mean to me. So from this point forward, posts on this blog will be published by
my sister! Thanks, sis!**
Hola from Santa Rita!
It’s been a whole week here in the training community and
let me just say I’ve ever had such an AFFIRMING experience. Even though it’s
been crazy busy, there’s some little thing every day that makes me think I made
the right decision in coming here. This is where I’m supposed to be and even
though it’s gonna be hard, I WILL be able to make a difference. You guys, I’m
gonna be so good at so many things by the end of two years it’s already blowing
my mind.
let me just say I’ve ever had such an AFFIRMING experience. Even though it’s
been crazy busy, there’s some little thing every day that makes me think I made
the right decision in coming here. This is where I’m supposed to be and even
though it’s gonna be hard, I WILL be able to make a difference. You guys, I’m
gonna be so good at so many things by the end of two years it’s already blowing
my mind.
And with that introduction…lemme fill you in on what I’ve
been up to this past week!
been up to this past week!
Sunday we moved to our training communities! The CEC
trainees are all living in one town and us TE trainees are living in Santa
Rita. It’s on the smaller side as far as towns here go, although we’re about a
twenty minute bus ride from a big city. The houses are all made of cinder
blocks painted really fun, bright colors. Some people have indoor toilets and
showers, some have latrines and outdoor showers. Some have washing machines,
some wash clothes by hand. Most everyone has a hammock. Most everyone has
chickens and a guard dog. Most everywhere is BEAUTIFUL.
trainees are all living in one town and us TE trainees are living in Santa
Rita. It’s on the smaller side as far as towns here go, although we’re about a
twenty minute bus ride from a big city. The houses are all made of cinder
blocks painted really fun, bright colors. Some people have indoor toilets and
showers, some have latrines and outdoor showers. Some have washing machines,
some wash clothes by hand. Most everyone has a hammock. Most everyone has
chickens and a guard dog. Most everywhere is BEAUTIFUL.
Our group of trainees is spread all over town with different
host families. I live with a mom and dad in their 30s (fun fact: my mom’s
nickname is Cookie), their 13 year old son who is a stereotypical teenager
(always on his phone and way too “cool” to hang out with me), and their 7 year
old daughter who is already my best friend. My host dad works as a driver in
the bigger cities in Panama, so he’s not here during the week. My host grandma
lives in the house next door and there are aunts, cousins, nephews, etc. also
nearby. This is my house:
host families. I live with a mom and dad in their 30s (fun fact: my mom’s
nickname is Cookie), their 13 year old son who is a stereotypical teenager
(always on his phone and way too “cool” to hang out with me), and their 7 year
old daughter who is already my best friend. My host dad works as a driver in
the bigger cities in Panama, so he’s not here during the week. My host grandma
lives in the house next door and there are aunts, cousins, nephews, etc. also
nearby. This is my house:
It seems like most people in this town are related SOMEHOW.
It’s very different from my small, spread-out family from the US, but I love
it. There’s always someone to visit, some child to play with, always someone to
make you smile. If I ever feel lonely in Panama it will be entirely my own
fault.
It’s very different from my small, spread-out family from the US, but I love
it. There’s always someone to visit, some child to play with, always someone to
make you smile. If I ever feel lonely in Panama it will be entirely my own
fault.
I have so much more to say about Santa Rita and my host
family, but I wanna actually FINISH this post tonight so I can use the internet
plaza’s wifi tomorrow, so it’ll have to wait for another time.
family, but I wanna actually FINISH this post tonight so I can use the internet
plaza’s wifi tomorrow, so it’ll have to wait for another time.
I do want to talk about training though. Let me give you an
idea of my schedule for the past week:
idea of my schedule for the past week:
-Wake up 6:45 AM, take a bucket shower because the water is
already out (It’s the dry season...long story I’ll tell another time.)
already out (It’s the dry season...long story I’ll tell another time.)
-Eat the breakfast Cookie made...could be a tube of boiled
polenta called a bollo, could be fried yucca and chorizo, could be hojaldre
(which is basically funnel cake), could be patacones (fried, mashed plantains),
but definitely COFFEE. One part coffee, one part sugar. Ay ay ay.
