Wow. In my last post I started off talking about how shocked I was for it to nearly be August. But now I have less than 6 weeks left. It's a really strange combination of feelings; for those of you that have lived or studied abroad for a significant amount of time I'm sure you understand. For those of you that haven't I'll do my best to explain it. I'm sure you all remember my first couple months here and how unsettled I was. I felt like things were completely out of my control. I didn't have a steady job and I didn't really have a home. I've never experienced such strong feelings of isolation, loneliness, anxiety, pressure and overall unease. November seemed so far away. But time went on. I was welcomed in to Christine's home. I began working closely with her as a student teacher. I became a lesson planning pro. I started co-teaching classes and working with Access students. I had many visitors (Katharine, Susan, Sra. Stiles, Jack, Dad, Laura, Mom, David, Kelly, and Wes) with whom I got to share this beautiful country. I went to networking events and expanded my friend group exponentially. I built relationships with friends and colleagues that I know will last longer than my time here.
This little country of only 3 million people that made me feel tiny and alone just 8 months ago has become my home. Just the other day I noticed I had gotten used to something I swore I would never adjust to: honking. I was walking from my bus stop to work and a few different taxis were honking at me for a number of possible reasons--to see if I wanted a ride, to suggest I needed to get out of their way or to express their interest in my appearance--but whatever the reason was I hardly even noticed their annoying little beeps. I kept walking and all of a sudden thought to myself "Holy cow I'm culturally adjusting. This is so weird." I've even gotten used to the heat! I've just accepted the fact that I will sweat everyday and will have to do more laundry than usual. It's still not comfortable and I'd really like to enjoy the fall weather of the Midwest, but I'm sure I'll miss this heat and humidity once it's winter in Iowa :)
One on of my first posts here, Kim Young-Kent commented with something that has stuck with me this whole time. She said that "you are home my dear girl...you are all the home you need." She was and still is right; it just took me a little while to see it.
With all of that said, I still am looking forward to my return to the US. It's a very bittersweet feeling knowing that I'm leaving this new home but that I'm going back to people I love so much and mean so much to me. Mostly I really can't wait for Jack and me to start our adventure together. I feel really lucky to have met the person I'm supposed to be with forever at such a young age. But we've spent so much time apart. Thanks for your patience, Jack. While I feel at peace here now, I feel more at home when I'm with you. Being in the same country as all my family (parents, grandparents, sister, brother-in-law, adorable nephew!, aunts, uncles, cousins, Jack's family, my good friends that might as well be family, etc.) is going to be really great, too. Oh, and I can't forget to mention all of the delicious food I'm going to stuff my face with: red meat, barbeque, Sweet Mandy B's!!!, good bread, honeycrisp apples, sushi--yes there is fresh fish here but no sushi restaurants, big bummer--and more that I can't type out now because thinking about it is making me salivate and I don't want to make a mess.
I also really really really can't wait to go back to school. I have been working with an indigenous group here, the Piriati Embera. They expressed concern over the disapperance of their indigenous language. Many of the elders speak it but don't read and write it. Most of the young people have limited to no knowledge of it. Even the community's cacique (the head honcho) has limited skills in the language. I went there in July for an initial meeting with the community's president and one of the informal Embera teachers. I returned on Sept. 18 with my friend and collaborator, Jackie, to meet with more of the teachers, the president and the cacique. I listened to the history of their community and their language and learned more about their needs in relation to preservation of the language. The community currently only has one Embera teacher that is certified by the ministry of education to be a teacher. I will be drafting a grant proposal for the community leaders to use to lobby for support and resources from local and international funders. I will focus this proposal on getting formal teacher training for the Embera teachers so that they can most effectively pass on their language to the young people of the community.
My work with Piriati Embera has solidifed my academic and career goals. I will be applying to the University of Texas in Austin and the University of Wisconsin in Madison (but I really want to be a Longhorn!). Burnt orange isn't my favorite color, but UT has the best program for what I want to study: Latin American studies. From my work with Piriati I plan to go for an MA in Latin American studies with a sociolinguistic lens. Then, I will, hopefully, continue on for a PhD in sociolinguistics. My whole experience as an ETA has showed me the power of language. I want to see how the introduction of a mainstream language (eg Spanish) impacts an indigenous person's cultural identity. Interesting stuff!
I also need to take this opportunity to tell you about my mom, David, Wes and Kelly's visit to Panama...it was amazing! First off, thanks to all of them for using some of their precious vacation days to visit me here. It really meant a lot for me to share this with you :) So the first couple days they were here we all squeezed in to my little apartment. They got to see my new 'hood and it saved them a fair amount of money (hotels are expensive here!). We took the Metro bus to Latina, they got to meet some of my colleagues and see where I work, we went to the local grocery store, and enjoyed local beers at night. They really got a taste of my daily life (but I don't consume nearly as much beer or rum by myself as I did with them!). On their first Saturday we took a boat through the Panama canal! A bus dropped us off at the middle set of locks, Pedro Miguel, then we boarded a boat formerly owned by Al Capone! The whole experience was really great. We had gorgeous weather, the guides were fantastic and I got to touch the walls of the Panama canal--one check off the bucket list. They also got to meet some of my new friends. Jenny, Josh and Isis joined us for Lebanese food at Cedros (my favorite spot in this city) and then drinks at Rana Dorada. On Sunday we took a boat to Contadora, an island in the Pearl Islands. I won't give you the day to day details of the trip but here are the highlights: we were greeted to the island by some dolphins following our boat and a humpback whale nearby, we stayed in a gorgeous villa (that housed some ladies of the night the night before our arrival...we were all happy to smell the overpowering scent of bleach when we walked in), we ate delicious seafood, we went to the beach every day, we drank a lot of rum and beer and even some Smirnoff Ice--Kelly was right, it's kind of delicious and very refreshing--we went on a snorkeling trip and listened to the sounds of a baby humpback whale, on our last full day we watched a humpback whale jump out of the water many times, we enjoyed the deliciousness cooked by Wes (wizard in the kitchen!), we saw the set of Survivor, and we relaxed (even my mom!). It was a really nice 4 days. Upon return to the city we went to Casco Viejo (the colonial part) where we had rented a gorgeous apartment for their last couple nights. We ventured to the fish market where we bought some lobster ceviche (YUM) and fresh shrimp. We ate a delicious 10-course meal at Manolo Caracol's. On my parents' last night we went for pizza, wine and live music. It was a perfect ending to a really wonderful trip. Thanks again guys!!
The weekend before last I went to visit Drew, the other ETA, in David. I had not made it to Chiriqui yet and was anxious to get there before the end of my time. Chiricanos are known in Panama for being very proud, friendly and outgoing people. I almost always know when I meet someone in the city from Chiriqui. I took the midnight bus that got me to David at 630 am on Friday. Drew met me at the station, we went back to his house and then went out to explore the little town of only 100,000 people. In the town center is a really nice plaza with a beautiful fountain. Shop after shop selling the same things line the plaza and the surrounding area. After a while of exploring and some lunch we headed to his placement, UNACHI (Universidad Autonomia de Chiriqui). Drew works at a public institution. He leads a reading club and a drama club and offers tutoring to students. The drama club was in session that day so I got to sit in on their meeting. The students impressed me SO much. Their passion for learning and dedication to their education was really inspiring to me. I felt a huge difference between the atmosphere at UNACHI and that of Latina. Latina tends to feel very sterile and office-y. But UNACHI had that warmth that cultivates a great learning environment. That night Drew and I met up with some Peace Corps volunteers who were really great. I've got a lot of respect for people who do Peace Corps. I thought this experience was tough but I didn't have to build my own house or only eat beans and rice for 2 years. On Saturday we took a bus (for a whopping $1.75!) to Boquete. This little highland town is famous for its coffee, cool weather and abundance of American retirees. We walked around, had a really nice (French!...who would've thought, French food in Chiriqui?!) lunch complete with escargot and duck, walked to a beautiful garden and enjoyed a cafecito on a patio. I was COLD--from the natural environment, not the air conditioning. It was glorious. On Sunday David finally showed me what it's famous for: heavy, heavy rain. It poured rain all day so our beach plans were scratched for watching opening day of the NFL. Not a bad trade off for two Americans missing American football! Thanks for showing me around and hosting me Drew! I'm glad I made it out there, wish I could have come sooner!!
This past weekend was the Panama TESOL (teaching english to speakers of other languages) conference here at Latina. I went to a couple of great workshops about peer coaching, observation, collaboration, effective classroom activities, and a great motivational talk by Marge Zuba--she's from Chicago and it was great to hear her accent and her Chicago stories. It was a great conference that I took a lot from. I also made the newsletter for the conference-- a 16-page spread to help celebrate Panama TESOL's 25th anniversary. It turned out really nice.
Those are the highlights from the last couple months. Here is what I have planned for my final 5.5 weeks:
1. A weekend getaway to a beach destination with friends.
2. Going to the World Baseball Cup, particulary US vs. Panama on Oct. 9.
3. Possibly seeing Ricky Martin in concert.
4. A potential trip to Los Pozos, where my friend Luis is from, to celebrate the birthday of his hometown.
5. Finish and present the grant proposal for Piriati Embera and hopefully have some teacher trainings set up for them.
6. Finish and submit grad school applications.
7. Just enjoy every minute of my last 40 days here!
I'll see many of you really really soon! :)
Cuidate.
