All in a good days work

Yesterday, I think that I had my best Peace Corps work day of my entire service. I have to brag about it. Everything worked out!

So the day was filled with our 17th recycling day at the school, a visit with a group of individuals interested in starting a recycling project in their community and their Peace Corps volunteer Alex Boom who also came with our Supervisor for Peace Corps Panama's Environmental Conservation, Francisco Santa Maria, and a meeting with parents about the field trip next week(!).

I showed up at 6:30 at school to set up the recycling tanks in the center patio, I set out tables, and got the cookies and crystal light ready for our recycling volunteers and for the visitors from Piedras Gordas. Our counting volunteers distributed the notebooks and starting counting, while committee members set up a table with all of the things that we have "re-used" in the community. They displayed their crochet bags, their vases, baskets, mirrors, picture frames, flowers, bags made out of lays chip bags, and "cutarras" traditional sandals made out of newspaper and cardboard. The group of visitors showed up and the principal of the school expressed very nice words about the project.

We hosted the group for about an hour and a half. One of the greatest things was that Sara and Judi, our committee's President and Vice president were responding to the questions. The group asked so many questions about our volunteers, how did they get involved? are they paid? They just do it out of the kindness of their hearts?! Do we have support from ANAM (environmental agency) and MEDCUA (Ministry of Education), yes we do! We also have had support from Peace Corps (Volunteer Advisory committee grants) and the PCPP (incredible support from back home).

While we were hosting and explaining the project, parents continued to count and separate the trash. The group even got their hands a little dirty and helped us separate the recycling. We were able to coordinate days in which Sara, Judy, and I would visit Piedras Gordas for recycling education charlas for the community and a re-utilizing seminar.

Shortly after they left, the pizza arrived for the kindergarden class that had the most amount of recycling for the day and the recycling truck arrived to take the recycling. Everything worked out. It was absolutely incredible. We had volunteers, a group of visitors, wonderful hostess', pizza on time, and a recycling pick-up all on the same day. Thank you universe and karma, son increible.

As Alex was leaving, he told me that its one thing to hear me talk about our recycling project in Membrillo but it is quite another to see it. And he told me to brag about it all I wanted, what we have is amazing.  My supervisor concurs.

Anyone who is interested in seeing it, our 18th recycling day, the last one this school year is on December 10th. Come on down.

Thanksgiving Fun!

I have recently been commenting to friends that I am overdue for a funny blog. So here goes:

1. I have begun making Spanish sounds when I react to things. For example, if I am surprised by something or something drops to the ground my noise of choice these days is "ayyyyyyyy." I no longer say "ohhhhhhhhhhhhhhh." how ridiculous is that. It's the same if I pause when thinking about something, instead of saying "ugh" it's become more of an "ahhh." I have also been forgetting English at a very scary rate, the other day I had to describe white out to marissa because I couldn't remember how to say it in English. Just imagine how embarrassing this will be 7 months from now, or whichever masters program I get into. Ayyyyyyyy. 

2. I have become a  tad frugal. As my friends can attest, I am a yeah- yeah volunteer, which means I act like I am a peace corps volunteer with money. When I am in panama city I love to splurge on aged cheddar cheese, salami, and wheat thins. And then for the last two weeks before our next pay check I enjoy an overdose of Top Ramon. But recently, purchases that should seem like common sense decisions, I have refused to buy. i.e. I was traveling in Bocas del Toro last month and realized the first day in that I had run out of deodorant. But I knew that in my house (10 hours away) I had several deodorants. My next thought was that I could wait until I got home and not have to buy a new deodorant. It was four days, I would just have to take lots of showers. That rationale can only be the influence of a  peace corps budget. I didn't think deodorant would make me infinitely happier, so I opted out of purchasing it. Ayyyyyyyy.

