The Past Few Weeks, and my close brush with Fame and Fortune

     It's been a while since climbing Vulcán Barú, and about a month since my last post.  In the first couple weeks of November, I visited my schools, discovered that the recycling program was on hold, did some English stuff, such as my community classes, and kept busy in the usual sort of way.  With a couple First Communions, and Anniversarios, and the like.
At the end of the month, however, things got interesting again.  As usual, soon there will be pictures posted.  Probably.
     So, the week before Thanksgiving held English Week at the University of Panama- Aguadulce Extension.  Nate, Julie, Catherine, and I went out to Aguadulce, which is the town near the western border of my province, an hour and a half or so away, on Tuesday to act as judges for a Speech Contest.  In truth, when we arrived, we found that we were to judge the 5 contestants on their speeches, in English, and their talents.  We were to crown a Mr. and Miss English.  The speeches were quite impressive, and some of the talents were as well!  If I recall correctly, we crowned a singer who seemed to know her song and interpret it with body language and dynamics, and a clarinetist.
     I also got to be friends with Gilma, the Profesora who put the event together, and on the following Friday, went back for the "Get Together/Values-Oscar Night".  It was an excuse to get dressed up and play interior designer (sort of, it was an outdoor space, but I ended up helping a lot with decorations, table arrangements, and centerpieces).  There were awards for "Best Friendship", "Hardest Working" and suchlike, as well as a couple of the usual "choreographies", which are self-choreographed, generally hip-hop pieces that pop up at most secondaria and apparently university level events.  There were also a couple scenes from a thespian group, the first a display of an abusive relationship, which the table behind me seemed to find quite hilarious. Oy.  The other was about 2 sisters, one of whom was telling the other about this oh, so fabulous guy that she's hooked on who was eventually revealed to have been a complete jerk to the other sister.  It wasn't as entertaining as the one with the abusive husband/boyfriend, but up there...according to the table behind me.  All together an entertaining evening :-)
     After a few days back in site, I went back out on Wednesday for Thanksgiving in Cerro Punta.  8 hours or so of busses later, I arrived, signed in, signed up for the Talent Show that night (belly dancing!), and got out to my cabin waaaaaay out in the woods.  Beautiful birding spot, and about an hour walk up from the main lodge.  As I was waiting for my turn in the Talent Show, a volunteer I'd never met before asked me if I'd do a salsa dance with him, so naturally I said yes.  It was an entertaining surprise, although belly dancing costume and salsa dancing don't mix too well.  The salsa was very well received, as was my solo.  Several volunteers among my friends and others complimented the dance throughout Thursday :-).  I have a video that'll make it online eventually as well.  Maybe.
     After a day of hiking, hanging out, playing with fire, fresas con crema, hanging out, and a Thanksgiving Dinner That Couldn't Be Beat, I helped clean up.  Hey, 2$ discount!  All in all, they were a very enjoyable couple of days.
    Friday brought me back to site for about 15 hours before I turned around and headed back out to the City for our flashmob rehearsal for World Aids Day on Sunday, Dec 1.
Enjoy: https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=10151731925801673  So much fun!!!
     Monday was a friend's birthday, so we went out to eat and had a bit of a party at the hostel, and on Tuesday, all of Group 70 trooped out to Ciudad del Saber (City of Knowledge), location of the PC HQ for our COS Conference.  Our Close-Of-Service Conference, aka, all we need to know about leaving our communities and country, and the last time our whole group, or nearly, would all be together.  After our first session, on Tuesday night, there was a fellow from casting for "Hands of Stone" who somehow got the inside scoop that there would be a gathering of gringos, and took a bunch of pictures and phone numbers.  It was a very informative conference, and on Thursday night, we rented a Party Bus, which was honestly, much more fun than I'd been anticipating.  On Friday I skipped back home for a Carol Sing at a University English program and over the weekend visited the annual Agricultural Fair, though this year I skipped the evening dances.  There were produce vendors and a few artesanias, as well as some folclorica dance presentations.
    The following Monday saw me back into the City to be an extra in the movie!  I showed up (a bit early) and with a group of other extras, was carted out to the stadium where they're filming, got signed in, costumed (Amy Evans, RN, complete with white cap, white dress, white stockings, white wedge loafers), hair-and-makeuped, and was herded hither and yon to wait, until eventually we were told that our scene was shrunk and that the extras were cut.  But I was minutes, or yards, rather, from being IN A HOLLYWOOD MOVIE SCENE with ROBERT DE NIRO.  But that would be the "close brush" in the title.  It was a lot of fun seeing the process, and getting hair-and-makeuped, and seeing the ring (it's a boxing movie), aaaaaaand...I'm going back on Sunday, but that'll be as a face in the crowd during a  boxing match.  Probably.  But, still fun, and I made a new friend, a woman who was at the mall with her family when she was accosted by a movie person to be in the scene from which we were cut!
   Now, I'm back in Santa Rita for a while, at last, except for day trips and meetings and the like.  AND IN LESS THAN 2 WEEKS, TRISTAN AND JENNIFER WILL BE WITH ME IN PANAMA!!!!! And that's more exciting than being in a movie with Robert de Niro anyway ;-)

