La Ciudad de Panamá

After nearly three years in Panama now, I've come a long way by adapting to my surroundings. The trend has been that things which bothered me at first become normal and even like-able. For example I used to be frustrated at how Panamanians talk - a) rapidly, b) words and syllables are blended together, c) certain letters are not pronounced in words, etc. A typical phrase is written, "echar para adelante" but actually said, "echapa'lante." The word "pescado" is pronounced "pesca'o." To translate, "Vamos para allá" into Panamanian you would say, "vamo'pa'lla." And if you actually enunciate these words and phrases people will often have trouble understanding you, since they're not used to it. But for better or worse, I've adopted the accent. I find it endearing, and slur words together without thinking about it. It's the kind of thing that gives Panama character.

Another example is how my perspective on Panama City has changed. I used to hate going to the city. Coming from the campo (rural areas) it was always a huge shock to see skyscrapers, malls, noisy traffic, crowds of busy people, bright lights and loud music. I remember the first time going there after a few months in the Darien, I thought I was gonna have a nervous breakdown. As a Peace Corps Volunteer, it can be both relieving and stressful to be in the city. On the one hand you get the comforts of a real bed, running water, electricity, and grocery stores; on the other hand you are missing out on time and work in your community and having to deal with all the hassles of urban life. But over time I've had to spend more time in the city (mostly for medical reasons), and I've gotten to know the place better. Now there are certain areas I enjoy visiting like the parks, which can be a relief from the crowds and shopping centers. On weeknights I can play pickup basketball or volleyball at the ocean-side courts which are lit up until 11 at night - Panamanians only show up to play after the sun goes down (way too hot otherwise). Sometimes I visit artisan markets in Casco Antiguo to chat with Embera and Kuna people selling their art.

Panama, what looks like a miniature Miami, is a quickly developing city. It has changed dramatically even just in the time I've been here. I've seen the public transportation system go from diablo rojos (run down American school buses with unique paint jobs) to air conditioned metro buses with electronic card readers. Last year they opened the first metro railway in Central America, an impressive project that helps avoid the traffic. Skyscrapers continue to rise up while the canal is expanded to allow even larger cargo ships from all over the world to travel from the Atlantic to the Pacific.

I found this great view from the top of a hill in the Parque Natural Metropolitano, a rainforest reserve on the outskirts of the city. The photo shows how the skyscrapers have grown up in this small area on the edge of the Pacific Ocean, while the jungle looms just outside hoping to reclaim the land. It's interesting to think only a few hundred years ago the area was nearly impenetrable jungle, and that explorers risked their lives to find a route to the coast. This is La Ciudad de Panamá.

So one day I'm in the city and have a list of things to get: a haircut, some vegetables, and a new hammock (it gets a lot of use). So I go to the place I know I can get all of these things: Cinco de Mayo. This is a part of the city that is very different from the fancy shopping malls and high rise apartments. It hasn't been remodeled recently. The brick paved main drag is lined with old department stores with metal bars over their doors, street vendors, and dingy restaurants selling fried food. It's late afternoon and as usual the street is full of crowds of people chatting and shopping around. It's very busy and yet I get the vibe that nobody is in a hurry to be anywhere. Loud reggaeton music blasts out of speakers in the storefronts and vendors yell to advertise their products.

First I go to a barber shop, which is really just a few chairs on the side of the road with some muchachos waiting with clippers and razors. I ask for a mango chupa'o (a mohawk) because this is what happens when you get bored in the city. They're surprised and amused that I speak like a Panamanian, and want a haircut de la moda. I talk with them while a guy shaves the shape of a star into the side of my head. Then we argue about the price and I finally hand him $3.

