hOla

I think it's about time for an update. After 10 weeks of training, I am now living in the community of Ola in the Comarca Ngäbe-Buglé in Panama. It is an indigenous region with a unique language and culture. I have been living in the community for about a month and I am loving life here. 

This is one of the views from my village. Pictures don't really do it justice so you will have to come see for yourselves! 

I have been trying to figure out how to catch you all up on my life here and I decided that I just can't possibly fill you in on everything that has happened here since my last post, so I decided to just start from here. As I was thinking about what to share with you all, I began to reflect on my time in site and made a list of 10 successes from my time in Ola. So here it is:

1. Found 2 scorpions in my room and managed not to get stung 

2. Taught the kids how to play Rock, Paper, Scissors, I Spy, Pick-Up-Sticks, and have serious face contests. 

3. Can say a few words in Ngäbere and pick out certain words and themes in conversations. I also found a couple people in the community who are willing to tutor me! And in exchange, I might teach them a little English. I also found a couple people to teach me how to make naguas (the indigenous dresses women wear in this region) and chacaras (indigenous bags). 

<Ti käo Meyi Ngäbere. Mrüre kain kuin.> 

My name is Meyi (pronounced Medgy) in Ngäbere. I like to eat. 

4. Have visited 21 houses in the community with my host dad, who is also the president of the water committee, and started a census. 

5. Finally got a technique down for washing my clothes. (It's harder than you think, ok.)

6. Limpear-ed (cleaned) the farm, planted yucca, rasper-ed and pilar-ed rice (2 major steps in preparing rice that has been harvested). I know nothing about agriculture, but it is a huge part of their lives and so I am trying to learn and help out where I can. 

This is me pilar-ing rice. It is when you crush the dried rice to remove the grains from their casings. It is hard!

7. Have managed to throw my leftover plain rice, spam, sardines, or chicken feet to the dogs without any of the 10+ people in the house noticing. 

8. Walked with my 15 year old sister to a neighboring community, rode a horse, and watched the sun set over the ocean and the foothills with her. 

9. Have built an incredible support system of volunteers that I can call anytime. And developed a close relationship with my host family in my training community who I can call and visit. 

G77 EH: (Almost) all the volunteers in my group and sector (Environmental Health) right after we all got sworn in as Peace Corps volunteers. 

The lovely people I had 4 ours of Spanish class with everyday for my first 10 weeks in Panama.  

My host sister from my training community and I at our going-away party.

My host parents from my training community and two of my favorite Panamanians. I can't wait until I am able to go back and visit them. I miss the laughter, stories, and good food that was shared in their home. 

                                        

10. When I leave my community, my family asks when I will be back and when I get back, they are really happy to see me.

In case you doubt their love for me, just glance at this picture my 12 year old host sister drew. She obviously thinks I am beautiful. Haha. I just can't get over how funny this picture is and how she spelled my name, so I had to find a way to share it. 

At first I thought that the writing on my door was just random and then one day I looked more closely and noticed what it said. The kids wrote all my names (as best as they could) and wrote that it was my room. They are the best.

Thanks for reading! I will try not to go so long without posting again.