Wednesday, September 21, 2011
Monday, July 11, 2011
wait...it's almost august?!
I found myself asking that question all the time during my sweet summers between school years. And here I am, asking it again. Where the heck does time go when you're really enjoying it?? I can't believe it's already been almost 7 weeks since I last updated--it's certainly been action-packed!
Feria de Artesanias
The national artisan's fair was held in Panama City June 15-19. Hundreds of vendors packed Atlapa Convention Center with their traditional crafts ranging from molas to jewelry to intricately painted feathers to wood carvings and more. I went Friday night with my friend Josh and met up with his girlfriend Isis who was working the event. She walked us around and I was immersed in sensory overload. There was traditional music playing and groups performing traditional dances, a man was walking around selling freshly made coconut ice cream, the back area was packed full of vendors selling greasy and succulent street food (I had a chicken tamale and some chicharrones--fried pork rinds--mmmm). Pretty sure Anthony Bordain would have been in heaven. I was in too much sensory overload to actually buy any crafts that night; so I went back the next night with my friend Jenny. I found some very cool mola pillow covers for myself as well as a few little gifts for family and friends. I also found out there will be another fair at the end of October so I'll have one more chance to be thrown into this culture before I leave in November.
Ziplining
I have always, always wanted to go ziplining. For those of you who are unfamiliar with it, you put on a harness similar to rock climbing gear, hook yourself onto a cable and go flying through gorgeous mountain scenery. Jenny told me at the artisan fair that she would be going with a group of friends the next morning and invited me to tag along. Of course I said "Absolutely!" We packed into a cargo van with about 10 other young professionals and drove about an hour to an area between Colon and Portobelo on the Caribbean side. We took a very hilly side road where we were surrounded by lush green forests. We ended up at a wood pavilion where we unloaded and hung out for an hour or so before gearing up for ziplining. We went on a course that had 9 different lines. There were platforms built around the mid-section of towering trees and we flew from platform to platform on the line. On the very last line I did the superman technique where you hook to a guide and fly with your stomach parallel to the forest floor and your arms stretched out--I felt like superwoman for sure. It was one of the coolest things I've ever done. Coming down from that high we took inner tubes in a river and floated down and then jumped from a rope swing, 15 feet down into the river. It was the perfect getaway from the city...thanks for the invite Jenny!!
Turning 23
My 23rd birthday was on June 25th. This was the first time I had ever celebrated my birthday away from friends and family. But my Panama friends/family did a great job making it special for me! On Thursday the 23rd I was surprised with a cake and little mini party at CELI--thanks Christine for organizing that, and also thanks to Luis, Josh, Dora, Temy, Isabel and all the CELI teachers for being there to help me celebrate! The next night I met up with many of my other friends at Cedros (one of my fave little restaurants in Panama) and we had food, a little hookah, and I had some birthday flan :) Gracias a mis amigos en Panamá!!
Montevideo: Mid-year Fulbright Conference
Drew and I flew to Montevideo, Uruguay on June 25th for a conference with ETAs based in Argentina, Costa Rica and Uruguay. We arrived in Montevideo at 1230 am on June 26, but they hadn't changed their date stamps in immigration yet so my passport is stamped with my birthday :) We arrived at a very nice hotel and crashed pretty quickly after arrival. After all it was about a 7-hour flight! We were the first Fulbrighters there, the others wouldn't arrive until the next night, so the first day we spent just walking around the city. The whole conference was so refreshing on many different levels:
1. It was cold!!! Uruguay is on the other side of the equator so they are in the middle of winter. In the morning it would be about 32 and would get up to about 50 during the day. Drew and I obviously don't have much cold-weather clothes, so we were still a bit chilly in our jeans and hoodies. But honestly, it felt kind of great to be cold.
2. Culture, culture everywhere! There were cafes, and bookstores, and little diners and pastry shops and coffeeshops and gorgeous theaters and old churches and quiet streets with parks. We went to the symphony; we ate cute candlelit dinners; we saw a gay pride party in the middle of a plaza. It was just so wonderful.
3. Public transit! Panama is working on its public transit system--Martinelli rolled out 100 new Metro buses a couple weeks ago and they're in the process of constructing some of the main subway stops. However, the streets of Panama are still packed with Diablo Rojos (the diesel exhaust-spitting, brightly painted, sometimes dangerous, converted school buses). Montevideo, on the other hand, had a detailed, easy-to-use public bus system, the streets were mostly quiet, drivers followed traffic laws, pedestrians were given the right of way to cross and I only heard people honking a couple different times. It was a great break for my ears.
4. Colleagues in the flesh and blood. It's one thing to know, on paper, that there are other people around the world in the same position, having similar struggles/challenges/successes; but to actually talk face-to-face and share stories and pictures and advice with these people is completely different. I was honest about how my time as an ETA in Panama has been filled with struggles and I've worked to overcome those struggles and through that process I have grown and made this experience a positive one for myself. Many of my colleagues were surprised by the challenges I've faced and gave me kudos for sticking with it and getting through it--that was really great encouragement.
5. Community involvement. We spent one of our days at a high school called Liceo Jubilar where we did different ice-breaker activities, gave a short presentation about US culture, listened to a presentation about Uruguay culture, made homemade gnocchi (it's tradition to eat gnocchi on the 29th of every month there) and chocolate chip cookies with the students. It was a lot of fun and a wonderful way to exchange culture.
6. Relaxation. Fulbright treated us very well for this conference. We stayed in a nice hotel with kick ass breakfast (eggs, fruit, yogurt, dulce de leche to spread on your toast!!, arroz con leche, etc mmmm), we were treated to a city tour, some very nice meals and we also had free time. One night we went out to a great little restaurant where we drank sangria and I ate a chivito--perhaps one of the most delicious dishes ever: steak, bacon, a fried egg, fries, lettuce, tomato and potato salad...yummmmm. Our last day was spent at Estancia Siglo XX. This was heaven on earth. We knew it was going to be a good day when our bus was met at the entrance by a man dressed as a gaucho, carrying an Uruguay flag and escorted us to the ranch where waiters held trays of wine. There were green, rolling hills (very Iowa-esque!), horses, alpacas, farm dogs, hammocks between trees, a little pond, a fire going in the ranch and wine flowing and delicious food all day. Our lunch consisted of wine, salad (with arugula!!! I was really excited to eat arugula), cheese, french bread, roasted vegetables, MEAT (Uruguayans eat a ton of red meat--that's their thing, and I'm so glad it is), and a delectable dulce de leche cake with fresh whipped cream for dessert. We were all woozy with happiness and many of us plotted to try to stay at the Estancia, but alas we eventually had to get back on the bus. We drove to Punta del Este--normally has 20,000 people, in the summer months the population jumps to 200,000! We went to a famous beach where there is a sculpture of a hand sticking through the sand.
Drew and I flew back to Panama on a red-eye flight that night. Thanks fellow Fulbrighters, presenters, the organizers at Liceo Jubilar and especially the Uruguay Fulbright commission for planning and organizing a perfect 5 days in a beautiful country.
Meeting the Sobrino
I had 24 hours to re-group, unpack and re-pack before I headed back to the good ol USA for some family time, 4th of July celebrations, and most importantly meeting my nephew for the first time! Things I noticed that I missed about the US (other than my family): not taking taxis, walking safely, quiet streets, limited/no traffic, TARGET!!!--I had no idea I loved that store so much!, good beer on draft and no ants inside. It was a really relaxing week spent running errands, hanging with the babe, seeing my mom and David for the first time in six months, spending time with Jack (including helping him celebrate his 23rd bday!) and meeting up with Lea from my Galapagos study abroad! By the end of my week in Charlotte I really didn't want to leave; I was pretty nervous about coming back to Panama and getting into a funk because I had had such a nice time stateside. However, I got right back into the swing of things here and while I, of course, miss Jack and friends/family, I'm the happiest I've been here.
