 hours by hike). We celebrated with white-cheddar cheese popcorn, macaroni and cheese, and boxed wine. Around 9pm - very late when you usually go to sleep with the sun- we attempted our hike to the cantina faced by an ungodly amount of mud. I've never imagined in my life so much mud, everywhere, every inch, and a few inches deep. The cantina was the same, an entire inclined yard of mud, making it a challenge for sober people to stay upright, and impossible for the drunk-off-their-butt Panamanians. People who were too drunk to carry on often just crashed to the ground and decided they may as well stay there. People actually passed out !and remained! in the mud - hopefully not face down. </div>
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All in all my week with Lila went by much too fast. I´m so happy that we were able to make my trip out here possible. I know everyone who is able to visit Lila will be amazed and impressed with the work she is doing and how quickly she adapted to this new and challenging environment. I know I couldn´t do what she is doing, really, it´s hard to capture her life in pictures and through her blog, it´s certainly even hard for a short-term visitor to understand the full impact of what she will accomplish and the barriers/difficulties/<wbr></wbr>discomforts she faces. But take my word for it and be oh so impressed with our wonderful Lila. </div>
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Lila Holzmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04835795566712471159noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7806512992221081052.post-19401397965133215922012-11-07T08:41:00.000-08:002012-11-07T09:16:39.970-08:00Panama Protests, Parties, and (organic) Pesticides<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<b><u>Panama in Protest</u></b><br />
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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.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b><u>Time to Celebrate!</u></b><o:p></o:p></div>
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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.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-a3rRIponhsqBTgUt30PqA_8sGYkKblNVMQn9dwdaeNmw_0ZUAaetpWUitXT6vkVI9ENE3a3d0YCfaZHMT9VHZaMM4q-K6lmyn6oCrDM2h5bW6ru-9bN9WBpeLPu_yVQAXZuBuM35Ixit/s1600/1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-a3rRIponhsqBTgUt30PqA_8sGYkKblNVMQn9dwdaeNmw_0ZUAaetpWUitXT6vkVI9ENE3a3d0YCfaZHMT9VHZaMM4q-K6lmyn6oCrDM2h5bW6ru-9bN9WBpeLPu_yVQAXZuBuM35Ixit/s320/1.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Rice University chicas</td></tr>
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Back in site, we observed a very low key Day of the Dead
ceremony in our small town cemetery.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVkdhUTMlhuvYHsanRftWjU3Q8ZyecLw9nYMP_GUHrgEzY9KvZnI3163u3-zFaUCh_IsoVgp5s9rQ1upeoC6CJM8yI03GUYXE9aiR5Wfy4UJOzLBwd_A0zaGh5DEHO0RVqfvmxdN3bOx2c/s1600/2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVkdhUTMlhuvYHsanRftWjU3Q8ZyecLw9nYMP_GUHrgEzY9KvZnI3163u3-zFaUCh_IsoVgp5s9rQ1upeoC6CJM8yI03GUYXE9aiR5Wfy4UJOzLBwd_A0zaGh5DEHO0RVqfvmxdN3bOx2c/s320/2.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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On November 3<sup>rd</sup> 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.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Raising Panama's flag and saying their Pledge of Allegiance</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Dancing in typical dress</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtmwnEK1QnktjwAxm4X84wW7xfX952fbJpBor6aQYRiVYDdzd07TPXf5O26nDSwqqO0i3qq-43JnEWjldGxjUB_YO-ZkC1_577126OQqRPJeuwVydCnpDtS2HdmCzeK6kk2O0wmDwZf0xk/s1600/5.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtmwnEK1QnktjwAxm4X84wW7xfX952fbJpBor6aQYRiVYDdzd07TPXf5O26nDSwqqO0i3qq-43JnEWjldGxjUB_YO-ZkC1_577126OQqRPJeuwVydCnpDtS2HdmCzeK6kk2O0wmDwZf0xk/s320/5.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Parade down the main road. Very small girl + very big flag = very cute.</td></tr>
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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.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Volunteers and Panamanian teachers</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPab36G7CrHA5YgaROhwC5ANpc6RlSdTGSxuJkX06jkD6xdQHpe4Jub_LvlTBYT1_mj1ZH3jNSmcRjpbUAqITHfMkbKA0xM2LfSq-avIKRMsJkjU5HBSLH0ULieUUax3Py8WmOT0fYY2WT/s1600/7.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPab36G7CrHA5YgaROhwC5ANpc6RlSdTGSxuJkX06jkD6xdQHpe4Jub_LvlTBYT1_mj1ZH3jNSmcRjpbUAqITHfMkbKA0xM2LfSq-avIKRMsJkjU5HBSLH0ULieUUax3Py8WmOT0fYY2WT/s320/7.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Gringo gathering</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhY88kfiGdWKkvZ8tVVqe57S0y6_G_50XLmKMHvUKuiPcQlxd-YVV2ZL8f9w9PaRPZ-jo666nSoghGZUy-Z730xWiyBQQts3G2pGYTYIzuG6ZT4Fdm3-3AewLcrZBSR1aXinst33loHgn2S/s1600/8.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhY88kfiGdWKkvZ8tVVqe57S0y6_G_50XLmKMHvUKuiPcQlxd-YVV2ZL8f9w9PaRPZ-jo666nSoghGZUy-Z730xWiyBQQts3G2pGYTYIzuG6ZT4Fdm3-3AewLcrZBSR1aXinst33loHgn2S/s320/8.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tipico dancing!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxlD0rMq0jrHZeUnsff8BJ4zll4yPyz_H0d6QwNvdbaAeFwjj3DxpAkElkI8LZPUenDCDu6UqJmoF7AwapcgtUYJNN_lg7jhF0OGtj7XsFEt2JGDBS67ILtqEQ8pCfgx0TDOJWIHr7_uhD/s1600/9.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxlD0rMq0jrHZeUnsff8BJ4zll4yPyz_H0d6QwNvdbaAeFwjj3DxpAkElkI8LZPUenDCDu6UqJmoF7AwapcgtUYJNN_lg7jhF0OGtj7XsFEt2JGDBS67ILtqEQ8pCfgx0TDOJWIHr7_uhD/s320/9.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">So. Much. Mud. </td></tr>
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<b><u>Garden Work
Continues</u></b><o:p></o:p></div>
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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!<o:p></o:p></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjq5DuaBjGAcjUBJ2PFj9BsFp663_BUzLgnnTvr13iMB6MF_p5ZKY9ycKuRsvPz3VnNbmTMi8-OFYQ8av-9QXbmstQ8H1Q5VRfVeYqdGcYUx5PD3qTczWyeR-_bZwHF4SqrHH9AjsoB0Qjc/s1600/10.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjq5DuaBjGAcjUBJ2PFj9BsFp663_BUzLgnnTvr13iMB6MF_p5ZKY9ycKuRsvPz3VnNbmTMi8-OFYQ8av-9QXbmstQ8H1Q5VRfVeYqdGcYUx5PD3qTczWyeR-_bZwHF4SqrHH9AjsoB0Qjc/s320/10.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Kids helping out with a compost pile</td></tr>
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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 <i>semillero</i>,
