tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9234359073628751632024-03-05T20:52:56.005-08:00Amy's Panamanian AdventureThe contents of this website are mine personally and do not reflect any position of the U.S. government or the Peace Corps.Amy Snyderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12277830163268086763noreply@blogger.comBlogger26125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-923435907362875163.post-10817965899970050712010-07-31T18:05:00.001-07:002010-07-31T18:41:22.332-07:00<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJp8dLX-fywSIBl1CgaqFf_bl6Or2SrblrSaXUn-D68YTdvYT-Pwmcokr_dkRlBwH7YlnBxlkDwXrLY0_9bq19i0pJdL2mzHSYuQXNwcByRnCE2trQWKx0VLgcqOQN6_Ze533dsvgTqYI/s1600/IMG_3883.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJp8dLX-fywSIBl1CgaqFf_bl6Or2SrblrSaXUn-D68YTdvYT-Pwmcokr_dkRlBwH7YlnBxlkDwXrLY0_9bq19i0pJdL2mzHSYuQXNwcByRnCE2trQWKx0VLgcqOQN6_Ze533dsvgTqYI/s320/IMG_3883.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5500241705576333762" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzKEMd94V9DSu2Hoc9fbcKN58J-sQK6Q_RdpEEdK0fixVWbaQr4Gg9aH01Q4JHrrT-MXs7fo73pxXBxI9tWqu1Ff8RAkoufNxZlbkkR2xCwK5BsPj_kvG-cAIgjbYGgce5WMP26hC7D8s/s1600/IMG_3880.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzKEMd94V9DSu2Hoc9fbcKN58J-sQK6Q_RdpEEdK0fixVWbaQr4Gg9aH01Q4JHrrT-MXs7fo73pxXBxI9tWqu1Ff8RAkoufNxZlbkkR2xCwK5BsPj_kvG-cAIgjbYGgce5WMP26hC7D8s/s320/IMG_3880.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5500241699171399506" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2L6-g9tVMHM-q9IOFawWpCEoXur4HpZY1CRglWJZ1xDCsl9g6k-z18ccgrKlj7_vMYOXMRygL5HvMSGpLn2dviEkSiguIUBHkh7zdV2iNItewM2YtTj9nOzPZmJ-JXIplrrio_n3bGJk/s1600/IMG_3874.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2L6-g9tVMHM-q9IOFawWpCEoXur4HpZY1CRglWJZ1xDCsl9g6k-z18ccgrKlj7_vMYOXMRygL5HvMSGpLn2dviEkSiguIUBHkh7zdV2iNItewM2YtTj9nOzPZmJ-JXIplrrio_n3bGJk/s320/IMG_3874.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5500241693349483042" /></a><br />I am writing this from my new apartment in Durham, North Carolina. Tomorrow I am transitioning to the next chapter of my life, as a Peace Corps Fellow at Duke University’s Fuqua School of Business. I’ve been back in the States for nearly three weeks now, reconnecting with friends and family. To my surprise, many of them have followed my blog the past two years and have requested that I write a “last entry.” It pains me to remember the day I had to say goodbye to Embera Drua, and I’m just beginning to really process the incredible experience that I have lived the past two years. Nevertheless, here it goes…<br /><br />Leaving Embera Drua was the single hardest thing I have ever done in my life. I had been so busy finishing up last minute projects and passing things off to community members, the sadnesses of my leaving didn’t hit me the last day as I packed up my house. Nearly every community member stopped by for a solemn visit as I moved out of my little jungle abode. In the evening, Embera Drua’s leaders organized a big community meal of arroz con pollo (chicken and rice). Before the meal, each leader of Embera Drua took a moment to thank me for my service and say goodbye. The tears finally came as the woman got up to speak, and I completely lost it when my female students spoke, thanking me for all that I had taught them. Each person that spoke truly touched my heart, and moved me to reflect upon the relationship that I had had with each of them. <br /><br />After dinner, some men put together an impromptu Embera music conjunto and there was dancing. Miguel Flaco gifted me the flute that he played with that night. I packed it, the perfect souvenir from my last night in the village. <br /><br />At the culmination of my two years in Peace Corps, I am ready to close my service and embark on the next chapter of my life. I have undergone all emotions associated with integrating into a new culture: honeymoon phase, resentment/annoyance, and full acceptance and immersion. Yet I will honestly hold my years in Peace Corps Panama as some of the best years of my life. I can not recall a time in my life where I have felt so happy, fulfilled and at peace. <br /><br />I will carry with me the beautiful memories of my service. I will remember how special it was to:<br /><br />Wake up every morning in my own hut in the jungle, that I helped to build. Fall asleep in my hut every night, listening to the sound of the river’s rapids. Enjoy the simple things. Sit and really listen fully to a story from an elder. Spend time playing with a child, with no where else to be. Cook from scratch everyday. Go to bed shortly after the sun goes down, and get up when it (and the roosters) rise in the morning. Think. Read. Just be alone with yourself and your thoughts. Live with a beautiful indigenous culture that understands and respects nature, and is at such harmony with its surroundings…<br /><br /><br />Peace Corps has provided me such perspective on (albeit cliché) “what really matters.” As I re-acclimate to life in the United States, I am thankful for my country yet also somewhat saddened by its self-centeredness and shallowness. I think about the issues I used to stress about as a young professional in America, and I am proud to say how much the focus of my energy and attention has shifted. I take the lessons learned in Panama with me, as I chart out the type of American I want to be and what kind of life I want to lead. <br /><br />Moving forward, Peace Corps has guided me in answering the impending question of “what I want to do with my life.” I especially picked Duke for its concentration in Social Entrepreneurship. My ultimate goal is to find a connection between business and the social issues that have become so close to my heart. I look forward to working with like-minded students and professionals over the next few years.<br /><br />With so many thoughts, but nothing really left to say, I end this Panamanian Adventure.Amy Snyderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12277830163268086763noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-923435907362875163.post-15658884326338619312010-03-11T09:09:00.000-08:002010-03-11T09:35:21.488-08:00Second Year Whirlwind...<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="">It has been six months since the date of my last blog entry. I am officially a terrible blogger.<span style=""> </span>The past six months have been a whirlwind, that’s for sure.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="">December 2009: Trip home to <st1:city st="on">Chicago</st1:city> and <st1:place st="on"><st1:state st="on">New York</st1:state></st1:place> for Christmas and New Years <o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="">I spent Christmas in the States, and as I wished, I got my white Christmas. Then I came back to <st1:city st="on"><st1:place st="on">Chicago</st1:place></st1:city> for New Years. It was a wonderful trip home, and it was so good to catch up with friends and family. <span style=""> </span>But I had forgotten what those winters are like up north. I can’t say I didn’t enjoy getting back to warm, sunny <st1:country-region st="on"><st1:place st="on">Panama</st1:place></st1:country-region> after the Holidays….<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><u><span style="">January: Leschmaniasis<o:p></o:p></span></u></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="">I am the only Peace Corps volunteer to have a repeat case of Leschmaniasis. The durned little parasite just wouldn’t die, so I had to go back for another round of 20 IV treatments at <st1:placename st="on">Paitilla</st1:placename> <st1:placetype st="on">Hospital</st1:placetype> in <st1:city st="on"><st1:place st="on">Panama City</st1:place></st1:city>.<span style=""> </span>This time around, however, I got to stay with dear Kate Jostworth in her sweet ex-pat apartment (complete with a kitchen and laundry machine!) It was much more comfortable then my budget hotel experience in November 2009. Kate has a wonderful group of friends in <st1:city st="on"><st1:place st="on">Panama City</st1:place></st1:city>, and I had a great time playing city girl with her for 20 days (IV strapped to me and all!)<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><u><span style="">February: Visitors Galore!<o:p></o:p></span></u></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="">Some of my dearest friends, Jacqui Vainik and Kim Lapaglia, and new friend, Jordan Wilkie, came to visit in February. We joined up with the other 2/3 of my trio, Elena and Kate, and some of their extended friends for carnival. It was a blast! We all crammed into Roberto’s house in Last Tablas again this year, and again his family was amazing to us. The next day we all took a boat ride to Isla Iguana, off the <st1:place st="on"><st1:placename st="on">Pacific</st1:placename> <st1:placetype st="on">Coast</st1:placetype></st1:place>. We spent the whole day recovering from the fun and working on our tan. <o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="">Friends loved the village as well! Eliecer taught <st1:country-region st="on"><st1:place st="on">Jordan</st1:place></st1:country-region> to spear fish. Kim got to go on a canoe junta and iguana hunt! It was so wonderful for them to get to know my village so well. I’m so glad that some of my closest friends from home have gotten to know my village and Embera family.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><u><span style="">March: Close of Tranchichi Tourism Group’s First Financial Year (March 2009)<o:p></o:p></span></u></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="">It’s been a steep learning curve for our tourism cooperative. Before this year, finances were scribbled on bits of paper. Money from tourism entries was literally falling out from behind our treasurer’s loin cloth. We now do accounting and payroll via solar panels on our little Mini Dell Laptops. We’ve come a long way, indeed! <o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="">Although our finances are well managed, we still have a long way to go in accounting. IPACOOP came for its first year follow-up in February and nailed us for not keeping our books. Fair enough. Due to some hurtful gossip against her, the cooperative’s accountant had renounced her position.<span style=""> </span>Still, our treasurer and I had been keeping good electronic records of everything. The corresponding paper receipts are another story (dear, dear Embera friends…so wonderfully active, so poorly organized).<span style=""> </span>Still, we have all the information to retroactively register 2009’s incomes and expenses in our official IPACOOP books. <o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="">Next step: Building our 2009 Income Statement and Balance Shirt. March will be a busy month…<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><u><span style="">Moving Forward: Amy plans for <st1:place st="on"><st1:placename st="on">Grad</st1:placename> <st1:placetype st="on">School</st1:placetype></st1:place></span></u></p><p class="MsoNormal"><meta equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8"><meta name="ProgId" content="Word.Document"><meta name="Generator" content="Microsoft Word 11"><meta name="Originator" content="Microsoft Word 11"><link rel="File-List" href="file:///C:%5CUsers%5CAMYSNY%7E1%5CAppData%5CLocal%5CTemp%5Cmsohtml1%5C01%5Cclip_filelist.xml"><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:worddocument> <w:view>Normal</w:View> <w:zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:punctuationkerning/> <w:validateagainstschemas/> <w:saveifxmlinvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid> <w:ignoremixedcontent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent> <w:alwaysshowplaceholdertext>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText> <w:compatibility> <w:breakwrappedtables/> <w:snaptogridincell/> <w:wraptextwithpunct/> <w:useasianbreakrules/> <w:dontgrowautofit/> </w:Compatibility> <w:browserlevel>MicrosoftInternetExplorer4</w:BrowserLevel> </w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:latentstyles deflockedstate="false" latentstylecount="156"> </w:LatentStyles> </xml><![endif]--><style> <!-- /* Font Definitions */ @font-face {font-family:Calibri; panose-1:2 15 5 2 2 2 4 3 2 4; mso-font-charset:0; mso-generic-font-family:swiss; mso-font-pitch:variable; mso-font-signature:-1610611985 1073750139 0 0 159 0;} /* Style Definitions */ p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal {mso-style-parent:""; margin-top:0in; margin-right:0in; margin-bottom:10.0pt; margin-left:0in; line-height:115%; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:11.0pt; font-family:Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family:Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family:Calibri; mso-ansi-language:ES-PA;} @page Section1 {size:8.5in 11.0in; margin:1.0in 1.25in 1.0in 1.25in; mso-header-margin:.5in; mso-footer-margin:.5in; mso-paper-source:0;} div.Section1 {page:Section1;} --> </style><!--[if gte mso 10]> <style> /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-para-margin:0in; mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:10.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-ansi-language:#0400; mso-fareast-language:#0400; mso-bidi-language:#0400;} </style> <![endif]--> </p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="">It looks like I’ll be attending Duke’s Fuqua School of Business next year, beginning in August 2010. I am thrilled; this MBA program has been my top choice. The school awarded me a Peace Corps Fellowship, in collaboration with their Center for Social Entrepreneurship. As much as I dread the day I have to leave Embera Drua, I can honestly say that I am thrilled about starting my next chapter….<o:p></o:p></span></p> <u><span style=""><st1:place st="on"><st1:placetype st="on"></st1:placetype></st1:place><o:p></o:p></span></u><p></p>
<br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhG6wt7guSyKwP3LWxTainitohTHPGY3n5eqcjnQVPIP5cTPitjbpOKEF1PPrEGpB4sQbdOS-ILZ1Z_yDcSqvgvcrlOIYZtP5VBlxiJvO8Sp9tIaXlj9WXxu0p49BYbJmq0iwoBd3-uIy4/s1600-h/IMG_3454.JPG"><u><span style=""><u><span style=""></span></u></span></u></a><u><span style=""><u><span style=""><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2hFOQRBVTICF2WwoIeDcYMZANBqE4RsH9xNFkRXeQAWeE40L8jxYkTXtVmYh3MAaBCUgJvdGDAD6JxBYFhcKCFfjpx4riMTexKlM_-xWOxcpxCO0ZtHuxfpJAqEyKSfwkBwknyW7EJD0/s1600-h/IMG_3374.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2hFOQRBVTICF2WwoIeDcYMZANBqE4RsH9xNFkRXeQAWeE40L8jxYkTXtVmYh3MAaBCUgJvdGDAD6JxBYFhcKCFfjpx4riMTexKlM_-xWOxcpxCO0ZtHuxfpJAqEyKSfwkBwknyW7EJD0/s320/IMG_3374.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5447427721349387714" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2hFOQRBVTICF2WwoIeDcYMZANBqE4RsH9xNFkRXeQAWeE40L8jxYkTXtVmYh3MAaBCUgJvdGDAD6JxBYFhcKCFfjpx4riMTexKlM_-xWOxcpxCO0ZtHuxfpJAqEyKSfwkBwknyW7EJD0/s1600-h/IMG_3374.JPG"><u><span><u><span><u><span style=""><u><span style=""></span></u></span></u></span></u></span></u></a><u><span><u><span><u><span style=""><u><span style=""><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQ_Qqh86QtMzohVMuDatzr5GdVYWIgbefOpQkQq3UuICzOZk76yFa6kGgBDerMtmFbU7uGV0L5ZTYV3TWtbVurL4FHOFja7SYBTdnu4kvw30sDp8Oh_4KHIbnBn9IyvUkES5iuMG9wI94/s1600-h/IMG_3368.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 323px; height: 215px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQ_Qqh86QtMzohVMuDatzr5GdVYWIgbefOpQkQq3UuICzOZk76yFa6kGgBDerMtmFbU7uGV0L5ZTYV3TWtbVurL4FHOFja7SYBTdnu4kvw30sDp8Oh_4KHIbnBn9IyvUkES5iuMG9wI94/s320/IMG_3368.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5447427707746399762" border="0" /></a></span></u></span></u></span></u></span></u></span></u></span></u>New York at Christmas
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<br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhG6wt7guSyKwP3LWxTainitohTHPGY3n5eqcjnQVPIP5cTPitjbpOKEF1PPrEGpB4sQbdOS-ILZ1Z_yDcSqvgvcrlOIYZtP5VBlxiJvO8Sp9tIaXlj9WXxu0p49BYbJmq0iwoBd3-uIy4/s1600-h/IMG_3454.JPG"><u><span style=""><u><span style=""></span></u></span></u></a><u><span style=""><u><span style=""><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2hFOQRBVTICF2WwoIeDcYMZANBqE4RsH9xNFkRXeQAWeE40L8jxYkTXtVmYh3MAaBCUgJvdGDAD6JxBYFhcKCFfjpx4riMTexKlM_-xWOxcpxCO0ZtHuxfpJAqEyKSfwkBwknyW7EJD0/s1600-h/IMG_3374.JPG"><u><span><u><span><u><span style=""><u><span style=""></span></u></span></u></span></u></span></u></a><u><span><u><span><u><span style=""><u><span style=""><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQ_Qqh86QtMzohVMuDatzr5GdVYWIgbefOpQkQq3UuICzOZk76yFa6kGgBDerMtmFbU7uGV0L5ZTYV3TWtbVurL4FHOFja7SYBTdnu4kvw30sDp8Oh_4KHIbnBn9IyvUkES5iuMG9wI94/s1600-h/IMG_3368.JPG"><u><span><u><span><u><span style=""><u><span style=""></span></u></span></u></span></u></span></u></a><u><span><u><span><u><span style=""><u><span style=""><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhG6wt7guSyKwP3LWxTainitohTHPGY3n5eqcjnQVPIP5cTPitjbpOKEF1PPrEGpB4sQbdOS-ILZ1Z_yDcSqvgvcrlOIYZtP5VBlxiJvO8Sp9tIaXlj9WXxu0p49BYbJmq0iwoBd3-uIy4/s1600-h/IMG_3454.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhG6wt7guSyKwP3LWxTainitohTHPGY3n5eqcjnQVPIP5cTPitjbpOKEF1PPrEGpB4sQbdOS-ILZ1Z_yDcSqvgvcrlOIYZtP5VBlxiJvO8Sp9tIaXlj9WXxu0p49BYbJmq0iwoBd3-uIy4/s320/IMG_3454.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5447427726528034082" border="0" /></a></span></u></span></u></span></u></span></u></span></u></span></u></span></u></span></u></span></u></span></u><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhG6wt7guSyKwP3LWxTainitohTHPGY3n5eqcjnQVPIP5cTPitjbpOKEF1PPrEGpB4sQbdOS-ILZ1Z_yDcSqvgvcrlOIYZtP5VBlxiJvO8Sp9tIaXlj9WXxu0p49BYbJmq0iwoBd3-uIy4/s1600-h/IMG_3454.JPG"><u><span style=""><u><span style=""></span></u></span></u></a><u><span style=""><u><span style=""><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2hFOQRBVTICF2WwoIeDcYMZANBqE4RsH9xNFkRXeQAWeE40L8jxYkTXtVmYh3MAaBCUgJvdGDAD6JxBYFhcKCFfjpx4riMTexKlM_-xWOxcpxCO0ZtHuxfpJAqEyKSfwkBwknyW7EJD0/s1600-h/IMG_3374.JPG"><u><span><u><span><u><span style=""><u><span style=""></span></u></span></u></span></u></span></u></a><u><span><u><span><u><span style=""><u><span style=""><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQ_Qqh86QtMzohVMuDatzr5GdVYWIgbefOpQkQq3UuICzOZk76yFa6kGgBDerMtmFbU7uGV0L5ZTYV3TWtbVurL4FHOFja7SYBTdnu4kvw30sDp8Oh_4KHIbnBn9IyvUkES5iuMG9wI94/s1600-h/IMG_3368.JPG"><u><span><u><span><u><span><u><span><u><span style=""><u><span style=""><u><span><u><span><u><span style=""><u><span style=""></span></u></span></u></span></u></span></u></span></u></span></u></span></u></span></u></span></u></span></u></a><u><span><u><span><u><span><u><span><u><span style=""><u><span style=""><u><span><u><span><u><span style=""><u><span style=""><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGNd0FOTuNJgaQGH6RcagWY2na7xL1PTCEHKJ8pjeHXV6jAsb-RofcwCkd7M8PutEAH1-nc7iIqPCT3PBHLy4gBc7X5US5eOFHLjfkkxcC7I-2DQJ3aMYFolqBNH5RNYCdQwTyn06Skd0/s1600-h/IMG_3537.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGNd0FOTuNJgaQGH6RcagWY2na7xL1PTCEHKJ8pjeHXV6jAsb-RofcwCkd7M8PutEAH1-nc7iIqPCT3PBHLy4gBc7X5US5eOFHLjfkkxcC7I-2DQJ3aMYFolqBNH5RNYCdQwTyn06Skd0/s320/IMG_3537.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5447427739752325714" border="0" /></a></span></u></span></u></span></u></span></u></span></u></span></u></span></u></span></u></span></u></span></u></span></u></span></u></span></u></span></u></span></u></span></u>Isla Coiba with Jacqui and Jordan