Mi Prima Laura Me Visitó
My cousin Laura flew into Panama just a few days after I returned from Charlotte. Laura is my mom's sister's daughter, she recently graduated from high school and will be a freshman at Tulane in New Orleans this fall (can't wait to visit her for Mardi Gras!). Laura and I spent many trips together when we were younger-I was often invited on their annual American Library Association conference trip from everywhere to San Francisco to Orlando and a Midwest trip to Mt. Rushmore. I was excited for Laura to come here and see the highlights. Her first morning was beautiful--the sun was shining, the sky was blue, it wasn't too hot so we took off for Parque Omar. That weekend was "Día del Niño y la Niña" (Children's day) and there was an adorable carnival set up with bumper cars, a carousel, a mini roller coaster and booths with games and activities. We soaked in a bit of the nostalgia and hit the walking path. When we had about 10 minutes left in our walk we noticed dark clouds in the distance but I figured we had enough time to finish and get back to the apartment...wroooong. Within a couple minutes a massive downpour was upon us. We tried to stand against a wall and under a tree for shelter but we were just getting soaked. So we continued to walk, our shoes got heavier as they filled with water, we passed little kids in ponchos who pointed and laughed at us--we looked like we jumped into a swimming pool fully clothed. This was actually my last experience in Parque Omar with it right outside my door because I moved that afternoon (more on that later). On Saturday, Laura and I went to the canal, Cerro Ancón and the Artisan's Market. In the afternoon we went to the VIP showing (meaning waitresses and your own leather recliner) of Harry Potter. That night we had dinner in Casco. Sunday was finally a gorgeous day so we took the ferry and spent the day on Isla Taboga where we soaked up a lot of sun, walked around a bit and then returned to the city later in the afternoon. We decided to cook tacos for dinner and bake brownies for dessert. Monday Laura helped me get a little more organized/settled in my new place and we went for a lovely hike at Parque Metropolitano where we had panoramic views of the city. Tuesday, her last day, she came to CELI with me and we played Catchphrase with the English club students, she helped me with the Access students and sat in on the conversation class. Thanks so much for taking a week out of your summer vacation to visit me, Laura. I had a really really great time showing you Panama: The Abridged Version :)
Other Panama Updates
Like I mentioned, I moved to a new place! The apartment I was living in is owned by Latina and is for the Senior Fellow (Christine's position). Christine is leaving in a few weeks and a new fellow will be coming so the apartment needed to be clear and ready for her to move in. I'm now renting a place (scored a killer rent deal!) in a 23-floor building with a gym, pool, balcony with spectacular views of the city, king-size bed and a flat screen TV. The building is within walking distance of one of my favorite areas of the city, Via Argentina, which is also where a lot of my friends live. It is also on Tumba Muerto, the main road that goes right to Latina. Speaking of....Panama City introduced a new public bus system! They rolled out 100 new, air-conditioned, Volvo buses with a route right on Tumba Muerto, in front of where I live, stopping in front of the university for a whopping...25 cents! The first day I tried to take it I waited for more than 30 minutes without seeing one, but I was successful in my following two attempts. I feel great being in my own place, walking and taking the bus--I feel much more independent and in the groove of things, as if I'm finally connected here.
Exciting Stuff Coming Up
1. I started work with the Embera community. Their indigenous language is not formally taught in schools and is therefore being lost. They predict that if it's not introduced to schools it will be lost within this generation...scary stuff. So this past Monday I met with the community president and one of the teachers who leads informal, one-hour lessons to about 20 kids on Saturdays and Sundays. We decided that given the limited time I have left in Panama, how I can best help them is getting them organized, nailing down their goals and producing a formal document that they could use to lobby for support and resources. I will hopefully go back to the community at least a few more times to meet with all of the teachers and the community chief to meet these goals.
2. My mom, David, Kelly and Wes will be here in 19 days!! We have quite the itinerary planned, complete with: taking a boat through the canal, a few days in the Pearl Islands, seeing the sites of the city and where I work and spending a few days in a beautiful apartment in Casco. I can't wait for them to finally see this life of mine firsthand!
3. I have 93 days left in Panama...WHAT?! My departure date was moved to November 1st because there are so many holidays/everything is closed down the first two weeks in November here. So I'll be flying back to Chicago on the 1st, hoping to see as many of my college friends as possible that night and then going back to Iowa on the 2nd. I cannot believe it. As you know, my first three months were a tough adjustment and time crept along. But ever since I've really started enjoying myself here time has absolutely flown! I'm looking forward to getting back, being with Jack and family/friends and starting my next chapter (entering a Latin American studies MA program in fall 2012). But now that I'm finally actually settled and happy here there will be things I'll miss for sure. However, I've still got a full three months to enjoy it--including a trip to visit Drew in David and Chiriqui, hopefully hiking Volcan Baru, seeing some of the World Baseball Championships at the end of Sept/early Oct, and likely seeing Ricky Martin in concert in October!
I apologize for this crazy long delay. Time flies when you're having fun :)
Cuídate.
Feria de Artesanias
The national artisan's fair was held in Panama City June 15-19. Hundreds of vendors packed Atlapa Convention Center with their traditional crafts ranging from molas to jewelry to intricately painted feathers to wood carvings and more. I went Friday night with my friend Josh and met up with his girlfriend Isis who was working the event. She walked us around and I was immersed in sensory overload. There was traditional music playing and groups performing traditional dances, a man was walking around selling freshly made coconut ice cream, the back area was packed full of vendors selling greasy and succulent street food (I had a chicken tamale and some chicharrones--fried pork rinds--mmmm). Pretty sure Anthony Bordain would have been in heaven. I was in too much sensory overload to actually buy any crafts that night; so I went back the next night with my friend Jenny. I found some very cool mola pillow covers for myself as well as a few little gifts for family and friends. I also found out there will be another fair at the end of October so I'll have one more chance to be thrown into this culture before I leave in November.
Ziplining
I have always, always wanted to go ziplining. For those of you who are unfamiliar with it, you put on a harness similar to rock climbing gear, hook yourself onto a cable and go flying through gorgeous mountain scenery. Jenny told me at the artisan fair that she would be going with a group of friends the next morning and invited me to tag along. Of course I said "Absolutely!" We packed into a cargo van with about 10 other young professionals and drove about an hour to an area between Colon and Portobelo on the Caribbean side. We took a very hilly side road where we were surrounded by lush green forests. We ended up at a wood pavilion where we unloaded and hung out for an hour or so before gearing up for ziplining. We went on a course that had 9 different lines. There were platforms built around the mid-section of towering trees and we flew from platform to platform on the line. On the very last line I did the superman technique where you hook to a guide and fly with your stomach parallel to the forest floor and your arms stretched out--I felt like superwoman for sure. It was one of the coolest things I've ever done. Coming down from that high we took inner tubes in a river and floated down and then jumped from a rope swing, 15 feet down into the river. It was the perfect getaway from the city...thanks for the invite Jenny!!
Turning 23
My 23rd birthday was on June 25th. This was the first time I had ever celebrated my birthday away from friends and family. But my Panama friends/family did a great job making it special for me! On Thursday the 23rd I was surprised with a cake and little mini party at CELI--thanks Christine for organizing that, and also thanks to Luis, Josh, Dora, Temy, Isabel and all the CELI teachers for being there to help me celebrate! The next night I met up with many of my other friends at Cedros (one of my fave little restaurants in Panama) and we had food, a little hookah, and I had some birthday flan :) Gracias a mis amigos en Panamá!!
Montevideo: Mid-year Fulbright Conference
Drew and I flew to Montevideo, Uruguay on June 25th for a conference with ETAs based in Argentina, Costa Rica and Uruguay. We arrived in Montevideo at 1230 am on June 26, but they hadn't changed their date stamps in immigration yet so my passport is stamped with my birthday :) We arrived at a very nice hotel and crashed pretty quickly after arrival. After all it was about a 7-hour flight! We were the first Fulbrighters there, the others wouldn't arrive until the next night, so the first day we spent just walking around the city. The whole conference was so refreshing on many different levels:
1. It was cold!!! Uruguay is on the other side of the equator so they are in the middle of winter. In the morning it would be about 32 and would get up to about 50 during the day. Drew and I obviously don't have much cold-weather clothes, so we were still a bit chilly in our jeans and hoodies. But honestly, it felt kind of great to be cold.
2. Culture, culture everywhere! There were cafes, and bookstores, and little diners and pastry shops and coffeeshops and gorgeous theaters and old churches and quiet streets with parks. We went to the symphony; we ate cute candlelit dinners; we saw a gay pride party in the middle of a plaza. It was just so wonderful.
3. Public transit! Panama is working on its public transit system--Martinelli rolled out 100 new Metro buses a couple weeks ago and they're in the process of constructing some of the main subway stops. However, the streets of Panama are still packed with Diablo Rojos (the diesel exhaust-spitting, brightly painted, sometimes dangerous, converted school buses). Montevideo, on the other hand, had a detailed, easy-to-use public bus system, the streets were mostly quiet, drivers followed traffic laws, pedestrians were given the right of way to cross and I only heard people honking a couple different times. It was a great break for my ears.
4. Colleagues in the flesh and blood. It's one thing to know, on paper, that there are other people around the world in the same position, having similar struggles/challenges/successes; but to actually talk face-to-face and share stories and pictures and advice with these people is completely different. I was honest about how my time as an ETA in Panama has been filled with struggles and I've worked to overcome those struggles and through that process I have grown and made this experience a positive one for myself. Many of my colleagues were surprised by the challenges I've faced and gave me kudos for sticking with it and getting through it--that was really great encouragement.
5. Community involvement. We spent one of our days at a high school called Liceo Jubilar where we did different ice-breaker activities, gave a short presentation about US culture, listened to a presentation about Uruguay culture, made homemade gnocchi (it's tradition to eat gnocchi on the 29th of every month there) and chocolate chip cookies with the students. It was a lot of fun and a wonderful way to exchange culture.