Climbing the Volcano

Vulcán Barú is an active volcano in Panama, having its most recent activity roughly 500 years ago, although the last eruption was 1000 years before that.  Or something like that; actually, some people say it's dormant, but there still are earthquakes and a number of popular hot springs, so there's still hope ;-)
One of the peaks is the highest point in Panama, at 11400 feet or so.  But before we get to the top, we must start at the bottom!  There are pictures, by the way, but I'm cheating.  Instead of illustrating this story with interspersed pictures, I've attached a link to all of my pictures at the bottom of this post.

This is a very well-known hike, and very popular among PCVs.  We'd all had it in our minds as part of the Peace Corps bucket list.  It's reputed to be a 5-7 hour hike, and a great part of the appeal is the possibility of seeing both the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans by one moving ones head.

On the last Sunday in October, my PCV friend Julie, her boyfriend Tommy, PCV Katie and PCV Nate drove out to Cerro Punta, Chiriquí with the intention of walking up the volcano.   Tommy had rented a car for his visit, and so we were spared the hours on crowded buses, and the trip passed much more rapidly in such company.  We hit a literal pothole and had a bit of a delay in the form of a bent rim, but with the help of a friendly fellow victim of the same pothole and an accommodating fellow who came out to his tire repair shack to bang the wheel back into shape.

Julie and Tommy stayed in a suite, since they were staying after the hike as well, while Katie, Nate, and I stayed in the dorms.  For dinner on Sunday night, we'd bought a variety of veggies and fixin's for a stirfry, but before long discovered that there was no stovetop in the suite.  So, being resourceful Peace Corps Volunteers, we chopped everything up, and fire roasted veggies in aluminum foil packets, since there was a fireplace.  We hung around, chatted, enjoyed being in weather cool enough to appreciate a fire, and played Cards Against Humanity, before heading to bed.

Bright and early at 6 or so, we met for breakfast and met our guides, Jorge and Maikel, a couple of local fellows who have been up and down the volcano 20 and 16 times, respectively.  I think.  Bastante (enough) times, at any rate.  We took a quick taxi ride out to the trailhead, and started hiking on a beautiful clear morning.

At first, we walked through a field, which turned to forest, which turned to thicker forest.  This initial part was much like many other hikes I've been on, through trees and bits of scrambling over fallen trees, around root structures, and everything was growing.   Trees were growing, 20 varieties of ferns were growing, mosses, lichens, orchids, other flowers, leafy plants in greens and reds and yellows (but not falling).  We could hear birds and bugs, and the wind blowing.  It was nigh magical.  In this section, it did feel rather like a autumnal hike back in the Frozen North.  Here and there we stopped to catch our breath, drink water, and have a snack, and were attacked by clouds of mosquitoes.  Like I said, just like an autumnal hike alla (there).

As we continued on, the grade became steeper, and we spent more time climbing than walking, though still mostly over tree roots, but with sections of rocks.  After 4 hours or so, we reached a rocky space which was more or less a halfway point- more than halfway in distance, less than halfway in time.  BECAUSE, after a bit more climbing/hiking up and down and around the side, we left the trees for the most part, and entered the clouds.  It was a beautiful day, and luckily for us, it didn't rain at any point during our walk.