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<br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXQwgKiLhRsM91NywiAGl_jO43YnCaMwwsTI1xT8j2unfu2CAMU4y3nf1F_Su4PplGBPVcm8nQazRNuSPoUbgUCrVgvu9MbHzCmgA3EKru2EahyphenhyphenSoehBdOVxHvM2Y5wUC85u-ACSnQX7w/s1600-h/IMG_3581.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXQwgKiLhRsM91NywiAGl_jO43YnCaMwwsTI1xT8j2unfu2CAMU4y3nf1F_Su4PplGBPVcm8nQazRNuSPoUbgUCrVgvu9MbHzCmgA3EKru2EahyphenhyphenSoehBdOVxHvM2Y5wUC85u-ACSnQX7w/s320/IMG_3581.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5447427702144791266" border="0" /></a>The Embera Amy
<br /></div><meta equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8"><meta name="ProgId" content="Word.Document"><meta name="Generator" content="Microsoft Word 11"><meta name="Originator" content="Microsoft Word 11"><link rel="File-List" href="file:///C:%5CUsers%5CAMYSNY%7E1%5CAppData%5CLocal%5CTemp%5Cmsohtml1%5C01%5Cclip_filelist.xml"><o:smarttagtype namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" name="place"></o:smarttagtype><o:smarttagtype namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" name="country-region"></o:smarttagtype><o:smarttagtype namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" name="City"></o:smarttagtype><o:smarttagtype namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" name="State"></o:smarttagtype><o:smarttagtype namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" name="PlaceType"></o:smarttagtype><o:smarttagtype namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" name="PlaceName"></o:smarttagtype><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:worddocument> <w:view>Normal</w:View> <w:zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:punctuationkerning/> <w:validateagainstschemas/> <w:saveifxmlinvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid> <w:ignoremixedcontent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent> <w:alwaysshowplaceholdertext>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText> <w:compatibility> <w:breakwrappedtables/> <w:snaptogridincell/> <w:wraptextwithpunct/> <w:useasianbreakrules/> <w:dontgrowautofit/> </w:Compatibility> <w:browserlevel>MicrosoftInternetExplorer4</w:BrowserLevel> </w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:latentstyles deflockedstate="false" latentstylecount="156"> </w:LatentStyles> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if !mso]><object classid="clsid:38481807-CA0E-42D2-BF39-B33AF135CC4D" id="ieooui"></object> <style> st1\:*{behavior:url(#ieooui) } </style> <![endif]--><style> <!-- /* Font Definitions */ @font-face {font-family:Calibri; panose-1:2 15 5 2 2 2 4 3 2 4; mso-font-charset:0; mso-generic-font-family:swiss; mso-font-pitch:variable; mso-font-signature:-1610611985 1073750139 0 0 159 0;} /* Style Definitions */ p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal {mso-style-parent:""; margin-top:0in; margin-right:0in; margin-bottom:10.0pt; margin-left:0in; line-height:115%; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:11.0pt; font-family:Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family:Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family:Calibri; mso-ansi-language:ES-PA;} @page Section1 {size:8.5in 11.0in; margin:1.0in 1.25in 1.0in 1.25in; mso-header-margin:.5in; mso-footer-margin:.5in; mso-paper-source:0;} div.Section1 {page:Section1;} --> </style><!--[if gte mso 10]> <style> /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-para-margin:0in; mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:10.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-ansi-language:#0400; mso-fareast-language:#0400; mso-bidi-language:#0400;} </style> <![endif]--><span style=""><o:p></o:p></span> Amy Snyderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12277830163268086763noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-923435907362875163.post-27292808290899778392009-12-23T13:58:00.000-08:002009-12-23T17:50:21.408-08:00Canoe Construction<div><div><div><div><div>Our tourism group, just formed into a cooperative this year, recently received approval for a $10,000 loan to improve our infrastructure. This was a really exciting process to be apart of during my second year of service. It’s really given the community, and its brand new cooperative, a motivating push forward.<br /><br />Myself and the cooperative’s treasurer, Auristo Valdespino, had identified a real problem with our finances; our external rentals for canoes and motors had become an astronomical cost (approximately 10% of our operational costs). Canoes are incredibly labor-intensive, and motors are difficult for the village to finance. Consequentially, the village only had a few boats and motors available to the tourism cooperative. The rest had to be rented (at $20 a pop) from Latino villages downriver. The problem was a cyclic; as we were constantly having to shell out money for rentals we were barely making a profit, let alone saving money to finance the acquisition of new boats and motors.<br /><br />As a new cooperative, we applied for a loan through IPACOOP. Myself and Auristo put together an analysis of the financing needed and loan repayment, demonstrating that with the money saved from having our own internal canoes and motors we could easily pay back our loan within 2 years.<br /><br />So construction begun! And what a process it has been. We purchased 2 Suzuki motors, at HP 30, 50 life jackets and 1 canoe from a neighboring village. Internally, we’ve been hard at work on two more canoes. We just finished a canoe in the mountain about a half hour from the village. Its our biggest yet: 10 armspans, with the capacity to hold 16 tourists! And we’re hard at work on the next one, which will be a smaller boat that will consume less gas in the event an agency only calls with 2-3 visitors.<br /><br />Below are some pictures from the “junta” (communal work day) when we took the canoe out of the mountain. It was the most incredible thing I have witnessed to date. As the certified village photographer (and the curious little PC worker who likes to tag along on manly mountain endeavours), I went to the mountain with the men of the village at 6 am. They had to first flip the canoe. Then, looping rope on trees on either side, they had to slowly ease it down one of the steepest inclines in the area. Halfway down, the weight of the canoe snapped the tree supporting it, and it flew down the mountain, nearly taking out the “catchers” that guide its front nose. It crashed into a tree at the hill’s base, with such force that it became deeply embedded, and we had to run the half hour back to the village for a chainsaw to take out the second tree.<br /><br />The reversal, coming up the hill and into the village was the biggest feat, however. The women, who had been up cooking since 4 am, met us at the top of the hill to help with this part. With all the men of the village behind the canoe, pushing it uphill, every woman and child positioned themselves along a rope to pull the canoe uphill.<br /><br />It was so much work, and I hurt for days afterwards. Still it was one of the best days I’ve had in the village so far. It was a beautiful thing to see everyone in the village, and both main families, come together to complete this arduous project.<br /><br />Below are also some pictures of the finished product. Eliecer and I have been the official boat painter; he’s painted the body and I’ve stenciled the letter of the cooperative’s name: Tranchichi Embera Drua, R.L.</div><div> </div></div><div align="center"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5418583529752976482" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 214px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBeB2Ip57Isr0aO4qzFg4Sh4zbSzOFV4LzonxTLfk-4uRSddUt2QrnklMRJM-RpI5eDHGLe2woT_Qg-Mow5jcGxyUECUZIMknsHm_ACDOXsuXtqfc6eA3iyFqurtymV8yfpm-8uv_5-Ic/s320/IMG_2925.JPG" border="0" />Phase 1: Two New 30 HP Motors and Lifejackets for Tourists</div></div></div></div><br /><p><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5418583519179094114" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 214px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUx-rNNXdVv95qLnqrQTvDgf8nBN8adAQLciiw02qqTkxkzm5hau4Cn6aPFvUYuA8kMnARNdi-mmIpCR0WCTlpZ6HOcanbznnPYN8BjzicRhCIJjSa2fULMaK5sZg6qnbrp-x36G7AYFs/s320/IMG_3113.JPG" border="0" /></p><div align="center">Phase 2: Canoe Junta</div><div align="center">One, two, three, FLIP!</div><p><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5418583516119627314" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 214px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSPaym9JXTvpObDCJYnNdJSb99bZkyL-K3CX6XQjmfqcw-HWtcmEyFs5b-qk_P9seo4eegas5lGkzgzHWxgPoLAtjmrm2hTlNDMJpzRflKHbj_9gvnJmpSss1V7w-DBdJTg9DKpeyd6DI/s320/IMG_3119.JPG" border="0" /></p><p align="center">Shimmeying the canoe down the mountain- with only a rope, 4 guys bulaying and a few (very courageous/drunk) guys catching it at the bottom...</p><p><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5418575126141486770" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 214px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh61kajgWp-CJyWyv3yPgUV_91nGzCuyOSTN4UJy8D-jHRXWswqujB6IAbxh1Q0BZZWXX322G-Xn4KEMP9e3YsMiAW5zwocwfjTd-0vWKiojAW2Eup0QNH9n80zCBD0vGc3jcAZCDXIgKs/s320/IMG_3144.JPG" border="0" /></p><p align="center">Rope burns on the trees used. Explains why the tree snapped from the weight of the canoe, and why it went flying down the mountain.</p><p><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5418575132350516194" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 214px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxsJTDTHMXKdZaVJ5vSr0p74XsG1FeyfMI9cvylCVLT91uFo9ILCuah0PN7SHVXjQSG-Vc69uAD2A7g1NxPPx_TA6fS09Talhkn5HfZBlzgpgs02enP6OXuXpeRvn0qK7SF1MTjZDvo2E/s320/IMG_3150.JPG" border="0" /></p><p align="center">When the rope snapped, and the canoe went flying, the force embedded the canoe in this tree. We had to run the 1/2 hour back to the village for a chainsaw to fix it. </p><p><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5418575124597414882" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 214px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh39PbDlr5y-9LhdLXdDZgvub9KakvBkj69o615s3mIqIPGKdl61iluMJCxiMUH86jbNIx3lJEJLlJLSMAs59QlwiMRowOO_zeJV4yWJvE5P5FaHiiIr68DFIIs3hMkSCZ1XhPFgsB0UoA/s320/IMG_3169.JPG" border="0" /></p><p align="center">Heev-Ho!</p><p><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5418575113212115634" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 214px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicqJMxQQ9lo83nOud55ADS9tY-7oDOZM6rcVb-uFBSeiv4SDKgtWoiQr4nLLWVp7eyoykPOUKKKU-tQnnsuk7bEhMfya9pPtXIwa06RhHCrqUsY8OceQmIm2DkgDQqZeZ6oc-TIFq1qkU/s320/IMG_3184.JPG" border="0" /></p><p align="center">Heev- Ho Amy!</p><p><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5418572936655343730" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 214px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1c0RoJ7vNBgMDGigJ4n2G5ZYnvpxhlgEvjm5otqHAqsj29k953C_V6M6_mKMOnhtjY1LlGED2Sj1n2BxthuCdWY40rZXRzZdStpEAA8MBphYPwAy7czsyE23VHMaj0chC3YoA5HH7OHU/s320/IMG_3207.JPG" border="0" /></p><p align="center">To get the canoe up the last uphill incline to the village, we had all the men below it pushing...and every woman and child on a rope pulling it up into the community. Go Werara! (Ladies)</p><p><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5418594814843469026" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 214px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjq6QMSRK33DmU-6ol5Mw9U3capP55FWoJzqRIUBkYbZmMu_BSiFHa3hvicX5nXMvij33rfJBAmXXK6gmv-UNU0P362IadyEMDjPUWPR4D4fs0dgyBmtrNL4yc__7ecPsURjZK2h_LmQhk/s320/IMG_3214.JPG" border="0" /></p><p align="center">7 hours later, WE MADE IT. My happy village. :)</p><p><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5418572926481661730" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 214px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDXXoUMoKoLnsVQ18UwKZ9-P2ZBHo5m7k1J2s0AZVqXSSbPaJnN2GBxbS-0VsNun3QiBiMx-YX65D59v3PsYlYzaGlRaEEYh6jdNFEXf6NeqawxWPAVL5-7ypJcvN1ooqZeHXFS_fhezc/s320/IMG_3340.JPG" border="0" /></p><p align="center">My stellar paint job. Coopereativa Tranchichi Embera Drua, R.L. SO Official :) </p><p><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5418572925468814450" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 214px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7k6hkUqCoRw69FsvBdVl0N9tcjGOi6uT_ed12emZGbFZiYKSihk8VcMiNTYWe_ku6QEryZuVZSaNTE2jTxvNxVwYcmQ-TlcjYLJvDOmU3z1y-wHfU9swN5DfKEC-KO-Hcwr6XVKAOkBU/s320/IMG_3343.JPG" border="0" /></p><p align="center">Finished product, and one of our proud captains! </p>Amy Snyderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12277830163268086763noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-923435907362875163.post-65146034843199401502009-12-19T14:52:00.000-08:002009-12-23T17:51:25.293-08:00Halloween and the Trio's Island RetreatSo once again a blog post is months overdue! Here are some pics of Halloween in the village this year. Although it isn’t widely celebrated in Panama, I thought it would be a fun cultural exchange. So I taught the kids how we celebrate Halloween in the States. I bought ghords (orange pumpkins are imported here, and quite pricey), and we carved jack-o-lanterns. It was a blast. At night, I dressed up in a bird costume and we made popcorn on my stove and the kids danced around in my hut. On repeat was one of their favorite songs: Michael Jackson’s Thriller. Just goes to show how far his legacy has gotten....<br /><br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5417086026904041650" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 214px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzi9mrs0RdinwAty41OIt8p6TY_MZ1Teood73YADuIGGRHW_VGDq3u5AttipWSF8CIKQTrm52OygEARQR59PFaJxP2b_I4b73xux_zoxax6iL1gTIYBpK_9F7cF5QK-LhZjBg1-xfDKgM/s320/IMG_3215.JPG" border="0" /><br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5417086034474398242" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 214px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEzAw-yeLb-jBIg3EixQvz2FaY9nmbGZI-p68wqMjJbkUBEo8pqJT0-w4ZQIEA44Pb6PRtpPXuWayROud0O0QhLVftVyz2sCbc9RpW9RCjWlNf3BQ9UHn1jgXMLimGZdZOED3E2ydXovI/s320/IMG_3218.JPG" border="0" /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5417086040212843154" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 214px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTDgxnP1tnn-edvXlDL-SfPLJC8Tx2ZtXMa3C5a1FSlBOjd10NeJ-SdedTgrysic1-fP-m24PEwIutk_k1QRAlbaWj5XKgR6ofp_TveefnPAMxM6629dor2IPF1adLCbR8MHXhpM1LM40/s320/IMG_3220.JPG" border="0" /><br />Also this month, I went to a tiny island off the Caribbean coast of Panama, Isla Grande, with my Panama Trio (Kate and Elena). It was a wonderful time, and a perfect weekend break from service. Isla Grande has a unique ambiance; we stayed at a funky little cabana resort, Cholita’s, and we spent the majority of our only night on the island at a hole in the wall beach bar with Bob Marley’s face adorning every possible wall. Pics of the weekend are below.<br /><br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5417086049820680658" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjl1mekblAjlc8AgkGRw4xrQfdmDKB204ebbupga1_bv9eXm_uIozo8LsKSNx6jiedCULgkfE_MKS1vBjzkwLoC4yUX8CPP8YehHUwDXhD7WBC23rtr1rRsN9KmZWyF5hS6mI2EGuL1Bo/s320/DSC09213.JPG" border="0" /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5417086052522615618" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8ORwvEG0F7Ik6jqW5Gt4JvlOdksdujDRyThK-R28Sg2frIPiIZthPpGm2UWREyHRJjcYhEhAVNqJMIb0p38UINP0QJhNWEGiXUUpjp-Dv0Xyd0n9He6mP7XaKTT7UDbVPrOqAezXgL8M/s320/IMGP0390.JPG" border="0" /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5417086545572397986" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvGHiST4V2oUDAfu3fhN18cJsHT02xjydL2D8CVFlCu7IUAz31SWqpwGfMatx7o7Dfha8o3E4dvXHOVBveYd0rp39hy7izcYiqKkmj_I1jzIub2lV5tCJUalNGqvVnW_zb0ZhEtAuVkck/s320/DSC09202.JPG" border="0" /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5417086553602325266" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheGBeloxbE25shrDYeXrgo93I7uy7nM6K5KEgJSxC71iLuk_kVo8NgH9NBV3nnAq28ZZiaCJaBABVlGXZfZVGdhY_zW7RmqlX4kVkYB-M2O0XZtFEqRHGKW5AzE10jWo7AThbAMNRy0yM/s320/IMGP0472.JPG" border="0" />Amy Snyderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12277830163268086763noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-923435907362875163.post-46247580708659595442009-10-25T18:51:00.000-07:002009-10-25T19:29:31.088-07:00El Camino RealIn August, myself and Eliecer, several other PCVs, and an Embera guide hiked the Camino Real. The route, stretching from our inland indigenous villages out to the Carribean coast, follows the Spaniards first attempt at land crossing out to the Caribbean. In 1555, they created a primitive push-and-pull railway across this jungle path, to bring the gold and riches from Latin America to the coast for exportation to Spain. Hundreds of years later, that railway has become overgrown and unchartered jungle. Only a few adventure-seeking tourists attempt to follow the railways tracks per year. I’m not quite sure how this self-proclaimed city girl, never having camped before in her life, was somehow finagled into attempting it. I guess I figured I’ve come so far as to live in the jungle, why not camp out there for 4 days…just me, my backpack and some buddies?