or seed-starting table.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEdMOvJYbA8sMUDU72sBddMMaMMNPbG_B2f-8hf7oUXytuUQ9bDqzwIfPq9GlECqKb1bTsCe09sWezoQeZU04EMjTv9uT2bwJzXMGe4RjEItSKreSgBaN12behqjnAgjwOpGJTBTbj_aYe/s1600/11.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEdMOvJYbA8sMUDU72sBddMMaMMNPbG_B2f-8hf7oUXytuUQ9bDqzwIfPq9GlECqKb1bTsCe09sWezoQeZU04EMjTv9uT2bwJzXMGe4RjEItSKreSgBaN12behqjnAgjwOpGJTBTbj_aYe/s320/11.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Brewing an insect repellent</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhS3nsX3GcTUgSP3h19zg60O3cR3CBvY6Zu4rvTtVyto_M3CmegDRcT54FC6EjOd8hEclJUNzyPRo56RE4DJWAZLIX7PmMwzWmYUBP11cBOSM-wQu7itxQUrirtW-tNlPdzB_MzvX1674q5/s1600/12.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhS3nsX3GcTUgSP3h19zg60O3cR3CBvY6Zu4rvTtVyto_M3CmegDRcT54FC6EjOd8hEclJUNzyPRo56RE4DJWAZLIX7PmMwzWmYUBP11cBOSM-wQu7itxQUrirtW-tNlPdzB_MzvX1674q5/s320/12.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Very tall seed table -- they said they made it with me in mind ... Ayayay</td></tr>
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Ashley helped me get my own <i>semillero </i>seed table started so that when I return from this
month’s travels, I can get going on my own veggie planting!<o:p></o:p></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVgdX9sf05hNr2bWXDKltIpei4g_R0sDmpOr8_iiIvzapQPYJaMDQkymIQSssXiZH6tagyzY3UhZONhyHke5scNLjFYPfDEl6h83TpoKeRWf7EwoEIxhRCUP4sXc8OfqPi0wmiNpnUUKEF/s1600/13.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVgdX9sf05hNr2bWXDKltIpei4g_R0sDmpOr8_iiIvzapQPYJaMDQkymIQSssXiZH6tagyzY3UhZONhyHke5scNLjFYPfDEl6h83TpoKeRWf7EwoEIxhRCUP4sXc8OfqPi0wmiNpnUUKEF/s320/13.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Semillero-making</td></tr>
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I left my site on November 5<sup>th</sup> 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!<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />Lila Holzmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04835795566712471159noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7806512992221081052.post-88675308941756468842012-10-12T08:02:00.001-07:002012-10-12T15:37:15.017-07:00Nutrition, Trash, Festivals, and Luxury<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u>Nutrients for People and Plants</u></b></div>
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After last month’s community analysis meeting resulted in the long term goal of eating a more nutritious diet, I teamed up with a neighboring volunteer Jim to host a training focused on two semi-related topics: Nutrition and Compost.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I started off talking about three principle food groups and how people should eat from all of them instead of just one (carbs).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I also explained how important it is to stay hydrated especially when out working in the fields.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Jim transitioned to compost-talk, explaining that plants, like us, need nutrients to survive and that we can provide these nutrients without having to buy chemical fertilizers.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Woo!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We then split the group up and had them practice making a compost pile.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was pumped that we had such a large crowd – 19 attendees total.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijSVM0CJXrCOIEJsmwBf_Uc2WAoVcJUwI5i5OQcm9Ux6vfSqCsoexpEfYO2Cc6U-JO7ODCGx6eYOtFv6xilFW9UxePcmHev-T1aJOMTJKSPV9coxLPsWFgzW_auiyscj7gIwmkVwCnAbUg/s1600/DSCF8400.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" nea="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijSVM0CJXrCOIEJsmwBf_Uc2WAoVcJUwI5i5OQcm9Ux6vfSqCsoexpEfYO2Cc6U-JO7ODCGx6eYOtFv6xilFW9UxePcmHev-T1aJOMTJKSPV9coxLPsWFgzW_auiyscj7gIwmkVwCnAbUg/s320/DSCF8400.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">Proteins - help form our muscles, bones, organs, and blood; Fats/Sugars/Carbohydrates - help give us mental and physical strength and energy (this is what most Panamanians subsist on since it includes rice and yucca); Vitamins/Minerals - help protect us from getting sick; & Water - necessary to live and boy do we sweat it out here all day long</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiZGrHOGwJzsmC9WrSoQmP61B6IL9PU6gDEzdhWFE3lXVTfPY5woyn3sChog15Dk8dYWiNNv3ymO-DOKtFmK-TmyayB4x6RW_pGvvhOj6SNq42_oAmtj70CWLT2F0dGebGXnd-zDOkTkgy/s1600/DSCF8406.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" nea="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiZGrHOGwJzsmC9WrSoQmP61B6IL9PU6gDEzdhWFE3lXVTfPY5woyn3sChog15Dk8dYWiNNv3ymO-DOKtFmK-TmyayB4x6RW_pGvvhOj6SNq42_oAmtj70CWLT2F0dGebGXnd-zDOkTkgy/s320/DSCF8406.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">Jim taking over to explain that plants need nutrients just like people, and that we should give them organic fertilizers, aka compost!</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0vtWaNSB3mavMFfXQpZXiO_fec4c-wx_vc5Ayi4y5yDc9gw37Z6iXwSPehQv3x8DUrkMtHTU1isVUnTYDHyHo-lU4wrC5wrAbsElytsreIj2C-qRTnurO3g573Bz53biy2mZ3t_q-YVGs/s1600/DSCF8413.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" nea="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0vtWaNSB3mavMFfXQpZXiO_fec4c-wx_vc5Ayi4y5yDc9gw37Z6iXwSPehQv3x8DUrkMtHTU1isVUnTYDHyHo-lU4wrC5wrAbsElytsreIj2C-qRTnurO3g573Bz53biy2mZ3t_q-YVGs/s320/DSCF8413.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">Wrapping up the talk explaining possible applications of finished compost.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiO5zKP0lzSNqW4PahlMzt2GQk4tBfVf36h_eAAbFoUMqgzJ8-pkGfdqimm-zdqMCFKZVmbdOTyYQMcW_4O2sLWa7WmZPxZqr6Y_phY_W7d0GF10VSfmTnE9kf3vHh8Lhaxf-1BUtQvyxRd/s1600/DSCF8414.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" nea="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiO5zKP0lzSNqW4PahlMzt2GQk4tBfVf36h_eAAbFoUMqgzJ8-pkGfdqimm-zdqMCFKZVmbdOTyYQMcW_4O2sLWa7WmZPxZqr6Y_phY_W7d0GF10VSfmTnE9kf3vHh8Lhaxf-1BUtQvyxRd/s320/DSCF8414.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">Practical application time!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Making the compost mix at my new house.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What Panamanian reunion would be complete without a baby sleeping in a chinchorro?</span></td></tr>
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For the obligatory free snack, I wanted to provide something showing different nutrients than what they usually eat, using foods they can find or produce around here.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Cucumber and tomato salad! Plus toasted bread and oranges.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1s0IB5_CyYtH9LLUSzzSFlV8QZLpQVDMzLRv-preDwAAqZ6ofQRRQhZY3AMiPkEMc8ZeLtzaTIpR8ITTMGFcv1G6wgRaxUIQP5DIH4inwDrvn-prJUeNskTedqCw2S1a09OPbTfgaQGCT/s1600/DSCF8420.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" nea="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1s0IB5_CyYtH9LLUSzzSFlV8QZLpQVDMzLRv-preDwAAqZ6ofQRRQhZY3AMiPkEMc8ZeLtzaTIpR8ITTMGFcv1G6wgRaxUIQP5DIH4inwDrvn-prJUeNskTedqCw2S1a09OPbTfgaQGCT/s320/DSCF8420.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">They ate all the salad but I still can't get them to eat a whole orange. They cut the tops off and suck the juice out leaving behind the rest of the fruit. Silly.</span></td></tr>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u>Help from Outside Agencies on Trash and the School Garden</u></b></div>