Leaving the trees, we entered a different sort of magical reality.  We climbed the volcanoside, and the plantlife changed from rainforest to scrub-type plants.  Eventually I realized what the plants reminded me of- San Diego.  A bit deserty, though more due to altitude I'm sure.  It may well have been similar to parts of Colorado, but my clearest memories of that are covered in snow.  Similar in the hardy grasses, stunted, twisted trees, and the occasional flash of some bright flower or leaf.  There were some fantastically picturesque mushrooms, straight out of Mario Bros., according to Jorge, and the clouds blew in and out and between the peaks.  At one point, we can see for miles, the towns we came from, and then 5 minutes later, everything was shrouded and we were alone in the world.

Continuing to climb, we left even the stunted trees, and everything was rock, gravel, lichen, grass and clouds.  We spent several more hours climbing, and I began to worry that it was 4 miles, however it was rather longer.  I don't remember the distance, but it may have been around 12 or 13 km.  However, Jorge did tell us "2 more hours" on more than one rest break.

Our energy was fading, and it seemed as if we would never reach the end.  Eventually we did make it to the rim of one of the 3 calderas, from which we could see the field of antenna towers that marked our final destination.  We could see the cross on the tallest peak/pile of rocks...at the top of yet another grade that appeared more wall than path.  But, we gathered the last of our energy, and made our way, much less talktatively than at the beginning, to the top.  There, we found a police station where solitary officers are stationed for 2 week stints, and a brisk 5 deg. Celsius air temperature (about 42 F).  We set up our tents, but the officer who was stationed there at the time, Jose, invited us into the station/apartment where he made rice, fried up plantains and chorizo, and best of all, gave us hot chocolate.  The sunset in the clouds, as you can see in the pictures (I hope, let me know if the link doesn't work), was AMAZING and entirely worth the climb.  After sunset, the sky was again clear and we went out to look at the flickering lights of David, which is the capital of Chiriqui, and the border towns of Costa Rica.  Come sunrise, Jose went out to check the view, and reported back that it was cloudy and rainy, so we stayed huddled in our sleeping bags in the bunk beds in the station.  At around 8 we actually got up to look, and it was  beautiful.  We could see, as advertised, the Atlantic Ocean to the left, and the Pacific Ocean and the islands of Bocas del Toro to the right.  Katie, Nate, and I scaled the last bit of trail and rock to stand on the Highest Point In Panama, and I maintain that I saw 2 snowflakes.  They were white, small, and floaty more than fall-y, so I stand by it.  It was cold enough for a couple!

As Tuesday marked the end of Jose's 2 week stint at the top, he offered us rides town on the truck that was coming up the "road" from Boquete.  Some of us were in favor of that, others were not, so we compromised and walked down the "road" instead of climbing down the way we'd come up.  In parts, it was a rough gravel road.  In parts, it seemed impossible for any motor vehicle to pass...until the truck which held Jose's replacement passed us, and it became clear, as it was essentially a monster truck.

We walked and walked, and eventually reached the edges of civilization, where we found fields of calla lilies, and picturesque flocks of sheep at whom we baaaah'ed, and even got a couple baaah's in return.  There were lambs, including one that was 5 days old, according to Jorge's guess.  It was all very pastoral and lovely.  Particularly the parts where the road was fairly horizontal.

Eventually, we reached Boquete, and took a couple of buses back to Cerro Punta, calling en route to order dinner.  We arrived late, but they kept our dinners ready, and a waitress who was clearly ready to go home, but still provided commendable service. We all went to sleep pretty quickly.that night, and on Wednesday, we sat around, and did not much of anything.  Well, not much physical activity; we hung around, relaxed, recharged, and generally enjoyed ourselves.  I got to skype with Cecily, had some fun internet time, games, and a hot bath in the suite.  All in all, a lovely, though very taxing, few days.

Back in town, I had a day to get refocused before a weekend of parades and celebrations for the fiestas patrias- the 3 day affair of celebration for Independence from Colombia, Flag Day, and Patriotic Stuff.  Coming up this month as well, a number of other patriotic holidays (I recently learned that regardless of the actual dates, the patriotic days were consolidated into November for convenience or somesuch), and at the end of the month, I'll be heading back to Cerro Punta with most of my fellow volunteers for our Thanksgiving celebration! Woohoo!