6. Relaxation. Fulbright treated us very well for this conference. We stayed in a nice hotel with kick ass breakfast (eggs, fruit, yogurt, dulce de leche to spread on your toast!!, arroz con leche, etc mmmm), we were treated to a city tour, some very nice meals and we also had free time. One night we went out to a great little restaurant where we drank sangria and I ate a chivito--perhaps one of the most delicious dishes ever: steak, bacon, a fried egg, fries, lettuce, tomato and potato salad...yummmmm. Our last day was spent at Estancia Siglo XX. This was heaven on earth. We knew it was going to be a good day when our bus was met at the entrance by a man dressed as a gaucho, carrying an Uruguay flag and escorted us to the ranch where waiters held trays of wine. There were green, rolling hills (very Iowa-esque!), horses, alpacas, farm dogs, hammocks between trees, a little pond, a fire going in the ranch and wine flowing and delicious food all day. Our lunch consisted of wine, salad (with arugula!!! I was really excited to eat arugula), cheese, french bread, roasted vegetables, MEAT (Uruguayans eat a ton of red meat--that's their thing, and I'm so glad it is), and a delectable dulce de leche cake with fresh whipped cream for dessert. We were all woozy with happiness and many of us plotted to try to stay at the Estancia, but alas we eventually had to get back on the bus. We drove to Punta del Este--normally has 20,000 people, in the summer months the population jumps to 200,000! We went to a famous beach where there is a sculpture of a hand sticking through the sand.
Drew and I flew back to Panama on a red-eye flight that night. Thanks fellow Fulbrighters, presenters, the organizers at Liceo Jubilar and especially the Uruguay Fulbright commission for planning and organizing a perfect 5 days in a beautiful country.
Meeting the Sobrino
I had 24 hours to re-group, unpack and re-pack before I headed back to the good ol USA for some family time, 4th of July celebrations, and most importantly meeting my nephew for the first time! Things I noticed that I missed about the US (other than my family): not taking taxis, walking safely, quiet streets, limited/no traffic, TARGET!!!--I had no idea I loved that store so much!, good beer on draft and no ants inside. It was a really relaxing week spent running errands, hanging with the babe, seeing my mom and David for the first time in six months, spending time with Jack (including helping him celebrate his 23rd bday!) and meeting up with Lea from my Galapagos study abroad! By the end of my week in Charlotte I really didn't want to leave; I was pretty nervous about coming back to Panama and getting into a funk because I had had such a nice time stateside. However, I got right back into the swing of things here and while I, of course, miss Jack and friends/family, I'm the happiest I've been here.
Mi Prima Laura Me Visitó
My cousin Laura flew into Panama just a few days after I returned from Charlotte. Laura is my mom's sister's daughter, she recently graduated from high school and will be a freshman at Tulane in New Orleans this fall (can't wait to visit her for Mardi Gras!). Laura and I spent many trips together when we were younger-I was often invited on their annual American Library Association conference trip from everywhere to San Francisco to Orlando and a Midwest trip to Mt. Rushmore. I was excited for Laura to come here and see the highlights. Her first morning was beautiful--the sun was shining, the sky was blue, it wasn't too hot so we took off for Parque Omar. That weekend was "Día del Niño y la Niña" (Children's day) and there was an adorable carnival set up with bumper cars, a carousel, a mini roller coaster and booths with games and activities. We soaked in a bit of the nostalgia and hit the walking path. When we had about 10 minutes left in our walk we noticed dark clouds in the distance but I figured we had enough time to finish and get back to the apartment...wroooong. Within a couple minutes a massive downpour was upon us. We tried to stand against a wall and under a tree for shelter but we were just getting soaked. So we continued to walk, our shoes got heavier as they filled with water, we passed little kids in ponchos who pointed and laughed at us--we looked like we jumped into a swimming pool fully clothed. This was actually my last experience in Parque Omar with it right outside my door because I moved that afternoon (more on that later). On Saturday, Laura and I went to the canal, Cerro Ancón and the Artisan's Market. In the afternoon we went to the VIP showing (meaning waitresses and your own leather recliner) of Harry Potter. That night we had dinner in Casco. Sunday was finally a gorgeous day so we took the ferry and spent the day on Isla Taboga where we soaked up a lot of sun, walked around a bit and then returned to the city later in the afternoon. We decided to cook tacos for dinner and bake brownies for dessert. Monday Laura helped me get a little more organized/settled in my new place and we went for a lovely hike at Parque Metropolitano where we had panoramic views of the city. Tuesday, her last day, she came to CELI with me and we played Catchphrase with the English club students, she helped me with the Access students and sat in on the conversation class. Thanks so much for taking a week out of your summer vacation to visit me, Laura. I had a really really great time showing you Panama: The Abridged Version :)
Other Panama Updates
Like I mentioned, I moved to a new place! The apartment I was living in is owned by Latina and is for the Senior Fellow (Christine's position). Christine is leaving in a few weeks and a new fellow will be coming so the apartment needed to be clear and ready for her to move in. I'm now renting a place (scored a killer rent deal!) in a 23-floor building with a gym, pool, balcony with spectacular views of the city, king-size bed and a flat screen TV. The building is within walking distance of one of my favorite areas of the city, Via Argentina, which is also where a lot of my friends live. It is also on Tumba Muerto, the main road that goes right to Latina. Speaking of....Panama City introduced a new public bus system! They rolled out 100 new, air-conditioned, Volvo buses with a route right on Tumba Muerto, in front of where I live, stopping in front of the university for a whopping...25 cents! The first day I tried to take it I waited for more than 30 minutes without seeing one, but I was successful in my following two attempts. I feel great being in my own place, walking and taking the bus--I feel much more independent and in the groove of things, as if I'm finally connected here.
Exciting Stuff Coming Up
1. I started work with the Embera community. Their indigenous language is not formally taught in schools and is therefore being lost. They predict that if it's not introduced to schools it will be lost within this generation...scary stuff. So this past Monday I met with the community president and one of the teachers who leads informal, one-hour lessons to about 20 kids on Saturdays and Sundays. We decided that given the limited time I have left in Panama, how I can best help them is getting them organized, nailing down their goals and producing a formal document that they could use to lobby for support and resources. I will hopefully go back to the community at least a few more times to meet with all of the teachers and the community chief to meet these goals.
2. My mom, David, Kelly and Wes will be here in 19 days!! We have quite the itinerary planned, complete with: taking a boat through the canal, a few days in the Pearl Islands, seeing the sites of the city and where I work and spending a few days in a beautiful apartment in Casco. I can't wait for them to finally see this life of mine firsthand!
3. I have 93 days left in Panama...WHAT?! My departure date was moved to November 1st because there are so many holidays/everything is closed down the first two weeks in November here. So I'll be flying back to Chicago on the 1st, hoping to see as many of my college friends as possible that night and then going back to Iowa on the 2nd. I cannot believe it. As you know, my first three months were a tough adjustment and time crept along. But ever since I've really started enjoying myself here time has absolutely flown! I'm looking forward to getting back, being with Jack and family/friends and starting my next chapter (entering a Latin American studies MA program in fall 2012). But now that I'm finally actually settled and happy here there will be things I'll miss for sure. However, I've still got a full three months to enjoy it--including a trip to visit Drew in David and Chiriqui, hopefully hiking Volcan Baru, seeing some of the World Baseball Championships at the end of Sept/early Oct, and likely seeing Ricky Martin in concert in October!
I apologize for this crazy long delay. Time flies when you're having fun :)
Cuídate.
Sunday, June 12, 2011
la mitad: assessing the first 5 months of my 10-month grant en la República de Panamá
I'm exactly at the mid-point of my Fulbright English Teaching Assistantship. I thought this would be a good time to do a midterm assessment of sorts looking at all the aspects of the experience so far: cultural adjustment, teaching, traveling, making friends, and goals I still have yet to achieve.
Cultural Adjustment
I did not expect nor had I ever experienced the kind of culture shock that hit me the first couple months I was in Panama. I struggled finding a place to live, getting in to a routine, feeling comfortable, making friends and just being happy. While the first couple months were some of the more difficult, I know that I grew more emotionally and developed a kind of strength that can only come through a struggle like that. I'm really glad I won't ever have to go through those two months ever again but I'm really proud of myself for getting through and for becoming a better, stronger person because of it. I still don't always feel super connected to Panama but this is my life right now and this is an incredible opportunity that I won't ever get to relive.
I also had a tough time adjusting to Panama's Spanish dialect. My ears are getting more and more used to it and sometimes I find myself cutting my words so that I'm better understood by locals. I'm still not as immersed in the language as I was hoping/expecting to be; but hopefully as my friend network continues to expand and I start doing some more volunteering that will change.
Teaching
Other than being thrown into a new culture, the biggest change I've experienced is becoming a teacher. When I was in middle school and high school I liked the idea of being an English teacher (writing and literature, not ESL) but once I got to college I completely abandoned that idea. Well, turns out my middle/high school instincts might have been right. I really enjoy teaching. I've been introduced to the intricacies of lesson planning, classroom management, pair work, group work, pronunciation techniques and the affective filter. My goals are to be as prepared as possible for each lesson through a plan that follows the SIOP model, to catch pronunciation and grammar points and address them as they come up, and to help my students feel comfortable and excited about learning. I'm fortunate to be working with a number of students who are diverse in their age, socio-economic background and level of English. I'm still co-teaching the conversation course, occasionally helping in an intro course, working with Access students and the CELI English club finally has a few committed students! We play a lot of games (Apples to Apples, word puzzles, hang man, story-telling scenarios, catch phrase, etc) just to get them thinking in and using English for one hour 3 days/week.