<br /><br /><div><div><div><div><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5396722767463617218" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 240px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2pPCL_Vv13bO_zYuXLIVbQp1M0rI5JzAPJfNsyE6A6iAW5GYiZMZD1q7-QkV7hgnKgZP0zKdiVVWECoMMNzi63bYCspbhZLBIDqOah6KNSkSr93edcghZOMKKLB4uijBswFPkIBz5Rwc/s320/P7260115.JPG" border="0" /><br />My fellow PC hikers and I kicked off our voyage with an Alcohol and Domestic “charla” (PC lingo for rural “chat”) in my community. I used the other volunteers, from a variety of different sites and sectors, as my outside “experts” to approach this very sensitive subject. Unforunetly, alcohol abuse and domestic violence are both are big problems in rural Panama, and especially in indigenous areas. The chat went really well, and was attended by nearly all of my community. I think that our group did an excellent job of intertwining important information with some humorous role play situations, which really held everyone’s attention. And I think it did make a notable difference; last month our tourism cooperative leaders decided to put a hefty fine on anyone caught driving the cooperative-owned motors drunk. </div><div></div><br /><div><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5396722763721214962" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2H5VqIrnFGxAJzmfDE3AxQy0EAWkpDYiaoFh1SMiiEpzfY3lpsyuwa8aBTiAbfZkYgC6CgdGiomQL_aBqwHp0kh3sIjVdmutBPkdwIK_AJ3swkQzQJAUg3IS6zjM7zkM-O2I7-zTE6ms/s320/me.JPG" border="0" /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5396722758852017858" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4dFgGqYbzA4g8gbIgkfG6UZpa7EM-aLyyDZPINT-XVJ7AOLI1ktminOjYVgLqu6PI3c9j0C5KfU3KY46E34-8v-FRn1R2Uklr2MxOE1arf0AfAj-Fm7WMkwa4Q_uf4j9caB6g7NUBDPw/s320/imaginary+canoe+ride.JPG" border="0" /><br />After finishing up that skit, and a nutrition chat in Elena’a site, Embera Puru, we began our long hike. The hike was absolutely unreal. It was a real physical challenge for all of us; we hiked straight uphill the entire first day, and spent the entire second day fording some scarily-flooded rivers. Yet it was so worth it, I don’t think I’ve ever been anywhere that pristine. From a historical perspective, it’s incredible as well. We followed the old iron tracks for over 2 days of the hike; the railway is now overgrown with massive tree roots, and the old railcars and wheels are half-buried in rivers and streams. The contrast of the railway in otherwise untouched jungle is so intriguing, and written descriptions just can’t describe it. Below are pictures. </div><br /><div><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5396725787783530946" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiB6qS9zgrbXm1nen9LqtcAH_q2jRw0Km9xbYrPubr7VqvsRWX6ugx_y7RTdqM68Ee_7F5hX5aHPfEVsJEHgC7tBt9FEPdCsvxqTk_qPgCghHxwGD_Hy8qwurTZYgDeOPUcIXnzuccJpXM/s320/IMG_4731.JPG" border="0" /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5396724216328187282" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 240px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4QQAeR07rxKWpPc9zhKe89jMJ0-RtA2RNSr4g8ow9hFlT8hGiE7HxORvbAFqPP148YomE4eRSduI0zYGONwc8qfSMNaLkc3BhsBX2143Zj8S4s5hvVVfCxAEFNoSRWYJY83DFiJ1YIkw/s320/IMG_4762.JPG" border="0" /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5396722772297065762" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 240px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_gFDOJdPg934cU1Bz45AslbjSJtzCtOkNQbbgXVIH6ey0DPZDh1u4zuEIzZYci34CfTatQ8Xm2Ke_dfaK5TjzysFphWTjuCekb5QDhvlhXx-mPHUxg9m7KB_36a0zUXUcQf_dZS1tF7s/s320/P7280557.JPG" border="0" /><br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5396725796026065874" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJgwGnnoeq1fHKqole1QjC59NxDaIJtPJLIot8f4Atz_a4125UobtYGjiqw4Ru0jtG0kV2CDkl2D8thd7Ik3_DBXFLkKosKZxwGqhsznxT4OlWtb7CcaaXHZyD8aCXFSuozunBvy5F07M/s320/IMG_4768.JPG" border="0" /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5396724202474710834" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJ8xvejgs9MDBGp72XawlkBpYnF8B7v_sMQcHzO2BHlyDOdTncNlaPeQELmIpbH_bM80ldBjtvVHm2bAaeUQ88xovHX9rOatUhSa8XHZaea0upBftCH23I9lNa8UhGninHEQdn2zFmH-Q/s320/IMG_7414.JPG" border="0" /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5396728789417090130" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkxhEdXDKIIP0G_3eWIONhQjAioTKAvfWBx0xE1n_LQeMAh9PUO45uC-S2bXlXL8oHc5V3AJ-BBzMlwq3zmg4Yn69BTnyOwhYFNv-Bn0ljziUPCzN4Xl7mrDjh8APcbJMHzp_AObL-qSc/s320/IMG_4760.JPG" border="0" /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5396724196948464514" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOV8PpaPESrdp3NnA-6-GH7CIYD0QWKYgdZr8juqxTi1JIAy94tHAYV67NuDmog7SAj52LzbQdKY9AJd8PjkLBYDXBeRF_0q-TCVCzcz_uQblPdnL78PkRAEhU_ANmunCGv4mUKTURepE/s320/IMG_4741.JPG" border="0" /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5396728783305396226" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9YOvYEqCdFLVcrcxNwzND6Vst38xBi69b_SdaKc7W5uq-2_WWfUdOKebj3FSpHG_dvkcqB7noIZc-jsB3iKfDYP2Ufj7iwrSVWKu_LbouNbJHxtyK6GYmCvA6UArQqfKrUw0sF6gFVok/s320/IMG_4787.JPG" border="0" /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5396725791692926866" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHnhsDWRz1XMADqh1Ikwz6FcdqWo053L8EvOOVfcnC8eOJYoDHzD6J6cYYN9mDBJyRyc0TdVkB3zICWYuuYlnClrLWBkrxncc80MN3rXprmHbUQ8hSpi0Lz0QfhBEQ_b5_qVkzWdXy6uc/s320/IMG_4750.JPG" border="0" /><br />Each night of our hike, we set up camp along the side of waterfalls and crystal clear swimming holes. After a day trekking in mud and sweat, we refreshed ourselves in the water and then cooked a big meal together on our little camp stove. On the fourth day, we ended up at the Carribean coast, where we had a huge lunch and copious amounts of Panama beer. Then we stayed a few days at Brandon and Ashley’s site in Nombre de Dios, giving charlas in their school and enjoying the beautiful Carribean. It was Eliecer’s first time to the ocean! Most importantly, the beach time was much needed R&R after being in the jungle for 4 days. We had a great time.</div><div> </div><div></div><div><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5396725798577036418" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2R8lGbcuobZ_SjdWq24b70es082HTT5FEsvkboUogzITqiTRz6hvhVFSkarsaAEdBMe73RVrgV-jFDliwl9nnj1YgMqkU-nY_lyMu7EZLVAFu1jxETEJlWnVm05lptdT6KDE9Kn77v6M/s320/IMG_7539.JPG" border="0" /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5396722774287620114" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhboAG1FqENS7ktF8BxgxqcduQEXWTSTg9dbwKaCKRm4hgtJT-NWAediPvGhG64dnZvThWzN2D9pd7HQZdTjYmHBgTU6pOJZSCkww0Juowr_CJo7mJ7wXPQQmcK9AY771Y7g8vm1A6s-1Y/s320/IMG_4798.JPG" border="0" /></div></div></div></div>Amy Snyderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12277830163268086763noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-923435907362875163.post-28812212236507506812009-07-25T10:58:00.000-07:002009-07-25T11:18:49.501-07:00A Night at the Chaman'sOne of the most sacared Embera traditions is a chaman ceremony. Our chaman, Mamerto, is renowed for his healing ceremonies, a known as ''witch'' who uses his powers for good instead of evil. I've gotten to know Mamerto quite well. He's an excellent artisan, and has carved for me (I in return sought him the bonafide US army hat he requested from a supply store while on leave). He's one of my favorite people in the village, and I felt so privileged when we allowed me to sit in on one of his ceremonies.<br /><br />Last week, a young Embera couple and their infant son came to Mamerto, concerned because the baby’s “soft spot” on his head was irregular, and his whole head swollen. He had been to the doctor several times for testing, and they were unable to determine a cause. They hoped that our renowed chaman, Mamerto, would be able to help them.<br /><br />I arrived at Mamerto’s house at 8:30 to find him already sitting in front of a candle, with nearly a dozen empty beer cans in front of him, all covered with a thick palm leaf. He smiled as he invited me in, took another sip of his open beer, and clutched his cocobolo bastons. He had a collection- approximately 10. I noticed each was carved at a different height and held a different design (usually an animal, or a corresponding spirit) on its head.<br /><br />To begin, he held the bastons to his chest, and blew out the candle. It was quiet and still. Then he began to chant, in a deep, monotone voice. He chanted in Embera, and furiously shook the palm in his head as he did so. Eliecer, next to me, explained hat he was calling the evil spirits in the area to a party. The chanting lasted approximately 20 minutes, and then Mamerto lit a cigarette. He invited the other men, Eliecer and the baby’s father, to smoke with him. He smoked slowly, pensively. Then he then began to chant, and shake his palm again.<br /><br />Suddenly, he stopped. Surprised, I heard a light “bing.'' I looked all around, unsure where it came from, but it sounded like something metal hitting one of the pots nearby. At the noise, the infant wailed. Mamerto began to have a conversation, furious, although it was in Embera and I could not understand. Eliecer explained to me that a spirit had arrived, and that Mamerto was asking him what sickness the child had. The furious conversation, and then again chanting, continued. After nearly 2 hours of chain smoking and chanting, Mamerto stopped and went to pee off the side of the house. He came back, and then began to speak with the parents of the infant, asking various questions.<br /><br />He asked if the grandmother, the mother of the baby’s father, had been around the infant. The couple responded yes. It came out that the grandmother had taken a certain type of plant, which is very powerful to the Embera. Mamerto asked them why she had taken it, if she knew the implications or if she had ingested it wanting to be a witch herself. He explained that it was through the grandmother, and the plant, that a evil spirit had entered the child and caused it harm. It was only through her, and the detention of this evil spirit, that he would be cured. The baby’s mother was furious, and she began to yell what sounded like a string of Embera obscenities at her husband.<br /><br />I was confused. I left the house, tired, but in complete and utter awe of what I had seen and heard. Evil spirits or no evil spirits, I was shaken to the core by what I had just seen. <br /><br />The chaman’s cemony is certainly one of the most powerful things I have been in my life. As I laid on my back on the floor of the chaman’s hut, between his wife, Dominga and Eliecer, I was struck by the magic of the whole process. The power of the ritual is palpable. The energy in the chaman’s chants and his tone, in contrast with the stillness of the night around us, is definitely a force to be reckoned with. I’m not religious, and I can only compare it to the way I felt nearly 6 years ago, when I was, for no reason at all, bawling at Easter mass on my trip to the Vatican. I am fascinated by the power attached to the meaning of a God, and a culture’s interpretation of the forces of good and evil in this world. <br /><br />I feel so lucky to have experienced this ancient tradition here in my village, and am even more touched that I have reached a level of trust and respect with the people here that they were comfortable performing it in my presence. I know that it is my culture, or moreso the Western world’s religious influence, that has shamed many Embera from these beautiful healing ceremonies, and the truth and comfort they have brought to their culture for so many years.Amy Snyderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12277830163268086763noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-923435907362875163.post-61790800562005490332009-06-17T12:55:00.000-07:002011-02-25T17:07:01.510-08:00My Biggest Challenge, and My Biggest Success (Thus Far)<div align="left"><br /><br />Outwardly, my small, tribally-run community appears simplistic and idyllic. Yet at the heart lies a microcosm of the larger issues a country or government faces: division, miscommunication, fraud and deception. <br /><br />This past March I met with consultants from Impulso Panama, a World Bank-backed consulting firm that analyzes and advises Panamanian businesses. Fortunately, the organization is very supportive of the indigenous plight; consulting services are 100% subsidized for indigenous-run businesses. I saw the organization as an incredible opportunity for our community-based tourism group to receive professional business guidance.<br /><br />Our community consists of two principal families, therefore I asked several individuals, and members of both families, to attend our first meeting with Impulso Panama in Panama City. The meeting went incredibly well; afterwards, myself and community leaders began to work up a proposal outlining the support we’d seek from the organization.<br /><br />However, much to my surprise, the members of one family decided they had other plans. Having learned in our meeting that Impulso Panama supports both individual and community-owned businesses, they created and submitted a second proposal for a separate family-owned business, almost identical in nature to the community’s tourism group. This arrangement was made without the rest of the community's knowledge or consent. <br /><br />Within a few weeks time the rest of the community pieced together their separatist plan. During a follow-up visit to Impulso Panama, consultants informed us that the seceding family had made numerous visits to the office on their own, misleadingly representing their family as the only members of the community. <br /><br />I was devastated. How could half of my village have done such a selfish, underhanded thing to the other half? And as the point person for the community proposal, this transgression had perpetrated behind MY back, as well. I felt personally betrayed.<br /><br />This was the single most trying moment for me yet as a volunteer. Fighting back the waves of emotion, when I arrived back to the community I met privately with the succeeding family, which included the community chief. I tried my best to gently explain to the family the conflict created by these two nearly identical projects. They insisted on the succession. I had to tell the chief that I admired his family's entrepreneurial spirit and that I wished him the best of luck. Yet I also had to tactfully assert that, as a Peace Corps volunteer, my allegiance would always lie with the community-based group.<br /><br />Ultimately, Impulso Panama recognized the deep community division and refused to move forward with either project until the community reached an agreement, mediated by the regional Embera cacique (head chief). My community, with both families furious at one another, has refused to discuss this. Embera Drua has great ambition and also great internal division; this has turned the community into its own worst enemy. As a result, we've missed an incredible opportunity. This has pained me every day for the past few months. <br /><br />However, this experience has taught me the most impactful lesson I've learned thus far in grassroots development: I can only push my community so far. The things that I want for them are not necessarily what they want for themselves. And change can only happen when they decide to band together and initiate it. I remind myself that I'm the catalyst for change; I can't BE the change.<br /><br />SUCCESS!<br /><br />After a very trying March and April, on May 15th our tourism group was finally approved as a cooperative! The community is thrilled. And I was too! My months of service were spent in meetings with IPACOOP and working on the feasibility study for the cooperative. And this is such a sucess for Embera Drua. For years they had been working informally in tourism, and now they really have their own business, legal and recognized by the government.<br /><br />We had a wonderful ceremony on May 15th. The director and head honchos of IPACOOP in Panama City came to the village, and we had a beautiful ceremony where they handed us our "personería jurídica" (legal recognition). They also donated a new outboard motor to the group. It was a wonderful day. And I wore a chaquira for the first time in the ceremony! I felt like a REAL Embera wera (Embera woman).<br /><br /></div><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5348407309705107890" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 214px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrmtYIFiajzADJy6fcCa_TWrw7rnaCc69ZhDt85rdIOQdFnFxXx_xF8ZVi1G7rs3i3KDQY6VkijMVEOaJU4LYDiRz-Ci89Itl5rzjyXSmIVe4gphtomXMe_FLhv9ELWAyqSYe82-pf_Ok/s320/IMG_2763.JPG" border="0" /> <img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5348407315878968466" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 214px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2TRPKko-EsR1i9rNVsCZoueC4DcQfOsG9NI7uW9fPGo5DX_zUNJsneNCrgLjCM-gBfdLZRfYJc80iqcWCuu6B8h41QTiM887dY59ozhQB7IwEMPXBMVEjWNCdHLHdpTFrGytfUnlmyJI/s320/IMG_2801.JPG" border="0" /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5348390303007227218" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 214px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrH2d7OSs_cSl7AkTxR-Vv56oV6OTpFnVUh4GuDD4_PtiPhojYlaVqvYgJnh0BJQaJr6ibJ1TIgHuZ7EhdKhxzhTOf14A8nHOdqepZdJmPc9jg8TYHYHcUZccNIZj-f-QoaYt6keScgOs/s320/IMG_2797.JPG" border="0" /><br />The cooperative is a huge step in setting up infrastructure for the community. Yet my biggest fear as we move forward is that the community expects the cooperative to be "the answer to all their problems." IPACOOP brings excellent trainings and pushes the need to work more organized and formally, but I'm worried that the community will quickly become discouraged if they don't see changes overnight. IPACOOP will give us some good framework. But at the same time the community needs to stay unified and work together- hard(!) and in the same direction- if they want to see a difference. I can see that this coming year will be a real challenge.<br /><br />Below are some other pictures of what I've been up to:<br /><br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5348391307424645858" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 214px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTMWk7Knm27YXcg_d1fM3DBkDOcXqgkn8f6_7EmYwoQj5FxtaOqd1CaQqBTZxQ-2rACp72saqA5LPkrR7Q8LEtFcK8F8-W9O1vZ2pJfBkc3U4ymAMSmQ3LKHoqpVEE4Z2HnbbCAiB4BRY/s320/IMG_2730.JPG" border="0" /> <div align="center">Computer classes: our leaders typing up their own letters in Microsoft Word!