From there I try to find one of the artisan markets where they sell all sorts of artwork and handcrafts. But I can't remember where it is and I instead wander into a poor and run down neighborhood where residents live in dilapidated open-air apartments. A kid, 8 or 9 years old, stops me in the middle of the street and says, "¡No vaya por allí, te roban!" ("Don't go that way, you'll get robbed!") I stop walking and explain to him I'm looking to buy a hammock and ask if he knows where I could find one. He calls out to his friend, who emerges from the rubble of an old broken down building and they talk about where we could go. A little girl, a cousin of one of them, drops the rocks she was playing with and comes to tag along. So I'm walking down the street with José, Carlito, and Yiana leading the way, on a mission. A few people are staring at the procession of the big gringo with a group of not-so-well-kept kids. We finally find the market and I start to get the typical tourist treatment from the vendors, hoping to get some extra money out of me. Carlito yells at the vendor telling him not to rip me off, and that he should lower the price. This takes him off guard, and I laugh. After I get a good price on a hammock I walk back with the kids, talking with them about school and games they like to play. We stop at a convenience store and I buy them each a glass bottle of Coca Cola to thank them for their help.

Random encounters like this are always rewarding, just getting to know people and places. These experiences give me more of an appreciation for the culture and lifestyle in the city, even if it's not always my favorite place to be. I guess the moral of the story is that if you find yourself in a context that feels foreign and you're annoyed or perplexed by something, it could be you just haven't given it enough time to appreciate it.

Switching Between Two Worlds

I’m getting back into the swing of things here in Panama after my trip to the States last month. Back to sweaty bus rides, hammocks, Peace Corps family, wandering chickens, eating rice and plantains, and Panamanian friends. These two photos were taken only a couple of days apart. Needless to say it was an adjustment coming back again.

            

Michigan weather

            

Panama weather

My month in the States was fantastic! I travelled by plane, train, bus, and car to go and see as many people as I could. Spending time with family and friends was so much fun. I crashed at Nate and Emily’s and took some time to get to know my new nephew Arie. In Chicago we went to a concert downtown, to see the Lincoln Park Zoo lights, and to the Field Museum with Jon, Sarah, Avalene, and Cora. The girls were very excited about the dinosaur skeleton displays at the museum but assured me of our safety saying, “They were alive but not anymore, so they can’t eat us.” I also got to spend some time with Sarah and Andrew in Indiana, and tire myself out pushing Ellie on her lady bug car around the house.

Nice to meet you Arie. You're a very happy baby.

I had the priveledge of being Cora's special guest at the pre-school Christmas party

Ellie and Avalene get along pretty well

This was the first Christmas I’ve spent in Michigan in three years. While I was a little bummed about not having a white Christmas, celebrating with family did not disappoint. It was great to have everyone together again. I also had a chance to hang out with a lot of good friends and we did our best to catch up on life, but mostly just enjoyed being together like old times. It’s a real blessing to be able to come back to those friendships even after so much time apart, and still be close.

Avalene and Cora gave me some lovely artwork to bring back and decorate my room

I must say it’s kind of difficult adjusting between two different worlds, especially having spent a whole month away from “home.” Interesting how your association with that word changes when you are more nomadic than settled. Anyone who’s had to move to someplace different can probably relate to the feeling of confusion and uncertainty of losing your sense of home. My friend Tony gave me this book, The Art of Coming Home, which talks about readjustment after returning from living in a different country or culture for a number of years. Basically it says the idea of home isn’t just a place, it’s about familiarity of people and places and having routines. When you have normal everyday routines and predictable interactions there is a feeling of comfort, of being at home. Now it’s very different going for a visit than it is going back for long term. But the book mentions a lot of involuntary reactions that I can relate to about experiencing what used to be familiar. Even being back for a short time, I realized that I didn't have any routines there. Also people and places weren't quite as familiar; they've changed since I've been gone. Besides that, having gotten used to living in a Panamanian culture and adopting a lot of it, I am bothered by certain parts of the culture in the US. It’s not even the wealth or the wastefulness or the materialism. It’s more the social aspects like extreme individualism and lack of a sense of community. At the same time there are so many things I greatly appreciated about being back in the States. There is such great organization and positive work environments. The customer service was incredible. People have drive and strong ambitions. There is so much creativity with businesses and self expression, and opportunity to pursue a passion.