Vulcan Baru Pictures!

Santa Rita Sports and Leadership Camp! And coming attractions...

And now, you can all relax and sit back from that position on the edge of your seats that you've been maintaining for the past month, because Here It Is! A peek at the Sports and Leadership Camp that I hosted at my Primaria at the beginning of September.

First of all, if you haven't seen the album because you aren't on facebook, don't care to use facebook, or just haven't seen it, here's the photographic evidence: https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.556128133732.1073741827.113100113&type=1&l=59ca637b16

It all started in late July when I went to help a friend's English Day event with about 10 other volunteers. One of those other volunteers is one of our GAD coordinators, GAD being the volunteer board that focuses on gender development, AIDS awareness, youth programs, and suchlike. Her name is Whitney, and she was looking for someone to host a sports camp. A third party connected us as my having a site of suitable size, and so I agreed to host a sports camp. Which I thought for a while was slated for the summer vacation in December through February, but was actually for the trimester vacation, at the beginning of September. I connected the dots on the actual dates before long, don't worry.

Over the month of August, I scurried around town talking to the Padres de la Familia to get some mothers to cook for the kids, talking to the vice-principal of the Primaria about using the grounds and resources of the school, and getting kids signed up and registered. Towards the end of August, the PE teacher at the colegio (secondary school) proved invaluable in helping to recruit students from that school, and later in using his sports equiptment.

In the last week of August, you can review what I did in my previous blog post :-D That is the same Whitney, by the way, in San Blas/Comarca Kuna Yala and in this lovely youth opportunity.

On that tragic final Saturday of August when my vacation ended and visiting friend Andrew left, it was back to work for me. Whitney and I put together workbooks for the kids, and on Sunday went to the mall to pick up supplies and prizes, because prizes are awesome and supplies are terribly useful.

The rest of Sunday, Monday, and Tuesday flew by in a whirl of preparations that included buying out a vendor's supply of certain produce, making final arrangements for lodging of facilitators, who were other PCVs from all over the country, reviewing seminars and organization, and suchlike.

Over those few days and the rest of the week, I got to know Whitney and another PCV named Julie really well, in the way that only a week of practically constant company can do, as they were the ones to help with preparations, and stayed with me at my house from Monday to Friday. Ish. The other PCVs slept on mats at the school where we held the camp, because it would be very uncomfortable for 12 or so PCVs to try to cram into my house. To the kids' disappointment, we did not have a real, overnight camp for them.

What we did have were fun, interactive presentations on leadership, setting and achieving goals, following dreams, decision making, nutrition, sexual health, physical fitness, and more, in the mornings, and after a delicious lunch prepared by local madres, they had dance and basketball on Wednesday afternoon, Ultimate Frisbee and soccer on Thursday afternoon, and “Olympics” on Friday afternoon, which was a combination of the other 4 activities plus whatever other games we felt like inflicting on them. All in all, the kids had a fantastic time, and all got certificates and prizes at the end.

In the days and weeks following the Camp, kids and parents asked me when I would hold another such camp, or if I could offer something for kids under 12 (this one was for 12-18 year olds), and one kid asked when the other PCVs would be back again.

Of course there were challenges that arose throughout the camp, but it was a remarkably harmonious experience. Difficulties were resolved and/or navigated, and good times were had by all. And choreographies were begun for a flashmob which will be coming in late November/early December, so watch out for a youtube video...in a couple of months.

Since the camp, I had the surprise, spur of the moment opportunity to return to The City almost immediately to visit with my sister-in-law's sister and family who were there for a conference. In addition to letting me enjoy A/C and running hot water, they showed me a few of the Smithsonian research facilities around Panama City, and I saw my first SLOTH! Two-toed variety, in case you were wondering. I didn't have my camera (spur of the moment trip, remember; I was heading into Penonomé for an errand and went to The City when I would have returned home), so no picture, but just imagine a shaggy, rough-furred grey ball way up in the top of a tree.