3. I have begun to seriously consider serving one more year in panama. Gulp. I have been offered a response position to recreate my recycling project in multiple schools in Chitre, Panama. I would have a free place to stay and an extra year to serve the united states of amuuuuuurica. Thoughts? I would still be traveling for 2 months next June after I finish my service in my community and then return to panama for one more year. Ayyyyyyyy. 

As always thanks to those who read this. Happy thanksgiving! I am headed to Cerro Punta, Chiriqui to celebrate with 100 peace corps volunteers. 

Grateful list: if theLA Times makes a grateful list every Thanksgiving, i figure i shouldmake one tooObama's win, Gay marriage in 3 more states, proposition in CA that will help out our educational system, fifty shades of grey, the daily show with Jon Stewart, packages from the United States,  great peace corps friends--- special shout out to Matt, Beth, Bri, and Drea, an amazing peace corps community (I love you Membrillo), great family, great family friends, amazing mentors, incredible ,beautiful, and perfect sisters ( I carry your hearts), rock star parents that never fail to provide me with incredible support and love. I am so lucky and grateful.  Happy thanksgiving to all. 

Feel the rhythm, feel the rhyme, gather up! It's thanksgiving time! 
Peace and love, Sonia

Lots of Action Down Here

This past month has been amazing. My PCPP was fully funded by 8 individuals and families in 8 days!!!  I was able to spend a week with my twin sister, I was able to visit the beautiful island of Bocas del Toro with several friends, and I enjoyed election night at the United States' Ambassador's home in Panama City! Que Viva Obama! Ohh and as a bonus,  I also became a godmother!

For those that have since gone to the Peace Corps Contribute page to make a donation, fear not, the project has already been fully funded. On December 4th, I will be taking 48 students, 2 committee members, 2 teachers, and 6 parents on our very first Recycling Super Stars field trip. I have been marking down the days on my calendar. I have been coordinating with the museums and all looks good for the 4th, I have received confirmation emails from the museums. The recycling committee will be hosting our 16th, 17th, and 18th recycling days this month. We will also be hosting a school wide celebration on December 11th.

Spending time with Marissa was amazing. "If I forget to tell you later, I had an amazing time this week." Marissa paid for the two of us to go to Costa Rica and we had such a great time! I hadn't seen her in 10 months. We got a little teary eyed when we met at the airport.  And then we embarked on our "I carry your heart twins Costa Rican Trip 2012. We managed to visit three places, Monte Verde, La Fortuna, and Puerto Viejo. I highly recommend the Lonely Planets, Central America on a Shoe String travel guide.  Monte Verde was beautiful and has a really great canopy tour equipped with a super man zipline and a tarzan swing. La Fortuna was a great place to relax, we stayed at a 5 star hostel and enjoyed massages, hot springs, and a volcano tour.  The Costa Ricans are very nice and their hospitality is incredible. I think its also very advantageous if you speak Spanish, so many people in Costa Rica speak English, but I felt like Spanish really helped navigate.  At one point I had my very own "Only You" moment. For those who haven't seen the movie, Marisa Tomei plays a helpless romantic who believes in destiny. Her character played with a weegie board when she was 12 and found out that the love of her life was "Damon Bradley." The movie unfolds when someone calls to tell her that they are an old friend of her fiance's that can't make it to the wedding but wanted to send his congratulations, he happens to be catching a flight to Italy, and right before he hangs up the phone Marisa Tomei asks his name and he says, "Damon Bradley." She immediately leaves for the airport but by the time she makes it to the plane's gate the plane has already been fully boarded. The flight attendants do not allow her on the plane even though she tells them that "the man she loves is on that plane."  She ends up taking the next flight to Italy and falls in love with Robert Downey Jr. A similar event unfolds at the airport in Italy, although this time when she arrives late to the gate and tells the Italians "the man she loves is on that plane," the Italians stop the plane and run her onto the tarmac and up the stairs and the movie ends with her and Robert Downey Jr. lip to lip on the plane as all the Italians cheer.  My Costa Rican experience included me leaving the ATM machine without my card the day before I was supposed to head back to Panama. I walked around for a couple hours after that, Marissa and I went for lunch, and then we went into this really cute clothing store, and as I went for my credit card I finally realized that I had left it in the  ATM. So I turned pale white and headed straight for the bank. Marissa said it looked like I wasn't breathing for about 10 minutes. Once we got to the bank I talked with several of the security cards who said they had seen a Bank of America card and had turned it into the bank. The bank however was closed and their was nothing that could be done until Monday morning at 9 a.m. This was Friday night. "Shit" I thought to myself. Marissa didn't say anything as if she was letting me work this out in my head. I was starting to think it would be okay for me to stay until Monday, I would just sleep outside and eat  one meal a day (Peace Corps mind at work). Then finally Marissa jolted me back to reality and encouraged me to find the people in charge. 5 minutes later, 2 official bank managers exited the building and I went to talk with them. They listened to my sob story, I just kept saying, "I know this is really stupid. But I really need that card." These guys could have easily said "sorry" and walked away. But they didn't, they called San Jose for authorization to go back into the bank. After 45 minutes of patiently waiting outside, the 2 bank managers took a copy of my passport and handed me back my B of A debit card. Call it Karma, or maybe we can attribute this story to how kind the Costa Ricans are. These managers went out of their way to help. Marissa made her way back to LA the following day and I made my way to Bocas del Toro.