</div><br /><br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5348391310630104386" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 214px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi16rYh_F5kqRuHGJhrLF15SjKaD58dN6xluuFCkM0LMA_CA3e4-J1_Skav7STxcQGgMxFOw3Hbs3rz-W-xIs1GZSJxc7Fqf6T8k2xssIXRc-suN07FGyLbBxqXljjgJVspJz5C-h9sOKU/s320/IMG_2721.JPG" border="0" /> <p align="center">Girl's Night: I had an arts and crafts and cookie bake night night in my hut with some supplies Momma Snyder sent down to Panama.<br /><br /></p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_8n9qdloFtXShlyJ6EUsaoBulshXuhPNW5qvhL5hMnf_9MJ87iOCehUgPKrXNLFG2ikl0sQuta8QFkR61Ph177qSwcSqh8wPDmj1rsa1GhO3bV2QmcxPnUVRLDjsAEFR5MWbd9pL-YPk/s1600-h/P5020599.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5348391589537549234" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_8n9qdloFtXShlyJ6EUsaoBulshXuhPNW5qvhL5hMnf_9MJ87iOCehUgPKrXNLFG2ikl0sQuta8QFkR61Ph177qSwcSqh8wPDmj1rsa1GhO3bV2QmcxPnUVRLDjsAEFR5MWbd9pL-YPk/s320/P5020599.JPG" border="0" /></a> <div align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyqoTQyZ4-vwAWlG4c5XTY7VYB_XHQh-lxk5jSO5Sye0yRp89nucXQITl9IRcsL6V1uFuP1LJUHxjaF-WcNtYO-21ekmXCr0918R6Cj0sP5GwtkeskpZ2gGTOB7W6nlktxWDhS9kTSsaw/s1600-h/P5020578.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5348390306857607026" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 240px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyqoTQyZ4-vwAWlG4c5XTY7VYB_XHQh-lxk5jSO5Sye0yRp89nucXQITl9IRcsL6V1uFuP1LJUHxjaF-WcNtYO-21ekmXCr0918R6Cj0sP5GwtkeskpZ2gGTOB7W6nlktxWDhS9kTSsaw/s320/P5020578.JPG" border="0" /></a> White Water Rafting Trip, and trip to a BEAUTIFUL waterfall, on the Chiriqui River with Peace Corps friends</div>Amy Snyderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12277830163268086763noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-923435907362875163.post-50318324045318993632009-04-04T08:17:00.000-07:002009-04-04T09:45:54.980-07:00TEAM PANAMA 2009<div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div>I received my first friend visit! Maren Gersich, Brent Schavitz, Kevin Sproule, Cris Kodiak, Matt (Pug) Palmieri, Trey and Kate Robinson. It was a week to remember, a week for the history books. </div><div><br />We started out our adventure in the city. The crew whisked me away to the Marriott (the land of hot showers and Pug’s platinum membership lounge of non-stop American goodies). First day, we toured the Panama Canal and Casco Viejo (old town). Next day, we took a day trip off the coast to Isla Taboga, and spent the evening after at the causeway for dinner and drinks. We spent a few nights out tearing it up on Calle Uruguay, wrapped up in our own private dance party and playing at the casinos til dawn. After our city tour, we had a frustrating run-in with the Decameron resort in Cocle (where poor Schavitz realized he had booked us for El Salvador!) But we made the best of it, and spent the afternoon at the beach in Santa Clara and found a hole-in-the-wall, authentic Mexican restaurant with quite possibly the best jumbo margaritas and chips and salsa. Regardless of the situation or problem at hand, I don’t think I’ve ever traveled quite so smoothly with a group. I feel so fortunate to have a group of friends so laid back, up for anything and so in-sync with one another. </div><br /><div></div><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5320869282706188658" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 214px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNOfOCiM0ssYKm3OVba_gBvfGw5EwOYGXjwD8rmHp7JniphyphenhyphenUThxajS-xkkuxNPqMowYqkdVB2UZKDVy5mg6bmzPvhXv2aPgG3Ul79t7GwgYVPrrCiXKcChdwDXmW9Mu7GX_7AGorxdUA/s320/IMG_2456.JPG" border="0" /> <img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5320877919930558466" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 214px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFeFsBSGEl3hVIGS7HtMKM9bKP0eR3AJuxfYAZdyDwZyZ8yKUYW-zAtzZGhakZvozwlbk_8EM1qJw6zdrC8eC7nwgdeDfuRTQ5r2J2drKfs-aW2ijvFEdM0iTKv5HFPs8HqFMt0YAiny0/s320/IMG_2457.JPG" border="0" /><br />Our next stop: CARNIVAL. We rented a car and booked it down to the Azuero, to Las Tablas, for Panama’s most famous carnival celebration. My friend Patrick, from UW, hooked us up with his cousins and extended family who live there. They are an incredible family, the absolute epitomy of Panamanian hospitality and they went out of their way for us (Grandma even rubbed our back and fed us sancocho when we had had too much to drink). Carnival itself was unreal, a binge of drinking, dancing and complete pandemonium. We spent two days soaking wet in the calles and discotecas, wandering in the dichotomy of drag queens and Panamanian polleras. We took off for Boacs del Toro the morning after the craziness, tired and hungover, but we knew we had truly experienced Carnival in its entirety. </div><br /><div><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5320872923662470354" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJ4LqciTcFPRIW_QbFvlF6l8wk_IEkBm6rLC9mHs6t12shFlViRvyzbNfLcYvGIUkGhsRPTB_wP2HKXDNRjthoFJr6O5zaO547_nqV1gukFJCf1fIR8DI02jwD_yaqNrhC2MDjnO92jD0/s320/P2240334.JPG" border="0" /><br />Our stay in Bocas del Toro was amazing. The main island, Isla Colon, feels like an overgrown fishing village, touristy but still charming and with a laid back, bohemian vibe. We stayed at a quaint little hotel in the bay of Isla Colon. The highlight of the trip was renting a boat and touring around the different islands, dolphin watching, snorkeling and surfing.<br /></div><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5320871467158336802" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjq43238xmmOnNbiF4z1Gb6OVsL_oxQmsZiLA040AwJS6efW8pZ6VKtjDjmUHZyBymDByqUhznA37m2l9nrnHz1rpfZQ1dtsB8r95a0S8tWkFX_M4sBmec9j0__-RjkGPzWoUQzqoH1THE/s320/P2260567.JPG" border="0" /><br /><div>Al final, we made it up the Chagres and to Embera Drua on the last leg of our adventures. Sharing my little village with this crew was truly amazing. We ALL fit in my little hut, believe it or not! Maren, Kevin and I took over my double bed, and Trey, Kodiak, Brent and Pug somehow fit in my big room in a careful intertwining of thermarests and mosquito nets. During the day we did the tourist spiel, learning about Embera culture and watching the dances. In the afternoon the boys played soccer with the kids, everyone got painted up in jagua and even practiced their limited Spanish trying to get to know my community members (so cute!). Ending up at my village was the perfect end to a perfect week. It meant so much to me that this group took the time off their lives in Chicago, organized themselves and made it all the way out to my little haven here in the jungle of Panama. I am truly blessed to have such great people in my life.<br /></div><br /><div><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5320869291015600306" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 214px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHTFBduFIETpimgfHkXlV_IwDXZvG-uVjuOrZ9c-edLuhASOFke0kg3F0-4Y7v-4NHKxZC5D6udFp9TI2iE1k6qh5PbhMKgkuiIG8jvzXD4l2ZMESEwsKLwwvKHY_WlKlAP6e_FuAX1lQ/s320/IMG_2639.JPG" border="0" /></div></div></div></div></div><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5320876701855620914" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 214px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6VtE1c2PL0Vpmtbci1RkrIfTmIjVVUsbK9iElktPVWwNY_hdhrdTDPJGrV6IVVBmGQ0dMXAGPPDEQl9j9Hq1iiT33oUP5-bI5Jx_84bfNPzTxuIPKuzbT55WRg7F5D9752IaVOEziWqM/s320/IMG_2608.JPG" border="0" /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5320876698134043890" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 214px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTgVBo_XT-y60aajq_ce54RApN6PhH70kHLGk2DmMOuZ_jtAWG20KctvSGcOrWqtfqWVQ3wknr4kpa26KT4BiaNRHMycOSoA81_ojwHBZXKiyguYJcodjwKcrdJq0DyuN7l2O0hY2iSxQ/s320/IMG_2620.JPG" border="0" /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5320870176207915250" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6g_kZXZQOEB-fiM2U7SapCbuWvQeSvtdd9ZxcADfDN2ZMoFqKwAT0p5I13fXXGKL1ngj9KZevQHY2RcklQqPDu94zpKXoSbqVO1y2_sgJ1ATV0k1ike-JxwlbXv-_jq3BEWRzGOu3P2E/s320/P2280756.JPG" border="0" /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5320870170854579362" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMGwg68LsfePpOiUNfaxxERKKouOVP-o-5UVpdh4dMqMFfRHgCyzQUTr9UkTMdXM1wNpPGrHuo8dN4bPuVunfd36QtmGqr8AKGuloycGkfP8YU2etoPGlPPEBhQxSKQswIdekvMLRpeYw/s320/P2270680.JPG" border="0" /></div></div></div></div></div>Amy Snyderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12277830163268086763noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-923435907362875163.post-26721109091803615782009-03-14T11:26:00.000-07:002009-03-14T12:20:07.189-07:00BECOMING A JANE OF THE JUNGLE…I’ve been working on this blog entry for months now, but each time I touch upon it, it just doesn’t come out right.<br /><br />I use this blog to sum up life in PC, and my work, but how can I really explain the day-to-day of living in this little village in the jungle? They say to paint a picture is worth a thousand words. If only these stories can begin to do so….<br /><br />-Not too long ago, I was pasear-ing (visiting) at my friend Andrea’s house. Suddenly, a big, black blob hit my head, fell into my lap, and then to the floor, and scurrying away. As it scurried away, I notice it’s a big, NASTY fat rat that fell from the rafters right on top of me. On putting it all together, I screamed absolute bloody murder, waking up Andrea’s 5 year-old son. Andrea’s husband, 3 grown brothers, mother and little 5 year-old just busted a gut laughing at me, spazzing and swatting helplessly into the air after the fact. Months later, its still one of their favorite stories to tell.<br /><br />-The community phone is right next to my hut, and also right by my old host family’s house. Everybody makes the mad dash to answer it when it rings (how exciting!). One day, while in my host family’s house, I decided to make that dash. As I sprinted across the little wood house, with a big “CRACK,” my left leg shot right through the floorboards below me. I was completely stuck, one leg under the house, one leg inside the house, crunched between the remaining floorboards. My host mother and host sisters rushed to me and helped me out of the floor, very worried. But as soon as they patched up my leg (which later turned all shades of purple) and assured that I was ok, they died laughing. My poor host father had to cut wood to patch up the floor the next day, and he wouldn’t stand to let me help him, even with a very guilty conscience.<br /><br />Where else…<br /><br />-does the village pet, a giant, 20 pound iguana, eat your personal garden? I had been slaving over my little babies, tomato, pepper and cucumber sprouts, like crazy for a month. I came back from being outside the village and found big iguana-mouth sized bites out of them.<br /><br />-can you have a heart-to-heart with a botanical doctor on a beach in the rainforest? I remember a day when I was feeling low (I think the village families were fighting and I was frustrated with my students). I went to the river for a time out, right around dusk. Suddenly from behind me appeared one of the village elders, our botanical doctor. Quietly, he sat beside me. After a few moments, he points up at the moon, and asks me “Alla en tu pueblo, se ve este tambien (la luna)?” (Translation: There, in your village, can you see this moon too?”) It was such a simple, honest question, and it immediately brought me back to the simplicity and serenity of this little village and its people. I quickly got over my problems, and fell back in love with Embera Drua.<br /><br /><div align="center">Some happenings around around Embera Drua...</div><br /><div align="center">Septic Tank Project (fancy new bathrooms to advertise to tourists!)<br /><br /></div><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5313116535612620514" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 214px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-6HLHQxmIYhK-fSUcPj4yBPZzI2JI9Bfkf1bekl51oyJEJCS3ic3h-_8CmGk19Nq3Ci2KCtvjKqHO9F-bxE59dxDbJ-BwjnhoGvCRkNMibdEEGQ5VYc3QVFIzYbp2FReKgz0koPueMt8/s320/IMG_2242.JPG" border="0" /><br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5313118630776569506" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 214px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcdGTuPs0RXrycvbDjpwC8QBSFuzSStE6J_S-BkyzQFD_30hFDlrTSQkDyYfA3tFE_p2CRBopyLIbOPx8gOG4kLH1KOwvtI53PvPNDjCqZKMF-rJyJhVIkjqAlndmGsK5D4OFrZk3xzFA/s320/IMG_2632.JPG" border="0" /><br /><div align="center">English Class Graduation (I was so proud!) </div><div align="center"><br /> </div><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5313114778262859202" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 214px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijbtRU9LHgk15B-0L3xuv-4eDSZJFZ86s5mgaOvu9WkEix2LjQhf1Un-nCGzmOwAYCggxfbwbUxP5VfKmlcqkFVPARdrsSwJo-pV66Q2G80uBdiknrMAega9dWB7LjOuz08ub9gjq8BoU/s320/IMG_2216.JPG" border="0" /><br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5313114769326750482" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 214px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifBkEz25lIJZM6awxHW6hSUqb5KKWt5uPmbW2MppQxPbg9iOgnL8de3nn2vVpSZJz1cQLsf2LVPaaTJ1haqMSSsxYiJ0_Kk9l4p7BsMTb2GztxIcDsZM0D9tboC8sIfZrZOvj5JZa6DbU/s320/IMG_2218.JPG" border="0" /><br /><div align="center">Computer and Printer Donation (so exciting!)<br /><br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5313114759167443586" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 214px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbpwtR6VpiepYnrkEJhcW8xZWRFUW74kdrLJS-J8gyGapsDt4IAQ5Ditkn1EHSpw4-liFlSGKdw358OwmmScU8ez21Ej6xP9fYD0q5294lytsz2nMJAtMiZPOFIGyZ_NcJdwyhSfXzYfg/s320/IMG_2224.JPG" border="0" /> </div><div align="center">Other fun...</div><div align="center">Cooking an Iguana (please don't send PETA after me)</div><div align="center"></div><br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5313116511514186834" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 214px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3pUhHmwppymQWQK8FTt9Ls5sSSYMsNiA5vehkkAdYL0zV1hyaJNXUnXrMwQv8zT09fbTY66GzstsZjoj3Y-eCqWGno6V_ann6kXYKxIzSzUzxeTwhGPxU-zxfKG2xa-rbDorqDr_qgqU/s320/IMG_2388.JPG" border="0" /><br /><p align="center">Where do you think beat up old baby carriages go? They're recycled for children's amusement in my village.</p><p><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5313119966596277250" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 214px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYrvvh_oV6VzkbS9f-dG_hoVmd6wCILhyphenhyphenwgvYrmppAeZVbdNaLIx_HoDDUUn_wdNrnp1shDkKn0njfbQlMjlTXWTY1lUewNjIB_LHZA5j7611oF0hHTjUMAVR-9tmEi0PGhTlCSsxsLVg/s320/IMG_2659.JPG" border="0" /></p><p align="center">One of my favorite little faces...how I love this one. Just makes my day, every day.</p><p align="center"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5313116530142541218" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 214px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-zqaMaCGCEPH8T7no8RgadqyEB5rQnKb6VCGFGh9ziGQUcVBOhro5isKFK8MbqL1ma97xVUfd7dLp781qpBpV5coKU8NIrUA06g8Vzhq6g25wy-vwekX0zveJMZmiuGp9zV2cxMQRa2M/s320/IMG_2391.JPG" border="0" /></p>Amy Snyderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12277830163268086763noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-923435907362875163.post-52844281528174123872009-03-14T10:13:00.000-07:002009-03-14T12:19:15.887-07:00CARRIBEAN VACATION! AND PC SEMINARS<div>At the end of January, I was lucky enough to hop on a parent funded Caribbean vacation! It was just Mom, Dad and myself, cruising the Caribbean seas for a week straight. It was really quite the shock; within just a few days I swiftly transported myself from my humble jungle abode to a vacation experience that embodied excess in every sense of the word. Shock aside, the food, booze and family time provided a much needed escape, and some time away helped me gain a bit of perspective and recharge my batteries before heading back to Panama. </div><div><br />Below are some picture of the trip: Mom and Dad sumo-ing in life preservers, visiting the islands of St. Maarten and Grenada, ATVing in Aruba. </div><br /><div></div><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5313097224595986786" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 214px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKr5jFKcfY0ny62fCMcb9-ZXcdOMpoA_6OoEH8J5ymRFwQortnzL9bE7po9iwRpMNE9RvtnTXhNKuuTYQN2knWiy3edxHlgFQvPcORl9-sePwOLdHIWwEkgqrdBQ5Ni8O-zWzs2IprH8Q/s320/IMG_2249.JPG" border="0" /> <img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5313123490644717298" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 214px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoJQOsymS9ACHmYA5hrg3YdrUclDgCpajwvj4ZVyqNwOnCmxrfVljDKlchBg8TEwYvDAj3BNqG5OgoJBoVJYAGAkxSh-pWFMmS_sYlwdAz5S__xsP5ichWoKsYqGc4HKVgGlDdGUJepzk/s320/IMG_2262.JPG" border="0" /><br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5313097242647831058" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 214px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAV5bJSbRX9k_1vvlK_5gArrUnt582zYanHZgSoZYFTORt899OBsunaUmtuldL7u3YFxJPGBElAmgM628_xERROukS6tELL7qVvR8z6VkogG9pXs-3ov62RtTj9RSlSQ2-TKQGdxlAJ_Q/s320/IMG_2252.JPG" border="0" /><br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5313097238622358482" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 214px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFCM5UUoT-OLPwBQV3leMHHeiTb-bn9oYVSlwMdLBDLy01jsQ-enlUGOA03_lbmOb2bqd8FJBHJx-0xSuMoVi3pGKQjBJMalH38vjFC10_1x2Z9HJdijDPjx2w3kQT-gEO8HoewoJhiaw/s320/IMG_2320.JPG" border="0" /><br />Right after my vacation, I attended a Peace Corps led leadership seminar with a community counterpart in the province of Cocle. Andrea, my counterpart, is our village’s second chief, head of our women’s association and also a very close friend. Andrea had never traveled west of Pamana City, and I think the seminar really helped to open her eyes and strengthen her confidence as a leader. She’s very young (23!), but is inherently such a leader and so well respected in our village. She’s incredibly charismatic- at the seminar she made friends from across the country and even had half the ladies there up singing and dancing in Embera during the cultural exchange night! I was so proud of her, and so glad to share her and a bit of Embera Drua with other PCVs and their counterparts.