Contact Information: Update

If you wish to send me correspondence via regular old fashioned mail consider the following...

For letters and envelopes (large and small) send to:

Erica Jones
Entrega General
San Felix, Chiriqui
Republica de Panama

For any size box send to:

Erica Jones
Entrega General
David, Chiriqui
Republica de Panama

Thanks! If you take the time to send me something- I truly appreciate you!

Thanksgiving Like Never Before

"Saca mi photo?"

The technology of digital cameras is incredibly novel in poor areas of the world, my Comarca included. The kids love to pose, and then immediately run to the opposite side of the camera to take a look. I suppose for a people who don't ever look in mirrors a photo of themselves would be a pretty special occasion.


Most host family was excited to get a photo of their abuela (grandmother). She's awful old, although no one knows quite how old. They are definitely under the impression that she could go at any moment because it has been imperative that I get a photo of her to remember. To prepare for the photo she donned her prettiest nagwa, brushed her hair, and to top it all off... dabbed on some perfume. My friend cleverly told me, "...for the scratch-and-sniff photo". I guess the prettier you feel the better you look?

Yesterday was Thanksgiving. I came into the city on Wednesday to celebrate with my Peace Corps friends. As I watched the mud and depravity swirl down the drain under the hot water of my shower I was appreciative in a new way for simple things. Our makeshift celebration included watching football at an empty casino bar and Argentinean food for dinner. Not quite home, but being around other Americans was quintessential.


Occasionally I feel guilty for being reminiscent of home. This is your job, Erica. Missing home is a sign of weakness. My neighbor Melba asked me the other day if I were sad here in Duima. I didn't lie when I told her I was content. She said, "If I were away from my family like you it would bother me a lot". I'm not a super human - and with such a dramatic shift in culture Melba definitely comforted me with demonstrating our kinship by way of human nature.

Our pig had piglets. Want a tidbit of trivia to impress your friends at your next cocktail party? Pig, in the language indigenous to the Ngabe people of Panama, Ngabere, is mudu.


It was requested of me to supply some photos of where I live, my dwelling space and community. So, here we are.

Snapshots

Hello from Duima! A lot has happened in the past two week - yet at the same time not much at all. My life has slowed down dramatically. It has been the change in culture that I have been looking forward to. I spend my days with people, talking, sitting, playing. I read a lot and am learning to speak an ancient language. My feet are constantly caked with mud and I bathe from a bucket - this is my life now! I'm learning to enjoy it. It hasn't been culture shock but more like slipping into a cold shower - an adaptation and something that is eventually refreshing. Here are some clips from my past two weeks. 

Fall Everywhere

If I’ve talked to you personally in the past month, I’ve probably lamented to you about how much I loathed missing the autumn season. Green Bluff in Spokane, the beautiful colors in Houghton, the rainy days and pumpkin spice lattes of home. Well, I found a little bit of fall in tropical Panama, as well.

Corn in part of subsistent living here. They eat it fresh, they eat it dry, always ground up. Fried into empanadas or cooked into juice, they just don’t go without it. One afternoon turned evening I spend time with the family I live with desgrainando the dried corn from the husk. Think, shucking. I methodically rubbed my fingers hard over the kernels until they loosened from their place and fell off, and did so until my fingers were blistered. I loved the mindless work as a way to pass the time. I sat silent mostly listening to the chatter of the women around me. I noticed, too, the wonderful color of dried corn. The red, yellow, gold and orange tones that overtook the husks and then laid in mounds at my feet once removed. It felt like fall. Every once in a while I’d pop a kernel into my mouth to gnaw on. I realized how remarkably similar the flavor of candy corn is to actual corn! You probably won’t get the same effect from a kernel from your bag of popping corn, I think the secret is in the freshness.

Finally, the cooler temperatures and rainy weather of our wet season do make some leaves fall. One day as I was playing soccer with some children I noticed the crunch of the leaves beneath their feet and the sun felt crisp on my face. It felt good.

Coffee and I are on speaking terms again.

I had come to spend the afternoon with one of my neighbors when I saw she was sitting with a large plate of coffee beans, manually removing the skins. Finally, someone who makes their own coffee! I was so excited. I helped her finish pillaring then watched as she roasted the beans on her three stone fogon fire. The beans changed from a light tan to a deep brown.  As she left the beans cool the hut filled with the aroma of coffee. If I closed my eyes I could have been in Olympia Coffee Roasters, or Batdorf and Bronson, or any other of my favorite fine coffee establishments. I was enriched. Later, she ground the beans and we partook of the transformed fruit. Still over-sweetened, and she was no certified expert roaster, but the freshest (and environmentally friendly) cup I’ve ever had.