Bocas del Toro, as a friend of mine says,"Is a different country." Backpackers paradise. I met up with several friends for a birthday celebration and also to celebrate halloween. The beaches are a boat or bus ride away. The hostels are full of Israelis, Europeans, Americans, and Random internationals. The food is also incredible, ranging from Sushi to Bagels to Mexican. And each bar hosts Ladies night every evening, where ladies drink for free. Its a party every night of the week. And Happy hour starts at 9 a.m. Gringo Paradise. I had so much fun. I probably had more fun in those 4 days than in my entire service.

Once I got back to Membrillo, my host sister and counterpart had her baby. Her baby was born on November 4th, she weighed 5 pounds and 9 ounces. Although she hasn't been baptized yet, I am so excited to be her godmother!!!! She hasn't even been named yet but I love that little girl.

Also, Election night. I spent election night at the Ambassador' Jon Farrar's home with 1,000 other guests. It was very fun. The president of Panama Martenelli walked in and shook my hand! At about 10 p.m. I headed back to the hostel to watch the news with about 15 other volunteers. At 11:30 we heard word that Obama had won. And we all waited until 2 a.m. to hear Obama's speech. "Ain't no power like the power of the people because the power of the people don't stop!" is what I was chanting as we waited for Romney's concession speech. Thank you Ammmmmeeeeerica.

Next on the agenda is training the Environmental Health volunteers about my waste management project next week. And then the field trip!!! Thanks for all the donations again!

That's all for now.
Lots of Love, Sonia Esquibel  

PCPP Grant Special

Hello All,

I have recently written a very lengthy grant for a science field trip for my recycling students. Now I need help with donations! :)


I have included the grant summary below:

     My name is Sonia Esquibel.  I am the youngest daughter of Abe & Olivia Esquibel.  I have been serving my country as a Peace Corps Volunteer in the beautiful country of Panama for the past eighteen months.  I work as an “Environmental Extension Agent,” teaching environmental science to school aged children.  I have managed to start a successful waste management/recycling program. 

     I am serving in the community of Membrillo.  Membrillo is located in the center of Panama, in the mountains of the province of Cocle.  It is a tranquil atmosphere and very entrepreneurial.   Membrillo is comprised of five sectors with approximately 500 inhabitants in each.  Membrillo is a thriving artistic community, famous for handcrafts made of soapstone.  Soapstone is a volcanic rock that community members have been working with for forty years.  Half of the community members are artisans, while the rest work in agriculture and construction.  The center of the community is the school I work at, serving 605 students.  Due to the large population of Membrillo, many Panamanian agencies associated with agriculture, environment, food security, and health have a strong presence here.  Community members are active participants in projects and seminars, making Membrillo a fun and welcoming place to work. 