So have I become more patriotic living outside of the US? Yes and no. I am proud of what my country has been able to make of itself in a relatively short time, of the improvements in equality and anti-racism. I am incredibly fortunate to be able to live there and take advantage of so many opportunities that I most likely would never have living in other parts of the world. At the same time I’ve experienced a different perspective on life, a different way of thinking. Some of my values have changed. The changes aren’t necessarily good or bad. But I have the sense that having been exposed to a broader perspective I’m more open to trying new things and thinking creatively rather than just accepting what is viewed as normal. I think this is extremely important for interacting and developing relationships with people who are very different from me. As humans we tend to gravitate toward whoever looks like us, thinks like us, and acts like us. It’s always a healthy challenge to expand that comfort zone and accept that my normal isn’t everyone else’s normal.

All this to say that the mini readjustment was a little bit overwhelming. But my time in the States was overall an incredibly positive experience. It was a great reminder of all the ways God has blessed me with family and friends and opportunities.

Paseo in Michigan

It's been over a year since I've been in the USA, and I've been missing it. Little nieces have been growing up and developing personalities. I have a 5 month old nephew, Arie, that I haven't met! Friends and family have gotten new jobs, moved houses, and had other major life events. It's about time I went back to visit.

As a benefit of extending for a third year here in Panama, Peace Corps gives me a free trip and month of leave to go back to my "home of record". I'll be taking that vacation in and around Michigan December 1 - January 5. I'm hoping to visit and catch up with as many people as I can. So let me know if you're going to be in the area around Chicago, Kalamazoo, or Grand Rapids as I plan to travel around and visit family and friends.

I'm a little worried about my lack of tolerance for cold weather these days, as I imagine it will be just way too cold. I occasionally wear a fleece sweatshirt in the morning in San Felix, but I can't imagine the temperature drops below 75 degrees fahrenheit. It will be exciting to finally see some snow, and of course celebrate a white Christmas and New Years.

Home for Christmas, it's gonna be just like old times.

Just as a warning I might be acting a little weird - using Spanglish, looking for outdoor bathrooms, being very dramatic about the cold, craving rice and plantains, greeting strangers with a loud "Buenas!", using Panamanian hand gestures, or being overwhelmed by Christmas in general. But hey, I'll just be sharing cultures while doing my best not to embarrass family and friends too much.

This will an exciting trip and I'm really grateful to be able to spend a good amount of time visiting. It's always better to share stories and experiences in person, so I'm looking forward to that. But most of all I'll just be happy to spend time with everyone who's been supporting me from afar. It's coming up quick!

Making Myself at Home

A few days ago I was walking through a grocery store in Panama City and an Afro-Panamanian came up to me and said in English, "Are you from the Darién?" There are actually a decent amount of English speakers in the city, with a wide range of fluency levels. Even so it almost always takes me off guard. Then I realized I was wearing my Darién baseball jersey. I told him I had lived in the Comarca Emberá-Wounaan for a couple years, but now live in Chiriquí (a western province of Panama). He spoke in broken English and I responded slowly and clearly as he explained he was from La Palma, the capital of Darién. I told him, "Me puede hablar en español si quiere." Then we switched to spanish and the conversation was much easier. It still feels a bit strange to tell people that I live in Chiriquí, because I still identify more with the Darién. Not to mention telling people you live deep in the jungle near the Colombian border generates more of a reaction. But even though sometimes I have to think about it first, I now refer to Chiriquí as home. And it will be for a while yet.

San Felix, situated just off the Pan American highway

It's been quite some time since I've given an update here, and not surprisingly things have changed. I have officially extended for a third year here in Panama as the Water Systems Coordinator. That means I will be here until August of 2015. I'll be in the same location, the friendly Latino/Ngabe town of San Felix (it's located close to the indigenous reservation of the Ngabe people). Since there is a good amount going on with water projects in Panama, I've been kept pretty busy giving Volunteer support. In Peace Corps life they say that the first few months seem to drag by, the first year goes fast, and the second year flies by before you know it. I'd say that held true for me for the most part, so I can imagine what the third year will be like.