<br /><div></div><br /><div></div><br /><div><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5313099444922359090" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 214px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlzN_HPs5paSjxjZyXPZ0dOR11PS4doXe9-i0tVfr1N89ksnTLfsIpHM0r0gCmj3RG_D66gZ6JDC4kzClXzQE2hfqBZPxa2V5rtHheQ_LZqJ1a2_NGSWthSrknUY5nvip_BO8wmEaAppk/s320/IMG_2327.JPG" border="0" /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5313099455882179042" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 214px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXs1bY7b7aP8y56l7mIv9g3g9DjTLkTU2fo9dSNOh5VqevooBWYR7XMJZs4hC0l4jcyQRBux0UGK4qdq_fnUAlBLDbSb8b6C1KiC3vP_RWFOWKawc0Ho92I2Za7ykggf5xnQHiT-HJ4uI/s320/IMG_2358.JPG" border="0" /></div>Amy Snyderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12277830163268086763noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-923435907362875163.post-89230022496205141952009-02-16T10:55:00.000-08:002009-02-16T11:14:57.729-08:00Amy Snyderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12277830163268086763noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-923435907362875163.post-41405580181199211802009-01-13T07:48:00.001-08:002009-01-13T08:45:37.175-08:00CHRISTMAS AND NEW YEARS<div><div><div><div>My family came to visit for Christmas! They were my first visitors from the States, and their visit was incredible. We even spent Christmas in the village! We brought out two hams, wreath breads and fruits from the city, and shared Christmas dinner with my community. It was a beautiful dinner, and it gave my family a chance to get to know my village. Sure, there were lots of awkward silences given the language barrier, but through hand motions, smiles and thumbs up signs we got through it. And my family even stayed over a night in my hut, which means a lot for a family that’s never even been camping together! Together Annie, Danny, Mom and Dad braved the jungle, complete with bugs, mud and no indoor plumbing or electricity. I was so proud of them, and so touched that they took a time out to get to know where I live.. I think there was a moment where my host parents were standing next to my real parents together in my hut, and I just started to cry. I love my host family and this little village so much, and it was so incredible to share it with my real family.<br /><div><div><div><br /><div align="center">Dad, as usual, using his mad carving skills to cut the hams.</div><div><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5290807821594135074" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 214px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIiR7jJ7NJ-671lugOVgrQBAt3FPb9RVKrCVYKV-ZxsCa5iZOyhUvSYAGr8gyOx3IDbV9pRXPGZ7f5Err_8wchb00t2BU3wnih97XmEAW-QkZtH0BrH8ysi8166S7u93hNZy9bshrD4Xs/s320/IMG_1990.JPG" border="0" /></div><br /><div align="center">Annie and Danny all cuddled up for a night in my hut...</div><div><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5290807835651442978" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 214px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNUPV80dKCY0e_rD7fGyd9JN8iW3zEvYRXz0vIhwb3KzmtH3cF-TxAnEnL0z1Jxej-_14SmaEbXJv1UsRKfUAomxgJyuWXj5JrYWQzbHUL0IeMhjQVmmbknt8fQoJSzvXKw7YV3br1cBE/s320/IMG_2017.JPG" border="0" /></div><br /><div align="center">My parents, still with big smiles the next morning!</div><div align="center"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5290809771990706978" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 214px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjs6IZPny68l165bR1oas0PgCvA-kUFqSHrnGykw1fSN47Tw8S01ienAH2u8MACQzFtao79M8oJv0tpqyooBqoJUVewF4UgDtHRgMl8wwKRTAKztnROkOMUXeiykw_GSTUkseBTzQWfQ2g/s320/IMG_2018.JPG" border="0" /> </div><div align="center"> </div><div align="center"></div><div align="center">Mom and Annie, on our trip to our waterfall the next day.<img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5290813644784852834" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 214px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBOhLiOySLNI8tfbilEZgGajN1Z6tmJjBH2YhQ2T7aPci1Ne9CvvMYqDfvy53T56FGxcgCYNZaB62skWKfznu41uxBYLKCjSHP0AObVjfTl_2Jv3iqod7_ArAEHwoyT72Mwkhpktt0oEU/s320/IMG_2051.JPG" border="0" /><br />Here are pics some more pics from our trips around Panama (here Cerro Ancon, the beach at Santa Clara and dinner on the Causeway). </div><br /><div align="center"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5290819954910742946" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 214px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0bnk6xAyTzqY4yOzOS2CL7jgsea7W3IM6xiqeruMecm97zZXbCysM0XKriOWhOJ6HMRbc-ehRmHozlzqGpp0JWxmMiCXODYi_RQtfbilY29ylnEJbx7h0m2hPjLOGOTReB4NM2OTX64s/s320/IMG_1907.JPG" border="0" /><br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5290809769758857506" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 214px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZe9tvib2Wt5KRAf12ZivDKBgYABxqTi44hakT27pznnADqHvHHHr6Lkzf9czZY7UKPQLP-A9LX10t4miyxyto-7AONAx1oUP93eXFP5ElBpjfVLmwZRjYDjY3U_spWg0fZHhJddxNSMw/s320/IMG_2066.JPG" border="0" /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5290809778657097170" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 214px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHRtCNQZlfCxd9bWTUpewgha4u0m2oZPLLdw41o_FJR-f7yeBTrCiNJYcxsHb7TsUPdCWDBs4P6nlVidjj5ZH7hW8Dc1N8YGY517myib688Pmb-enrP_OjWX_xPwR1oUsNM4GJN2myD7w/s320/IMG_2070.JPG" border="0" /> <img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5290813648133646114" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 214px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYC94-8pBvofq2jsdTd2CQTrx9Iat0qJ9a1mMsHGqC2gJxGHf8Ucw3PFC8KjxBGgn-nm849LsqEMre3xZBvqvHw-7KwCKUfv4i4v_40s5B6Sa5XiESt8d-3CtYSF4zQb3YsAYK0fCRv7I/s320/IMG_2060.JPG" border="0" /><br />New Year’s Eve was equally amazing as Christmas. Together with the New Year, we celebrated the graduation of my architect, Aries, from high school. At 33 years old, he finally found the funds to go back and complete his secondary education. We were so proud of him! He’s in a picture below here spiffed up in a white collared shirt and tie that a friend of his bought him. He’s been such an inspiration to some of the younger community members, real proof that education doesn’t have age limits. </div><br /><div align="center"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5290816747823308082" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 214px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioZ6iGg2nn-yFv5ZOVn9tMfRNqsRoMxHnTQeWgmTFfbzgpphLBW-5PUJ4Zy23jT6NBFuTgTsVnCIuhjzg1dnm9uYX2el7sWC8zMshDMDogEjiU3hbfNkv-bk-xxox4GDbBpii8v8dSaN0/s320/IMG_2109.JPG" border="0" /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5290816764353637890" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 214px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhu1ODUW0Mjf-Ivv_bSAyTFhoEvxVp4R-A2dThzQw_aVwZX5TWHHQjB_vdwojfLpIHYnMT3K60A7u4lmaSRdruxcVqTCfE8nEyBzffNBQfrYKRiAYCS_5d1mjcY7gMj1-pNndIhPKGLKkg/s320/IMG_2111.JPG" border="0" /></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div>Amy Snyderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12277830163268086763noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-923435907362875163.post-65192007504063511642009-01-13T07:04:00.000-08:002009-01-13T07:38:32.133-08:00Mother´s DayPanamanian Mother ’s Day was so much much fun! During the day, our village put together various, Field Day-ish games for the mothers. Then, at the end of the day, they put together a very traditional event. They tied some money and alcohol into a little bag, and roped it to the top of a 25- 30 foot pole, greased with oil the way up. The village mothers then proceeded to construct human pyramids to fight their way to the top for it. It was hysterical! After nearly 2 hours, a combination of men and women finally made their way to the top and split up the contents of the bag. A lot of a work for a small profit, but it was all in the spirit of fun (and it kept the village entertained for hours!)<br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5290801176770090722" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 214px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgb0e6ulpJJQwP8iOQZ1snRAHoBTp_mv_mBPwuB73e29qoy2KrQv34lmRv4KVPleBWIOoXNZSQb3N6yufm_P8ctQMzi8CkGefquazW-1dMQ7aV-fLOraDgGfYiqDEq0-shHCk4ag1crMnc/s320/IMG_1830.JPG" border="0" /> <div><div></div><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5290801189827717490" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 214px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTO45ywsV8ncR4X9sOtqEI28nSZkq9FlG5lt_MI3gR-4Za5CG55X2NsICjTLphMwo1HzsIOrz2R8SUZDd8ba-rV4eDA2CTeIywfU3IZxXJ56x3st-46HtPHN5g6ixDudg5qdTvokq_Tjk/s320/IMG_1846.JPG" border="0" />Later, the men came back with arroz con pollo (chicken and rice, a very Panamanian dish). In past years, apparently they’ve cooked, but I guess this year they got a little lazy and bought the dish down-river. Probably best that way, as men here don’t cook too often! <div></div><div>Before they had the big meal, other village elders helped to bring out the abuelita of the village from her house. This abuelita is the great, great grandmother of the village. In our village we have 5 generations, and she is the head of them all, the oldest member of our community (her husband Emiliano, one of our founders, passed away several years ago). When they brought her out, everyone just treated her like a queen, from her own children to her great, great grandchildren. </div><br /><div align="center">Here she is, the abuelita, queen of Embera Drua!<img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5290798183609780018" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 214px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFW6s7Auza91ys6aWtDKpcWjJIMsUzUrmEgxyLyRoI4b-p0uXUtQVbgl18rp7GrhdDL1-LED-ggCrJdOYQkLe_6HdOkbT-OgwZfsMeuc-UT0SHmtSehO2JvTW5WheMUElFnAumKqdb4D8/s320/IMG_1861.JPG" border="0" /></div><div align="center">Me and my host mama (translate to Embera: mu papa!)</div><div align="center"> </div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJsKF2PMmmIRUkDaUX1izhgkVwcBvfXtlVJTOsxdaP_CyHjjXRpDejXrBvDzWItyHu_dZXvyWOg9cQDq2HSgCzlx_nyv0uB5ec79KXOMgApyYaZyz1aBDG8jb16vuIoXo7d05q2Q2nBls/s1600-h/IMG_1869.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5290798190924223522" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 214px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJsKF2PMmmIRUkDaUX1izhgkVwcBvfXtlVJTOsxdaP_CyHjjXRpDejXrBvDzWItyHu_dZXvyWOg9cQDq2HSgCzlx_nyv0uB5ec79KXOMgApyYaZyz1aBDG8jb16vuIoXo7d05q2Q2nBls/s320/IMG_1869.JPG" border="0" /></a> </div></div>Amy Snyderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12277830163268086763noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-923435907362875163.post-89316163225007060372008-11-29T07:39:00.000-08:002008-11-29T08:08:20.811-08:00<div><br /><div><div>At last, HAPPY HOUSEWARMING! During my time in the city for the lesch escapade, my host dad and architect put the finishing touches onto my little jungle “chosa”, including a small walled-in bedroom addition and a little table. Traditionally, Embera houses don’t have walls, and families eat meals cross–legged on the floor without tables or chairs. Needless to say, I was incredibly touched to come home to such a surprise.<br /><div><div><br /><div>I was able to persuade my boss to use his site check-up as a move-in opportunity. I brought a double mattress, an oven and a stove 45 minutes upriver and into the jungle by canoe. He called me “ye-ye” (Panamanian slang for comfort and luxury), but I don’t much mind. Little comforts, like a real mattress and an oven in which to bake cookies, will make me the happiest little gringita in the jungle.<br /></div><div><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5274108309511699234" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 214px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijEJiyE-QZT4Q_zK0DJfdhL04LKwxCJ1AH06_HkoKlZYw2ONPiePumkNuNFtVVM6w3y0Gp1YNtJUnkx798BYrW643IfCgzikcBgxbEbBhRDaWY_vaZ4j4pCI97pHXdmXikEca83ipekH0/s320/IMG_1720.JPG" border="0" /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5274108321811411202" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 214px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcVke1jXEd0tZ7TENPcPfxK1odkN9Jb3dxgJAVYGNZfA6z_1Nlfmc3UrtwhoYf8JcHHDNCxHdDdGlnq-snGrI6row3EgeBTUrX5O_VMdART9XvOMBCeXxlHs0R0hCSc_TzDi52iWj_HQs/s320/IMG_1724.JPG" border="0" /><br />My welcome home also coincided with my first full-body jaguar paint! Below is my picture. I think it’s pretty spectacular. Unfortunately, I agreed to the painting without remembering I had to go into Panama City the very next day. I was quite the spectacle. I caught many perplexed stares, commentaries from wide-eyed kids (“Mira la gringa, mama!”), and I also noted that as I sat on the bus one man shifted away from me for fear I would rub off on his nice, white button-down. Yeah, definitely “bien pintada.” But to anyone outside of my village, “bien ridículo.” Que va!</div><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5274108303527289282" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 214px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3r5ZgFL6JLSvr_3_JrLVO8OBuK0PiZq92y5O8U0KZOoFO5_yvpBXoXtcq9GdUyDYpBs2kDp2zJBhAg9-1kkNTNRKqCzdrRPnBptzuLf_6vb2LwAm_kg5v8mX9K_PpBa_rWvLGDSkcEMw/s320/IMG_1743.JPG" border="0" /><br />Back to work! I started back up with my English classes after my medical time-out. Three weeks in the city left me with a good amount of time to lesson plan, and I came back energized with new ideas and handouts. I was impressed by my adult students’ enthusiasm in starting back up, and I was so proud at their retention of our first three months’ lessons.<br /><div><br />Luckily, I was able to meet with IPACOOP (the Panamanian agency that supports cooperatives) frequently during my stay in the city. We just put the finishing touches on our feasibility study, and it should be ready for submission next week (end of November). Fingers crossed that all goes well. After we find out if we’re approved, it will be a long process of trainings and implementation. Cooperatives must work very transparently, and submit reports and financial statement to IPACOOP. I’m excited to be involved in this (that’s my inner analytical finance geek talking), but I’m also very worried about my community infrastructure. Our tourism group leaders (including our treasurer) are smart and incredibly hard workers, but most have not gone beyond the 6th grade and have never been given the skills needed to run a business. IPACOOP will provide trainings to new cooperatives, but I hope that we can devise a good system internally for making sense of our operations and money. Currently, I’m fervently exploring options for a community laptop, as there’s a good amount of money that moves from tourism in this little village and it would be such an asset in improving the ease and transparency of their day-to-day book keeping and record retention. </div><div><br />Another huge issue that we’re making headway on: cost analysis and pricing. In the past, prices have been rather arbitrarily set. They also haven’t been raised in sync with the rising cost of gasoline (about 60% of the cost to get to our little jungle village). In late September, myself and our tourism president attended a Peace Corps tourism seminar in Bocas del Toro, arranged by my boss (see pictures below!) It was a fantastic experience for all of our community members; my counterpart asked my boss to come to our village and give a similar seminar to all Embera communities in the canal area. On November 13th, Pablo came to the community and put on a fabulous seminar, focusing on cost analysis and determining appropriate pricing. He also did a fantastic section on group work and leadership. All of the canal communities are currently working on creating new tariffs, and we hope to present to tour agencies before this coming year.</div><div> </div><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5274111013741339778" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 214px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDFvGpYO9iwqQ5Qc15q7q4Ssbd66wxbd_05df675_2eM7-nAIYGkypFtYG68b0QWvAFKo0Nk4lyBGECEnw6-CmBJGm6PxyQJD8BjEWcen61r96RIUdchLHsBAHxOsQ7dpaLu_CEEDzPP8/s320/IMG_1777.JPG" border="0" /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5274111025112398370" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 214px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUvaH-xM8wN1apOoV3IMDp_Mi9c1JyCq1EA-fvmCag9R4Eh19oirpX35Dw6eNKV7GrXoWl1Qf6LkelGJM6NZXRzOhsmxBYenKccG_00yXt4UwkqADEJneuzOCTv-bV0fuJAJqyf-4iepI/s320/IMG_1781.JPG" border="0" /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5274111031776277858" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgv4ISztZBDyu_t_CDa1g37UTQmapVTxfGMptTukixG1ADqEOTRk2LhlYApMBku1y3q-h5qXfVAxThC5WCgu040HLmJqEBAs-4Gd5WGOgCESgvMwB1RAmJyf-GtCt74K775cGRzQmBfkwI/s320/IMG_2179.jpg" border="0" /></div></div></div></div></div>Amy Snyderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12277830163268086763noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-923435907362875163.post-7896408685415528822008-10-12T11:13:00.000-07:002008-10-12T11:25:42.181-07:00LESCHMANIASIS<div>No Peace Corps experience would be complete without a crazy, tropical disease, right? </div><div><br />3 months into service, and I’ve got mine. I have Leschmaniasis, a parasitic infection transmitted by sand flies, which manifests itself in big, ugly open ulcerations on the skin. I can remember when the little bugger bit me, and I few weeks later my itch turned into a big red sore on my inner upper arm. Gross. At first, our Peace Corps doctor was optimistic, and sent me back to site with topical crèmes and antibiotics. Then when it didn’t go away, she sent me to a dermatologist to be biopsied. The doc shot me with anithesia, cut a little piece out of the sore (real creepy) and put it in a bottle. A few days later I had my answer: LESCH.