     So what have I been doing with my time in the Peace Corps?  I have been teaching several environmental initiatives in the school such as reforestation, global warming, waste management, and recycling.  I have established and am working with a committee of teachers and parents to create a sustainable recycling project.  This project has environmental value for Membrillo as it lacks the infrastructure for the disposal of waste.  More often development focuses solely on economics and overlooks a concern for the environment.  Both economic and environmental developments need to work hand in hand for the benefit of the community.  Eight years ago, Membrillo was connected to the regional capital by developed roads.   Four years ago, Membrillo was connected to the electric grid.  The community is developing economically, but more focus needs to be on protecting the environment. 

     Trash is the greatest environmental issue facing my village.  Historically, members of the community would burn recyclable items or discard them indiscriminately.  Many items are toxic, especially when burned.  With help from community members, we established a recycling center at the school.  This project has dramatically reduced the consequences of improper waste management. Since April of this year, I have encouraged all the students to recycle.  Special days bimonthly are designated.  Items such as batteries, aluminum cans, plastic bottles, plastic bags, juice boxes, cardboard, and paper that were being burned or discarded on a daily basis are now being recycled.  Students have recycled almost 200,00 items to date.  

     The community now has some choices in how they dispose of their recyclable wastes.  The community has responded enthusiastically.  We continue to address issues of waste management through recycling, reusing, reducing, and composting. 

     The ASK:  This is where I plug in my request for your very generous donations to sustain the school’s recycling project and for a fun field day trip!  On December 4, 2012, the recycling committee plans to host our very first “Recycling Super Stars Field Trip.”  Forty-eight recycling super stars have been designated as having collected the most recycling items since the onset of the project.  Their reward is to visit science museums in Panama City.  Our trip includes a visit to the Smithsonian, an outdoor aquarium and Explore, a discovery museum.  We are rewarding our super stars for their environmental contribution and participation.  We are very proud of our super stars and want to show them how proud we are.  I hope that they all pursue their education and perhaps some of them will study the environment further.  Most of our super stars have never been outside of Cocle.  I know they are going to love the day we have planned for them and hope to inspire them to strive to participate in next year’s recycling field trip.  I want them to know just how special they each are and that they can make a difference.  They have made an incredible difference in our village and this trip is well deserved.  

     I have used this quote before, but feel it is very well suited here:  “Lives of service depend on lives of support” (Paul Farmer).  For those of you motivated to donate towards this field trip, please visit www.peacecorps.gov/contribute.  You can find our project by using my last name, “Esquibel” or selecting “Find a Volunteer Project” by scrolling down to Panama.  Our project is under “Promoting Environmental Development: Field Trip for Recycling Super Stars.”  If you decide to donate, please do it soon!  All of our donations need to be made before November 9 so Washington, D.C. can forward the funds to Panama by December 1.  

     “We won’t always know whose lives we have touched and made better for having cared, because actions can sometimes have unforeseen ramifications.  What’s important is that you do care and you act” (Charlotte Lunsford).  Thank you!!  Really, I thank you so much for your time and generosity.  Con paz y mucho amor, peace, Sonia Esquibel

P.S. Please consider becoming my friend on Facebook or view my blog at SoniaEsquibelPCinPanama to view photos of my work in Panama.

Stories of the Trade

Sentimental Blog with Quotes and Relationship Stories

“In your life’s journey, there will always be excitement and fulfillment, boredom and routine, and even the occasional train wreck..But when you have picked a dream that is bigger than you personally, that truly reflects the ideas that you cherish, and that can positively affect others, then you will always have another reason for carrying on.” Pamela Melroy

“Believe in yourself.  Believe that the universe is friendly and on your side.” Quotes from a book called Believe, a book that Kathy Williams gave to me.