When I arrived in San Felix it felt like a really big town, which relatively it is. But after spending some months there it's starting to become more familiar as I get to know people and places. Gustavo works behind the meat counter at the nearest store, and I hired him to build a bike for me with a bunch of parts that I managed to find or buy. The first time I took it out for a spin, a bolt came loose and one of the pedals fell off. When Gustavo found out he felt so bad that he immediately came over to my house and started helping me fix it, giving me parts from his house. When I offered to pay him for the parts he told me,  "My work is guaranteed, don't worry about it!" Pincho, the landlady's 70-something year old brother, likes to come over most days to chat or get my opinion on a newspaper article he just read. Heidi, who has a tiny restaurant just down the road, has offered spinach and hot peppers growing in her yard. Edilma, aka "The Duro Lady", makes the best duros (plastic bags of frozen fruit juice) that I've ever had for 25 cents each. A different Gustavo, a taxi driver with a truck that looks like it's barely held together by wire and duct tape, loves to give rides to gringos and offers the best prices.

My house, with my bike parked outside

The house gets a lot of visitors passing through.

There is an unusually large number of Volunteers living in San Felix. I'm sharing the rental house with Amber, who is the Sanitation Coordinator for the Environmental Health program. Since it's a central location, it made sense for us to be based there to be able to travel out to Volunteer sites all over the country. The regional leader of the Comarca Ngabe-Buglé, Seneca, also lives just down the road. A Peace Corps Response Volunteer, Lucas, lives in town and travels to work in different communities. On top of that Rachel, another East sider refugee removed from site for security reasons, just moved in to finish her service there. That makes five of us. In addition to that many Volunteers regularly pass through on trips out of their communities to buy food and other supplies, check the internet, or just to take a break from living in a hut without running water or electricity. So we get a good amount of visitors.

The biggest store in town with a variety of food not found in the campo

The entrance to Las Lajas, home of a beautiful beach

When I tell people about San Felix they usually haven't heard of it, but they recognize the neighboring town of Las Lajas, which is known for its attractive beach on the Pacific. The beach is about a half hour bike ride (or a short taxi trip) from my house, and it's normally deserted. It's actually one of the nicest beaches I've been to in Panama. This is a popular place for Volunteers to get together and go for a swim and spend a night in the cabañas right on the beach.

Playa Las Lajas: a nice place to take a break, just down the road from my house

Meeting the Peace Corps Director (4th from left)

Being a third volunteer has its perks. Amber and I were asked by the Peace Corps office to represent the EH program and go to a dinner with other Volunteers to meet the global Director of the Peace Corps, Carrie Hessler-Radelet. It was part of a conference with country directors from all over the region who came to see our operations in Panama. The Director listened to our perspectives on being a Volunteer in Panama and she told us stories about Peace Corps on a global level. It was exciting to meet her and she was very friendly and easy to talk to.


So as you can see I'm getting more settled into the place, even though much of my time is spent traveling to other places. I'm having a blast meeting new people, seeing new places, learning new skills, and doing what I can to have an impact on the efforts toward better water, sanitation, and hygiene for rural Panamanians.

La Despedida

After leaving my community in the Darien, it took some time to adjust to life on the other side of the country. A few months ago I went back to Nuevo Vigía for a despedida (goodbye party) to spend one last day there and say goodbye to everyone. I didn’t write much about it because the whole experience was pretty overwhelming, and I had other things to worry about, such as figuring out a new job while trying to move on mentally. But I wanted to try and at least share a little bit about what that day was like.

Preparing the meal for 100+ people

The day of my despedida was Saturday, May 17 and so I made the 13 hour trek out to the Darien to get ready. In Metetí I bought 60 pounds of chicken for the party along with about 20 pounds of vegetables and a piñata full of candy. Florentino and I loaded it all into a canoe and went upriver to Vigía. That morning Fulgencio and I walked around in the rain inviting people to the gathering and found volunteers to cook for the meal. The school donated 50 pounds of rice for the occasion.  

A big group of people showed up at the common house to prepare arroz con pollo, which is the typical Panamanian party food – basically rice cooked together with chopped chicken, veggies, and orange coloring. The food filled up three huge pots. As soon as word spread that there was a piñata (which took about 30 seconds) masses of children showed up from every direction. While the food was cooking I had a projector borrowed from the school set up to play a movie I had made of photos and video clips around town during my time there. They loved seeing themselves on the screen and I was asked to play it over again about five times. I had just as much fun watching their faces as they did watching the movie. 

