Peace Corps Panama

Hello, welcome to my blog. I created this blog as I am preparing to leave to Panama for the next 27 months. I will be serving as a Sustainable Agriculture Systems Extension Agent. I will try to keep my blog as updated as possible. Come Visit and Stay tuned so that I can share this experience with you.


Hola, Bienvenidos a mi Blog. Me estoy preparando para ir a Panamá los próximos 27 meses. Voy a estar sirviendo como agente de Sistemas sostenibles de Agricultura. Tratare de mantener este blog lo más actualizado posible. Vénganme a visitar. Manténgase informados con mi blog para que pueda compartir estas experiencias con ustedes.


Pictures

Tuesday, March 31, 2009

No one ever said it would be easy….they said it would be worth it!

I am the type of person that likes writing lists and crossing things out when i complete them. Lists like, Things to do Today, Things to do before I leave to Panama, Things to do While in Panama, Things to do before I’m 30.…you get the point. However, this past weekend, I did something that wasn’t on any list. So I handled it the way I usually handle these situations, I added it to a list: Things to do Before 30. Then very happily crossed it off.I ran a 100 mile relay with 5 other people. From Ft. Lauderdale to WestPalm Beach and back. If was not on my list of things to do but after having read Bart Yasso’s book, My life on the Run, and reading all the adventurous running stories he’s lived through, I took up an offer on Facebook to be part of this relay. At the time when I said yes, I didn’t know what I was getting myself into, we didn’t even have a team yet.
Come race day we had a complete team age range from 49-23 from all different lifestyles, jobs, aspirations. The race took us 12 hours and 18 minutes and we were the first team to cross the finish line together feeling exhausted, excited, and accomplished.
Though I didn’t run the full 100 miles myself, when I was running, I felt like I was. A couple hours after jumping in and out of the van in spurts, the heat, the nervousness of not getting lost on the unmarked course, and the competitive nature in all of us to keep expanding our already established lead took a toll on each of us. Yet the funniest part of all was that we felt like we crossed the finish line with life long friends.
We all walked away from that race back into our separate lives that will lead us to different places, but we will always look back and remember this race.When people ask me what I did last weekend, I'll just answer: you wouldn't believe me if i told you...but I did something really cool that I’ll always remember.

This the same sense, this is the way I feel about my peace corps journey to panama.
It wasn’t necessarily on my list of things to do but once the opportunity came up, I added it. When I complete my 2 years of service I will proudly cross it off along with a whole lot of other things that haven’t even crossed my mind that I will do.
I am feeling a little nervous and over welmed because I don’t know what I’m getting myself into but I will get through it one day at a time…the same way that we completed the 100 miles putting one leg in front of the other. I know that I am going to feel lost and confused during my service but there will be signs along the way that will point me in the right direction and there will also be teammates that will guide me.


Come our departure date, April 21, we will have a complete team of diverse people each bringing with them their talents and drive. This race will take 2 years and 3 months, but when we cross the finish, we will feel ready to be done, exhausted, and accomplished. We will all walk away to our separate lives that will lead us to different places, but will always look back and remember that journey in Panama.
When people ask me what I am going to do in less than a month, I’m just going to answer: you won’t believe me if I told you…but I’m going to do something really cool that I’ll always remember.

Monday, March 23, 2009

4 weeks and 1 day left till my departure...

In 29 days I am going to be getting on a flight to Washington D.C. where I will meet the people that I will be embarking on this journey with me. All of us from completely different cultures, lifestyles, and paths and yet we have one thing that will bring us together…the US Peace Corps, destination-Panama.

From D.C. we will fly together to Panama City, then head to Cuidad de Saber for a couple days. A week or so after arriving in Panama, we will arrive at our training site. Those 10 weeks at the training site will be divided between language classes, culture classes, and technical/work training.

Past volunteers and letters that we’ve receive from the Peace Corps Office keep saying that this is a time in which we (the volunteers) are under much scrutiny. I don’t know if they are trying to instill fear in us that we don’t take this training lightly or if in fact this training period really is that mix of “college, Marine corps basic training, and a 90 day jail sentence.” I don’t really know the reasons behind why the others are following through with this choice. But to be completely honest, I don’t think I really know either. Sometimes I feel like I want to do something good for the world to make a little better, yet other times I’m more selfish and want the excitement of traveling and living an adventure.

Last night I was watching the Amazing race. Their challenge took them through India to the Tree of Knowledge. On their way there the contestants saw children eating trash along side the road, stray cows, dogs, and goats roaming the streets, and people who’s bodies were a skeletal cavity covered with some skin. These images got to some of the contestants and they started crying. Watching this made me wonder if I am strong enough to see real poverty. The Peace Corps will be paying us while we are abroad but just enough so that we can live like the people in our community, but even then, I know that this lifestyle will only be temporary. I hope that I don’t allow myself to become numb but instead try to help and learn as much from the people I meet.

It is easy to go into this trip with the mentality that I am going to save or help all the people that I meet. But in reality, I know I have so much to learn about the joys and happiness that come from a life of simplicity. I hope that this drastic change will allow me to strip off parts of me that have just been bogging me down that I thought were me, but in the end, really weren’t.

Tuesday, March 17, 2009

Bella

See you soon!

I love Peter

I am so excited that Peter is going to come visit Easter Weekend. I can't wait to hug him and Kiss him!!! and see what fun gifts for my trip he is going to bring me...lol

JK

I LOVE YOU!!!

Thursday, March 12, 2009

Where I am going!

40 days away from my departure to Panama. In the last couple weeks I have met 14 people that will also be embarking on this journey with me. I've only gotten to know a handful, but I am excited to see who my new friends are going to be. I've also begun to gather some things that I THINK I will need: hiking shoes, head lamp, a regular lamp (2$), a lamp that doesn't need batteries, backpack, socks, little pillow, refoldable bookbag (don't ask), and my favorite, a 10year old vest that I got for 4 dollars at REI!

As the time of my departure nears, my anxiousness increases. I still have so many questions and doubts that I can't seem to find answers for. Yet the excitement and the adventure that awaits me gives me the courage to jump onto this path into the unknown and hope that only GREAT things will come from it.