As October and the beginning of our second year rolls around, we definitely feel that we´re entering a new phase of our Peace Corps service. While this new phase is obviously a continuation of our previous year in Panama, we both agree that our more mature relationships with both the community and our proposed projects makes the beginning of our final year feel less like a mystery, and more like a plan. But let me back up some because I realize that we have some ground to cover since our last post a few months ago.
We last posted on our codependent, furry friends who use us for food while we enjoy their cute furriness as a salve to the roughness of our living conditions. Actually, our living conditions are not that bad anymore, and its amazing what one gets used to over time. In fact, one of the key points that bring this new year around for us in a more balanced way is our perception of the community as our home, as opposed to just a difficult place to live. It must have been around 6 or 7 months ago when we first started to feel the stirrings of contentment upon returning back to site after long weekends out. Previously, it felt more like "acceptance" that we were back in site, with a determination to trudge through the weeks until our next opportunity to leave and enjoy other parts of Panama (oftentimes with other Peace Corps volunteers). Now, it almost seems like the days in site pass like they would on pretty much any long, summer day. Staring at the grass and passing the time talking slowly and aimlessly with the people around us reminds me of august during middle-school days, and time often seems to pass in a similarly slow and hazy, stress-free manner. Here´s to the next several months...
That said, since our last post things have been rather busy albeit in unconventional ways. In August and early September, noty nly did we celebrate our 2-year anniversary (!), but we were also quite busy prepping for a week-long "Cultural Week" for approximately 12 volunteers-in-training (VITs). Cultural Week was to be held in our site (Cerro Brisa) during the last week in September, and include various cultural activities and artisan presentations for the VITs, as well as a chance for the locals to be exposed to a bunch of curious, mildly confused Americans who will soon be working in Ngobe communities after their swearing-in on the 25th of October. The week was also to be a great opportunity for the community to get to know the Peace Corps better, and all of the families involved seemed really excited to host individual VITs in their homes. Amanda pretty much planned and executed the entire thing, with myself only helping to prepare the host families, and talk to a few artisans regarding expectations for their presentations. I hear that it all went really well, and I think that Amanda is one of the best event planners that I know. She´s meticulous and detail-oriented, and while she can sometimes get stressed out at times with the overall effort, she never really seems to lose her cool. Well done.
I was unable to actually help during the week intself, as I flew back to New Jersey for a bit more than a week of LSAT taking, pastor meeting, wedding attending, Guinness swilling, and general relaxing-with-the-family, in the beautiful early October weather. I have to say that it was an awesome week. It was so nice to see everyone once again while taking in the early fall atmosphere that I was very tempted to call it quits right then and there. Only one more year to go!
In other news, we were able to realize all of our latrine project funding, and look forward to starting the construction of remaining community latrines as soon as we get back to site. Amanda met me at a nice hotel half-way to Panama city last night, and we´re heading back to Cerro Brisa today. In many ways, it will feel good to get back (it WILL be good, it WILL be good...) and see our friends, our community, and live the way of life we´ve been used to for the past year. Going back to the states made me think a lot about priorities and what I really value in a lifestyle. I love the states and can´t wait to get back, but the juxtaposition in worlds was enlightening not only of what we are blessed with in America, but also of our often gratuitous material wealth which while certainly keeping our economy on fire (jobs ARE important), seems coldly hollow and unaware of the social, personal, and environmental impacts that result. This will make for some interesting thinking as we start our latrine-building, knowing that I-Phone prices just plummeted by a third in the US (and I have to admit I hope to get one when we get back!), and we find life difficult there when it takes us more than 10 minutes to find a parking spot.
Well, it looks like our bus just pulled in to take us back to the entrance community which leads to our site. I hope and pray that everyone is having a great autumn (including those in Hawaii where it may be unnoticable), and continuously counting the amazing comforts and conveniences that we are blessed with in the states. We really are blessed by our levels of social and economic development, and it is definitely worthwhile to step back once in a while to realize this, give thanks, and understand that most of the world cannot even conceptualize the way we live. God Bless!