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I had some better experiences recently with outside agencies.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The Ministry of Health decided that since construction of the fancy paved road through our community, trash has become a serious health issue.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They organized a trash clean-up day, which went well in terms of enthusiastic involvement from community members.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBB2xx5I4p0qwybKV1H5dPVQ_qgkyB71aIHp_0svdTKYQlsOCtlcGdMX_ww78weD9gv1pMNZj7_7D5dnkuvOswdEZ5OihEDlQaRu5IH8i-8lXfDIwjBVCvtANT69UbvBNQULxrhVMGt0LJ/s1600/DSCF8480.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" nea="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBB2xx5I4p0qwybKV1H5dPVQ_qgkyB71aIHp_0svdTKYQlsOCtlcGdMX_ww78weD9gv1pMNZj7_7D5dnkuvOswdEZ5OihEDlQaRu5IH8i-8lXfDIwjBVCvtANT69UbvBNQULxrhVMGt0LJ/s320/DSCF8480.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Taking a break after gathering bags of trash</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgi3FRB-hUZIuVgYypOQuenDM0Hqei4uIzQHgrF2wb9iVeqeJp4e23M0CUm-SHskOJfUNlhdKKOtON-hAef4QE9JEhwyumGzcgn8snMl1lVLhG87-VAAy2FDOzh9RLdD4PLOIQIf9Mrv9m9/s1600/DSCF8484.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" nea="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgi3FRB-hUZIuVgYypOQuenDM0Hqei4uIzQHgrF2wb9iVeqeJp4e23M0CUm-SHskOJfUNlhdKKOtON-hAef4QE9JEhwyumGzcgn8snMl1lVLhG87-VAAy2FDOzh9RLdD4PLOIQIf9Mrv9m9/s320/DSCF8484.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">Making signs telling people not to litter</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFSq3E-a2UovBHjPPq1s6zJJrMCOqlgPJfk4lfASVXa6E6ed5SFwjsgWyxu2hcBxjSzhdkK_nczW8uSnGOvc4TRWx9K6uE3Ss-gMzAF8uowhWTp1_ltg0rfZo-552TnsoKWB2U4U3LZXAH/s1600/DSCF8496.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" nea="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFSq3E-a2UovBHjPPq1s6zJJrMCOqlgPJfk4lfASVXa6E6ed5SFwjsgWyxu2hcBxjSzhdkK_nczW8uSnGOvc4TRWx9K6uE3Ss-gMzAF8uowhWTp1_ltg0rfZo-552TnsoKWB2U4U3LZXAH/s320/DSCF8496.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">Yep, all the trash collected that day was burned.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Glass bottles were buried.</span></td></tr>
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After being told to write a sign for the main intersection / hang-out point that says “Please, throw trash where it belongs” it confused me to realized that the Ministry of Health did not provide us with a trash can or even a bag to keep at that location permanently.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If we don’t provide a place to throw trash, how can people put it where it belongs?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I tried asking around, and people said they thought someone will be bringing something soon, but no one knew who or when.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Hmmm.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEINEQfDiEyorH8ie8t2e2thjAdLk4OlD4Ml4OPetZqlFwTjclSkLSxPitNbhmAqg5mqPKCq_xQxpeqsvQEdXWseBA1k47NYqq1FX2ZaJYSKGisUgiFw6EavrJD3XaCRxSEI8beUVblHQ4/s1600/DSCF8491.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" nea="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEINEQfDiEyorH8ie8t2e2thjAdLk4OlD4Ml4OPetZqlFwTjclSkLSxPitNbhmAqg5mqPKCq_xQxpeqsvQEdXWseBA1k47NYqq1FX2ZaJYSKGisUgiFw6EavrJD3XaCRxSEI8beUVblHQ4/s320/DSCF8491.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Main intersection where people love to throw trash on the ground with a new sign but no trash can...</span></td></tr>
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The technical expert from the First Lady’s project that funds our school garden came out last week and will be continuing to visit throughout October to help get the garden going.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Fortunately, our trainings seem to complement each other well.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She emphasized the importance of compost and went over low-resource seed-starting techniques including the use of newspaper to make little seed bags.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The project requires contribution of all parents of school children, and hopefully will start getting the kids more involved as well.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRN0aVCqWYiuiY6D1vHlgQVFVoSlnn4nOQXRqFdmqSt5hlogxQXjkuAc-h52pX5L0DcEZbywJWu2Wxf8vj8trpyLO_HXoGZSFzF_lmUa-7VIOOft8boGX_tPgXcSgpfkET1qgjMSOBqDgt/s1600/DSCF8525.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" nea="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRN0aVCqWYiuiY6D1vHlgQVFVoSlnn4nOQXRqFdmqSt5hlogxQXjkuAc-h52pX5L0DcEZbywJWu2Wxf8vj8trpyLO_HXoGZSFzF_lmUa-7VIOOft8boGX_tPgXcSgpfkET1qgjMSOBqDgt/s320/DSCF8525.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">Making seed bags out of newspapers and filling them with a mix of cow manure, rice husks, and sand</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitVh0hu4seSPW5bDbDjOb2m3SPR63XG6NnGA-5nuEalfs1x5ISidUJyyOktrBSpH4CmknCMLFsakULRoJt_btmAtq_74t4pGhpuILwcoUGEsepMv97wTIDzOxJGYFupexqwxbBm-vx_IsK/s1600/DSCF8558.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" nea="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitVh0hu4seSPW5bDbDjOb2m3SPR63XG6NnGA-5nuEalfs1x5ISidUJyyOktrBSpH4CmknCMLFsakULRoJt_btmAtq_74t4pGhpuILwcoUGEsepMv97wTIDzOxJGYFupexqwxbBm-vx_IsK/s320/DSCF8558.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">Garden project technician explaining how she wants the corn planted</span></td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0xX1FbyIY1j_W9BcdZYmYZKlHO5PUE7li2Lyrub9sl0pkzdBVXbeH0HgxOv67bnAaVhRyYdP-wGiCovvnzS811WQiX8JraAqeKZvpC3XnB1TP81arY4zNOX7C6nqtoqwSLxqKNMJYjGGl/s1600/DSCF8545.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" nea="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0xX1FbyIY1j_W9BcdZYmYZKlHO5PUE7li2Lyrub9sl0pkzdBVXbeH0HgxOv67bnAaVhRyYdP-wGiCovvnzS811WQiX8JraAqeKZvpC3XnB1TP81arY4zNOX7C6nqtoqwSLxqKNMJYjGGl/s320/DSCF8545.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">Time-out from garden work to catch a snake. eek!</span></td></tr>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u>Festivals</u></b></div>