What I love most about teaching is seeing my students excited to learn and seeing them improve so drastically, so quickly, right in front of my eyes. While I love the challenge of working with a spectrum of levels, this teaching experience has reinforced that I want to teach but at a higher level. I want to spark the same passion and excitement for Latin American cultures in college/university students. I'm starting to get more of an idea of what I want my focus to be for graduate school. I have been interested in looking more closely at indigenous groups in Latin America and this experience has triggered an interest in languages. At this point, I think I'd like to combine those three areas and look into the ways maintaining an indigenous language has the ability to both empower and inhibit a group of people. The University of Texas, University of Wisconsin, University of Arizona and Georgetown University are all on my list of places to study. I'm particularly attracted to UT because of its flexibility and because of CILLA (Center for Indigenous Languages of Latin America). CILLA could hopefully offer me the opportunity to learn one (or more!) indigenous language and explore the effect it has on its people.
Traveling
Panama is an absolutely beautiful country and I have been fortunate to see a lot of it in the first half of my grant. Whether it's been a weekend trip to Santa Clara beach, Playa Malibu/Chame, El Valle or San Blas or a longer time spent in Bocas del Toro, Isla Grande and Playa Bonita I have seen beautiful beaches, gorgeous mountain settings and gone island-hopping in the Caribbean. I've used one of Panama's domestic air carriers; experienced the small, oversold, $3.00 buses; and crammed way too many people in an SUV. I'm lucky to have found a living situation in the first part of my grant that has afforded me the opportunity to see this gorgeous country.
In the next half of my grant I'll be doing more traveling. At the end of the month I'm going to Montevideo, Uruguay! This will be my first time out of Panama since I arrived in January and I'll be meeting up with about 20 Fulbright ETAs based in other countries. We'll be giving short presentations; the topics assigned to me are "Best Practices in Formal and Informal Teaching Settings" and "How to Encourage Speaking and Writing in English"---both very broad, I know. I plan to focus on the importance of lesson planning for the first presentation and will introduce some of the activities we've used in CELI English club for the second. We'll also be having general discussions on the successes and challenges we've faced, will attend English language teaching seminars and will (hopefully!) have some time to see a bit of Montevideo.
From July 2-10 I will be in the good ol' U.S.of A! I wasn't planning on returning to the States at all during my grant but when my mom offered to fly me to Charlotte to see her, my stepdad David, my sister Katie, my brother-in-law Joel, my boyfriend Jack and my NEPHEW Quin I really couldn't resist the offer. I'm planning on enjoying less-polluted air, going on walks without getting honked at, grilling daily, sleeping without ear plugs and hanging out with Quin as much as possible. Side bonus: my friend Lea from my Galapagos study abroad just moved to the Charlotte area so we're going to get together for a mini reunion! I think the week with family and friends back on U.S. soil will be just the refresher I need to help me re-focus and prepare for the final 4 months of my grant.
My cousin Laura is planning to visit me in Panama shortly after I get back from the States. I'm excited to show her a bit of the city and just spend some time with her as she recently graduated from high school and will start at Tulane in August--way to go Laura!
My mom, stepdad David and our friends Kelly and Wes are coming to visit for the last 10 days of August and we're planning to rent a house on Isla Contadora which is part of the Pearl Islands (where some seasons of Survivor have been filmed!) in the Pacific Ocean. Between September and October I'm planning a visit to see my friend/ETA counterpart in David, Panama. I want to see his site and travel to Boquete and Volcan which are, from what I hear, gorgeous mountainous regions.
By the end of my 10 months here I think I will have seen the major geographic highlights of this tiny country!
Making Friends
One of the toughest challenges of the first two months was dealing with the feelings of isolation and loneliness. I never knew those feelings could be so overwhelming in a city of over 1 million people. But once I put on a cute purple skirt and proudly introduced myself to complete strangers at a networking event in early April, I expanded my network by about 20-fold. I have a wonderful group of friends in the city that keeps growing. Just last weekend I had an action-packed weekend in El Valle with a new group of people that consisted of ultimate frisbee in the pouring rain, a party at a stunning house, talking, laughing, cramming 11 people in a car built for 8, eating at Quesos Chela (best cheese empanada of my life) and watching one of my friend's American football game.
Of course I'd still like to have more Panamanian friends but whether they're Panamanian or not, I'm just glad to have a fun, outgoing, interesting group of people to share exciting adventures with.
Goals for the Second Half
1. Continue all of the above. First and foremost I want to continue to make strides toward becoming a great teacher, sharing and exchanging culture, seeing the beauty of Panama and keep expanding my friend group.
2. Speak more Spanish! While I love my English-speaking friends and my job that revolves around English, I'm not forced to speak enough Spanish. Through more Panamanian friends and being a little more outgoing with the language, I think I can work on my fluency.
3. Find a side project to get more involved in the community. I'm hoping to do some volunteer work or maybe even some informal research work on my days off of work. I'd like to work with indigenous groups and/or women and children, if possible. Making this extra commitment will also help me feel even more connected to Panama.
4. Try to nail down what I want to study in grad school and where I want to go. The three aforementioned goals will all contribute to the achievement of this goal but I think I'm already on track to meeting it.
As up and down, back and forth, twisting/turning experience as this has been so far, I wouldn't change a minute of it. The highs and lows are what have sparked such emotional and professional change that I couldn't obtain in any other way. Thank you for joining me on this journey: for offering advice, looking at my photos, listening to me vent and just checking in. Your support really means more than you know.
Cuídate. Nos vemos en 5 meses!
Cultural Adjustment
I did not expect nor had I ever experienced the kind of culture shock that hit me the first couple months I was in Panama. I struggled finding a place to live, getting in to a routine, feeling comfortable, making friends and just being happy. While the first couple months were some of the more difficult, I know that I grew more emotionally and developed a kind of strength that can only come through a struggle like that. I'm really glad I won't ever have to go through those two months ever again but I'm really proud of myself for getting through and for becoming a better, stronger person because of it. I still don't always feel super connected to Panama but this is my life right now and this is an incredible opportunity that I won't ever get to relive.
I also had a tough time adjusting to Panama's Spanish dialect. My ears are getting more and more used to it and sometimes I find myself cutting my words so that I'm better understood by locals. I'm still not as immersed in the language as I was hoping/expecting to be; but hopefully as my friend network continues to expand and I start doing some more volunteering that will change.
Teaching
Other than being thrown into a new culture, the biggest change I've experienced is becoming a teacher. When I was in middle school and high school I liked the idea of being an English teacher (writing and literature, not ESL) but once I got to college I completely abandoned that idea. Well, turns out my middle/high school instincts might have been right. I really enjoy teaching. I've been introduced to the intricacies of lesson planning, classroom management, pair work, group work, pronunciation techniques and the affective filter. My goals are to be as prepared as possible for each lesson through a plan that follows the SIOP model, to catch pronunciation and grammar points and address them as they come up, and to help my students feel comfortable and excited about learning. I'm fortunate to be working with a number of students who are diverse in their age, socio-economic background and level of English. I'm still co-teaching the conversation course, occasionally helping in an intro course, working with Access students and the CELI English club finally has a few committed students! We play a lot of games (Apples to Apples, word puzzles, hang man, story-telling scenarios, catch phrase, etc) just to get them thinking in and using English for one hour 3 days/week.
What I love most about teaching is seeing my students excited to learn and seeing them improve so drastically, so quickly, right in front of my eyes. While I love the challenge of working with a spectrum of levels, this teaching experience has reinforced that I want to teach but at a higher level. I want to spark the same passion and excitement for Latin American cultures in college/university students. I'm starting to get more of an idea of what I want my focus to be for graduate school. I have been interested in looking more closely at indigenous groups in Latin America and this experience has triggered an interest in languages. At this point, I think I'd like to combine those three areas and look into the ways maintaining an indigenous language has the ability to both empower and inhibit a group of people. The University of Texas, University of Wisconsin, University of Arizona and Georgetown University are all on my list of places to study. I'm particularly attracted to UT because of its flexibility and because of CILLA (Center for Indigenous Languages of Latin America). CILLA could hopefully offer me the opportunity to learn one (or more!) indigenous language and explore the effect it has on its people.
Traveling
Panama is an absolutely beautiful country and I have been fortunate to see a lot of it in the first half of my grant. Whether it's been a weekend trip to Santa Clara beach, Playa Malibu/Chame, El Valle or San Blas or a longer time spent in Bocas del Toro, Isla Grande and Playa Bonita I have seen beautiful beaches, gorgeous mountain settings and gone island-hopping in the Caribbean. I've used one of Panama's domestic air carriers; experienced the small, oversold, $3.00 buses; and crammed way too many people in an SUV. I'm lucky to have found a living situation in the first part of my grant that has afforded me the opportunity to see this gorgeous country.