I used to believe that the Peace Corps is for everyone. This belief, however is incorrect. The Peace Corps requires a number of qualities, such as humor and patience. An ability to manage your expectations. An ability to accept challenges and failures. Ultimately, Peace Corps is a minimum two year commitment. We can extend if we wish, but two years is the only commitment that is expected of us once swearing in. Volunteers decide to skip out and leave early for a plethora of reasons, typically because they didn’t realize what a sacrifice Peace Corps can be for volunteers. I think the three top reasons why volunteers have left Panama are due to boyfriends or girlfriends, Illness, and struggling with the community they are serving in. I understand all of these reasons. We are giving up experiences with friends and our families for new experiences with new friends and family. We put our “united states lives” on hold for two years. Ultimately believing the experience we are headed towards in our new communities is worthwhile. And the relationships I have gained are relationships that I would never have imagined. This december, I will become a godmother to my host sisters Sara’s baby. I wouldn’t have ever thought that could happen during my service here in Panama. But I am indeed going to be a godmother and I cannot wait. I will be the godmother for Sara’s new baby boy this December, the due date is December 5th. Boy am I going to spoil this little baby boy. Ultimately, We have two years to make a difference in our communities. Although our projects are important, the relationships we form are so much more important. It unfortunate that so many volunteers don't get that. I can say that the relationship that I have with Sara will last way beyond these two years. 

I just finished the re-utilizing charla with 18 women in the community. We met for three hours every week day for 3 hours for 8 weeks. We learned how to make frames, mirrors, earrings, bags made of soda caps, bags made of ship bags, plastic bottle flowers, and so many other things. I actually learned how to crochet! I had such a wonderful time with these women every afternoon for 8 weeks. I actually gave some words of thanks during the ceremony. I told these women not to be surprised if I show up to their homes ready to work.  I learned so much from them during this charla. Don’t get me wrong, I struggled learning how to do all of these things. But it was such a great opportunity to hang out with so many women everyday. I feel like that is something that is lacking in my community, an opportunity where women can go and hang out together, tell jokes, talk about our families, whatever. We are supposed to start the charla all over again at the end of October and I cannot wait to spend more time with these women. 

I also, last saturday hosted the “event of the year” a charla on waste management. We were talking about all that is waste management. We made an example of compost and an incinerator made out a metal drum. We talked about the dangers of burning trash especially batteries, plastics, cans, and aerosol cans. I also talked extensively about reducing, reusing, and recycling. We finished the day with “square foot gardening (check out mel bartholomew’s book).”  The charla went really well. 25 members of the community attended, I had a number of women that participated in the re-utilizing charla attend (they told me that they have my back), and they also showed up early to help cook lunch for the attendants of the “event of the year, waste management seminar.” 

We have also recently re-vamped the recycling area in the school, I have included photos in this blog. It looks so great! I have been working away planning the field trip for 48 students on December 4th. I am trying my dam-best to get the field trip fully funded by Panamanian politicians and agencies.  The kids and I, along with 7 parents will be visiting the Smithsonian, Explora, and the Natural Sciences Museum in Panama City. The students really want to eat at McDonald’s as well, so I am doing my best to make it all possible. I will actually be visiting the museums next week to confirm our reservations and final prices. 

The recycling Project is still going extraordinarily well, we have hosted 12 recycling days and still have 6 more left for this school year. We have launched a new initiative, “recycling champions”, each champion will be winning a recycling shirt. We are also hosted the “Battle of the Classrooms” and will be awarding trophies to classes that win at our end of the year Recycling Thank You for Participating Celebration. 