After that was preparing for Seminar 3 of our Traveling Seminar Series, which is a seminar for Panamanian English Teachers that the Coclé PCVs are carting around to reach as many teachers as possible, and getting the ball rolling on the recycling program, at long last. Incidentally, the recycling program has somewhat catapulted out of my hands, but into Panamanian, so hopefully that'll be a good thing! And I attended our trimestral meetings, a presentation on seed preservation and garden bed preparing...oh, and went down to Pedasí, Los Santos to see a new part of Panama, visit a friend, and help said friend facilitate a couple of Elige Tu Vida seminars to her students. Elige Tu Vida, or Choose Your Life, is a seminar that some past volunteers put together to teach youth about dreams, goals, and sexual health. If it sounds familiar, it's because we used almost all of Elige Tu Vida in the Sports and Leadership Camp.

Now, heading into October, I'm working intermittently with my co-teachers, still teaching roughly once a week at my Friday Primaria, trying to help advance the recycling program, and researching school codes of conduct for my main Primaria. Also, 'tis the season for school festivals (one or two schools every week has their Dia del Campesino, or Farmer Day, which amount to cultural exhibitions) and bigger festivals. This weekend isn't anything here, but next weekend is the Feria del Sombrero Pinta'o (Painted Hat Festival, a celebration of the true Panamanian hat, not the Panama Hat), and following that is the Feria del Torito Guapo (the Handsome Little Bull Festival, and I don't know the story behind that one, but the “bull” is very stylized and involves lots of colors and shinies). And then is a PCV Halloween party, and then to finish October, I'll be climbing Vulcan Baru, aka, tallest peak in Panama and a dormant volcano! And some other stuff...a presentation at an English week for a teacher who attended one of the Traveling Seminars, Santa Rita Foundation Day, Santa Rita Independence from Cabuya Day...fun times. Regular school doesn't really happen from here on out, because of all of these Fun and Exciting other activities, and the marching bands and folclorica dance teams travel to different events.

And then it's November, and that's couple of Independence Days, Flag Day, a few other holidays, plus Thanksgiving for us United Stateans...it's going to be a busy last 4 months or so!!

Btw, I'll either be coming back on February 28 or March 14- I'll let you know in December. :-D 

El Valle, San Blas, the City, and a tiny bit of work update!

Actually, I'm the 4th-time lucky winner of a Visitor from the States!!
This past week was pretty amazing.  A wonderful friend from Prin by the name of Andrew came to visit, and excitement and adventure ensued!  While Cecily's visit almost exactly 1 year ago had a Westward and slightly Southern adventure, Andrew's headed to the Northeast.
Of course, we started by heading into my familiar haunts.  There was hammocktime and dinner by my host mom, and a hike in El Valle along the India Dormida (the Sleeping Princess).

On the Sleeping Indian's Eyebrow!

He also got a taste of Peace Corps life- when walking around my town, some neighbors gave us bollos (polenta sticks? still working on how to accurately and succinctly describe them in English), and ample hours of nothing much, in which there was chatting and movie watching.

After seeing normalcy, we headed back into The City, because as you recall, there is only one city in this silly little country, and wandered along the Cinta Costera, which is the greenspace with park-y-ness that follows the Pacific Coast.  Wednesday saw a very early morning, as at about 5:45 we were collected from the hostel with my friend and fellow PCV Whitney (with whom I'm organizing a Youth Leadership and Sports Camp), to spend a couple of days in the islands of San Blas.

San Blas, and the Comarca Kuna Yala (I don't know what each name specifically refers to), is much of the Caribbean coastline east of the Panama Canal.  It is home to possibly the most insular, literally and figuratively, of the indigenous peoples.  The Kuna used to host Peace Corps Volunteers, but some time ago requested that no more be sent, and are controlling of who comes into their region, and are picky about what pictures can be taken.

Worth protecting, I think!

However, we went on a tour program suggested by another friend, and had a wonderful experience.  We lived for 2 days on Isla Diablo, about 30 minutes from the mainland.  We were essentially hosted by our guide's family, who provided us with a cabaña/rancho with mattresses, and all of our meals.  Breakfast was pretty American, pancakes one day, and scrambled eggs the next, but lunch and dinner were catch-of-the-day seafood and fish! There was a little restaurant on the island which had solar panels for a smidgen of electricity, but there was nearly none, so the bedtimes were early, the mornings were early, and the stars were fantastic.  Also, there were little glowing spots in the water that were really cool!!

After a couple days in the Caribbean Island Paradise with snorkeling and coral brilliantly colored fish, we came back to The City for another evening, which was spent in a hotel with a Pool and an (unheated, but colorfully lit) whirlpool.  