Yasmilet and Estela helping cook arroz con pollo

Watching a movie about my experiences in Nuevo Vigía

  


                                     This is the video I showed to everyone.


Before we ate I stood in front of everyone and said a little speech that I had written out beforehand. I figured reading it would be easier since I’d be less emotional. The speech was a mix of Spanish and Emberá, but I tried to translate it as best I could here:

Thank you for letting me share my last day with you here in Vigía. I would like to say a few words as a goodbye to everyone. Two years ago I came here as a stranger, an outsider in a town I had never seen before. Now I’m leaving as a member of the community, the Emberá Torro (White Guy) with lots of friends. You all made me feel like part of the family. We spent two years together talking, laughing, sweating, and eating, and made a great friendship. When outsiders would ask me what the people of Vigía are like, I would say that they are really good people, very friendly, they treat me well, they help me with anything, and welcome me into their homes and lives. 

I believe that working together is one of the best ways to get to know people and make friends. What we did with the water committee was a great job. They are a group of very hard working people and they learned so much about the water system and community health. I’m really proud of what this group and the water technicians have achieved. Especially Fulgencio, who participated in the leadership seminar with me in Coclé and has grown as a leader. Also Alberto who took the responsibility of supporting and animating the group. Enilda, even though she always has so many obligations with the family and at the school, was always available to work. Rubén learned to use all the technology of the system and even went to Lajas Blancas to give technical training to the water committee there. It makes me happy to see your desire to work voluntarily to improve the community. 

The time I spent in Vigía was full of good experiences. I have many memories: visiting in your houses; the food you gifted me – venison, paca meat, wild boar, iguana, plantains, fish, everything; learning Emberá from my mom, Estela; playing basketball to win that soda; working in the fields; running with the dogs chasing deer with Ubaldino and Fidel; planting rice with Fulgencio; catching shrimp in the river; talking about the Bible with Leonurcio; cutting palm leaves with Tonio; building my house with Linito and Lilio; playing with the kids in the river; carrying blocks and cement from Peñita with Sindulfo and Rubén; practicing Frisbee with the young ones; drinking borojo juice at Pacifico’s; and so many more. I’m going to bring the stories of all these memories with me wherever I go. I’m very thankful for everything you’ve done for me and I will miss you very much. Thank you all for your generosity, care, and friendship. I carry you in my heart and I will never forget you.

Setting up the piñata for the kids

After that a few others stood up to say some words including one of the teachers, Rubén, and Alberto. When the arroz con pollo was ready everyone ran to get their bowls and spoons from home and lined up in front of the pots. The piñata was strung up and kids took turns swinging at it until the explosion of candy sent them all diving for the floor to collect it.

Later I was talking with Joel and he gave me his basketball jersey with “Club Emberá” printed on it as a gift, which I was really happy with. So I put it on and went to the basketball court to play some pickup with a group of kids and women who showed up. They yelled at me to go easy on them and stop dunking the ball (hey I was just playing). After jumping in the river I went to Linito’s house to say goodbye and give him a nice hunting knife I bought in Panama City as a thank you for all his help over the years. He was always there for me, from bringing me to Vigía for the first time when I was in training, to supporting my first community meetings, to helping building my house, to teaching me Emberá better than anyone else. He made my time there so much better and I just wish I could’ve repaid him somehow.

The entire day I had kept my composure without getting too overwhelmed with the fact that I was leaving. Then later in the afternoon I made one last visit to my house to grab a few things I had left behind. As I walked up the dirt path and saw my house it suddenly sank in that this was the last time I would see this place. A place where I had spent all this time, learned so many things, overcome all these challenges, made so many friends, and had countless memories that will stay with me forever. I brushed away tears from my face as I climbed my ladder for the last time. The empty house had sort of a cold feeling as it was no longer a place of comfort and security. The feeling was one of homelessness, of not belonging anymore. I grabbed a bag of Frisbees and the solar lights to give to Enilda.