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I’ve been warned that not much work happens between October and December due to a series of holidays and they are starting!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>El Harino kicked things off this week celebrating “Spain Colonization Day.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The teachers organized an annual march where the kids held colorful handmade torches and paraded down the main road one evening.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was very cute and pretty.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSLczUgfQ8_MLYDEGMZZnh5KWhijm8gqgcOvBQRDdEM9YpyGtdB7DPTfhzzpdKRaLL8FtSz9qzGVu1Xarpk6AiMy8CntMbgFRE6D7NkHbRzyVhFHT_BpwCkpQD8ulClAcmV56aNA3h4jt1/s1600/DSCF8658.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" nea="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSLczUgfQ8_MLYDEGMZZnh5KWhijm8gqgcOvBQRDdEM9YpyGtdB7DPTfhzzpdKRaLL8FtSz9qzGVu1Xarpk6AiMy8CntMbgFRE6D7NkHbRzyVhFHT_BpwCkpQD8ulClAcmV56aNA3h4jt1/s320/DSCF8658.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Kids with torches</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj719q5LqLyVPUQceNSFWP6xaH6eJfoO8zhF0nCTQp4zdm1jwtyitKzypOnIY5Ly04hrModkX1pYVS0XzIUtaQJRvUALpKJyihmqV9CyseImrhgDtrq4ZPaMJNA_Rwhme1sI3-Qeo3P6RaW/s1600/DSCF8660.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" nea="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj719q5LqLyVPUQceNSFWP6xaH6eJfoO8zhF0nCTQp4zdm1jwtyitKzypOnIY5Ly04hrModkX1pYVS0XzIUtaQJRvUALpKJyihmqV9CyseImrhgDtrq4ZPaMJNA_Rwhme1sI3-Qeo3P6RaW/s320/DSCF8660.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">I asked if the symbols on the torches had any significance. Nope. Just pretty.</span></td></tr>
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When we got back to the school, the kids helped dress me in a <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">pollera</i> (typical Panamanian skirt) and we did some folk dancing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Fun!</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7zRKZfbmIzMz9U2ciuMQs6DdvpAsdmygOP6nKVAyomeufEIyno15uL1QJ5ZS9qrLxJ4nCW8BK_u3hoNb1YLSWsx0d88Qvp4y_nf0iEVkbAGFhO4c5z7eF-9jjg-l3-pEMjbKy3-8IJZMa/s1600/DSCF8668.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" nea="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7zRKZfbmIzMz9U2ciuMQs6DdvpAsdmygOP6nKVAyomeufEIyno15uL1QJ5ZS9qrLxJ4nCW8BK_u3hoNb1YLSWsx0d88Qvp4y_nf0iEVkbAGFhO4c5z7eF-9jjg-l3-pEMjbKy3-8IJZMa/s320/DSCF8668.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Lila baila!</span></td></tr>
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Other upcoming events will include some intercommunity school soccer tournaments, Panamanian Independence from Colombia Day on November 3<sup>rd</sup>, Panamanian Independence Day from Spain on November 28<sup>th</sup>, Mothers’ Day in December, etc.</div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u>Luxury</u></b></div>
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I made the big 3-month move and am now living on my own in a charming wooden home.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Moving was mentally and physically challenging, but well worth the effort.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Me, myself, and I lugged all my earthly belongings from my host-family’s house to my new one (no helping horses this time).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It took about 3 trips plus a few loads from shopping out of site.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I didn’t ask for any help carrying stuff and no one exactly offered.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A few people asked me if I was sure I could manage everything, and I said yes, because I could and I did.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Whew.</div>
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My host-family told me they wanted to cook me lunch on my last day.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I thought this sounded sweet but a little silly considering I’d been eating all my meals with them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But then they surprised me with a non-traditional lunch of SALAD with LETTUCE and rice and chicken.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In this one meal all 3 food groups from my nutrition lesson were deliciously present.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So happy and proud.</div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixUrZ5nB_GC2RWwswwQH4f5ltqur1N3xvblMg1pHga283zt45mqR_66IL23Uhq8gz7ahkNw-78LSw0qj4Xel4GqWcKZNvr27yOLw7hJspMjkLCqdL7tS2iFpeLlPobSLcXfDLg53yWPrCB/s1600/DSCF8466.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" nea="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixUrZ5nB_GC2RWwswwQH4f5ltqur1N3xvblMg1pHga283zt45mqR_66IL23Uhq8gz7ahkNw-78LSw0qj4Xel4GqWcKZNvr27yOLw7hJspMjkLCqdL7tS2iFpeLlPobSLcXfDLg53yWPrCB/s320/DSCF8466.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">yum!</span></td></tr>
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After a few rainy afternoons trapped inside my new place, I have arranged it how I want it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Compared to some of the hardships of the last few months, this home truly feels like luxury.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Water from an aqueduct comes to two spigots just outside.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I bought a 6-inch foam mattress and am sleeping comfortably for the first time in a long while.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This house feels big!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I have space to spread out my things and to walk around.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So lovely.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> The house is an undivided L-shape, but it almost feels like I have different rooms. </span>Here are the photos.</div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZ7w2lYgj7a5xu_zkbWbageJiTdT5w4xbcZvYK1Cnqh5gwoOIHWuPUD-00qmK0FJyZOvPQ-xh3LHhUwuos1QDoM4Vrt9YpO_mKEMhcP-jcc7sx3_gfqU2ckgt8HoHad6MvUu7-9QYslW1V/s1600/DSCF8460.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" nea="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZ7w2lYgj7a5xu_zkbWbageJiTdT5w4xbcZvYK1Cnqh5gwoOIHWuPUD-00qmK0FJyZOvPQ-xh3LHhUwuos1QDoM4Vrt9YpO_mKEMhcP-jcc7sx3_gfqU2ckgt8HoHad6MvUu7-9QYslW1V/s320/DSCF8460.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Outside</span></td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvOrLXQwiKrqYJP94IXVs_GOENOCBQnS47ThmMDjXQjulCTRgTcyYQBy20DF23-p-gbh6HdnDW3P0n_NXXVrQoifhRFgRVg0a-OJcIF5wpxm-5etbs26fS5rqGg3k17dZZ1iCP7SRCmhC3/s1600/DSCF8588.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" nea="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvOrLXQwiKrqYJP94IXVs_GOENOCBQnS47ThmMDjXQjulCTRgTcyYQBy20DF23-p-gbh6HdnDW3P0n_NXXVrQoifhRFgRVg0a-OJcIF5wpxm-5etbs26fS5rqGg3k17dZZ1iCP7SRCmhC3/s320/DSCF8588.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">Spigot and board for doing laundry, etc.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGPGsjw_1MGu1vtW-KqGSPWHNbayRA6cEyQX0wUZlNPgMbpIBSkZNmErb2pJWObwbfcf1uLYP3EyNk15xxM2emHQdUcLh_Sk-nbY31C5f_efL_EOtdpt2RvA0IkKuaTZe3KIqHtOq5qG6j/s1600/DSCF8584.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" nea="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGPGsjw_1MGu1vtW-KqGSPWHNbayRA6cEyQX0wUZlNPgMbpIBSkZNmErb2pJWObwbfcf1uLYP3EyNk15xxM2emHQdUcLh_Sk-nbY31C5f_efL_EOtdpt2RvA0IkKuaTZe3KIqHtOq5qG6j/s320/DSCF8584.