By the way, snorkeling is awesome.  This trip was my first time trying it, and it's rather disorienting, but it's incredible.  And disconcerting.  But fascinating.

Saturday morning were the last few hours of wandering in the City, and then we headed over to the airport where I got to be diplomatish, and wait on the gate-side of security until boarding.  And so ended a fantastic visit!

Saturday afternoon brought a return to life, as Whitney and I got into working mode for the Sports and Leadership Camp that I'm hosting this week, from September 4-6 for youth in my community.  Here's hoping it all works out!

And a brief summary of other bits of the job.  The Coclé TE volunteers are coordinating a series of seminars with MEDUCA (the Ministry of Education) for teachers around the province, and we have completed 2 of 4 proposed seminars.  Next week is the beginning of the 3rd Trimester, which, if I can pull it off, will include the inauguration of a recycling program, and a papier-mache art project to make models of endangered animals with selected students from the Primaria.

I always said I'd start to think about the future in July...

Over the weekend, I successfully grilled two chicken thighs with garlic, onion, broccoli, and green pepper. I made grilled pizza, with a cobbled together pizza sauce made of tomato sauce, Panamanian oregano that I'm growing and barbeque sauce. I splurdged on a block of colby jack, and some mozzarella sandwich slices. Oh, and sourdough crusts. Now, I won't lie that there wasn't definite room for improvement, like putting more coals on at the right time (whenever that is) so that there's enough heat to cook the pizzas completely, but it was pretty delicious!

Tonight's dinner featured more of the grilled chicken mix, reheated with honey and Thai curry sauce, and chunks of mango that one of my co-teachers gave me, and served over tri-color penne. In case you haven't heard, curry + honey, at least this variety of red curry, is AMAZING. And easily adaptable to different levels of heat tolerance; just adjust the ratio.

So, obviously, Peace Corps continues to be a rigorous challenge to body and mind. Mostly yours, as you fight the urge to run to the airport to come visit me and have non-Panamanian cuisine in the middle of rural Panama.

In other news, I am down to 8 months left! 8, by the way, is my favorite number, ever since I was 8 years old, in the middle of a very formative experience of my life, which was the forever known (at least to me) as The '94 Trip. This trip was a courageous venture was a road trip undertaken by my mom and grandmother wherein my brother and I were introduced to the western ¾ of the United States, visiting a slew of relatives and friends and people whom I unfortunately don't remember very well, as well as stopping all sorts of canyons, national parks, landmarks, learning all sorts of things, some accurate and some things, less so. We saw prairie dogs. About 8. On this trip, my brother informed me that I only said that 8 was my favorite number because I was 8 at the time. I don't know if I was determined to prove him wrong, or if the comment was immaterial, but 8 has remained my favorite number consistently from that summer.

(Side note, as I'm writing this in my doorway, I just looked up in this lovely 80ish degree evening, and the sky is entirely a uniform slate blue with minimal cloud definition except for a brilliant magenta streak in the middle of the sky.)

On one hand, 8 months is still quite a while, particularly when I think about how my longest international experience prior to this one was 10 weeks, and that seemed like a long time, and now I feel like I'm on the home stretch with nearly 3 times that remaining. On the other, generally more convincing hand, it seems like an eyeblink, in comparison to the ~18 months I've already had in country. And so, despite my efforts to stay in the present, my thoughts turn to the future, BEYOND THE PEACE CORPS. I suppose I'll have to find another organization/institution that can be abbreviated to PC, since Principia College and Peace Corps served me so well. Anybody know of another good one? ;-)

Seriously, though, as I look to the future, I wonder what to do after this. Here in Panama, I declare that I am not a school teacher. But, if a really good offer came along, something with lesson plans, or guidance, or something, well, I can't make a definite statement. However, I'm thinking I'd probably like to spend some time in the US. So, if you have any suggestions of organizations that make you think of me, or cities where I should look, do let me know. As small as the world is becoming, the US, and the future, are still crazy big. I only ask for a swing scene in whatever city, but happily, that isn't a terribly limiting factor!  For jobs, something non-profit, preferably with an eye on the international scene would be nice ;-)

I'm not looking for an immediate job; actually, I'm looking to start working again in a bit over a year from now. First, I want to honor the memory of that fantastic '94 Trip with another cross-country exploration. Although there are some people from that first trip whom I'd like to include, unfortunately the limitations of this world prevent my seeing them, I have added many wonderful people to my life in the past 19 years- 20 next summer. Yeesh, seriously 20? Woohoo 20^th anniversary trip!