Before heading down to Fulgencio’s to gather my things, I needed to pasear with the hill people one more time. While walking past the tienda I saw Mauricio and said goodbye to him. His handicapped son was taking a bath in a wheelbarrow full of rainwater with the help of his older sister. I went over to see him, and as always as soon as he saw me he smiled his big crooked smile and started laughing. That made his sister laugh too as she splashed water on him, and despite the circumstances I couldn’t help laughing too. I stopped by Filadelfia’s house, and she told me to have faith in Jesus and that God willing we would see each other in heaven some day. The thought made me feel a peace inside. José invited me into his house and I said my farewells to him and his family. And so I walked back down the hill for the last time.

When people talk about living in a foreign country there is a lot said about culture shock upon entry and how difficult it is to adjust to a different culture, climate, language, food, and way of living. But not much is said about how hard it is to leave once you have adjusted. In my experience leaving was much harder than adjusting to life there ever was (which was not easy either). At the time all of this was very hard to accept and process. Now that I’ve had time to reflect and move on, I can see how this was all part of God’s plan, and see the good that came out of this. I continue learning that to trust in God includes trusting in the difficult, confusing times when I feel like His ways are not making sense.

Los trabajadores: Rubén, Enilda, Alberto, and Fulgencio

I was really grateful to at least be able to go back and take the time to say goodbye to people I had invested so much into. While it definitely didn’t make up for the three months I lost in Vigía or heal the pain of having it all taken away, it helped me feel a little more peace about the situation. I will never forget the part of my life that was experienced in Nuevo Vigía and I thank God for all the love and joy I received there.

New Address

So I moved to a new place. A while ago. And forgot to give an update on my address.

Well here it is! I now live in a town called San Felix and it has it's own post office just down the road from my house (very convenient).

Benjamin Vander Plas

Cuerpo de Paz

Entrega General

San Felix, Chiriquí - 0444

Republica de Panamá

Switching Cultures

It's amazing that in as small a country as Panama there is so much diversity in people, culture, language, and terrain. Since moving to the other side of the country I've been adjusting to everything that's different from where I used to live in the Darien. As a coordinator for water projects I work with a lot of volunteers by giving technical support and visiting their communities. Most of them are in the Comarca Ngabe Buglé, the largest indigenous region in the country, located mainly in the highlands of western Panama. Even though I live in a mostly Latino town, I've been spending much of my time traveling to Ngabe communities. So basically I've switched from hanging out with Emberá people in the jungle to Ngabe people in the mountains. As a result there are some things I need to get used to.

Some Differences:

Emberá: Why walk when
you can ride in a canoe?

1) Emberá do not walk long distances, they take boats. Ngabes walk for miles just to visit a neighbor (not even kidding). Also the Darien is FLAT. In the land of Ngabes what they call a little hill is a MOUNTAIN.

Ngabes: Short walk up a small hill (aka hiking a mountain)

Emberá: Laundry in the river, with advanced technology

2) Emberá bathe almost constantly in the river, they are in the water a large part of the day. Ngabes do not live by rivers, they walk to small springs and scoop water on their heads from a puddle.










3) Emberá are loud and in your face, and very talkative with strangers. Ngabes are really good at staring at strangers without making a sound or changing facial expression. When communicating with Ngabes I have to fight the urge to speak Emberá out of habit. I'm starting to learn a little more of the Ngabere language now though.

Emberá: "Hello stranger, let me tell you a story"

Emberá: Again, meal time is their favorite time

4) Emberá eat. A lot. Ngabes eat white rice, sometimes accompanied by a chicken foot.

Emberá: They love to eat

5) Emberá wear very little clothing. Ngabe men generally don't leave the house without a shirt and pants, women wear long dresses with sleeves.

Embera: Always keep it casual

Ngabes: Women in traditional dress

Ngabes: Houses with natural flooring

6) Emberá houses are raised 8-12 feet off the ground. Ngabe houses stay at ground level.

Emberá: Houses are up high

Okay these are heavily exaggerated generalizations and not meant to criticize or stereotype, but just a few things I noticed to be a contrast in general.

So anyway I've been pretty busy with this new job doing a good amount of travelling. Here's a photo summary of some work activities up to date:

Water committee seminar in Cerro Ortiga

Restoration of a spring capture in Cerro Ceniza

Helping Nate build a biosand filter in Las Trancas

Helping build a ferrocement rainwater storage tank in Las Trancas

Repairing a water tank in Quebrada Mina