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">Nicest latrine in town</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZjMDr-W0lsxPHWc9TXYQc4a20BAAs3_mgaiM1aCY8VKJZGIKDE15s6VGzm1G_9pACB4nYqdFBB_5KJqBZag3Mh7_9TIn2LZ6X4_t_TG-8vF9Rup1KMByt00bBY5HTw_913fh6LtBiXjpj/s1600/DSCF8593.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" nea="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZjMDr-W0lsxPHWc9TXYQc4a20BAAs3_mgaiM1aCY8VKJZGIKDE15s6VGzm1G_9pACB4nYqdFBB_5KJqBZag3Mh7_9TIn2LZ6X4_t_TG-8vF9Rup1KMByt00bBY5HTw_913fh6LtBiXjpj/s320/DSCF8593.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">Faucet above my head! No more bucket baths.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Yes, the water is still cold.</span></td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRLDzFKzNGOMssQx0Lr2jYTDdJAP6wqi768SAzxzW_yPYJ4lenQjnkZx05juKO8wF2tXX-4bnL2iKkJdAOzT03BD2IXNze5JSWzykojV70Eysj9gLBQS6PilY4xqAUAoUZ0ZXUCiX39kcU/s1600/DSCF8601.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" nea="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRLDzFKzNGOMssQx0Lr2jYTDdJAP6wqi768SAzxzW_yPYJ4lenQjnkZx05juKO8wF2tXX-4bnL2iKkJdAOzT03BD2IXNze5JSWzykojV70Eysj9gLBQS6PilY4xqAUAoUZ0ZXUCiX39kcU/s320/DSCF8601.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">Trying to make my front porch as interesting as possible for visitors: basketball; community map; info sheets on nutrition & compost; poster on coffee pests; posters from past talks on community goals, nutrition, compost; copy of community analysis document; Peace Corps magazine.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Also hoping this keeps visitors from entering my house.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I don’t go into other peoples’ houses when I <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">pasear,</i> so I’d like to try to maintain some privacy.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I should probably put a hammock out there at some point.</span></td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqz4kPfGJDxOHgIO70M4DuNqNiQ5YwUk8RVohCwgqZrFJ_htk1FBrdMIxM5hxc0JpRD2kaP9MyOvWzyC97MojPp5vt9q7Z_zVjEyCo1fLyK89y7aP79BWG7VuC44rDw2VjNuO62zQgEaXJ/s1600/DSCF8605.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" nea="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqz4kPfGJDxOHgIO70M4DuNqNiQ5YwUk8RVohCwgqZrFJ_htk1FBrdMIxM5hxc0JpRD2kaP9MyOvWzyC97MojPp5vt9q7Z_zVjEyCo1fLyK89y7aP79BWG7VuC44rDw2VjNuO62zQgEaXJ/s320/DSCF8605.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">Kitchen! Gas tank & stove; cookware; dishwashing bowl; food storage containers including large ziploc bag, bucket, cooler; rechargeable solar lamp on a 2-year loan to me from Women’s Group project.</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3cuFpWG5lamvlJ47IDbbGPc0wu43cD77HJF-tIPev1y2c1CaqiaJHKjTDxfqTNPjLiFxQZfxv2XlImOorlEjosu9E5cAbYa4pYVM7Bs500r5IR_nMIsd3DRmYCWiShqUevCemrObOYL-a/s1600/DSCF8607.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" nea="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3cuFpWG5lamvlJ47IDbbGPc0wu43cD77HJF-tIPev1y2c1CaqiaJHKjTDxfqTNPjLiFxQZfxv2XlImOorlEjosu9E5cAbYa4pYVM7Bs500r5IR_nMIsd3DRmYCWiShqUevCemrObOYL-a/s320/DSCF8607.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-size: small;">Living room! Comfy chair; Peace Corps calendar (want one for 2013? $18); family photos; clothes shelf; work-stuff shelf; Panama map; bench</span></div>
</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnoIXOFUwo5YVvmfsWOgXA7W8laNQIi087HTf595xxN4GOQHqA1iT7peHbeMQNIDK3B75uR2pFH7WjyhQDGjTyTjqoEKO_J2t-AlJ5ER30ZUTzgRCLlD4mBVc83ZhyphenhyphenABbBhA9EN4O3Lo70/s1600/DSCF8608.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" nea="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnoIXOFUwo5YVvmfsWOgXA7W8laNQIi087HTf595xxN4GOQHqA1iT7peHbeMQNIDK3B75uR2pFH7WjyhQDGjTyTjqoEKO_J2t-AlJ5ER30ZUTzgRCLlD4mBVc83ZhyphenhyphenABbBhA9EN4O3Lo70/s320/DSCF8608.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">Bedroom! Clothes rack stick; luggage storage corner; bed</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTyXJnQARDGsgHE4Y0ymya9x9VfhpfiOX8bVIPf_F9C-cF1gNZENu4OKvUcpYAwMRBEtqe_EZ50I-xB-5Wrsi2yhyphenhyphenuWiOHarRSWI0zwFpJA3hGiySybXkT6nX1Ppbk4XGXF9P3GafmdRKT/s1600/DSCF8612.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" nea="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTyXJnQARDGsgHE4Y0ymya9x9VfhpfiOX8bVIPf_F9C-cF1gNZENu4OKvUcpYAwMRBEtqe_EZ50I-xB-5Wrsi2yhyphenhyphenuWiOHarRSWI0zwFpJA3hGiySybXkT6nX1Ppbk4XGXF9P3GafmdRKT/s320/DSCF8612.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">Bedroom! Bed; shoes/boots; water filter; machete & other tools; door out!</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
This will be the longest I have ever lived in any one physical place other than my parents’ house.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>One year and nine months.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Crazy!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Also, this is my first time living by myself with no housemates or roommates.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Nights are a little quiet, but compared to crying babies, this is a nice change.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My radio is on frequently, and yes, “Gangnam Style” has made its way onto Panamanian radio stations.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So far the only main negative of my little <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">casita</i> is that the strong rains bring in quite a bit of water under the walls.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>May need to work on some outside drainage improvements at some point.</div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
Sooo when are you coming to visit?</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiK6bbolcNcgCUwHnTWTh5nPq78QLpBBJ2lDVV1IXLJYDTzr4e1VF0aVVMEzKTKWt1X3-8rpTMe1lvdPYW-OjmFY_BeOz5edpQK3yiFZlNHa144uuohmU62Dj_9K7_kHcm5YmgQc7W3T9Jp/s1600/DSCF8377.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" nea="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiK6bbolcNcgCUwHnTWTh5nPq78QLpBBJ2lDVV1IXLJYDTzr4e1VF0aVVMEzKTKWt1X3-8rpTMe1lvdPYW-OjmFY_BeOz5edpQK3yiFZlNHa144uuohmU62Dj_9K7_kHcm5YmgQc7W3T9Jp/s320/DSCF8377.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">This toucan agrees that you should come visit Panama.</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Lila Holzmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04835795566712471159noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7806512992221081052.post-276725880427224042012-09-26T17:54:00.001-07:002012-11-24T09:39:20.436-08:00Community Analysis, Peace Corps Parties, Etc.<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><u>A Very Lila
Community Analysis</u></b><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
After stressing out and over-planning for my community
analysis, the meeting ran completely smoothly.