These quotes below have kept me going:

BELIEVE IN DOING GREAT WORK

Believe that passion persuades

Life is a great and wondrous mystery, and the only thing we know that we have for sure is right here right now. Don’t miss it. Leo Buscaglia

Below I have photos from the re-utilizing Charla, The new recycling Center, Beth and I when we visited an Embera Site in August, The waste management charla, and a photo of me with my kindergarden students---they are wearing badges that say "protector of mother earth." 

Thanks for Reading. 

Peace and Love, Sonia

Whirlwind

Whirlwind:

It’s always embarrassing how much time passes between my blogs. For the 5 people that actually read this ;) sorry for being such a slacker. Here is my attempt to explain the last several months. 

First, my trip to the beautiful country of Ecuador. A note for the wise: when traveling to Ecuador you have to remember Quito’s altitude and pack shoes. I only packed sandals, which was a huge mistake. Quito is cold, 68 degrees cold which because of Panama’s influence, I was Freeeeeeeeezing. Quito, although cold is really nice. I walked into a Public market and was in heaven (silver jewelry, beautiful scarves, and beautiful canvases). Quito is surrounded by beautiful mountains. The city center is incredible. If you feel the urge to visit a church and then wish to visit another and another, Quito is the place to go. You can go catholic church-hopping. The down town area alone has over 200 churches.  I went with Dad to visit Ana Grijalva and Rachel, two amazing woman that we met because of Pitzer’s International host family’s program. Rachel went last semester to Quito to study ecology/environmental rights (she actually made a really great documentary called “ “ that you can all watch on youtube). My dad and I flew into Quito and the next day had an opportunity to meet all of Ana’s extended family and see her mom’s absolutely beautiful home. The next day we went with Rachel and her mom to the cloud forest just north of Octavalo known as Intag. We actually stayed in a very small hotel in Nangulvi. The next day we went to visit a group of women that work with bolsas, we also went to see a coffee cooperative, and finally visited a group of women that form a aloe vera soap group in a small community called Rosal. This group of women was so inspiring to see. They formed their group as a reaction to a cement mine close by that is really the only form of an economy in the region. Several deaths have occurred at the mine and these women are prepared to fight for safer working conditions. They are a group of very strong feminists in the middle of rural Panama, I absolutely loved talking to them. One great experience in Rosal that evening was the cultural night. The group of women and our tour guide Franklin played music and we danced along to songs about their community and Ecuador. The guitarist also played a couple songs by Vicente Fernandez! It was so much fun. I would really love to visit them when I travel after I finish Peace Corps next June. Rachel, her mom, my dad and I also went on a grueling hike the following day. At some points we were so close to the edge of a cliff, it was a little too close for me. Once we made it to the waterfall and back to our tour guides house he admitted to us that the week before a gringa had slipped and had to spend a week in his parents home to recover. We all made it back to the car after 19 kilometers and drove back to Quito. The next days were spent on the coast close to Canoa at a small organic farm known as Rio Muchacho. The farm doesn’t create any waste, everything is composted (including compost latrines). We stayed in very cute cabins and played catch phrase in English and Spanish. We rode horses, and I have officially decided that horse riding is not the thing for me. We made coffee and chocolate. We ate delicious vegetarian food. And before I knew it, we were heading back to Quito. 

Back in Panama,  during the month of June we hosted two recycling days. The kids really, really want to attend the field-trip I have planned for the end of the year. They are all fighting to be “recycling stars.” The parents have also become super involved. We have over 16 people helping count the recycling every recycling day. In Panama, I have learned that if you need help, you really really have to ask for it and then people help. We just opened a bank account with the recycling committee’s president because we have made over 445 dollars recycling.  The project is going so well. Sometimes I cannot believe how well it is going. I actually have to share a presentation next week with the Community environmental conservation volunteers next monday about recycling projects in volunteers communities. I have become the recycling expert, who knew? We have hosted two recycling days this month and the next recycling day is August 6th and August 20th. 