</div><div><br />My community cures leschmaniasis, like all health problems, with plants. When I began to ask around the village about the sore on my arm, everyone proudly showed me their own leschmaniasis scars on their legs, arms and face. Needless to say, this being an everyday occurrence in my village made it quite difficult to explain to everyone why I had to go into the city for PC mandated, Western medicine. </div><div><br />Now I’m in Panama City, wishing I had been more receptive to plants in lieu of needles. My treatment is 20 straight days of Glutamine IVs. It’s not bad, I just don’t much like being pricked with needles on a regular basis (and who does, right?) But besides constantly having an IV strapped to the back of my hand, being here in Panama City is somewhat of a vacation. I’m enjoying the indoor plumbing, electricity and internet. Luckily, there’s been some PC volunteers trekking through the city for regional meetings and medical checkups, so I’ve had good company. And I’ve actually even managed to make some new friends by bumming around the cities cafes.</div><div><br />While I’m in the city, I would love the chance to catch up with as many friends and family as possible. I am reachable on my cell (a huge plus versus my community phone where it can be rather difficult to communicate with and/or entice small children to come find me), so I hope to do some catching up with many of you!</div><div> </div><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5256334848036059634" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbJT3GaQnHdYco3XsjXd6adkatKXExPWdGUnmjvmXn0-KH49U6HHvelAgIWj4A01sNw0qxYTAOHvce5xm24E6nM0MYmQSgv6OPYh5iWc8VDJyK-FfJvf744u1VldO-8WwbWmClmR4aUKY/s320/IMG_1669.JPG" border="0" />Amy Snyderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12277830163268086763noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-923435907362875163.post-46171141809539532422008-10-05T14:17:00.001-07:002008-10-05T16:15:50.212-07:00HOME SWEET HUT<div align="left">Amy’s HOME SWEET HUT is just about done! A few weeks back, my community organized a big 2-day junta, and we cut just about everything needed for construction. On Day 1 we cut penca (the palm leaves that make up the roof), and on Day 2 we cut the jira (wood from a certain tree here that makes for a strong, yet very flexible floor).<br /><br />So I don’t know much about constructing houses or huts, but I do know how to throw a party. And nothing makes people work with more “animo” than food and booze. To feed everyone, I bought 12 GIANT chickens to make Panama’s traditional dish, sanchocho (which is more or less a glorified chicken soup). Luckily, I well overbought, so men, women and children were all able to eat. </div><div align="left"><br />As much as I had enjoyed going to the mountain to cut the frame of my house, for the junta I stayed at home with the ladies. There’s only so much defying of gender roles an American gal can do here in rural Panama. But what an experience my days in the kitchen were! At first, I was very timid in the kitchen. Anyone who knows me well can vouch that a combination of my impatience and love for dining out has always kept me from really learning how to operate a stove or oven. But the ladies of Embera Drua were fantastic teachers, and I think they had a lot of fun telling me what to do. In a few days, they had me slicing and dicing chicken carcasses and even cooking over a fogon. Not sure if either of these skills will be of use in downtown Chicago, but now I sure know how to cook for a small army in the jungle. </div><div align="left"><br />As you can see from the photos, the junta was a great time. I did have some frustrations with some of the muchachos of my community drinking too much and conveintently disappearing when the booze was gone and it was time to hoist the pencas and put the roof together (note my rather unamused face in one of the shots below). But all in all, it was such a great experience to watch my community all work together to accomplish something. I nearly cried on the morning of Day 2 of the junta. I came out of the house from counting nails, and saw my host dad AND mom, in the rain, aligning penca to finish off my roof, and I got all teary. It was then that I realized just how much I love this little village.</div><div align="left"><br />The house should be all finished off this coming week! My architect (as I like to call him), fell very ill for a bit and we held off on finishing touches. I still don’t know quite what ailed him; he’s afraid of hospitals and our traditional medicine man thinks he just has “viento,” or gas. Regardless, he’s now doing quite well and all that’s left to do is close in a little room for me to sleep in. I can’t wait. As much as I love my host family and love living with them, I’m a grown woman used to living alone, and I need my space. That, and I’m so ready to cook for myself (I’ve had about all the fish and plantains I can stomach), and I can’t wait to decorate. Jungle motif, perhaps? ;)<br /><br /></div><div align="center">First pasos...my pile of wood, first cut, framing out the house, and proof that Embera have incredible balancing abilities...</div><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5253786117025540690" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9c3SiPebPpZrJc5AqxNVGCTxR1LZ6bTUVn214mBIWinql1c_VtOC1h4vgbeT83erS1kcpkrl1iCUYEEQxvZI6_nXC2Khzz_HBtk1R5uWMw1PzLdz1OgZ0ujULxrJ_GdkMNw8-rF6JmKA/s320/IMG_1479.JPG" border="0" /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5253806305386963618" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyXfCQoiv51NTi8B3DwWXOI6-nZbGPHHNWfuOj0_xx-_708ksdPy-YQR-xc1VPehyMs7WBXvDa2eOZH-VF1uUCw-C1u5M1jXEAVis-B_jMO4gp3QLxpi_BpoPQyrY6N8FSuo882F_50cI/s320/IMG_1482.JPG" border="0" /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5253786126297290306" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgenxvsFLfmT-T8KDc2TAZbaQkZlkpjb3WpCN0FIbBdaWsQX3-VLmOHbK9C9Y_hg9MFE-vT-jFFq933Acc1qJ8gI17VSHXuJeUVC4_PKXomtIJoeintpWrnsQDxjJ5bYUOLx2Jw_s-tB9U/s320/IMG_1530.JPG" border="0" /> <img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5253808701295489010" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcdkLuNh7lfNB94UcV0p5KOvkrIoRj8wK9HByFjMT_GTCs-BJwmoPnUVydozDBtp_JQG3UlUCEox7xBCzUyyw_7dPwZfIr3tjM-VZevjp_2df9vVf1iRSA0XWWsZmJHsESyVfWVjK9ugw/s320/IMG_1544.JPG" border="0" /> <p align="center">A couple of my favorite workers take a rest :)</p><div align="center"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5253790467319196338" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi87-ZMMdaNltD8iVfL72XHjSUnVw-_jCK6Ti-DCBZLR-4LtQ-c8RiIbL5wRvC9mWJptLe4ejbrlmFLBfPgU60SaGVvV0zpPZvJUaX7JJ1X52Btrlml2ckmRGfeLHALdpboLw4ZCqtkPLM/s320/IMG_1565.JPG" border="0" /></div><p align="center">Making sancocho with the ladies, and serving it up to the hungry gente!</p><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5253790462171629378" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiUZ0zpPkiG8BTKeueLUoTxFWiYtwKcBa_G6vjf0G8KAYQe1Fd9OPC8BRv7Wcaf4dISFnbyelvIEtUI-mLUQrEmtLLlNiYWHMp5n79p3v_dSzbBqhu1QRSMJ4bxgtS8DRavjipVIB9EIw/s320/IMG_1555.JPG" border="0" /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5253808706123024594" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGjbJR_7umCKutlw3vJkoPqU9VyHC89IxHykbtF0h1XloILuQ5GR4uSJmXGYljD6Hf9bb3tNtvUB9l23uOtHgwQdx6jLobzEY0v6Tyvz8ZyXbXH4zvmxdXmEE1vuGrLBqacHai4veAFPk/s320/IMG_1586.JPG" border="0" /> <p align="center">Carrying palms STRAIGHT uphill for my roof!</p><p><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5253803427248349874" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9tmeqOhuyBAKwyz7ohcDUO5jbKbXrzgNcPh9Hg6mC66FbkD2cmr2VZBa6rghdAlr_7YDGsAKjtifOk5J9BpjOqPa6okjlCzOjRu23c6gFkaHWEiQ0yXFIunKoarNh_mY2rynu4WMPLtU/s320/IMG_1561.JPG" border="0" /></p><p align="center">Yup, that's me! Hard at work, hoisting penca :)</p><p><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5253808710500297714" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhG0L1AOJFrDMi5697pYHRgG_stJY7lx_8mApel113LdIAIrIKBS5VGshboYTSa5P-JH5rRaa6qFkCR2LGr6ddE031Qz3PFAqgK8VsrQwvhVq6uuEL2-5Ajs1QMZPF9RmRNmKBBg7F_wjA/s320/IMG_1610.JPG" border="0" />Embera roofs are put together bottom-up, and then you've got to slide your way down!</p><p align="center"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5253803419687046482" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNg8DWJixH8BpzZin8jVErf63-BLoRHeG8fKCSoX8aNf7KKIIAI8foycVS1xn-EhHPcjQfw_oC9MyA6lxgfzEDOoB5EzWJm_flJvDfxxzXYhA2JX9tGL4tu8ZbVkcFTcL11vyToj9pszs/s320/IMG_1655.JPG" border="0" />Junta fun! </p><p align="center"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5253790479924292786" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbCPYvflRkDzWpyjmW3PBmL5kwWgyIn-hQJyvroWbQgYT5gsBUpFY43oYhgwJcpTGrUOF71UJ9MGcRfWqY91wDtZmUt7qoPB-sQdhkuZGu-eGSgOhiP2rS-XWdFWd4FnB3vqnPHnfBvaA/s320/IMG_1598.JPG" border="0" /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5253790477144963522" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhwSMGRDmfLjKZJbIuO7v4C2yIjbB_c52zMeLL_DC0-f5JEziWLlYXYkDYaKF48hg5ZD6NgRLaLgaZz9XiprIzQj99c0h7cuN3z2uHqzER1OyNgLW9ZytNH3mWwQPRtm0fxoM8zGmJJ2c/s320/IMG_1590.JPG" border="0" /> At last....HOME SWEET HUT! My architect Auristo, me, and my host dad Adan.</p><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5253803415540809026" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1rkWxC0ynrq8xhMmYjsk7nok4l43iS5-Ad0azNF_UBdjPV3pFz3XTvmNiTM3IsDjniZVxwkYt8EDFLd5mJFHAKNOX8KGHEd9PwmdGM6rctBRqxWB4A91tY-Rht_e_unLyec93AZV53TA/s320/IMG_1658.JPG" border="0" />Amy Snyderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12277830163268086763noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-923435907362875163.post-81146733643971216082008-08-01T08:38:00.000-07:002008-12-12T23:18:04.466-08:00RELIGONI have single handedly witnessed all that is wrong with organized religion. I debated long and hard on whether to post this entry, but eventually decided I'd ¨go to post¨ with my thoughts on one of my most difficult experiences thus far in site.<br /><br />Our community church, set high at the top of the village hill, was recently donated by an elderly gospel preacher from Oklahoma. This preacher has been coming to my community for nearly 20 years, trying to convert the Embera people into good Christians.<br /><br />Not too long ago, this preacher paid us a visit to look after the church and give a guest sermon. Our of respect for our visitor, and as my host father sings at church services, I attended his service. After several songs and dances, our American guest gave his sermon (through the help of a translator). The sermon was full of the expected evangelical “do nots”: do not smoke, do not drink, do not have pre-marital sex. But this sermon also fervently condemned bodily exposure, repeatedly stating the shame in exposing our skin. Shocked, I thought, how ridiculously out of context is this sermon is in a culture where women do not wear shirts and traditional menswear is loin clothes. I looked around, and noticed that all those Embera in attendance at the sermon had put on shirts and long skirts, and listened to the preacher with heads bowed to the ground.<br /><br />Frustrated and confused (I actually had to leave mid-sermon), the next day I spoke with my friend Andrea in the community. She explained that this preacher constantly tells community members, especially women, to cover their bodies, and that when she’s painted with the traditional Embera “jagua” (paint) he tells her that she’s ugly and God does not love her.<br /><br />Good Lord. Does this man, who claims he loves the Indians so, have any regard or respect for their culture? I don’t care your religion or your personal beliefs- how can you spend time amongst a culture as beautiful and natural as the Embera, and tell them to cover who they are? And after a 20 year history visiting our little village, shouldn't this man know that these practices rob them not only of their identity but also of the economic substance on which they now successfully self-sustain; by covering their bodies, their tradition and their culture, they lose the very ESSENCE of who they are, and further, that unique people who tourists from around the world pay to see. Ridiculous. Ignorant. Sad.<br /><br />Thankfully, our little church is a source of inspiration for so many community members. For one family, it embodies hope for eventual release after years of family sickness; for my host dad (previously an alcoholic), a steady reminder of faith in his own abilities and in something bigger than him to pull through his tougher times. Beautiful, and all that relgion should be. But how sad that all this good has to come in a package as ignorant as this gospel preacher from Oklahoma? Because what good is this hope, and this “Dios” that they’ve come to know from this revered white man, if it makes them feel so bad about their culture and who they are as a people?<br /><br />The reality of this relationship breaks my heart. And amidst my own struggle with God and what faith means to me, I clearly don’t have the answers to this complex intertwining of religion, culture and human beings. But someone I hope that in growing closer to my community that I can help rekindle the cultural pride and self-confidence that so many have lost at the expense of this gospel message. Recently, some visitors to our community explained to the village their idea of a just God who loves ALL people. When people recount their visit to me, I see such relief in their faces as their shame fades away, and it nearly brings tears to my eyes.<br /><br />My community, and all Embera people, hold such a deep connection to their family, culture and ancestors. It is a relationship that continues to amaze me the more time I spend here. I dearly hope that amidst these changing times, and moving forward in their years, that they can protect their beautiful cultural identity, sense of community, and sense of sense.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsyDe5OTMpqnh8NFDtpjMG7MzjTVR_LPBYzsgiyvzPn6FjdgFqnkc1Q0EKRsThk74G2A5mqMaVaMTPbzhQ7OE6ameiOMXtQIlvlBhTykdGwIFUQ2Gnx7kDfJ3YgcYyYiMNaooXDsqtRNE/s1600-h/IMG_1369.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5229575196754452482" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsyDe5OTMpqnh8NFDtpjMG7MzjTVR_LPBYzsgiyvzPn6FjdgFqnkc1Q0EKRsThk74G2A5mqMaVaMTPbzhQ7OE6ameiOMXtQIlvlBhTykdGwIFUQ2Gnx7kDfJ3YgcYyYiMNaooXDsqtRNE/s320/IMG_1369.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><div></div>Amy Snyderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12277830163268086763noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-923435907362875163.post-41314885880765138942008-07-25T14:20:00.000-07:002008-12-12T23:18:05.117-08:00<div>About a month in-site, work is really starting to take off! Just 2 weeks ago, I began my English classes. From Monday- Friday, I teach 3 different classes: Level 2 for those with some (although limited) knowledge of the English language (mostly self taught!), and Level 1 for women and Level 1 for men (so that the kiddies are never home alone). So far, it has been a fantastic experience. I never would have thought I’d enjoy teaching so much. The first few classes were a bit shaky, with my 40 plus students starting right at me, propped forward in their seats with shiny new notebooks open, eager to learn. Intimidating? Yes. But now I love the energy of the classroom; it allows me to share my love of languages with others interested. I love the concentrated stares on my students’ faces as they struggle with English sounds, and the look of complete satisfaction when they can finally wrap their tongue around the funny new words. My heart just melts every time I go to the river in the morning to bathe, and kids greet me in a dozen little voices with “Good morning, teacher!” And I seriously think I teared up the other day when I hear our boat captain confidently ask a tourist “Where are you from, sir?”<br /><br />It’s still incredibly early in my service, but I am absolutely amazed by the perseverance of my community members. Most of my students haven’t even made it to 6th grade. And Embera is everyone's first language, so most people barely even understand the workings of Spanish.<br /><br />Other than teaching, I have been keeping busy with other projects. Our tourism group is currently in the midst of forming a cooperative, so I’ve been meeting often with the government co-op agency, as well as a professor from a local university who’s volunteering his time to put together a feasibility study for us. Our treasurer has given me his archives from the past year, and I have been sorting through our incomes and expenses. I’m impressed, with just a pencil, paper and basic 10-key calculator, our treasurer does a darn good job. But we’re hoping that in the near future, from various inquires to NGOs, we’ll eventually be able to secure a computer. This would be fantastic. Not only would make our co-op’s accounting so much easier, but those few, strong-willed students who continue their studies past 6th grade could have access to the programs as well.<br /><br />What else? Ah! Construction on Amy’s jungle hut is nearing. The past week was a full moon, therefore a good time to cut materials, bug-free. As all the men in the community were going up river to do some cutting, I felt I had to try my hand as well. Heck, I wasn’t going to sit on my “trasero” while the rest of the world was working on MY house. Most of the women in the village thought I was nuts, but I set out on a cutting trip the other day. And it was great! I live in a National Park, so the primary jungle that surrounds us is absolutely picturesque. I did have one HUGE scare though, when all the men had me absolutely CONVINCED that a far off brustling in the trees meant a tiger (yes, tiger) was nearing. I nearly wet my pants. And after catching my breath, yelled fiercely in the only Embera I know. Another reminder of my trip: the mountain is STRAIGHT UPHILL, and 3 days later, my body is still aching in ways it’s never ached in all my years of sports and physical activities. But we proudly came back with 2 “palos” for the cross section of my roof, and I couldn’t be happier. In just a few weeks, when all materials are collected, a construction “junta” should follow. I can’t wait.</div><div> </div><div>Below are some pictures from community life: my mother and I at home making some chicha de maíz (corn drink) and fishing up river with my host family.