I followed my program director’s strict structure, adapting it and
adding my own style as I found necessary, and she seemed very pleased with
it. The written report of it can be
found here: <a href="http://lilabailapeacecorps.blogspot.com/2012/09/community-analysis-report-given-to.html">http://lilabailapeacecorps.blogspot.com/2012/09/community-analysis-report-given-to.html</a>
in (<i>campo</i>) Spanish. I will eventually translate it both into
English and more formal Spanish as required by Peace Corps. This current version is what I’m giving to
community members. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The gist of it is that together we reviewed several general
community characteristics to gain a comprehensive understanding of how we’re doing
-- How are families structured? What is the education system like? How is
income generated? What are the gender
roles like? When are certain crops
harvested/planted? Etc.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEit6ed5pcqzezO5gGB4br2Ot39d1qkIg7optpqhxGFzoeDYBaFzD7dTq90JbKVOUkpnKKESOqgRdCxv7o0pt0VHkq1JxFbUgwR4D8JFdpm8SBYJge7HSpXa3Z5SC6vCr9EWC-MdrcwSxNjK/s1600/DSCF8239.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEit6ed5pcqzezO5gGB4br2Ot39d1qkIg7optpqhxGFzoeDYBaFzD7dTq90JbKVOUkpnKKESOqgRdCxv7o0pt0VHkq1JxFbUgwR4D8JFdpm8SBYJge7HSpXa3Z5SC6vCr9EWC-MdrcwSxNjK/s320/DSCF8239.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Making an Agriculture Calendar. Apparently all I will have to consume in November is coffee.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiZEikhhib_cLysm48GJrlBUOXNyBc2gIU6mTErwcP3fUQ5m5Z3mjET5kbAocr2TsQ5jCk-Lbf6hJkkN3-ZH-wSsUSBOA4lQ3nd1q3Tl_As2BL1iA8mlBkcZhiXKL0TuDNhDfCFXPmn1-4/s1600/Map_Paint.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiZEikhhib_cLysm48GJrlBUOXNyBc2gIU6mTErwcP3fUQ5m5Z3mjET5kbAocr2TsQ5jCk-Lbf6hJkkN3-ZH-wSsUSBOA4lQ3nd1q3Tl_As2BL1iA8mlBkcZhiXKL0TuDNhDfCFXPmn1-4/s320/Map_Paint.jpg" width="248" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Community Map. People were more or less able to figure out where they all live on here. I drew the main road straight instead of its true curvy nature, so this seemed to confuse some.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</div>
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Then we analyzed our strengths and weaknesses and evaluated
which agriculturally-related weakness within our control is considered most
important. The 19 people present voted “lack
of food with nutrients” as a top priority.<o:p></o:p><br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilSXwYC6CF3YSCXY-mhnw6jxBP5J7A_zcoJDoGtkXaNlquDm0xhY8EPM-7eAoogRAJCnw6OwHhyphenhyphen6SG8irofRaZQTn3Qq2IwC2GDXFnPI_gYjCHHHMqaHNj9iGGqO6lR5YxVf9R6EBkDaR9/s1600/DSCF8278.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilSXwYC6CF3YSCXY-mhnw6jxBP5J7A_zcoJDoGtkXaNlquDm0xhY8EPM-7eAoogRAJCnw6OwHhyphenhyphen6SG8irofRaZQTn3Qq2IwC2GDXFnPI_gYjCHHHMqaHNj9iGGqO6lR5YxVf9R6EBkDaR9/s320/DSCF8278.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Strengths, Opportunities, Weaknesses, Threats</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
We then discussed the causes and effects of this problem and
developed the beginning steps of an action plan and timeline to address and
improve it.<o:p></o:p><br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdseeL2hHz5QsUF9g5BqlSz7iDHOf1ppWbI3zdBiZzXWsnt3vXvfXammEz1do_LZ3Td6ewLlIAfJfnMdlPXItDZC4kfbyDzSjEz1zKrcfytTbm6Y_DGlBn0TpqHtXZsVgWKh6xZTqnahJa/s1600/DSCF8248.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdseeL2hHz5QsUF9g5BqlSz7iDHOf1ppWbI3zdBiZzXWsnt3vXvfXammEz1do_LZ3Td6ewLlIAfJfnMdlPXItDZC4kfbyDzSjEz1zKrcfytTbm6Y_DGlBn0TpqHtXZsVgWKh6xZTqnahJa/s320/DSCF8248.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Causes & Effects of not getting enough nutrients</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi48GBn7QMzmGp_zUyZGUH0sIRFhL-hdiGfs2bmtEF8xUuQE3LpclbFnINd4W7ORgkE2dfbKMpC3UwytrQ_qWy76DkakKRcFfUC1lMNJ31nolpMMFxssbJnWM7ZQjr9omND1Gtww4tXkYCN/s1600/DSCF8281.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi48GBn7QMzmGp_zUyZGUH0sIRFhL-hdiGfs2bmtEF8xUuQE3LpclbFnINd4W7ORgkE2dfbKMpC3UwytrQ_qWy76DkakKRcFfUC1lMNJ31nolpMMFxssbJnWM7ZQjr9omND1Gtww4tXkYCN/s320/DSCF8281.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Planning activities to achieve our new goal</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</div>
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Whew! It was a lot to
cover and the meeting lasted about three and a half hours. We celebrated after by trying the foreign
American delicacy: peanut butter & jelly sandwiches!<o:p></o:p></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyRs0Gxysr5oCQKh6qQfMIo9eVO4w2qcauazNJlsWXXRDPXysT8R1Zczpc8AEXyFczy232FFLrGnLR-AiB-4d2Iswowx4mE4N_EbudcX22Lj4pVeW2cHhcRV0VAG5wlonjHIu4r8xi3_xw/s1600/DSCF8242.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyRs0Gxysr5oCQKh6qQfMIo9eVO4w2qcauazNJlsWXXRDPXysT8R1Zczpc8AEXyFczy232FFLrGnLR-AiB-4d2Iswowx4mE4N_EbudcX22Lj4pVeW2cHhcRV0VAG5wlonjHIu4r8xi3_xw/s320/DSCF8242.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The whole crew lasted through the whole meeting.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwZQNXVAxCI5Q99fSPYrtMPnw5GMllQmxPIvHh8kWheZlq5ErHrQevjQ0gd6LUOOmdSMdath168hGhZCtTIPdTcsfm7HBc8dFnPGcTtyna2ZbCSbLedy5C5JYbFui1Wvv8MMx2dbSy_Xth/s1600/DSCF8255.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwZQNXVAxCI5Q99fSPYrtMPnw5GMllQmxPIvHh8kWheZlq5ErHrQevjQ0gd6LUOOmdSMdath168hGhZCtTIPdTcsfm7HBc8dFnPGcTtyna2ZbCSbLedy5C5JYbFui1Wvv8MMx2dbSy_Xth/s320/DSCF8255.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">PB & J = a hit with my community members</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
So now I am pumped to continue working with everyone to
achieve our goal of obtaining a more balanced diet (i.e. mixing in more
nutrients to the standard rice and yucca straight carb baseline). I am currently busy preparing for my first
step coming up on Tuesday. Along with an
awesome neighboring volunteer Jim who is extending for a 3<sup>rd</sup> year
here, I’ll host a training session on both basic nutrition concepts and also
how to compost. In three months when the
compost is ready (things degrade fast out here), we can use it to plant more
nutritious food!<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJfd37qjoaAGABDoIlXc3yMWkUqpQ5l7iRS-uiRI-SQos0eK9pJITnjyv5bOMh_zNk9EVkzCqDT7dGbT3Os4fnB4kKGs6Cjg0WHhGsA3HC4MASaePsR0mGblcjJG-REDJgtw2ja40GAjJx/s1600/DSCF8317.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJfd37qjoaAGABDoIlXc3yMWkUqpQ5l7iRS-uiRI-SQos0eK9pJITnjyv5bOMh_zNk9EVkzCqDT7dGbT3Os4fnB4kKGs6Cjg0WHhGsA3HC4MASaePsR0mGblcjJG-REDJgtw2ja40GAjJx/s320/DSCF8317.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Publicity for upcoming event</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br />
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><u>Learning Moments
& Observations</u></b><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
- Information gathering is a tricky thing in the development
field. I am trying to record a baseline
regarding El Harino’s current diet in order to later evaluate if we are
achieving our goal of consuming more nutritious foods. I thought about asking people how many times
a week (or day) they eat certain foods like rice, but realized quickly that no
one thinks of things that way. I’m going
with asking what foods they eat the most.