-Go to language class at one of the other trainee’s housespolenta called a bollo, could be fried yucca and chorizo, could be hojaldre
(which is basically funnel cake), could be patacones (fried, mashed plantains),
but definitely COFFEE. One part coffee, one part sugar. Ay ay ay.
by 8 AM. I love my language class. The teacher is challenging us to use more
complicated Spanish, but she’s really patient at the same time. Later on in
training, our class is going to do some kind of community project to put our
Spanish to use.
-Come back home for lunch at noon. Typical lunch might be
sancocho (soup with ñame and chicken). Maybe a slice of pineapple from the
freezer to eat on the way to class. Mmmm.
sancocho (soup with ñame and chicken). Maybe a slice of pineapple from the
freezer to eat on the way to class. Mmmm.
-Go to technical class from 1 to 5. This takes place under
some nice old man’s covered porch. Here Peace Corps staff and current TE
volunteers have been giving us all the tools we need to be successful future
volunteers. We’ve been learning everything from Panama’s education system, to
Peace Corps’ approach to development, to TEFL strategies, and even just how to
integrate ourselves into our communities. Super helpful stuff. Especially for
someone with no formal teaching experience.
some nice old man’s covered porch. Here Peace Corps staff and current TE
volunteers have been giving us all the tools we need to be successful future
volunteers. We’ve been learning everything from Panama’s education system, to
Peace Corps’ approach to development, to TEFL strategies, and even just how to
integrate ourselves into our communities. Super helpful stuff. Especially for
someone with no formal teaching experience.
-After class our group usually does some type of exercise.
We’ve done yoga, this week we’re going to do Zumba, but my favorite thing is
climbing the loma. The loma is a big hill just outside the main part of town
and this is the view from the top:
We’ve done yoga, this week we’re going to do Zumba, but my favorite thing is
climbing the loma. The loma is a big hill just outside the main part of town
and this is the view from the top:
-After we’re good and sweaty, I come home, take another
bucket shower, and eat dinner with the family. Dinner is always some
combination of rice, beans/lentils, and fried meat. If I’m really lucky we’ll
have a salad of tomato and cucumber slices. Although the other day Cookie did
make a big pile of squash instead of rice! My goal this week is to help her
cook dinner & learn how to make some of this stuff myself.
bucket shower, and eat dinner with the family. Dinner is always some
combination of rice, beans/lentils, and fried meat. If I’m really lucky we’ll
have a salad of tomato and cucumber slices. Although the other day Cookie did
make a big pile of squash instead of rice! My goal this week is to help her
cook dinner & learn how to make some of this stuff myself.
-After dinner I usually play with my host sister and one of
the little cousins who are always hanging out in our house. We might watch tv
or play my ukulele (they’re getting pretty good for second graders!). They’ve
taught me Panamanian card games in return, so it’s an even trade. I also might
help Cookie and my host grandma to peel beans that grow on a tree outside our
house. I might also do laundry (as evidenced by this pic of our backyard):
the little cousins who are always hanging out in our house. We might watch tv
or play my ukulele (they’re getting pretty good for second graders!). They’ve
taught me Panamanian card games in return, so it’s an even trade. I also might
help Cookie and my host grandma to peel beans that grow on a tree outside our
house. I might also do laundry (as evidenced by this pic of our backyard):
-By 9, I’m in bed texting or writing in my journal…and by 10
I’m out cold. Not even the roosters at 4 AM can wake me anymore.
I’m out cold. Not even the roosters at 4 AM can wake me anymore.
And that’s a typical day for me! It’s busy and hot, but FILLED
with awesome moments. For instance tonight my friends and I were hanging out
eating duros (a bag of frozen fruit juice) when we saw a SLOTH climbing along
the power lines.
with awesome moments. For instance tonight my friends and I were hanging out
eating duros (a bag of frozen fruit juice) when we saw a SLOTH climbing along
the power lines.
This is my life now. It’s crazy to think we’ve only been in
this community for a week. It’s already starting to feel like home. Alright, that’s all
for now. This week (the 16th to the 21st) I’m going on a visit
to a current volunteer’s site to see what real PCV life is like, so I’ll have a
lot to say soon! Until then, keep it real, U.S.A!
this community for a week. It’s already starting to feel like home. Alright, that’s all
for now. This week (the 16th to the 21st) I’m going on a visit
to a current volunteer’s site to see what real PCV life is like, so I’ll have a
lot to say soon! Until then, keep it real, U.S.A!