In the next half of my grant I'll be doing more traveling. At the end of the month I'm going to Montevideo, Uruguay! This will be my first time out of Panama since I arrived in January and I'll be meeting up with about 20 Fulbright ETAs based in other countries. We'll be giving short presentations; the topics assigned to me are "Best Practices in Formal and Informal Teaching Settings" and "How to Encourage Speaking and Writing in English"---both very broad, I know. I plan to focus on the importance of lesson planning for the first presentation and will introduce some of the activities we've used in CELI English club for the second. We'll also be having general discussions on the successes and challenges we've faced, will attend English language teaching seminars and will (hopefully!) have some time to see a bit of Montevideo.
From July 2-10 I will be in the good ol' U.S.of A! I wasn't planning on returning to the States at all during my grant but when my mom offered to fly me to Charlotte to see her, my stepdad David, my sister Katie, my brother-in-law Joel, my boyfriend Jack and my NEPHEW Quin I really couldn't resist the offer. I'm planning on enjoying less-polluted air, going on walks without getting honked at, grilling daily, sleeping without ear plugs and hanging out with Quin as much as possible. Side bonus: my friend Lea from my Galapagos study abroad just moved to the Charlotte area so we're going to get together for a mini reunion! I think the week with family and friends back on U.S. soil will be just the refresher I need to help me re-focus and prepare for the final 4 months of my grant.
My cousin Laura is planning to visit me in Panama shortly after I get back from the States. I'm excited to show her a bit of the city and just spend some time with her as she recently graduated from high school and will start at Tulane in August--way to go Laura!
My mom, stepdad David and our friends Kelly and Wes are coming to visit for the last 10 days of August and we're planning to rent a house on Isla Contadora which is part of the Pearl Islands (where some seasons of Survivor have been filmed!) in the Pacific Ocean. Between September and October I'm planning a visit to see my friend/ETA counterpart in David, Panama. I want to see his site and travel to Boquete and Volcan which are, from what I hear, gorgeous mountainous regions.
By the end of my 10 months here I think I will have seen the major geographic highlights of this tiny country!
Making Friends
One of the toughest challenges of the first two months was dealing with the feelings of isolation and loneliness. I never knew those feelings could be so overwhelming in a city of over 1 million people. But once I put on a cute purple skirt and proudly introduced myself to complete strangers at a networking event in early April, I expanded my network by about 20-fold. I have a wonderful group of friends in the city that keeps growing. Just last weekend I had an action-packed weekend in El Valle with a new group of people that consisted of ultimate frisbee in the pouring rain, a party at a stunning house, talking, laughing, cramming 11 people in a car built for 8, eating at Quesos Chela (best cheese empanada of my life) and watching one of my friend's American football game.
Of course I'd still like to have more Panamanian friends but whether they're Panamanian or not, I'm just glad to have a fun, outgoing, interesting group of people to share exciting adventures with.
Goals for the Second Half
1. Continue all of the above. First and foremost I want to continue to make strides toward becoming a great teacher, sharing and exchanging culture, seeing the beauty of Panama and keep expanding my friend group.
2. Speak more Spanish! While I love my English-speaking friends and my job that revolves around English, I'm not forced to speak enough Spanish. Through more Panamanian friends and being a little more outgoing with the language, I think I can work on my fluency.
3. Find a side project to get more involved in the community. I'm hoping to do some volunteer work or maybe even some informal research work on my days off of work. I'd like to work with indigenous groups and/or women and children, if possible. Making this extra commitment will also help me feel even more connected to Panama.
4. Try to nail down what I want to study in grad school and where I want to go. The three aforementioned goals will all contribute to the achievement of this goal but I think I'm already on track to meeting it.
As up and down, back and forth, twisting/turning experience as this has been so far, I wouldn't change a minute of it. The highs and lows are what have sparked such emotional and professional change that I couldn't obtain in any other way. Thank you for joining me on this journey: for offering advice, looking at my photos, listening to me vent and just checking in. Your support really means more than you know.
Cuídate. Nos vemos en 5 meses!
Monday, May 30, 2011
lengua sin palabras
Watch this awesome video on the meaning of a number of Panamanian gestures. Another one the guy doesn't cover is this:
That means you're cheap. Don't wanna be cheap. I've really been noticing the "over there" lip gesture. It's hilarious. And awesome.
Disfruta!
That means you're cheap. Don't wanna be cheap. I've really been noticing the "over there" lip gesture. It's hilarious. And awesome.Disfruta!
Thursday, May 26, 2011
gracias a mis estudiantes
I just finished up morning conversation class with Lurlyne. She was my only student from Conversation One to join me for Conversation Two so we have more of a private tutor class. I was a little disappointed that none of the other 4 of 5 students could join us again, however I'm really proud of Lurlyne for showing such dedication. Lurlyne manages the front desk at a dental office (her husband went to dental school at Creighton) and they have a number of American patients. She has a 16-year-old daughter that wants to go to college in the States. Lurlyne is here for those two factors: she wants to be able to communicate clearly, effectively and fluently with her American patients and she wants to help her daughter with the college application/selection process. She has such positive energy, she always comes in with a bright smile and she is always so grateful for the two hours we spend together. She has improved so much since we started working together at the end of March. She is no longer making many of the errors she made before, she thinks thoroughly about what she wants to say before she says it, and her confidence has soared.
Lurlyne and the Access students always remind me why I'm here: to have a positive effect on the lives of Panamanians through English language instruction and cultural exchange. I always walk away from these classes feeling happy, energized and grateful. Gracias a todos mis estudiantes; uds. me enseñan más que saben. Thanks to all my students; you all teach me more than you know.
Lurlyne and the Access students always remind me why I'm here: to have a positive effect on the lives of Panamanians through English language instruction and cultural exchange. I always walk away from these classes feeling happy, energized and grateful. Gracias a todos mis estudiantes; uds. me enseñan más que saben. Thanks to all my students; you all teach me more than you know.
Tuesday, May 24, 2011
san blas, kuna yala: real life corona ad
The picture says it all, doesn't it?
I spent Friday morning - Sunday evening in paraíso (paradise). Some of my friends had organized a trip and I jumped at the opportunity to go; I'd been wanting to go to San Blas since I arrived in Panama...and all the hype and expectations did not disappoint. We woke up before the sun on Friday, squeezed into a LandCruiser, and were off. San Blas is north and east of Panama City on the Caribbean side. We took the highway for about an hour and a half and the last 45 minutes or so were spent on a roller coaster of a road. We were winding around mountains, taking sharp turns, speeding down steep descents and crawling up steep ascents. We stumbled out of the car when we finally reached the unloading point, all of us at least slightly woozy from the theme park ride. We waited at the edge of the water under a little hut for about 45 minutes before a boat arrived to take us to the island. Even though the boat ride was packed and I was drenched with salt water by the end of it, it was absolutely mesmerizing. Everywhere I turned there was another tiny island full of palm trees and a white sand beach in the middle of sparkling, teal blue water. Remember the old school Microsoft screen saver of an island like those I just mentioned? Apparently that photo was taken in San Blas.
The San Blas, or Kuna Yala, islands are an autonomous "comarca" of Panama. The Kuna Yala indigenous people occupy about 50 of the 350 islands in the area but have control over all of them. The Kunas believe strongly in the four key elements of the environment: earth, wind, water and fire. The Kuna women are easily identified by their traditional dress: they wear a shear blouse connected to a mola (multi-layer, hand-stitched material consisting of animal designs and geometric shapes) and a patterned tapestry as a skirt. Many of them also wear a gold ring in the center of their nose.
Our group stayed on Franklyn/Tony Island. It's called that because those are the two owners. It's split down the middle, complete with a chain link fence; Franklyn owns and runs a hostel of huts on one side and Tony does the same on the other side. We stayed on Tony's side. This was one of the most economical vacations I've ever taken. For all transportation (car and boat), two nights in a hut, all meals (including lobster for dinner one night!), snacks and entrance fees I only spent $120.
There were many groups of young Israelis staying on the island and there were also some really cool North Americans. I spent a good amount of time getting to know awesome people from California, Michigan and Canada. We spent our days laying in the sun on the beach and shade of palm trees, soaking in the beautiful water, playing scrabble, listening to music, and just hanging out. We actually all met up again last night (their last night in the city) for some DELICIOUS (and cheap!) food at Sabor de la India. A new friend, Courtney, and I shared butter chicken, naan and samosas. My bill was a mere $7. So awesome.
This whole weekend was the perfect way for me to clear my head and get a little perspective on this adventure of mine. I'm living in a beautiful country with so much history and so many cultures. I'm glad to have the opportunity to take advantage of seeing and experiencing the diverse peoples and places within this culturally-packed country of only 3 million people.
Now that I'm 3 shades darker and genuinely content, it's time to get back to work. I'm no longer teaching the morning conversation class--only 1 of my students signed up for the second class :( so she's switching to the night class. I'll be team-teaching that class with my friend, Josh. I'm planning on restarting the faculty conversation club next week--I'm cautiously hopeful on this one, though. It's been pushed back by the participants for about 3 weeks now. So we'll see. I'm taking a bit of a break from Access this week because the students have exams. The midway point of my grant is in 2 weeks...CRAZY. Next time I'll post a midterm evaluation.
Until then...
Cuídate.