They always say rice and yucca first, so I only record when they can
think of anything else. In a year we’ll
see how many name a vegetable, fruit, or protein along with those two staples …
The overall lesson here is that quantifying our progress will be a challenge.<o:p></o:p><br />
<br />
- Rice production = seriously hard work!<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRkN6IJ-ScATVxdTWAZFM8NgoPs0dmd7zeBo0xSeaIMg_dt661XnXeRlFu1q423reNE_TQKjKUd7PL1oBaO-_xvYGlQ_iaVlvALX3-yyXmHLMT8sQYx6YtlPZuphmeyMNucbtKBMJY1rQH/s1600/DSCF8084.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRkN6IJ-ScATVxdTWAZFM8NgoPs0dmd7zeBo0xSeaIMg_dt661XnXeRlFu1q423reNE_TQKjKUd7PL1oBaO-_xvYGlQ_iaVlvALX3-yyXmHLMT8sQYx6YtlPZuphmeyMNucbtKBMJY1rQH/s320/DSCF8084.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Harvesting rice: You strap a knife to your hand and grab the top of the rice stalks to snip them off. Yes, I fell a few times with the knife still strapped to my hand. No, I didn't cut myself.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGxR1RACIYulJchnqYnGWk4bkCY1UzWJZI3urBruWqDSG7MJkub38Ygr95b3BHGwZwNLgjLDvlOtCZox7vv_pIKT3SQ2bLweagIP-ShrZ5Dp1mYaQTx_PL1wPGlstatkKEEqtrXEhNFVB0/s1600/DSCF8087.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGxR1RACIYulJchnqYnGWk4bkCY1UzWJZI3urBruWqDSG7MJkub38Ygr95b3BHGwZwNLgjLDvlOtCZox7vv_pIKT3SQ2bLweagIP-ShrZ5Dp1mYaQTx_PL1wPGlstatkKEEqtrXEhNFVB0/s320/DSCF8087.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Harvesting rice: Bundles are tied together and left around the farm to gather up at the end of the day.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTsfXto-U0boR2Lh1e8FTOqFbtl5QMCDih2A6MEOkTepq6rdUrRCvzVXSO7E18YY4oX8x3WycFzGVdLxSYle2YXfRa6ICq6S-pPfyvhYk-raZIo54j7PIzGfS54oeb50xGSOKvEQaKSdY-/s1600/DSCF8209.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTsfXto-U0boR2Lh1e8FTOqFbtl5QMCDih2A6MEOkTepq6rdUrRCvzVXSO7E18YY4oX8x3WycFzGVdLxSYle2YXfRa6ICq6S-pPfyvhYk-raZIo54j7PIzGfS54oeb50xGSOKvEQaKSdY-/s320/DSCF8209.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Rice post-harvest step 1: Degraining. My fingers went numb doing this.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibHxjGeESVBUR_C-S5HiTFr5SFZB169zGGdLojlv8lpjpHw9aT1xn0JSIam05rjTZnEM4ucOgLQhdc-1Btw32M12e717BT5NRlqKmGP3kwnhcSkir27Z3jJ4LG2CCI7LFmSGtrrp6NcxWi/s1600/DSCF8221.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibHxjGeESVBUR_C-S5HiTFr5SFZB169zGGdLojlv8lpjpHw9aT1xn0JSIam05rjTZnEM4ucOgLQhdc-1Btw32M12e717BT5NRlqKmGP3kwnhcSkir27Z3jJ4LG2CCI7LFmSGtrrp6NcxWi/s320/DSCF8221.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Rice post-harvest step 2: Toasting. I accidentally threw a spoonful of rice into the air trying to stir the pot so the rice doesn't burn.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioL-mtqoyA1Z4QGm_P73YP5ILLVH4QDUkDvb9xrIZU4XESkp5jeccqOnIqnVwGVyJMemfDopSM269sQcsE57Ds_HkQqpS8dEu_rl_DOZz6AEql1qyc2bmYCeYMs2uAxIV8ovRfPDSl5Alj/s1600/DSCF8219.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioL-mtqoyA1Z4QGm_P73YP5ILLVH4QDUkDvb9xrIZU4XESkp5jeccqOnIqnVwGVyJMemfDopSM269sQcsE57Ds_HkQqpS8dEu_rl_DOZz6AEql1qyc2bmYCeYMs2uAxIV8ovRfPDSl5Alj/s320/DSCF8219.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Rice post-harvest step 3: Dehusking. I nearly hit myself in the head with these heavy mallets.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj37RG1k-ax8hy5EutVqPSWwbGZrAixRIW_dWL3aKpPOTaM1TfmD5GNFk9DASIDsqj339JFo4y7DdO7FX7fkUKguu77B_XwQdmPWArwhoxwdVNi8g-yxqBg-c3jAbQj7cSXW11Y9x_-uEjd/s1600/DSCF8224.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj37RG1k-ax8hy5EutVqPSWwbGZrAixRIW_dWL3aKpPOTaM1TfmD5GNFk9DASIDsqj339JFo4y7DdO7FX7fkUKguu77B_XwQdmPWArwhoxwdVNi8g-yxqBg-c3jAbQj7cSXW11Y9x_-uEjd/s320/DSCF8224.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Rice post-harvest step 4: Shaking out the husks, leaving behind the rice ready to cook! I did not even attempt this step.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br />
- One of my favorite things to see out here is when people
on horseback pass by blasting reggaetón on their phones. Something about it just seems like such a
funny contradiction<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
- I now love doing laundry.
These are usually the only few hours a week I spend listening to my
iPod. I’ve been told that people can
hear my singing from the road, but I guess I don’t care. Fortunately, they can’t see me dancing.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
- Some days I really feel like Katniss in the Hunger
Games. I hike through the forest, with
my hair in one long braid, wearing boots, and planning when I can replenish my
supply of clean water. Except I don’t
have a bow & arrow, and no one is trying to kill me.<o:p></o:p><br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7sAFQdMdCDSARrmb63eyszGM2vnEnh6a9qsxGxtP8u3dmAqn6XxJzcYP9HMzlZbytdWCIkALNECge_-ZWG4BXT0NUgvtT70w9KfobhhFGTazjhgXxweDiX05bha2m5Gtitbfb-P8Rq0Wl/s1600/DSCF8296.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7sAFQdMdCDSARrmb63eyszGM2vnEnh6a9qsxGxtP8u3dmAqn6XxJzcYP9HMzlZbytdWCIkALNECge_-ZWG4BXT0NUgvtT70w9KfobhhFGTazjhgXxweDiX05bha2m5Gtitbfb-P8Rq0Wl/s320/DSCF8296.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">hiking around</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
- The term “<i>licenciada</i>”
here is used for anyone with a college degree.