A couple weeks ago, (After escaping my site after seeing a 23 year old slitting his wrists in my site) I attended a women’s artisans seminar that was hosted by Peace Corps Panama’s Gender and Development group. I took two women from my community, Yadira and Senora Sebastiana. We traveled to San Felix, Chiriqui on Monday and stayed until Friday morning. The peace corps had allotted for 10 facilitators, but at the last minute gave me permission to attend the seminar. The seminar was incredible. The volunteers were such great facilitators, they are all very talented speakers. The seminar included talks on price, cost, quality, competition, budget, calculators, nutrition, child development, HIV/AIDS, and domestic violence. 44 women from peace corps communities attended the seminar. These women were all from different areas of panama, including Darien, Colon, Panama, Cocle, Veraguas, Herrera, and Bocas del Toro. A number of the women were also from the indigenous regions (comarcas) known at the Embera and the Ngobe-Bugle. The indigenous women actually made up the majority of the women at the seminar. I am sure its not often that this happens at seminars so it was a really great experience especially for my community members to have a chance to interact with indigenous women. I actually had a wonderful time working with two women, Celina and Josefina both of which are unable to read or write.  As the addition to the seminar, my job was to help these two women during the charlas that were heavily oriented in reading and writing. These women were so sweet. Apparently they told their volunteer (Matt T) before they left for the seminar that even though they couldn’t read or write that they were going to “listen really hard.” The women also during the seminar had many hours to teach the others their craft. I actually sat in during these workshops as well and managed to make a beautiful necklace out of plant fibers and recycled earrings (under Lauren Lynch’s guidance) made out of magazines. The seminar was such a great experience, to laugh and learn with these women. I love outspoken women and many that attended are very outspoken. Others that aren’t super outspoken had an opportunity to share their personalities during cultural performances or their craft work. I really want to begin giving similar charlas in my site...

I got back to site and thankfully the 23 year old that I saw attempting suicide had entered a program and his family said he was doing well. I actually intervened and called the ambulance and police when I saw him the week before, which the family wasn’t too happy about--and Peace Corps wasn’t too happy either. That week in site was super rough, my host dad had been beaten up and robbed on his way back from El Valle de Anton. Luckily my host dad and my neighbor and his family appear to be doing alright. (I normally try to keep this blog happy and upbeat but that week in site was anything but..that week in site was efffed up)

Last week was super busy. I have a economic development charla hosted by INADEH everyday in the health center with 18 women for the next 5 weeks. We have been learning how to “re-utilize” and reuse recycled materials. So far, we have made vases, mirrors, picture frames, lamps, baskets, various wall decorations, flowers, and small purses. I cannot articulate how cool it is to hang out with these women Monday-Friday from 3-6. The president of the recycling committee, vice-president, and I have been participating in the charla together. I have also made dinner for a number of the participants on friday evenings after the charla. 

I have also been playing soccer in site. A couple of weeks ago, my team won first place! I have been in the chiva and randomly people have pointed at me and said, “la gringa juega muy bien.” alright! We have another tournament on Sunday. I would really love to host a tournament and invite peace corps volunteers to form a team to play.

Last week, I also had some friends visit my community. One of their complaints has been that they know Membrillo, but I have yet to visit their communities. So friday, bright and early, Bri and I made our way into the real Cocle countryside to two friends, Sergio and Sean. The real campo, as opposed to where I live (in the fake campo--fake because its easily accessible and has electricity and running water) takes two hours to get to and then an hour hike. All three of the volunteers that I went to visit are Environmental Health volunteers, “the bad-asses.”  Badasses because they work with aqueducts, compost latrines, and other bad ass projects. Over the weekend we jumped into a raging current (I only did it once because I was terrified), we ate fresh beef (the community members killed a cow at 1 am and made over 300 dollars selling the meat the following day--and Sean and Bri proceeded to take epic pictures of themselves with the cow head), we hiked in a sea of mud, we measured homes for the aqueduct---in terms of distance and altitude, played catch phrase (I have yet to win a game), and we made brownies out of discarded tuna cans in a pot full of water and rocks. It was such a great weekend in the “campo campo.” 