</div><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5229571841005717890" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgomaVSJBf5YkB3y_1JH35WulltV17Y7JnFDN5dlEdcjNx09sY11PlBMNAWRM4VxTHt7fTpY-8I-E8TS2L72C_Inh-7Aic6AbJkDHgd4mUpDRyZOvgH96jpkM4lyKBtO96x4haTxKfNtlw/s320/IMG_1377.JPG" border="0" /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5229571831552282898" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9GsGMKmSZA8SgDnGb4VWHx22eHWJeSNTDirSW7HP3YQIN3aYgM-5iRBdjV9BZbkj0tBo3Wa9VZ2p8k_2sx6eo5cgqWhYQK4wHPNJW6L7IJ8SUTliBWzgUM4l-vauCKymhlxd-tJYFz8s/s320/IMG_1388.JPG" border="0" /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5229571825448426130" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJ8uNau2JO6kPuN0CMx8sCadBnwmR4ERK6nBE3eeOmH_V8qajxEvo8CU-WDi2v97fF_roNwHj1K3GhPQyplkYQGnsJMTpeYwJmFeANQBWa0zftLvUBv4Z3D2DNLGELabtGchwmyl6kbzk/s320/IMG_1398.JPG" border="0" />Amy Snyderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12277830163268086763noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-923435907362875163.post-77844541883206179772008-07-10T15:03:00.000-07:002008-12-12T23:18:07.071-08:00FIRST IMPRESSIONSI was incredibly hesitant to take my beloved laptop out of hiding, but I think the benefits of my journaling thoughts, experiences and emotions far outweigh any surprise that my host family may have of an over-connected “gringa” living amongst them. It’s now a huge relief to be able to chronicle freely, what I’ve been doing and thinking since I first arrived in Embera Drua.<br /><br />My site visit a few weeks back was fabulous. Yes, the jungle stills scares me. But I’m very influenced by first impressions and that has been fantastic; I can’t even explain how welcomed I felt in my first week here. My first canoe ride up the Chagres River and to my community intimidated me (it was also storming, and the canoe shook wildly as the men pushed our way upriver). The other community members laughed at my nervousness the whole way up. Finally, we rounded the last curve of the river, and I saw the community for the first time. Embera Drua is positioned high up on a hill over the river, its little thatched huts peering down over the edge. Carrying my luggage, the men in the boat led me up the steep mud staircase, across the open cuadro and to my host family’s house. Before I had even set my bags down, I was greeted by my host dad, Adan. He’s an older gentlemen, with a perpetual ear-to- ear grin that shows off a mouthful of gold teeth. He immediately pulled a plastic chair across the palm wooded floors and instructed me to be sit down beside him. Sonia, my host mother, curled up in a chair beside him. They proceeded to discharge a laundry list of questions, not the intrusive kind, but of the welcoming “can’t wait to get to know you” nature. I instantly knew I would like living in their house.<br /><br />I now share a bedroom with Adan and Sonia’s two teenage daughters, Yamileth and Yarisel. They’re lovely. And I feel incredibly lucky to have a host family that actually has an enclosed room, as most Embera houses are simple, one room huts. All my meals are now with my host family, which usually consist of some version of fried fish from the river and sliced, squashed and fried plantains called patacones. I pay my rent to my host family in food instead of money; when I first arrived I brought with me some staples that are harder to find in the river and jungle: rice, oil, lentils. I also keep a stash of granola bars at all times, for “emergencies” as I call them, but really just relief from grease overload.<br /><br />My community seems thrilled to have a Peace Corps volunteer. On the second day of my site visit, our chief (Noko) introduced me at a community meeting, and then himself and various members of the tourism board explained how long they’ve waited for a volunteer and how much work there is to be done. First and foremost, they’re incredibly enthusiastic about learning English, as they have boatloads of tourists, mostly from North America and Europe, arriving each day. Additionally, the community has many different tourism projects in mind and even underway; examples include an artisanry cooperative, use of a newly donated computer for accounting, and even a solar panel project. Everywhere I’ve gone my first few weeks here, someone is bringing up another different community needs and/or project ideas. Although a bit overwhelming (how many of these are actually feasible/needed/or even real), I’m so thankful there’s such strong work ethic and forward-thinking in my community.<br /><br />Highlights of my site visit included:<br /><br />-Helping my host family to unload a canoe full of supplies to stock their small, community store. It was storming (yet again), and my host father parked his canoe at the point in the river with the steepest incline up to the community. And my host father gave ME the large carton of eggs to carry. Seriously, was this a joke, or some kind of test to see if I could really be their adoptive daughter? I made it safely, but my host mother watched me teeter on the way up, and followed directly behind me, a box of oil over her head, making sure I didn’t fall back down.<br /><br />- A visit up the mountain, with host brother Joel and host cousin Johnny, to learn where the villagers usually can catch cell phone signal. After a half-hour uphill trek, muddy from the rain (and stupidly attempted in Reef sandals), I began to check my messages. No sooner had I begun, when I hear this deep, vibrating hooting all around me, which nearly knocks me back down the monte. Yes, there I was, checking my messages amongst the mountain monkeys. I quickly finished, and attempted to head back down the monte, but my Reef sandal slid straight ahead of me in the mud, carrying my legs straight forward and sending me down the monte on my back. Joel and Johnny lingered up at the top of the hill, dying of laughter. When we arrived back to the village, Johnny has to tell EVERYONE about how the “gringa got scared and fell down the monte.” (Note: Instead, I now catch a boat down to the port to check messages, or if it’s sunny I can sit on the aqueduct’s water tanks, tilt my head to the side a bit, and SOMETIMES catch a bar or two).<br /><br />-Bathing in the river when the aqueduct dried up (which happens a WHOLE lot). Funny that when my host mom first told me there wasn’t water, I just about died. I asked where I could bathe, and she pointed "pa 'alla" and down the river. But after making my way down that muddy staircase, and then down onto the sandy beach and the perfectly calm, undisturbed river, I realized I was in my own, private National Geographic special. And bathing in the river is a fantastic excuse for an early morning swim. Until the tourist boats show up, that is. From then on, I prefer faucets and water jugs.<br /><br /><br />Below are some photos from my community, including my counterpart, Johnson, the head of the tourism group, our chief, some women traditional dancing, and some little Embera wera (girls).<br /><br /><br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5221513358476636610" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkZHJD9AHUJ1Se1OT1OldbyehnElcPcW3_1pZJ_4QEocvxuXiAYlsG8_kXxMFQlPUiaRDunIZm1BDUESqJuS-NRlzDFy-JBI4HL9Nnd4qaNOzrbN3eWy4v2n_76gW3JwxG7T1FU-3wW0g/s320/IMG_1186.JPG" border="0" /><br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5221517253115115362" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiu98iyRztBmsj3Q5qGDSTKNQHPfJTMakI6n0gCryZaw4HmXa5iwIV18ROctVZpABv4aoMUuOICB4az_hmRKdhKoRxriGA7HfMcu6woWt3Fuzi2TV43eGG4pesuy_aXqqr7maDlyByFHc/s320/IMG_1235.JPG" border="0" /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5221517258363035026" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEnU-beEQPvJ5cIzsvozcmdYfJGnCDl2reAlif-D1OZdvXKY7ZnHSDs9SmPB14KdkJ1q63SplNTGpUnRg6C3SQR8gnlYFcRa-WIcGaZRu2ZplnAg-v8rMiC_RrripGfQ7ZWAkf9Y84M2o/s320/IMG_1242.JPG" border="0" /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5221513418766087106" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhz7j9M9CCaUFPcUjvqdp_V8M02kVg0rHebdtTI90ZRKynqIkA-evowO9gkLLb7cyVWw52PUbz8ZEIHVr2GxggFqfBc4rJxVg69GhwKrPjha0Dh_BRolcrwLMk6u5eR4V4HVi-BmibCBQY/s320/IMG_1215.JPG" border="0" /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5221517274306424978" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUuArxBLu8kBwrpJBw4mcjNfS_hlxftaGHDQNuqk6z1qzcTK5DYmV8NtYBdssofVIerYsCZn8wbkQKl_xbvqkLdMkgNM7ode4CGOoa4_GpT8Pwtz21g4wl7EuUrzY_OdFrq7Dy7Fxxkqk/s320/IMG_1241.JPG" border="0" /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5221513401988298482" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtlSP2kYXIhdzJNUEtYZzaOm4iteWSuOhlJ6BTkI-C2ugJ4pVLLp4v3rPbA1B3u8Rvq7TbROjkG6GYs1sIkHWMPRzAdjYL-Zv_sE45UkXprScOQxrTqvn1Kin0kBvQOAD6kYnpQia3WeY/s320/IMG_1205.JPG" border="0" />Amy Snyderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12277830163268086763noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-923435907362875163.post-9192680340565269492008-07-04T07:52:00.001-07:002008-12-12T23:18:08.293-08:00SWEARING INAs of this past Thursday, I am officially a Peace Corps volunteer! Our swearing-in ceremony was fantastic. This year was the 45th anniversary of Peace Corps Panama, so our swear-in was a very formal and festive occasion at the ambassador’s residence in Panama City. Over 80 returned Peace Corps volunteers flew in for the ceremony, including those who served when Peace Corps first entered Panama in the 60s. It was incredibly exciting and inspiring to meet with returned volunteers. Many even brought their spouses and children with them on their trip and traveled back to the site they worked at over 40 years ago. The Worldwide Director of Peace Corps, Ronald Tschetter, came to the ceremony as well. It was such a special occasion, and I think all of us swearing-in were re-motivated and inspired from the energy of the event.<br /><br />Below are some pictures from Swear-In: myself and some fellow TEA-ers, Ron Tschetter, and various shots from the ceremony. I gave the speech on behalf of the Tourism and English Advising group. It was a huge honor, and although intimidating to follow the speeches of the ambassador and Worldwide Director, I think it went really well.<img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5219178923003351170" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGPTuZAzNtsMgJlvKLTOLVExDeb0T-WSxNKjliZxAfKECJ0CL3fi12iepoWQ9bDtH9STOxUNWK6eaN9dkUw3YTQRjQOzbrnn9VXcjpyKpiXuJ8jfFeCMWQh09k9qc_U3jBo00T1jFSROE/s320/IMG_1312.JPG" border="0" /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5219178934617637474" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfnwCCFKhMbI7Pc6U44tKmcTZrzLsxjIfJfqZEoPLVDn6MEdd3XSpTdWKVFjmyAd7R6YO-e6ySZZ7_5LuonW2xw2sjnZNg90U_nOXhWrwddnaulG3jKy0bmC6Ap73_Dsm6kUUHn-LsMFY/s320/IMG_1310.JPG" border="0" /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5219178964610921954" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBKg2V0RxF5E7FptkS7eaWHZC6Aw9Nbu0I4MH0A2BsRdWRW7VLVECKMaGqjrzXztM_QLMmxXw5N19Q5M8t7aNiPFJSzivfiG_c9Zn5VD2GemXRSu35WDJbH2PbPJP5ImLoysDbmLqoSF0/s320/IMG_1322.JPG" border="0" /><br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5219179999021979442" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkY-3zh6jLnax_-Y4ek4HLbaUEBDv1WF17HTVjTURWPbMcZww3kC9NpS20XvCONUXoPebFPUy0ITHVkkpFSECZOJU0fdAPz4VRIBS_Oq2RR2s9-mUsxdlEaCbZrAFiXzPgniCEfp-PbO8/s320/IMG_1336.JPG" border="0" /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5219180006670879986" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghExSCqOlnRjZd9wNPDUSljmwo4_uFho2HaCaDSTVkb5AOs4g6pPz3JO723Ijpq5ReXCyutqr2bAzE6hPWw_2xgEH8UqzW-hH__6OIBKGupQax6uNOWLMX1t9_p8VvmJfvnbaNhH8j6Pw/s320/IMG_1339.JPG" border="0" />Amy Snyderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12277830163268086763noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-923435907362875163.post-6640942568721100442008-06-16T09:58:00.000-07:002008-12-12T23:18:11.621-08:00CULTURE AND TECH WEEKSCulture and Tech weeks have left me little time for internet, but I’m finally back up and running.<br /><br />Our Culture week was at the Embera Village of Parara Puru. Coincidentally, this community is only about 20 minutes down the Chagres River from Embera Drua, the site where I will soon be moving! I can’t tell you how hard it was to spend the entire week, at just a short canoe’s distance away from my future home. Numerous times I considered bribing someone to take me upriver to check it out :)<br /><div><br />Myself and two other aspirants spent the week with a current Community and Economic Development (CED) volunteer, Deborah, who is working in tourism development. There we spent the entire week learning and exploring all aspects of Embera Culture. We learned traditional dances, basket weaving, coco bolo carving and even how to prepare a traditional Embera meal of fish and plantains. And each day we also had four hours of Embera language training. I’m still finding Embera rather difficult. Correct pronunciation is quite nasal, and my being such a visual learner, I’m finding it rather difficult to a mostly spoken (not written) language.</div><div><br />I absolutely loved my experience in the Embera community. Admittedly, when I was first introduced to the Embera culture, I was incredibly hesitant as to if I could adapt into a culture so distinct from Western cultures: palm thatched huts, traditional (and often scarce) clothing, and a new dialect entirely different from a Romance language. But the Embera are such warm, fun-loving people that I'm slowly finding myself feeling right at home amongst them. And after spending culture week in an Embera village, I'm completelymesmorized by their art, music and way of life. It's truly reminiscent of a time when people just lived a lot simpler. </div><br /><p>Below are pictures from the Parara Puru: Deborah's (tree) house, and myself and 2 other PCVs learning all things Embera: from traditional dances and music instruments to coco bolo carvings and fish scaling.</p><p><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5212527520954037586" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiL_YPsrSOvdG_j6-N7EqlkCFZ-9wp-Bv6uVuQywcgL_ggkgcB-vyFEQ460WGiR0b2DjNaoCcysIvBxNBLuf6SafFC5ppaBeou3-3DEUfiZpYgL7W4R3bJkkj3t2yBHrF61GjCo3pEu8VQ/s320/IMG_1049.JPG" border="0" /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5212541907518634690" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6UtQW1dqB00R9vfQsOUeOuily0vqvBKm-UKw-asmOMRbC2stcqCs9N1wkKLD6B2c1YC5wheUeR1n8tm6jA75BlDiTG0zxOvjxiJl7C1j3oloHfE6685F2Q1obX1ZNsYJdApE4-_A7A1Q/s320/IMG_0853.JPG" border="0" /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5212531499952067058" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhijLnYRNfkBLMbOuAiqzH48q7Kc0OWCKEDaJ5tvz3OFlB-F4B1EgK6jzuzZFcioH8JwiJELf6tPWrolxiS-PObBQQNQfb3GmBZ4N9UtGywAAHznZMY7p8PEuJtz18DEfKquhJhM680ESY/s320/IMG_1045.JPG" border="0" /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5212527511007360562" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZe_c6Cyw7I54EtG6pxYKzlCj84QvtaGSuKH-2WeMg4K2XoVNpDkS-sMYVnA2ZH1Fa6oQIpeuDxau1a824eFIrOB8X5kWLXLA4taoddaYboXvMyasxHCP8n8W0iRuQ22b9d8zuSMi_FME/s320/IMG_1038.JPG" border="0" /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5212531498072908962" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-eQd-o6UYR5a3kgT8qdAwkeqSVUY6raABc8MK5KRCKC3GJMgnnaR9wjs7bye2WiA8PI96JEDpdSPPRHf_4ATWwBxZ0Lxplf6cMr9Fp3rAh7vG0vr-ZEc-XgTvUvekbphZmnpAmcEJR-A/s320/IMG_0873.JPG" border="0" /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5212531481752764818" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQEmAapa5PmAks6xRv2dPL7R3VW4hr8hky4ObgJ9IWAiBFNvUY8JLg4ptd0vqkJYFDUDMxy80soTpKJM8E6GReuG1sGFXVeHuou8JNeCIu0wu7DOyRR1N92NmLgkCcfaZE3wzcxVS3fNE/s320/IMG_0863.JPG" border="0" /><br />Our technical week was spent at Isla Canas, an island off the Pacific coast of Panama’s Azuero peninsula. There we visited a volunteer who is working in ecotourism surrounding the many species of sea turtles who visit the island’s beaches. During the week we put on a tourism workshop (taller) for all community members involved in tourism endeavors. This included everyone from families willing to rent rooms in their houses to sea turtle tour guides. By the end of the workshop, we were able to put together a basic, but comprehensive, brochure of tourism information pertaining to her island. I think the community was very impressed by their finished product, and I think this project really served as a good learning example for our group.