He that by the plough would thrive, himself must either hold or drive. -Benjamin Franklin

 

It has been a good few weeks here in site, the elementary school had a week long vacation, during which we built a total of 25 smokeless Eco stoves for outdoor cooking and spent the rainy afternoons waiting for them to dry, which proved to be amusing.  These stoves are really cool, they only produce 5% of smoke and use a lot less wood making them more economical and better for the health of the people and the environment.   The people in my community really came together to help their neighbors build the stoves and by day two I no longer was leading, but instead working hand and hand with women, men, and children.  It is amazing how quickly one can learn with experimental education, and how much fun you can have!

 In other exciting news I moved into my new house this weekend.  If the bonchinche (gossip) hasn't reached you all out there, I have been living with a second host family due to an obsessive creepy neighbor and a few other "security" issues.  It proved to be difficult, but I was happy to do what I could in order to stay in my site and continue here rather than start all over again somewhere else.  So at month 9 in Panama finally (and again) I am in my own place.  I live in a basement of a family's house, but it has a lot of air, and I have my own private entrance and everything.  A beautiful black horse also lives on my  terrace!

 

                                                                                  
Here you can see my lovely abode.  Plenty of space for one and also for when visitors come.  It is however, temporary, as some friends of mine are actually building a house with more privacy and a big garden that they say will be ready in a month or two.  In Panama that means 3 or 4 months, so I will plan to move when I return from the states in January, and until then this is just fine. 
They tell you when you sign up for Peace Corps that you live in a fish bowl, that although you are constantly surrounded by people who find you interesting and want to know every small detail about your life but feel alone, solitary.  I find that to be true and that I lack deep connections with people, but I do have a few people here like my host family, Bercelio my best friend and then some, and my community guide Nairobis.  When I do feel lonely however (and this is for my fellow PCV's reading this blog) I think of this quote which I find beautiful and helpful. 
"Solitude is a silent storm that breaks down all of our dead branches.  Yet it sends our living roots deeper into the living heart of the living earth.  Man struggles to find life outside himself, unaware that the life he is seeking is within him.  Nature reachers out to us with welcome arms, and bids us enjoy her beauty; but we dread her silence and rush into the crowded cities, there to huddle like sheep fleeing from a ferocious wolf" 
-Kahlil Gibran

So when I feel alone, I look outside and see a sea of tropical forest, clouds that linger in the branches of the mango, avocado and lychee trees.  And its beautiful, and I appreciate the feeling of being alone with such beauty.  And soon, before I know it I will be back in the city like a sheep but with new memories, new culture and a life inspired.

Hasta luego, los quiero mucho!
Sina

Beauty pagents, heavy rains, and smiling faces

Today has been a great day.  After getting over a vile stomach illness that started late Sunday night,
I feel 10 lbs lighter and ready for a good week.

I cannot say that I have had a bad week here, only moments of sadness, or a little fear, but not bad.  In moments where I feel less than stupendous all I have to do is join a soccer game, pet an unwanted cat or dog, pick a mangosteen from a tree and eat the most delicious fruit in the world, or just talk to someone. Its a nice feeling.  It is simple.  And although I am very very busy, I still feel relaxed, and void of stress. 

Last week I taught at the school for 4 days, all 8 classrooms, after school for all 5 days I held my English courses which keep growing in popularity, hence the increase in numbers of classes.  I attended 2 beauty pageants, one for younger girls each representing a "valor" and the other for high school girls who competed to be Miss Recycle Queen!  Awesome, right?

I was invited to a birthday party for a 12 year old, and invited to make the cake, which I happily did with the Giradelli chocolate chips I found at Panama's version of Costco.  I am not sure if the family only invited me because they couldn't afford a cake and heard I could bake or if they truly wanted me there (just kidding, I felt very wanted).  After hours of dance lessons, I led the famous game of hide and go seek which lasted till 9pm, when finally, devastated and ready to dream, we all retired to our beds and slept like rocks.

Sunday, the Eco Club (a group of 15 kids ages 7-13) asked to go pick up cans en route to a beautiful river spot, where we swam and jumped off rocks before the thunder and lighting started in the afternoon like it always does.  We filled 2 black trash bags with cans that we will cash in to add to our fund for our next eco-field trip.  I do love the afternoon rains, the lighting that lights up the sky in reds, purples, oranges and greens, lightning like I have never seen.  Its beautiful and yet a little scary, and then the thunder rolls and the waterfall of rain falls for 1-3 hours refreshing the air and filling the water tanks. 

Next week we have a 1 week vacation from school and I will be busy making eco stoves, some other peace corps volunteers will head up to my hood to help and learn how to make them for their communities.  I am excited. 

Also ahead, I will move again, into another house,  we have our regional meeting in the beautiful area of Cerra Punta, and I am volunteering in Panama City for the Special Olympics.

Ciao!  y besos,  Sina