Sunday, May 15, 2011
vacaciones con jack y mi padre, mal día, oportunidad nueva
Mal día
Jack left on Friday after a little over 3 weeks with me. My dad left yesterday morning after 5 days together. Yesterday was the "mal día" (bad day). April was the best month that I've had here so far. I finally got in to a routine working with adult students in CELI and high school kids for Access; I made some cool new friends; I saw Shakira in concert; Jack came and we went on our first real vacation together and spent time just being normal; my dad came to see my Panamanian life firsthand; and then yesterday it's like I was startled awake from a great dream that I never wanted to end. I don't know how much of April's perfection was all of those fun adventures, being with the love of my life and sharing this journey with him, getting in to a routine or what but I finally felt great here. I was, maybe for the first time since this adventure started, 100% happy. And then yesterday hit me like a ton of bricks across the face. I feel guilty for feeling "off." I know this is a great opportunity and I know there are thousands of people who would trade places with me; but I guess we all have our off moments, right? Part of me can't believe I've already been here over 4 months. And, for the last couple days, part of me can't believe I still have 6 months to go. I will continue to make this the most positive experience I can. I will go to work and see tangible change happen in front of my eyes; I will start to learn more about the culture here (I might try to do some research on some of the many indigenous groups of Panama); I will do the next crazy thing with my new friends; I'll do all of that because that's who I am and that's what this experience is about. Sorry for the "moment," I think I'm trying to convince myself of all these things as I write them to you.
I realized after a vent session last night that, I apologize for sounding painfully selfish, this journey is mine and it is about me. Sure, I'm doing my best in the classroom and trying to have a positive effect on the people I meet here, but my students, my friends, my colleagues and this experience as a whole are having more of an impact on me than I could ever imagine having on them. After a little over 4 months here, I'm starting to be a confident teacher, I'm more assertive, I'm more outgoing, I'm getting better at being by myself and I'm trying to take advantage of new opportunities.
Now for the good stuff.
3 semanas con mi amor
I left you with a cliffhanger from my last post: our journey to El Valle. Some friends of mine invited us to tag along for a one-night stay in El Valle. I had heard a lot of great things about this area so we jumped at the chance. Jack and I hitched a ride with Alex, May Ling and Felicidad. Alex is one of the few people I've met here with a car; but alas, he moved back to England shortly after we returned from El Valle. Anyway, we drove about two hours west to the beautiful mountainous region of El Valle. The air was crisp and clean, there was almost no traffic and at night we could see every star in the sky. We stayed at La Casita, a camping hostel. They provided tents and breakfast for only $15/per person. We spent that Saturday afternoon exploring the area, hiking, and swimming in ice-cold natural pools. That night there was a music event at the hostel. People brought any instrument they knew how to play and just jammed. I think there was a scheduled list of events but when the power went out it turned in to an all-night jam session. Pretty sweet.
We woke up the next morning and couldn't find Alex anywhere. Knowing that we had to get back that day (as we left for Isla Grande the following morning) and that he was our ride, we went on a trek in to town to search for him. I spotted his car parked outside a restaurant and he happened to be crossing the street as we got closer. He told us he wanted to stay another night, so that left Jack, May Ling and I to fend for ourselves for a ride home. Jack and I decided on the bus because they're cheap, and frequent. We stood in line for almost an hour with about 150 others waiting to go back to the city and boarded the small bus made for about 30 people, but it's Panama so about 40 people got on. We were traveling back to the city on Easter Sunday so a 2-hour trip actually took over 3 hours with traffic. To make it even more exciting one of the passengers brought a stowaway bird...logically. We didn't realize this until about an hour into the ride when there was a loud screeching sound and feathers flapping; oh, duh, I always bring my pet macaw on the bus with me. Right.
The next morning Jack and I were picked up and driven 2 hours north toward the Caribbean. A small boat took us from just outside the town of Portobelo to Bananas Resort. It's a quaint, 35-room hotel. There are three rooms in peaked roof houses; two on the bottom, one on top. Jack and I had a room at the top of one of the houses complete with a hammock on the balcony. The highlights of our trip include: delicious food, 4 pm margaritas daily, pool time, beach time, a hike to the other side of the island, paella, Panamanian beer, me dominating Jack in ping pong (twice), friendly staff, time together, beautiful sunsets, sleeping in, more food and more time relaxing together. It was the perfect first vacation.
We came back to reality after five wonderful, sun-filled days to have a last supper for Alex. We met up with my friends at Beirut, a delicious Lebanese restaurant, went out for drinks and watched Alex and Jack play chess for over an hour (zzZZZzzz...). It was fun to be back with friends, though. The next day, Jack got to experience the canal and on Sunday we spent the afternoon at the causeway. Monday, May 2nd was Panama's Labor Day so we had a picnic in Parque Omar and just hung out together. Jack came to school with me Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday. On Tuesday he helped in my conversation class and the other two days we worked with the Access students. When Jack asked some of the Access students if they liked me and thought I was a good teacher, one of them responded with, "She is very beautiful." Ha. I guess I'll take that.
We went to a networking event at a Mexican place with Laura (research fulbrighter) on cinco de mayo. I didn't do a ton of networking, mostly just saw my new friends (many of whom I met at the previous event), drank some celebratory margaritas, then had dinner with Jack. On Friday night my friend Josh and his girlfriend Isis invited us over to their place for a traditional Panamanian dinner; Isis made oven-cooked chicken, rice, a salad and everyone's favorite, plantains. I finally figured out what makes those taste so good, the recipe is so simple: plantains, tons of sugar, tons of butter and a little water. Yum. After a delicious meal, a couple bottles of wine, great conversation, and some sports-watching, Jack and I headed back to the apartment. We were bums the rest of the weekend. Monday we went to the Centro Municipal de Artesañias so Jack could get some souvenirs as it was his last day in the city.
My dad arrived on Tuesday. Jack and I met him at the airport where we were picked up by a driver for our hotel, the Intercontinential at Playa Bonita...I do NOT recommend it. Before we got to the hotel we stopped to pick up some beer and snacks so we wouldn't get gouged all the time at the hotel. When we arrived, supplies in hand, one of the supervisors, instead of greeting us and welcoming us to his hotel, firmly told us we would have to keep our recently purchased goods in storage for our stay there. From that point on we plotted on how to get our things out of storage. Unfortunately the rainy season decided to kick in full swing during our few days at this beach hotel so we were stuck hanging out in the room, reading and watching movies. To make matters worse, there were a number of businesses there for private conferences and they closed off 2 of the 3 restaurants for their dinner parties. Overall the service was pretty bad, the prices were insane, and of course the rain didn't help our spirits. We did, however, get our contraband items out of storage on the second day so that was a small victory.
We left the hotel Friday morning to take Jack to the airport. I was really sad to see him go because we had such a perfect few weeks together. Hopefully he'll be back again at the end of July/early August for another visit. Thanks for coming, mi amor; you made me feel happy and comfortable and just normal again. Now, please come back :)
2 días más con mi padre
After dropping Jack at the airport, my dad and I returned to the city where we checked him in to the hotel. This time, instead of telling him he couldn't bring in his gin, the bell hop offered to fill up the bucket of ice for him...much better start. We relaxed and had lunch at a restaurant nearby and then went to see the canal. It was another gloomy day, but wasn't nearly as rainy as the days before. Serendipitously, there was a ship registered in Hong Kong passing through the canal as we were on the observation deck. There was also a Panamax ship overflowing with containers holding who knows what. That night I showed my dad my apartment and then we had dinner with Christine and her friend.
The next day the sun proved it does exist in Panama! Finally blue skies and sun for an entire day. I took my dad to see Latina where he got to meet Luz (the director/facilitator of Access), Isabel (teacher friend), Luis (Christine's admin assistant) and Patricia (director of a private school and creator of a methodology being used by Christine for a project for 11-year-olds learning English on Saturdays). From there we went to Cerro Ancon to look at the beautiful views of the city, then to the causeway where we walked around and eventually had lunch. We went back to the hotel for a siesta and that night had a date in Casco. We went around happy hour so he could see the area while there was still some sunlight, had a drink, then had dinner at Mostaza. It was a perfect last evening together. Thanks for including me in your western hemisphere trip, Dad. I'm really glad you got to see some of this adventure of mine.
Oportunidad Nueva
Today I had a meeting with a woman in Casco Antiguo. She would like me to work with some at-risk high school students that go to school in Casco. Many of them are from the areas bordering Casco (very poor, dangerous, violent, run by gangs, etc.) but attend school at Iglesia de la Merced in Casco. One day a week, she would like me to give reinforcement of what the students are already working on in their English classes. I'm still debating whether or not to take this on, so your comments/feedback are, of course, welcome.
En fin
Tomorrow I will finally be back in to my routine at CELI. I'm going in early to help Christine with some things, conversation club with the U. Latina faculty and Access in the afternoon. My conversation II class starts on Thursday morning. I have condensed my schedule down to Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursdays all day at CELI. That leaves Mondays and Fridays open for me to, maybe, work with the Casco kids and hopefully do some research on the indigenous groups of Panama. Vamos a ver. Thanks for reading, and thanks for your love and support. It really means a lot to know I have such a great, strong network willing to send me encouraging thoughts and positive vibes.
Un abrazo.
Cuídate.