The term “<i>ingeniera</i>” is
confusingly used to describe “engineers” or people considered experts in their
fields. I have been uncomfortable using
these terms, because in many ways, I feel inexperienced in comparison to the
local producers who’ve spent their lives working in the field. However the fact is that I have received a
high level of education and this does qualify me to give advice on certain
topics. When my education occasionally
comes up (a bachelor’s in “Environmental Engineering” indeed earns me both
titles of “<i>licenciada</i>” and “<i>ingeniera</i>”), people seem both impressed
but also a little uncomfortable. It’s
just a weird feeling that while my education qualifies me to be here, it also
distances me from the community members with whom I’m trying to integrate.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgp6jPTov4k_ogROrdOYOiJcNow3IJmqthiLxu0hspcPE_UpqtuIe1pLQBqgj9Im1ZMFpjNkbt5lxVIiGX8QDaNf1x01zDyvPGP-l5HGKcV4E4Xkxacxi3zGBh3n_clubgoZ7ThDhRadotD/s1600/DSCF8166.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgp6jPTov4k_ogROrdOYOiJcNow3IJmqthiLxu0hspcPE_UpqtuIe1pLQBqgj9Im1ZMFpjNkbt5lxVIiGX8QDaNf1x01zDyvPGP-l5HGKcV4E4Xkxacxi3zGBh3n_clubgoZ7ThDhRadotD/s320/DSCF8166.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"Engineer Lila?" Excited about eating Panamanian tree grapes.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
- Among my other roles, I’ve recently taken on babysitter
and cheerer-upper of older folks. I play
with kids a lot while their parents are busy cooking, etc. The awkward teens are even warming up to me
and now include me in soccer games (fun!).
I’ve been visiting some of the older “<i>abuelos/as</i>” around town.
While I realize these visits will never result in interest in my home-garden
projects, I still feel they are worthwhile just because they seem to make them
happy. I listen to them vent about their
health issues and about how alone they are.
We discuss the weather, how happy I am to be in Panama, and how
beautiful it is. They tell me about how
things used to be here before the road when there were “<i>tigres</i>” everywhere (“<i>tigre</i>”
= general term for scary, wild animals).
It’s cute.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGX8nJZVdOimmK4Q4UI80U39Ua5aEh-b8-d3Zi8eACmEReSlB16raWkLYLGhp1fABPvNCRUA86q2eTOklD5GNvAfY2V2zOTxpobxZKBzd6KIWPSYCdyGAdRWYkxQ_gzu2xmi72h4GUWrHt/s1600/DSCF8227.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGX8nJZVdOimmK4Q4UI80U39Ua5aEh-b8-d3Zi8eACmEReSlB16raWkLYLGhp1fABPvNCRUA86q2eTOklD5GNvAfY2V2zOTxpobxZKBzd6KIWPSYCdyGAdRWYkxQ_gzu2xmi72h4GUWrHt/s320/DSCF8227.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hanging with kids playing dress-up</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUffABtKyzNAxkZh6rwQ3AyocTlJ7kWy45FqzBKzpIw6j51zDMucyAitYUCUOuABJiQXneU3PHe4GR_JUTW-qLfJcEW4WZa1pTIBuCRWZGyG6o9z0J2gmZMg62nMzdjrbth3_B7mZvj3bh/s1600/DSCF8197.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUffABtKyzNAxkZh6rwQ3AyocTlJ7kWy45FqzBKzpIw6j51zDMucyAitYUCUOuABJiQXneU3PHe4GR_JUTW-qLfJcEW4WZa1pTIBuCRWZGyG6o9z0J2gmZMg62nMzdjrbth3_B7mZvj3bh/s320/DSCF8197.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">simply gorgeous sunrise</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
- I’ve been dreaming in Spanish! According to my host-family
I’ve even been sleep-talking in Spanish haha.
(I blame this on the side effects of Malaria-meds – I never used to be a
sleep-talker). I am feeling very good
about my Spanish, but finding it hard to balance wanting to integrate and be
understood by locals with wanting to maintain my more city/formal manner of
speaking. It’s like trying to spend two
years in some small, southern US town and come out without an accent. Hmm. Even so I can’t imagine how much harder this
must be for volunteers who come in with low language levels. My obsession with Spanish over the past 9
years has definitely paid off!<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
- I anticipated that people out here would not use
tissues. I assumed people would use handkerchiefs,
and I brought a few. But I was wrong …
they’re all about the snot rockets! And
when it comes to little kids, parents grab their noses and tell them to blow,
later flinging the snot from their fingertips.
I think I’ll stick with handkerchiefs. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<u style="font-weight: bold;">How far will Peace
Corps Volunteers go for a party</u>? </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
Far. A neighboring
volunteer is finishing up his two years, and his community threw him a going
away party. I met a few of my closer
neighbors and we hiked for nearly three hours through some intense mud and
including a river-crossing to meet up with a few other gringos (some who had
traveled from much farther away) to attend this party. In order to not hike back at night, I slept
on a friend’s cement floor. Was it worth
it? I suppose. It was my first typical <i>campo</i> house party. There was
a fair amount of sitting in awkward silence.
A lot of Seco shots (Panamanian cheap liquor) being poured. Much Peace Corps gossip with the
gringos. It’s always interesting to
compare our sites, which in some ways are really quite different, while somehow
our experiences still feel pretty similar.
In any case, it’s nice to be able to share. My favorite part was getting to dance some <i>típico</i> (I said no to super drunk
Panamanians, but yes to more sober ones and to my Peace Corps friends). My least favorite part was that they cut up
and cooked pig face into the rice. Yes,
pig face. I tried to pick around the
pieces, but gave most of it to a more carnivorous friend. This was the first night that a few members
of my community who also attended saw me drink alcohol. I have discussed with some community members
that the US drinking culture is different from the <i>campo’s </i>in that it is normal for women to drink, and that it does
not center around men getting plastered and violent. I am hoping to show by example what
responsible drinking looks like. I was
mildly concerned that the next day I would become the talk of the town for
having those couple drinks, but so far so good.
The few who saw me there continue to talk to me and treat me with the
same respect as always. Whew.<o:p></o:p><br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEp2sXy85W9GoHKRHqoPG4XRieKGTiHyJWeXohCzuhNLW8j5fO0fmzfHJIHDLy-5Xi6g1k_Qf1vbcE9GoArhwkWGgFaadsQVqRpnKGJKPw9cuqQg9PKEzrupF8Ex50lJvjRxtneTQeL5aw/s1600/DSCF8294.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEp2sXy85W9GoHKRHqoPG4XRieKGTiHyJWeXohCzuhNLW8j5fO0fmzfHJIHDLy-5Xi6g1k_Qf1vbcE9GoArhwkWGgFaadsQVqRpnKGJKPw9cuqQg9PKEzrupF8Ex50lJvjRxtneTQeL5aw/s320/DSCF8294.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Who would want to eat those faces?</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br /></div>
Lila Holzmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04835795566712471159noreply@blogger.com0