I am particularly in the past 8 (8!) years, as I found friends who have been invaluable in my life since our paths met. Some have continued with various intersections, some have separated into different directions, but each one has contributed positively to my life experience, and I am so grateful!

So, although it's a year away, give or take a few months, I want to visit the various corners of the USA, and invite you to invite me to visit you. Preferably with a couch or floorspace where I can sleep.

P.S. In case you're wondering, yes, I am still working in the schools. I'm working with 7^th and 8^th graders again through next week, and then I'll go back to 8^th and 9^th graders for 3 weeks, before returning to the Primaria, where (si Deos quiere), we'll start a recycling program!

The Coclé volunteers are also coordinating a series of travelling seminars with MEDUCA (Ministry of Education) to take place in each district of Coclé, the first coming up at the end of July. My Fridays are still devoted to the Primarita Arriba, where I'm sure I'm learning much more than the kids are...but they're learning too...I hope. And on Saturday, I'm holding a meeting to plan future community classes. This meeting will determine whether I will continue having free-form time, or will become ridiculously busy running community classes for all of the various needs in town. Exciting, no?

In the 3rd trimester, I'm going to take more time outside of school, try to get a book grant to share between my schools, work on recycling, ballroom dance classes, getting re-educated, continuing the MEDUCA seminars, and running a couple life-development seminars for the 9th graders (they're great pre-packaged seminars called Elige tu Vida, or Choose your Life, and cover goal setting, and personal and professional life choices).

The necessity of necessity.

The first week of the second trimester has come and gone in a few classes, with a flurry of meetings, rainstorms, and a little bit of getting stuff done.  And the downtime that accompanies Peace Corps life.  Oh, and the zero attendance at my new attempt at community English classes.
After spending an hour and a half in the Community Center (Casa de la Cultura o Casa Comunitaria), with a nice big whiteboard that an actually helpful community member arranged for me.  Not that he came to the class, despite repeated interest in the class.  HOWEVER, despite how this may appear, despondency only lasted a few hours.  Ok, one more complaint; I've talked to a couple community members about the class afterward, and was told that the class time was too early (9:30am) on Saturday morning, which is when my potential students would be cooking.  Except that any time I can think if would be right before a meal (cooking), right after a meal (clean up), that brief time in between clean up and cooking, which is occupied by laundry, cleaning, tv, and sitting around on plastic lawn chairs.  Actually, sitting around and shooting the breeze, as it were, is pretty fun, but it's frustrating when I know that some people who've asked me repeatedly about when I'm going to have English classes don't show.
Now I'm done.
So, after I got home, it soon began to rain, and I proceeded to watch 4 or 5 movies, and make random shapes out of some random wire, including a couple rings, an armband, a kitty, and a thingy.  Some of it may get shown in public!  Unfortunately, my internet being what it its, you don't get pictures- sorry.  More's the pity that I can't do pictures, because in one interval in which the power went out (it was off and on from about 3-5), I got some neat rain-splashing-into-puddles shots.  Yay messing with my camera settings!  With luck, I'll be able to upload them before long.
In the midst of my messing around with random stuff, it led me to contemplation about the rampant boredom which seems to be an inherent part of Peace Corps.  Also, leads to the gratuitous consumption of...no, I'm done complaining for now.

