Panamanian life

Here are some pictures from around all throughout the country of Panama. I can´t take credit for any of these pictures they are all from other Peace Corps volunteers. I believe all or almost all are actual volunteer´s sites so this is where we live and the people we work with. The only pictures which are not volunteer´s sites are the pictures of Carnaval which are from the city of Chitre which is one of the provincial capitals of the country. Enjoy!


This is a typical looking house out in the country side. Province: Herrera.


This is my friend Coco´s(another volunteer) house. Province: Cocle.


Coco´s site, you can find waterfalls like this all throughout the country. Province: Cocle.


My friend Jake who lives in the middle of the rainforest off a giant river. Province: Colon.


Jake´s site again. The man is from one of the Indigenous populations in Panama called Embera. Province: Colon.


Another indigenous group called Wounaan. Province: Darien.


This is from a volunteer´s site who lives on an island. Province: Bocas del Toro.


More pics of the island community. Province: Bocas del Toro.


Beach in Bocas del Toro. Province: Bocas del Toro.


A traditional foclorico Panamanian dance in a volunteer´s site. Province: Cocle.


A traditional foclorico Panamanian dance in a volunteer´s site. Province: Cocle.


Kids in a parade for Independence day in Novemeber. Province: Cocle.


Kids in a parade for Independence day in Novemeber. Province: Cocle.


Kids in a parade for Independence day in Novemeber. Province: Cocle.


My friend Adam who we call the cowboy. He´s a character. Province: Veraguas.


Province: Comarca Ngobe-Bugle.


Province: Comarca Ngobe-Bugle.


Province: Comarca Ngobe-Bugle.


Province: Comarca Ngobe-Bugle.


Carnaval 2008!! Province: Herrera.


Carnaval 2008!! Province: Herrera.


Carnaval 2008!! Province: Herrera.


Carnaval 2008!! Province: Herrera.


Carnaval 2008!! Province: Herrera.


Lastly, this is a view from a volunteer´s back porch. It´s pretty ridiculous. Province: Colon.

March Madness

Whats up everyone, I am here doing well in Panama and hope all is well with you all wherever you are in the world. I know I haven´t sent any emails in a while but I am trying to keep my blog somewhat current. This past month in March the Peace Corps held a conference that brought together all the volunteers in the country which was amazing. There were roughly 150 volunteers plus 20 staff that all met together in one place at the same time, which is the first time it happened in about two years. It was pretty cool seeing and meeting everyone that works in the country that I wouldn´t normally see otherwise. Peace Corps Panama has some amazing people working and living here who are doing some amazing things in the country. If I haven´t mentioned before there are 4 different programs that Peace Corps has in Panama. The four programs are the Community and Economic Development program (which is my program), Sustainable Agriculture program, Environmental Conservation program, and Environmental Health program. But I have a few pictures from the conference, the U.S. Ambassador to Panama also attended the event one day. I also have some pictures from a panamanian baseball game that a lot of us volunteers went to during the week. Also a few other pics from this dart throwing competition that we had.

As far as work goes I have been getting a lot busier over the last two months. My cooperative that I am working with is making a lot of improvements and has relied on me more to get work done. We are currently working on getting a $5000.00 loan and are alos expecting a $1500.00 donation for store improvements. And I am also working on putting some other funding proposals to get some money elsewhere for improvements on the infrastructure of the store. In addition, I am working on a reforestation project right now and have about two thousand trees planted and working to start an environmental club in my town with the local environmental government agency. Lastly, some other volunteers and myself and organizing an AIDS/HIV fair in the middle of May to educate an community about the dangers, risks, and prevention of HIV/AIDS. This is a few things that I am getting into lately but I don´t want to bore you all with the details. Lastly I will leave you with the pics of the All Volunteer Conference in mid March.