news

Well, I'm in the middle of my Regional Leader duties. Visiting potential communitites for incoming volunteers and planning for the regional meeting. I'm keeping pretty busy this January. The family was just here for 10 days. We got to visit both the Pacific and Caribbean coasts and enjoy both the tropical sun and tropical rains.





Overall things continue to go well here in Panama. Wierd to think how things are winding down and how in 5 months, I'll be done here. In some ways I feel I've been here forever, but in others, like I just arrived. And certain projects are only now just getting off the ground. But, noone's really here to save the world. All we can do is give little nudges in the right directions.

For those interested, what I'm working on right now:

Painting a map of the world on a school wall
Developing future sites
Helped put on an Ecological Camp
Helping at a Leadership Seminar for Volunteers and their counterparts
Working on a tree nursery with the community group to plant trees near streams in cow pastures
Trying to bring in funding for my environmental group to put on a project like reforestation or an orchid nursery.

Being in Panama

-Where when someone jokingly insults me or does something silly, I can respond purely with “tu si eres” (translated, you sure are)
-Where I sing along with reggaeton songs on the radio in the bus…I started doing that back in the U.S. before realizing I looked insane
-Where I, the environmentalist, think the best thing development-wise that can happen for a town is to get a road. That’s right, all you hippy international development workers. Let’s go back to the 50s. Infrastructure is what is up.
-Where I can get heavy things carried for me or get rides so I don’t have to walk (chauvinism is not all bad)
-Where my blue eyes enchant and are considered super sexy
-Where when I try to leave someone’s home, they plead “no te vayas, espera la comida” (don’t leave, wait for the food), and if I decline they give me the insulted sad face or what? You don’t like my cooking?
-Where when it gets too hot, you should just go jump in the river

Holiday wishes (slightly late

I had emailed this out and posted on Facebook, but in case you don't get either of those and do check this....

I just want to send you all a quick e-mail from here in Panama wishing you all the best for Christmas and New Years. I will be spending (my second) Christmas here in Palma Real, Panama. I’m sure it will be very laid back. I’ve enjoyed this year down here immensely. I feel like I’ve had some more work, more projects coming along. My environmental group went from never meeting at all to developing project plans and starting a tree nursery (though I won’t take too much credit for either of those). I’ve also ran a recycling material collection campaign at the school as well as teaching environmental classes and computers (and a little English). This year I was also involved in a planning committee for cultural events throughout my district. And, this year I also got promoted to being the Regional Leader (for my province Chiriqui). I’m enjoying the new job and responsibilities, which include visiting and supporting the volunteers in my region, developing new communities for future volunteers, and coordinating with the government agencies. It keeps me busier, but I find it rewarding. I also even managed to make a trip back to the U.S. this year in September, and I enjoyed seeing a few of you (the week went by way too fast).
So, I wish you all the best in this holiday season and in the upcoming year of 2010. This will be the year I appear back in the States, and who knows what I’ll be doing then. As I sit here in my little home enjoying the sun, palm trees, and the 70 degree heat, I miss you all, but I don’t actually miss the “white” Christmas idea that much.
Keep in touch and let me know what you’re up to.