This week, Monday we hosted our 9th recycling day at the school. We made a whopping 113 dollars. My next big event to plan is the field trip for the first week of December. We will be taking 48 students to hopefully 3 science museums in Panama City. I was asking about transportation today in Penonome and am hoping a local politician will provide it for us, if not I have to start looking for donations....:)

Tomorrow, I am headed to a beach resort with group 68 volunteers to celebrate our 1 year in Panama. Everything is included, drinks and food. I can barely contain my excitement. Then I am off to visit an Embera site and have my body painted in jagua de nuevo (a paint thats lasts for about 2 weeks)

Hasta Pronto, Sonia 

One year in Panama! Ohh Ohhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!

I have officially marked the one year mark in Panama! Ooooh ohhhhhhhhhhhhhhh! (this is where I would share an image of me clasping my fist and saying 'Alright' the way my dad always does) In some respects it feels like the time flew by, but in other respects--it feels like I have been here for a very long time....I remember meeting volunteers that had been here for a year already in training and thinking how "mature they seemed, like they had panama figured out." It would be cool if the newly arrived volunteers thought so much about me. hahaha. I have made the jump to feel at home in panama. That seems to happen around the year mark for most volunteers. Panama has become my home, before I would tell other volunteers when I was headed back to Membrillo that I was "heading back to site" and now I say, "I am headed home." I'm glad I have made this adjustment. Our sites should feel like our homes. I need to mention a bit more about the recycling project. The transportation system originally was to use pick-up trucks with the help of local politicians to take the recycling to the recycling center. Unfortunately we had some politicians who didn't show up, or weren't available, or were in the middle of a widely known political party scheme to change parties for 120,000 dollars---- it was just a mess relying on these local politicians. So, I went directly to the recycling center with a letter of presentation about our recycling project and was able to create an agreement with the recycling center to provide the transportation. The owner of the recycling center in panama said, "I want to help you." The center has already sent Aber Miranda to Membrillo to see our recycling project and will be providing recycling education in the near future. How great right? All I had to do was ask. I am now referred to "la cabezona" by my school's environmental committee. Which I guess is a warranted nick-name. So far we have hosted two recycling days at the school, the first day we made 43 dollars and the second day we made 104 dollars. Tomorrow, we will host our third recycling day and I hope and hope tomorrow will be just as amazing as our first two recycling days. The 21st of May, the middle school will host their first recycling day, let's see how they do...I have already provided the science classes for 7th, 8th, and 9th graders with the recycling education charla. It's now in their hands. Last week, I visited the Panamanian national park on Coiba. Coiba is a former Alcatraz, which was transformed into a national park in 2004 to allow for tourists to visit the island. The island is maintained by the environmental agency that I work with, ANAM. The island has been left undeveloped, apart for the 23 jail facilities and the ANAM facilities. A friend of mine, John Cho planned the trip for a group of ten volunteers including myself to visit the island. The island itself is huge. It's about 2 hours in boat from the Veraguas coast. We stayed on the island for 2 days and 2 nights. We visited the jail, a small island known as "granito de oro", and snorkeled a bunch. I actually swam very close to sharks! I saw one turtle and a ridiculous amount of fish. It was really a great vacation. I got back on Friday in time to tell my students all about the trip. I actually had to rush back to site to get right back to work--recycling, reforestation, and my one year visit by both of my supervisors requires a bunch of planning. My supervisors are heading to my site on the 15th to meet my counterparts, talk to my principal, the reforestation group, my host families, and community members about my work and the work that is left to be done during my last year of service. I hope to host a little celebration for my birthday. I have to ask my host moms to help me prepare for the celebration with typical Panamanian birthday food, rice with chicken and potato salad with beets and a cake of course. Vamos a ver si todo va bien. Esto es todo for now, Hasta pronto, Sonia