hey everyone! so i have been in site for two weeks now and i am loving life. surprisingly, i have had no freakout or regrets about being here. everything has been really great. i'm not really working with my cooperative yet, but i am getting to know the people in my town. there's almost 4000 people and it's about a 3 hour walk from one end to the other, so pasearing is hard work. it's actually recommended that volunteers don't just jump into business right away. it's better to get to know people and gain your community's trust and learn about the culture. so that's basically what i'm doing.
life here is slow. i wake up early and go visit people every morning and then eat lunch at the school. in the afternoon it pours, so everyone stays in their house. i read, study, and hang with my host family (which is great - mom, dad, 4 boys, 1 girl; i have my own room). i'm usually in bed by 9. everyone is really laid back and friendly. and there isn't any anti-american sentiment, which is really nice. and the landscapes is beautiful (tropical, in the mountains), even if it rains everyday. most men here are farmers and artisans, and the women cook and wash the clothes and do other traditionally womanly things. most young kids go to school, but since there is no high school in my site, most teenages begin helping out in the house, farm, etc. and the families are pretty big. between 5 and 10 kids is normal, although some people have like 15.
so besides the youth cooperative, i am going to work with a group of artisans that carves soap stone (there is a mine in my site). i also might work with some other families on their own small business ventures. and there is a youth group and i want to start a girl scout troop (muchachas guías). oh, and just about every person wants english classes. so i think things will get busy.
since being in site we've had día de los difuntos (think day of the dead), 2 parades (for panamá's independance day and my provincial capital's birthday), and i've been to an all out rager that was a birthday party for a 2 year old (started with kids and clowns, ended with a drunk dance party - i didn't partake in the latter part). it's been a lot of fun.
more updates to come. in the mean time here´s some pictures.
making bread with the local baker
the so called road in my town, but mostly you get around on trails
the cementary on día de los difuntos
cutest girl ever
one of my favorite teenage friends
my new home town
my bug bitten legs aka dedication to my site (it looks so much worse in person)
hanging with the kiddos
the litte cutie they call coco junior
independance day
my school's marching band
the plaza in my provincial capital, just beautiful
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