<br />Below are some pictures from the week: the workshops, teaching in the schools, and even the beach and sea turtles! </p><p><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5212528810688220546" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTaLGhrFBKJ_rSpxwMEs67RLYxEJF0MfNH9yNpGsQGQexmli3hBqI0keALFzazerezejn7UityRNtUjfh_-ad6oeP8-fkcJjM3e52oTkwb2KTFMaw1c_8uVeVwVXgZ3CRXZJyvUFJ8Pr4/s320/P5310134.JPG" border="0" /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5212531487218247586" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7gFekSY37Gr9I9Z-lmCHxUByxn5vOZFlJx2jExrUzii_ff7FiJHFaGwRE4sgAKnfvegZsjlK1laPWDnO2hOMKEbk86mHJxN37s7eMgYPUWX-DqMdOgVWnw1Z61LO21D-qhzRveXJCEiQ/s320/IMG_0966.JPG" border="0" /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5212528824176163218" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbb3Y2pjYiHZZ7hJ9P0Eq9vxKW4odJuk034Lv1EH9ZHPEbmz7aiNwp1TPXyo14j4kKA7gEuRBICLEmwlLwZPVnA6l2JacgpzoWX3cX6yow2aV68stJ5cZRVZ1NxyiqrReIJeIOC0DqR_Y/s320/P5280111.JPG" border="0" /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5212534313412430066" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgomySdJiBLDh7oqr0O0RiV8RW36S2If9Swc6lIYaeUQACSpkl_6lbPiouENA_NCkt241A-bZm-MBlq4sAvUN_T2G8Isko3rPUTJA4CKFTK5TUO-sQGoumasUeSRSrBjGKsLL8aordxvNs/s320/IMG_1120.JPG" border="0" />Also below are some shots from our Cross Sectorial training (translation: TEA does Agriculture and Environental Health training!) Here's some shots of me swinging a machete, gardening and playing on an acqeduct:</p><p><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5212533417989365090" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5-Q00Q36MJgz8YviXYLDPDhFlRTSuaJswxanqIbsxTp_U3H93YLS36vizqHlSUAwm3zeEAjWPFt8QuW2S6_RuuH_O2Q0YZQbCrw9oOplE0tCkuiDsTrdw2jkM_lBOSUPrgt9-iOJ3cCs/s320/CIMG1647.JPG" border="0" /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5212533437624504194" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtpCWvInVNyjmOA_f-obmswVI7_2LAJjz3B_v5rQGe6ucwukfnv87dJHvNkVb3goCyIlMmA6Q-BXpQ8pOqxQPJs4_1CED_U92qEq2Zo83eHMcoAh9ULJ3GKNLB7tzzvrKZ-f09NLta0lU/s320/CIMG1664.JPG" border="0" /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5212533448660789186" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6zfNbM3LINeNzH-kv9bCJ2S7XRhv3lTFeNDL5H40DQzXfi1HMZeixHuwWJpFNAklnpAkn_9Ep60o3bMyQhxPefsLOx1bbz2L5DJXfsibWO27lQQI27pD1WeBO3im9Nf80CbcDtuFmXK8/s320/CIMG1668.JPG" border="0" /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5212533456689874498" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZlfqW9CtaDscUcHv3CXPSFb5XhxqV6806mDE7rViNQFDRB1hBED1yj7Y5P98vNGGU0h2knPQfOvXJr6eZqpWXhA_nPDE9h1h5Bo_Ob-pqphYM8Hmm8OD-Oh61LKnmEjYfvgFpMvL7GfE/s320/CIMG1687.JPG" border="0" /><br />It was also my 25th birthday just last week! After our morning tech session, the TEA group surprised me with a cake and piñata (in traditional Panamanian fashion). It was so thoughtful of them, and it really made it feel like my birthday even away from home. At night, the kids who live next door to my host family made me a cake (complete with icing spelling out "Feliz Cumpleanos Eimi, which is how they spell my name). They then proceeded to organize a "tipico" dance party on their porch. As you can see from the pictures below, these kids know how to have a good time :)<img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5212533464818435426" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTdjy8dELT3OhjDaszhbpZFG5pqojvAO2btoXEMh_2Y5G7FC9guofSFDnJjMhzQemrDCG7TSSz6HPHarkjAmCYgABE57rnmRtAucvnIA-1OO2DGWuLSJEwr9-PO8Zu0YoKtTLuPfIEIfY/s320/CIMG1692.JPG" border="0" /></p><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5212538461952331858" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7f9MxtDSp6cf15A2nSpX-6le-iNh_bTqdhEvpWJDMQeKEdbVbTHeAU_JM-Irsyt43ERJCQ9KUKkfqxVtC99rYtoWhkSbTQAqdjx0oFk7YL_qKwW9CSsNtu_-Wa06D_UGvfT0ilIdwu5I/s320/IMG_1160.JPG" border="0" /> <img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5212542966042416226" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnzIILn851vBMAsFnWOMjJpnGKJ1JJwRtE1O29vwapz3KcMFKZhU_YtpXyfp8ok9O5uUzWuiJEbOwg5K7PLGUSgqFhfA6AutxZEtSO5TfuqnK57kEq9SaMfyzbBayBu7bkNi43rJ3ioXA/s320/IMG_1161.JPG" border="0" /><br /><p>After my second cake (and <em>tipico </em>warm-up), I went to our town’s baile to hear a <em>tipico </em>band called Las Plumas Negras with some other PCV aspirantes. It was a blast! As of yet, I still haven’t really taken to traditional Panamanian "tipico" music. I find it a bit redundant and circus-esque. But who knows, I felt the same way about reggaeton when I moved to Puerto Rico, so perhaps there’s still hope! </p><div>The last few pics are from some between training weekends away with other PCVs. The first is of a beautiful beach, Santa Clara, on the Pacific Coast, and the last two are from El Valle. El Valle is a mountain town known for its hot springs (note my mud mask!) and its beautiful hiking and riding trails.</div><br /><div></div><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5212527529775760274" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7mgwc1aKvhNGrNYr4t5Qh2PuMJMbaRbPW8ug7-zjdzgbKYbnN-1g28lQ8ciXfMh0Os3VZCRAGS9zYy6yUx-TCtHw76zOSSSTfYqAFbJhr_21jRYAeYYgKI13by_fzHNrap7m1VYPZiok/s320/IMG_1091.JPG" border="0" /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5212528750481430690" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZwEoUw7onTFUUAiJs9Uc0QcSBxMoF7RI3LKi5Qy9LteFnJSU7HHRR2iRtyzkJ3Xa2DovfGbPWeVo8A4hOSi80dVuCCXsPtxIKf_3ELX2UCL-zltWY5DakJ0CISTbC_sMOv1JZlppOCxg/s320/IMG_1144.JPG" border="0" /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5212528781812780146" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdCWFXA7b2yOMAilnh3xhvAEWnqzGJqAjZjjbUuMFhdZNAEmFHseBpMr0jNZAsWGmjfCSvuDhAodxvkZTJCXmel5fK_dZ8gCuiveQiz7oDV3WpU4GgaSWpNP90dDW4-Xo6NYaYkq_c7Ok/s320/IMG_1150.JPG" border="0" />Amy Snyderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12277830163268086763noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-923435907362875163.post-8066857296470647512008-06-01T16:05:00.000-07:002008-12-12T23:18:13.215-08:00TRAINING AND EXPLORING PANAMA CITY<div>I’m already 7 weeks into training now! I can hardly believe it. I think my Spanish IS improving (even though at times I may get really frustrated and often think otherwise). Aside from language, our tech classes have been really interesting. We’ve had mainly theory-based lessons; topics have included community analysis, project design, building leaders and community empowerment. Above all, what’s been incredibly helpful is having current PCVs assist in our tech classes. Hearing about their experiences and projects, including both their successes and blunders, is really insightful. Their stories really help to bring reality to the information we’ve learning.<br /><br />Below are some pictures from a Community Analysis presentation that we gave last week, as part of our tech class.<br /><br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5207054016299270930" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9VLIoBWGMWRUFWzM-A3pTPvQBiNV4Rtf9qxIgE572MlfC3duxZtZF6pbjuddYu44fHzUWIeuVlP1XMmcf8PADY3o1Jg45OsICyPw6Ah91r7NJJAyqoKqrAkcmQgZrlTf4foyQ-DhyphenhyphenF9A/s320/IMG_0890.JPG" border="0" /> <img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5207412852226917234" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFIhf_676RdZLng_T9QFiMIzQkUhvQRqAptXH35gf8lmIajPUkxMjlCKwq1gbqrMJh-CIYuIc5FBRxsvuOFEMMwbv6rrU0m48wP6G3DpDe-N8J4A7MSpd2yarvr8kc88QfgeSKC8TsxsE/s320/IMG_0904.JPG" border="0" /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5207412865111819138" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjH1jKqt3CZcjcnAjEHDNV2JkGLRF0JFndD0pREBGpHt9JDxsPiWis3quj8m2adqKld8hjNO35VjzlKsu89GmhS_Gp26vqhIuMKsioZ9o3iRWbzyYod4BPDZjuTBrpn8gWq72cGXP-V8Fs/s320/IMG_0911.JPG" border="0" /><br />In the past few weeks, I've just begun Embera lessons, which is the native language of the indigenous group I'll be working with. I'm finding it rather difficult so far...but I've still got 2+ years to work on it.<br /><br />Oh! In and out of training, this past weekend I had some free time to explore Panama City! What a beautiful city! Myself, another PCV Jessica, and her host sister Iris, spent the entire day making the tourist rounds. On the way there, went to Miraflores Locks, where we watched ships come in from the Pacific and begin to pass through the Canal. It was really neat! The rest of the day we spent touring Panama City, both the old and new. There is so much new construction going on in Panama City right now- apartments, businesses- it’s incredible. The older part of the city, historic Casco Viejo, is also being restored. Panama City is already gorgeous, and with so much changing so fast, I’m really excited to watch it evolve the next couple of years.<br /><br />Below are some pictures from the day: At the Miraflores Lochs, checking out the views from some Panama City rooftops, and touring historic Casco Viejo...<br /><br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5212544152217619410" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxCW0Lqb6EIiocWCOvh8pS-8ZMXwasgeOUGnxaN_mvPaVU-J8Z_5K5gemYDyZAxEYsTDumZN9jolnCngURNkEeXt33Yo0-SD7GiMPztEI32RD8X8nip7Wh8EmDk7DJO8x5xdIpbAoT9UY/s320/IMG_0955.JPG" border="0" /><br /><p><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5207409880109548354" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilZ5ZmasAWP5yXwsj5qdUPxMj0vlFZv9eYkFBDFE2cuKsnOgj-WV7cn-PlV2fvig7XwwZ8hQbOBWKATmkROzn22yWPMBC6qUr0wHG8JgorE-ujK1GwubLHvKuf9t_N2WnwBZnY0oTNqAg/s320/IMG_0950.JPG" border="0" /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5207409283109094194" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjApWoK1-Uy70sNg7ad7Rp0wAn471LD8MVZmJRfoEWx1tXv7fiwgWYXje5lVz57kqjmRqZX388_ler38K-A_Bczb7tZOlapZe_N5DxR5tl8E0UpnszExl7DeYqnk69aakowUVOrzWDvijY/s320/IMG_0957.JPG" border="0" /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5207411151419867986" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivtnmWbmBqWLkXS3DcpBNB19OsEYCrs0IXOhNh9Tu-IWsD-eYDsYZb8KLQSEYGd8sb_JhR-8Zvn49RUr7TVhi2VjHAwWmkY7ddEXoeNXGILscvxW5u5_Hb_u98ngX8v-VTAo5qF5fC5Ho/s320/IMG_0965.JPG" border="0" /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5207408531489817378" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguNaErIJTwq6zt-Myt5hQGYVrGTtnMFD9EGZAKJh_A7WrJZ8De0mF8ZcB2b9NguOxaYUAOLGnCHYcuMqOx6tz-uEscNWPBA8mgDNE-f6_pnu5p8alp7LOhaXJcdaIg8vjnsIdvPBoHiQ0/s320/IMG_0964.JPG" border="0" /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5207411160009802594" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRHWaEka4ftfu8VCKyUS0Ur0P7CTV6QESo1fb8CYHt73JcinndNSvxIOvBUeBrohJMM6JFG-Ksj3nRzrRo6wZeNpEonQGEHA01_EghPtEaeG9jb1OqaoDJkshq2PPAytTg5ge5LAxuXmk/s320/IMG_0967.JPG" border="0" /></p><br /><p></p><br /><p>Will try to get the pictures from Culture and Tech weeks up real soon!</p></div>Amy Snyderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12277830163268086763noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-923435907362875163.post-14302416739645119752008-06-01T15:54:00.001-07:002008-12-12T23:18:13.441-08:00SITE ANNOUNCEMENT!<div><div>SO I’M MOVING TO THE JUNGLE! Yes, indeedy. I’ve been placed in an indigenous Embera community near the Rio Chagres. I’ll be about 2-3 hours from Panama City. My project description is to help the community develop a feasible, sustainable tourism plan. I’ve been told my work could include any of the following: developing products/services for tourists, advertising, budgeting/ accounting, coordinating with tour operators, and even teaching community members English for interactions with tourists.<br /><br />Admittedly, when Pablo, the TEA director, first asked me how I felt about moving to the jungle, I had HUGE reservations. Canoe rides, big trees- CLAUSTROPHIA. I expressed these fears to Pablo and he was really understanding. He even gave me some other site options. But work-wise, he really thought this would be a great fit for me. He continued to express how fantastic this community is and how much potential it has. With these thoughts, and a weekend for reflection, I came to the conclusion that work and community is most important to me in an assignment. And that means I’ll just have to really work through some of these silly fears and hang ups I have. So, deep breath. I will grab that machete, and get in line to help build my hut (seriously, my community will help me build a hut for a solid $250). And I will not think about crocodiles or snakes on that canoe ride in.<br /><br />So now that I know my site, I’m really excited for next week- Culture Week! I will spend an entire week at an Embera community, immersed in Embera language and culture. The following week is our Tourism Tech Week, at Isla Canas in the Pacific Ocean. More will come!</div></div><br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5207051001232229106" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9IoW3UO1b6qNy1aokuOo9fHDfQvIEXo3x6_F0kSTT_vnwqfF0PEsalYcmedQOGns2KHqBce7KwovGuO8-V76arJJW99IO52ki7wdXNoDyKxegNXFiwkHu7DmsiJgOqLJuMO7OalyWXV4/s320/IMG_0981.JPG" border="0" /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5207051568167912194" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhv9QUzni6O7lCdWJO5bmcNFWvimMCLwSuI2gPfexIWZE8xv9C8EePxquytidQhDVmVIDeuluRXZQXobIkrw5iEPHUSBUeLKwK-_ZSOLL5syH7LoAXGZd8kFvSGjmXKe-6Wn9XoS5eEXMs/s320/IMG_0985.JPG" border="0" />Amy Snyderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12277830163268086763noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-923435907362875163.post-34607980385011224922008-05-14T10:36:00.000-07:002008-12-12T23:18:14.914-08:00Volunteer VisitLast weekend was our volunteer visit! I went to visit Shazia, a Community and Economic Development volunteer on the Carribean coast. The weekend was fantastic! Shazia is so happy in her site and is so well respected and loved in her community. I spent much of the weekend shadowing her, learning about the different projects she's working on and observing how she interacts within her community. The visit was such a great opportunity to see a real PCV at work. And it also was a great get-away; Shazia cooked me some lovely (non-Panamian) food, I got some R & R time on the beach, AND the chance to salsa a bit! On my way back to Panamá, I stopped off at the Carribean pueblo of Portobelo. Portobelo was the old hub for sending the riches of the New World back to Europe, and is the historical spot for pirating raids from Sir Francis Drake and Henry Morgan. It's also famous for its statue of a Black Jesus Christ. Below are some pics from the weekend.<br /><br /><p><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5201393765745278562" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibeSr40DJ8hcZhq29Tam4JoA5o79h5Ylgf5u5x42XTFWl-9KYw-C0_9nYge_6d8kM4ipLQvAnJc9_gvXWKgDt8atG0j0UMOgNMNvMBlH5FPiXpmggrX1fMYtv2l0O6rrwcQ2wqYqjoW5s/s320/IMG_0921.JPG" border="0" /></p><p><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5201396334135721602" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhu3gON2IN89V1lCRYbSipp8nve3CoNoAe1FU4dZ4lm1ymrg0ieDH5EldIJEacFjH2F_c83GOullBUBcotFk7nSrSsf3Ug45ReEMK00CjWmpUzC4Xyu5GTwHfohTecA3kJ0oI93UKvRfkE/s320/IMG_0920.JPG" border="0" /><br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5201392863802146386" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjFIWi3OnMDTAuQyy0eBijgU3Jcb7TaNbS6hGvbE5-GgEFOkPJhVMsrtTkEfUX40RUB3IX-qaF3OkQXBuW0J3J7DuL7bAkoV37qWBL6u6l3dV3F0I3_9KiDUI-1mkNfoaXxWmCqkAFk9A/s320/IMG_0913.JPG" border="0" /></p><p><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5201405521070767810" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_6RIVFcV1wuMNpA_Xfzb5yY4BpV9ByC0HOvnh3uvnUSI633rdB7G1gtX-xPNljB5R-v1OLoIMwkFMglUFLPCBy6kjGxf3NWct5hxwdSfrg_CyG1d7nTZoB8ZiysMWCdkGd0koVz1lPLI/s320/IMG_0944.JPG" border="0" /></p><p><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5201400044987465378" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiV3cm2YWs13R7NlrU2cMdauX_NktWZWWObLLWWVa3fNjtBAh1dOCzD3WXfyGOD9UBFlcmjaGo54vssQ2DPAHQyLkjscoWUOC25rKF_3MT9nUfKIw1RpabUpHs2vpVZ2WTYtJsTD5MUN2Q/s320/IMG_0941.JPG" border="0" /><br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5201407148863373010" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhD8zU4iKkvPwqoS27tIDTgz8Z0GyA-F-AkZ6bQwail7AXSqIWfDQO5ExFf2P_dCdRIWxOTx-fdcrlM-zvrHlWGLvSBxIqNAZwMyz2F4o63N6jrFDV0qOgGvCTHscYepOv4j2_dk1lSotU/s320/IMG_0932.JPG" border="0" /></p>Amy Snyderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12277830163268086763noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-923435907362875163.post-34951594942227641822008-04-23T14:15:00.000-07:002008-12-12T23:18:15.465-08:00A home with my new Panamanian HostsSo here I am, all settled in with my host family! For the next 2 1/2 months, I will live with them, in a suburb of Panama City, while I go through PC training. I have a host mother, Martina, and host father, Reyes. They have 4 children, only two of which live with them: Ricardo, 26, and Estefany, 10. Their other daughter, Querube, is 20, and lives next door with her husband, Santos, and her four year-old son, Santos (Toin). They’ve been incredibly welcoming to me. The house is cute and humble. It’s rather small for 5 people, but I have my own room. We have electricity, but all the amenities are out back: sink, shower…and latrine. Yes, latrine. It’s going to be a long two years.<br /><br />Every morning we have tech class, where we learn about anything and everything pertinent to international development in Panama. In the afternoons we have Spanish class. Most of the TEA program placed into the Advanced Level, as I believe some Spanish was a pre-requisite for our program. The class is mostly conversational, and it is really helping me to fine tune my grammar and increase my vocabulary (especially in Panamanian “modismos” and slang).<br /><br />Class ends at 5 pm each day. After that, I usually begin the process of what the Panamanians call “paseando.” It involves stopping by each and every house on the way home to hang out and chat. I think within just my first few days here, I’ve already met half of this little town. Each week, I have nearly every evening booked up with a different house visit- trying someone's cooking, helping kids with their English homework, or just hanging out. The whole town seems to be so excited about our presence, and everyone wants to know all about us. Which is actually pretty easy, because nearly the whole town is related. If you tell something about yourself to one family, it is guaranteed to spread like wildfire to the others. Children are especially fantastic; they in turn tell you everything about everyone else, and they also make you feel like a real celebrity of the town when you walk by.<br /><br />Last night my host family took me to a pizza place a few towns over. I think they know that Americans eat a lot of pizza and drink a lot of Coca-Cola, so they were trying to make me feel right at home. And I did! It's no New York Sicilian-style or Chicago deep-dish, but it was quite good.<br /><br />Attached are some pictures of my house, my room, and my host sister, Estefany.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4UeQN28Nzwa5OQlNDVEtKw6HHt-nf2zelGkTuOEyMbesdnmpvcMyOVspd6b_CjEr0clN7gxLXO0_qjIareMAcHVqDFCFrMAXYD06kIhk97tnGMLHjZ4x7Ur22YQiYnEONaBU4iz10Zxc/s1600-h/IMG_0883.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5195170390436319106" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4UeQN28Nzwa5OQlNDVEtKw6HHt-nf2zelGkTuOEyMbesdnmpvcMyOVspd6b_CjEr0clN7gxLXO0_qjIareMAcHVqDFCFrMAXYD06kIhk97tnGMLHjZ4x7Ur22YQiYnEONaBU4iz10Zxc/s320/IMG_0883.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEht4-2MeJdVprOzvGjF0D_CznbGCbSvOMz4QcyXiJx6Kw2DshI5K16lUREHJWKDnSGg7raEJQUJAUQWJtwemVGjF5hLSTa_ctQziRQXpnxUbDvUsSQYSF5oPf5k01afT3YcGKJf7DKO3DA/s1600-h/IMG_0882.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5195170394731286418" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEht4-2MeJdVprOzvGjF0D_CznbGCbSvOMz4QcyXiJx6Kw2DshI5K16lUREHJWKDnSGg7raEJQUJAUQWJtwemVGjF5hLSTa_ctQziRQXpnxUbDvUsSQYSF5oPf5k01afT3YcGKJf7DKO3DA/s320/IMG_0882.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCEWsCj77eylTcNvtNqnuY6up5OfUCQvSeI5TpABMEwMI6pVkXdUg8X0jVWJpqLGU6BFowAL-0VztYwpu0RPucT98sBpVIYPFEGg8yRstyAACG67dLlgMQahrP209KWGCmWnl6cp62rJo/s1600-h/IMG_0884.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5195170399026253730" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCEWsCj77eylTcNvtNqnuY6up5OfUCQvSeI5TpABMEwMI6pVkXdUg8X0jVWJpqLGU6BFowAL-0VztYwpu0RPucT98sBpVIYPFEGg8yRstyAACG67dLlgMQahrP209KWGCmWnl6cp62rJo/s320/IMG_0884.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><div> </div>Amy Snyderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12277830163268086763noreply@blogger.com0