SANTA ANA del MACANO

Today was got our site placement!!!

We were in CHorrera all day agonizing and axiously awaiting the news. Finally at around 3pm the ceremony began. All the APCDs got up to the front of the group and they flipped a map of panama around with a whole bunch of stars in different color. Green was CEC, yellow was TEA, and red was SAS. They started with the Bocas region (Costa Rica Border) and worked their way across the country towards the Darien region(Colombia border).
As people´s sites were being described, everyone would look around to see who´s it would be. In the end they would say...and this site will go to________. That was when we would walk up shake hands with the country directors and our APCD and then go put our sticker up on the map of panama where we were located! ( I almost forgot I had crutches when they called my name). I knew she was talking about my site when she said that this volunteer would be working with cattle and animal husbandry projects, she also said ¨there are a lot of horses at this site¨. When i heard that, I yelped! I scrambled for my crutches and started heading up to recieve my folder.

SO YOU WANNA KNOW ABOUT MY SITE?????
FOr the next two years, I will be in Santa Ana Del Macano in the Province of LOS SANTOS in the AZUERO penninsula. There are approximately 100 people at my site. It is a 45 minute truck or chiva ride from Guarare, a bigger town. From Guarare I can take a 15 minute bus ride to Las tablas, the capital of Los Santos.
My Primary work:
My primary work will be to assist the members of the Organic Producer Association (OPA) and the Familias Uniads group (FUG). BOth have the same woman leader. OPA has worled with ANAM* building a forestry plant nursury for silvopastoril project and they want to continue working on this project. THus, help with sustainable cattle raising will be needed. The FUG is part of a MIDA* project working to promote rice tanks
My secondary work:
My secondary work will involve teaching english.

Other info about my site:

• I will be the first first PEACE CORPS VOLUNTEER at this site and the people are looking forward to working with me!
• ELECTRICITY IS AVAILABLE
• RUNNING WATER IS AVAILABLE
• CELLPHONE RECEPTION IS AVAILABLE
• I might have to get another phone if digicel doesn´t cover the area...Moviestar forsure has reception.
• the closest volunteer is 45 minute chiva or truck ride away
• There is a waterfall at my site!!
• there are a lot of hiking trails
• The beach is about 1.5 hours away and since i´m on a penninsula...the beach is all around acutally.
• Azuerenses pride themselves on being very hard workers, as well as very instense fiesteros.
• Macano and DJ Flex are both from my region!! I love their music
• I have the option to build or to rent a house....obviously i want to build...hahah

Natalie, Me, and Gretchen got spread out throughout Panama =(. It will make for cooler traveling!

On Sunday this week we will travel to our Tech Week Site and then from there we will travel to out X-cultural week. Both of these shall be fun filled and interesting for me to get around to...we will see how it goes =)

Week 8 or 9 in training we will go visit out site!!!!! so in a little over a month I will go see where i will be for the next two years!!!

I will keep you all posted on my foot...right now it is really swollen and kinda hurting so it´s time for me to go back to Santa Clara and start treating this baby...lol

BYE EVERYONE!!! I miss you all!

Peter have fun in Miami...