Aaaanyway, I was sitting around doing nothing in particularly, I was thinking about the wonders of modern technology and the conveniences of grab and go, easily prepared meals.  Particularly on how having all of these fabulous things stymies creativity.  Not that convenience is a bad thing, but having to make do with what you've got can lead to novel and exciting creations.  But free time and raw materials aren't necessarily enough.  Without any training on how to think creatively, a newspaper is just for reading, plastic bags are just for carrying things home from the store, and rain is for ruining outside plans.  Training can come from parents, friends, siblings, acquaintances, classes, and occasionally, personal inspiration (but that one is hardest, at least for me).  Once started, I can keep going, but it's challenging to sit around and look at the various things and stuff that I've accumulated here, and I have to wonder, what can I do with that.  And sometime, maybe I'll figure out how to make something useful.  In the meantime, I'm newly inspired to teach recycled art classes here - so if you have ideas, send them my way, particularly if they use things like plastic bags or 6-pack rings.  Maybe someday.
But about the subject of this post, I ended up thinking about "Necessity is the mother of invention", and how lack really is inspiration.  Now, I had ramen noodles for dinner tonight, and it was good.  But it isn't nearly so rewarding as cutting up the random vegetables I have in the fridge and frying them up with honey to mix with the chow mein noodles that I'm slowly figuring out how to fry without half of them sticking to the pan.  A little necessity is a good thing, but only once you have an idea on how to make something happen; otherwise, in my experience, we'll just sit around and gripe until something happens to us.
Tangentially, I had my 1-year meeting with one of the TE office staffmembers, and she encouraged me to spend more time out of school and work on some secondary project(s).  So, I'm looking at continuing to work with my teachers, but less intensively, and see what else I can get myself into trouble with.  Crafts, dance classes, strongly considering a book grant for my schools...still currently brainstorming, but I'll probably let you know what I end up doing.

In conclusion, it's kinda entertaining to hear the chorus of groans up and down the street when 'se fue la luz' aka, the power goes, and the corresponding chorus of cheers when it comes back.

On returning to Site

Last week, I had the very great pleasure of visiting home for about a week.  I got to hang out with friends,  my immediate family, and extended family, including some semi-extended family that I got to meet for the first time!  There was silliness and swing dancing, and games and galavanting.  We touristed with out-of-town visitors, and celebrated my cousin's first step into her next stage in life in her gorgeous, lovely, perfectly suited wedding.  Also, it was freezing until the last day in which we went to a Reds baseball game, which didn't get rained out, and culminated in a win for the home team!
After a brief 6 days on the ground, it was time to come back to real life.  Side note here: It amuses me to think of taking a vacation from the beautiful tropical paradise of Panama to go to Cincinnati, Ohio, Midwest.
Here is Tuesday, May 28th.
4:30AM: my dad and I got up to get me to the airport for a 7AM flight.
               Mental state: ughhearlyyy.
6:30AM: everything is in order and on time, and lots of sleepy people start boarding.
               Mental state: goal- find seat and sleep.
8:00AM: starting to approach Miami.
               Mental state: commence sinking feeling- "I'm not ready to go, turn around!!"
9:30AM: ish, at least.  In Miami, find new gate, find food, wait.
                Mental state: "Oh hey, this is the same part of the airport where we took off last January!  That was so different...oh, for the days of ignorance"
11:00AM:  getting on the plane to leave the country.
                Mental state:  "Please don't make me go.  It's nice and cool and clean here, and people pay attention to meeting times!  I don't want to go back to work!"
1:30PM: (After time change), find out that my Colombian seat-neighbor is in the Panamanian sugar business, and learn about the random things that sugar cane can be used for.
               Mental State:  decidedly sunken feeling in my stomach, turning to resignation that I need to prepare myself for the flying bugs, ants, wall lizards, spiders, heat, humidity, communication issues, and job challenges coming.  "Wargh."
2:30PM: Going through immigration and customs (woohoo diplomatic lines!)
               Mental state: "Is it really too late to get on a plane back to the States?"...but with less sincerity.  I'm way to proud to willingly admit defeat and surrender.
3:00PM: Made it out of the airport, and start walking THROUGH THE RAIN to the metrobus stop.
              Mental state: "Ok, I'm here, may as well make the best of it."
5:00PM: Somewhere in between the City and Anton: still rainy
              Mental state:  "Let's do this!  9 1/2 more months!  It's on!"
7:30PM: A selection of busses later, I arrive at my house.
             Mental state: "No water.  no food.  Too late to go to the store.  Mrarg."
Next day: got water back; "Let's go!"

And since, I made bread with a couple other PCVs for a fundraiser, finally met the owner of my house, went to Regional Meeting (trimestral provincial meeting), met the new Coclesanos/as, went to the beach, and now, getting ready for the afternoon session of school, starting work with a new Teacher!