Jack left on Friday after a little over 3 weeks with me. My dad left yesterday morning after 5 days together. Yesterday was the "mal día" (bad day). April was the best month that I've had here so far. I finally got in to a routine working with adult students in CELI and high school kids for Access; I made some cool new friends; I saw Shakira in concert; Jack came and we went on our first real vacation together and spent time just being normal; my dad came to see my Panamanian life firsthand; and then yesterday it's like I was startled awake from a great dream that I never wanted to end. I don't know how much of April's perfection was all of those fun adventures, being with the love of my life and sharing this journey with him, getting in to a routine or what but I finally felt great here. I was, maybe for the first time since this adventure started, 100% happy. And then yesterday hit me like a ton of bricks across the face. I feel guilty for feeling "off." I know this is a great opportunity and I know there are thousands of people who would trade places with me; but I guess we all have our off moments, right? Part of me can't believe I've already been here over 4 months. And, for the last couple days, part of me can't believe I still have 6 months to go. I will continue to make this the most positive experience I can. I will go to work and see tangible change happen in front of my eyes; I will start to learn more about the culture here (I might try to do some research on some of the many indigenous groups of Panama); I will do the next crazy thing with my new friends; I'll do all of that because that's who I am and that's what this experience is about. Sorry for the "moment," I think I'm trying to convince myself of all these things as I write them to you.
I realized after a vent session last night that, I apologize for sounding painfully selfish, this journey is mine and it is about me. Sure, I'm doing my best in the classroom and trying to have a positive effect on the people I meet here, but my students, my friends, my colleagues and this experience as a whole are having more of an impact on me than I could ever imagine having on them. After a little over 4 months here, I'm starting to be a confident teacher, I'm more assertive, I'm more outgoing, I'm getting better at being by myself and I'm trying to take advantage of new opportunities.
Now for the good stuff.
3 semanas con mi amor
I left you with a cliffhanger from my last post: our journey to El Valle. Some friends of mine invited us to tag along for a one-night stay in El Valle. I had heard a lot of great things about this area so we jumped at the chance. Jack and I hitched a ride with Alex, May Ling and Felicidad. Alex is one of the few people I've met here with a car; but alas, he moved back to England shortly after we returned from El Valle. Anyway, we drove about two hours west to the beautiful mountainous region of El Valle. The air was crisp and clean, there was almost no traffic and at night we could see every star in the sky. We stayed at La Casita, a camping hostel. They provided tents and breakfast for only $15/per person. We spent that Saturday afternoon exploring the area, hiking, and swimming in ice-cold natural pools. That night there was a music event at the hostel. People brought any instrument they knew how to play and just jammed. I think there was a scheduled list of events but when the power went out it turned in to an all-night jam session. Pretty sweet.
We woke up the next morning and couldn't find Alex anywhere. Knowing that we had to get back that day (as we left for Isla Grande the following morning) and that he was our ride, we went on a trek in to town to search for him. I spotted his car parked outside a restaurant and he happened to be crossing the street as we got closer. He told us he wanted to stay another night, so that left Jack, May Ling and I to fend for ourselves for a ride home. Jack and I decided on the bus because they're cheap, and frequent. We stood in line for almost an hour with about 150 others waiting to go back to the city and boarded the small bus made for about 30 people, but it's Panama so about 40 people got on. We were traveling back to the city on Easter Sunday so a 2-hour trip actually took over 3 hours with traffic. To make it even more exciting one of the passengers brought a stowaway bird...logically. We didn't realize this until about an hour into the ride when there was a loud screeching sound and feathers flapping; oh, duh, I always bring my pet macaw on the bus with me. Right.
The next morning Jack and I were picked up and driven 2 hours north toward the Caribbean. A small boat took us from just outside the town of Portobelo to Bananas Resort. It's a quaint, 35-room hotel. There are three rooms in peaked roof houses; two on the bottom, one on top. Jack and I had a room at the top of one of the houses complete with a hammock on the balcony. The highlights of our trip include: delicious food, 4 pm margaritas daily, pool time, beach time, a hike to the other side of the island, paella, Panamanian beer, me dominating Jack in ping pong (twice), friendly staff, time together, beautiful sunsets, sleeping in, more food and more time relaxing together. It was the perfect first vacation.
We came back to reality after five wonderful, sun-filled days to have a last supper for Alex. We met up with my friends at Beirut, a delicious Lebanese restaurant, went out for drinks and watched Alex and Jack play chess for over an hour (zzZZZzzz...). It was fun to be back with friends, though. The next day, Jack got to experience the canal and on Sunday we spent the afternoon at the causeway. Monday, May 2nd was Panama's Labor Day so we had a picnic in Parque Omar and just hung out together. Jack came to school with me Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday. On Tuesday he helped in my conversation class and the other two days we worked with the Access students. When Jack asked some of the Access students if they liked me and thought I was a good teacher, one of them responded with, "She is very beautiful." Ha. I guess I'll take that.
We went to a networking event at a Mexican place with Laura (research fulbrighter) on cinco de mayo. I didn't do a ton of networking, mostly just saw my new friends (many of whom I met at the previous event), drank some celebratory margaritas, then had dinner with Jack. On Friday night my friend Josh and his girlfriend Isis invited us over to their place for a traditional Panamanian dinner; Isis made oven-cooked chicken, rice, a salad and everyone's favorite, plantains. I finally figured out what makes those taste so good, the recipe is so simple: plantains, tons of sugar, tons of butter and a little water. Yum. After a delicious meal, a couple bottles of wine, great conversation, and some sports-watching, Jack and I headed back to the apartment. We were bums the rest of the weekend. Monday we went to the Centro Municipal de Artesañias so Jack could get some souvenirs as it was his last day in the city.
My dad arrived on Tuesday. Jack and I met him at the airport where we were picked up by a driver for our hotel, the Intercontinential at Playa Bonita...I do NOT recommend it. Before we got to the hotel we stopped to pick up some beer and snacks so we wouldn't get gouged all the time at the hotel. When we arrived, supplies in hand, one of the supervisors, instead of greeting us and welcoming us to his hotel, firmly told us we would have to keep our recently purchased goods in storage for our stay there. From that point on we plotted on how to get our things out of storage. Unfortunately the rainy season decided to kick in full swing during our few days at this beach hotel so we were stuck hanging out in the room, reading and watching movies. To make matters worse, there were a number of businesses there for private conferences and they closed off 2 of the 3 restaurants for their dinner parties. Overall the service was pretty bad, the prices were insane, and of course the rain didn't help our spirits. We did, however, get our contraband items out of storage on the second day so that was a small victory.
We left the hotel Friday morning to take Jack to the airport. I was really sad to see him go because we had such a perfect few weeks together. Hopefully he'll be back again at the end of July/early August for another visit. Thanks for coming, mi amor; you made me feel happy and comfortable and just normal again. Now, please come back :)
2 días más con mi padre
After dropping Jack at the airport, my dad and I returned to the city where we checked him in to the hotel. This time, instead of telling him he couldn't bring in his gin, the bell hop offered to fill up the bucket of ice for him...much better start. We relaxed and had lunch at a restaurant nearby and then went to see the canal. It was another gloomy day, but wasn't nearly as rainy as the days before. Serendipitously, there was a ship registered in Hong Kong passing through the canal as we were on the observation deck. There was also a Panamax ship overflowing with containers holding who knows what. That night I showed my dad my apartment and then we had dinner with Christine and her friend.
The next day the sun proved it does exist in Panama! Finally blue skies and sun for an entire day. I took my dad to see Latina where he got to meet Luz (the director/facilitator of Access), Isabel (teacher friend), Luis (Christine's admin assistant) and Patricia (director of a private school and creator of a methodology being used by Christine for a project for 11-year-olds learning English on Saturdays). From there we went to Cerro Ancon to look at the beautiful views of the city, then to the causeway where we walked around and eventually had lunch. We went back to the hotel for a siesta and that night had a date in Casco. We went around happy hour so he could see the area while there was still some sunlight, had a drink, then had dinner at Mostaza. It was a perfect last evening together. Thanks for including me in your western hemisphere trip, Dad. I'm really glad you got to see some of this adventure of mine.
Oportunidad Nueva
Today I had a meeting with a woman in Casco Antiguo. She would like me to work with some at-risk high school students that go to school in Casco. Many of them are from the areas bordering Casco (very poor, dangerous, violent, run by gangs, etc.) but attend school at Iglesia de la Merced in Casco. One day a week, she would like me to give reinforcement of what the students are already working on in their English classes. I'm still debating whether or not to take this on, so your comments/feedback are, of course, welcome.
En fin
Tomorrow I will finally be back in to my routine at CELI. I'm going in early to help Christine with some things, conversation club with the U. Latina faculty and Access in the afternoon. My conversation II class starts on Thursday morning. I have condensed my schedule down to Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursdays all day at CELI. That leaves Mondays and Fridays open for me to, maybe, work with the Casco kids and hopefully do some research on the indigenous groups of Panama. Vamos a ver. Thanks for reading, and thanks for your love and support. It really means a lot to know I have such a great, strong network willing to send me encouraging thoughts and positive vibes.
Un abrazo.
Cuídate.
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