I kill spiders now. Big ones.

Remember my story about me being terrified of the spider in my room when I first got to Panama? Not I kill spiders like a champ. They stand no chance when I have a piece of a 2x4 in my hand. I killed four similar to this one while cleaning my current room in my host family's house.

I always was a sucker for a blue-eyed boy.

Yes, this is my kitten. He has no name and is currently still with his mother, but we will be best friends soon enough. He will be my companion, my friend. When I was younger a cat was the first real pet our mother allowed my sisters and I to have. When I was upset, he was the only one who really understood. I can't wait to take care of him. In two years, he will be the best souvenir from Panama ever! Like I said, he needs a name. Help me out! Something silly and American would be fun, something that sounds even funnier with a Spanish accent. 


One more thing... I want your comments! I unfortunately can't keep close contact with everyone BUT I want to know who is reading my blog. Drop a line, give me your thoughts, just say hello - anything! It gets lonely out here and it comforts me to know that my friends are being a part of my experience through my blog. I love you all! 

Real Volunteers: Swearing In Cerimony

As a training group we were "swore in" as official volunteers at the home of the US Ambassador to Panama. It was a fancy occasion. I spoke on behalf of our training group and gave the following speech. It pretty much sums up our experience in Panama since August. It's in Spanish so read it, translate, enjoy. It's not any new information... just a good review of my time! 

Muy Buenas Tardes,

Licenciada Rita Orozco, Directora de Fomento y Cultura de Anam

Embajadora de Los Estados Unidos en Panamá, Phyllis Powers,

Director de Cuerpo de Paz, Brian Riley,

Personal y Voluntarios de Cuerpo de Paz:

Invitados Especiales

Gracias por la oportunidad de representar al grupo sesenta y nueve de voluntarios del Cuerpo de Paz.

Hemos pasado juntos muchas experiencias desde que el avión aterrizo aquí en Panamá.  Ha sido un trabajo duro, muchas veces divertido, algunas veces frustrante, pero al final muy gratificante. Esto ha demostrado ser la mejor aventura de nuestras vidas. Quiero describirles algunas cosas de nuestro trabajo, cosas que hemos hecho para prepararnos y convertirnos en voluntarios.

Primero, la mayoria de nosotros tuvimos la necesitad de aprender un nuevo idioma. Todos tuvimos que aprender a viajar por el país usando este nuevo idioma y el transporte público. Felizmente puedo decir que nunca nadie se perdió. Hemos disfrutado la nueva comida, y los efectos de esta dieta sobre nuestro sistema digestivo. Ajustamos nuestra percepción del tiempo y la comunicación. Hemos aprendido que para lograr un desarrollo sostenible  en nuestros dos años,  más que infraestructura y paternalismo es necesario.desarrollar relaciones y confianza para entonces transmitir la habilidad de aplicar principios de salud ambiental.

Como voluntarios de Salud Ambiental tendremos la especial tarea de capacitar a las poblaciones de las áreas más pobres de Panamá. para que puedan tener acceso a agua potable y mejores servicios de saneamiento.

Hemos visitado y vamos a vivir en las áreas más remotas y menos desarrolladas de Panamá. Para algunos, nuestro único acceso va a ser en bote por cuatro horas. Otros viviremos en islas o en montañas lejos de las playas turísticas.

Hemos estado preparándonos mental y físicamente para vivir una vida similar a la de los Panameños. También, esperamos crecer personal y profesionalmente. Y   sentimos un gran aprecio por la vida que nos ha tocado vivir; llena de salud y seguridad. También, nos estamos enamorando de Panamá y de su gente. Las tradiciones, las culturas, y la generosidad nos han hecho sentir bienvenidos.

Mientras que la vida que dejamos atrás continúa, hemos elegido aplicar nuestra educación y habilidades de una manera que fortalecerá la amistad entre Panamá y los Estados Unidos. Como estadounidenses, hemos venido de diferentes orígenes e historias. Hemos elegido vivir aquí sin el apoyo  y la cercanía de nuestros seres queridos con la esperanza de llegar a una mejor comprensión de nosotros mismos y del mundo donde vivimos.

En dos años vamos a regresar a los Estados Unidos y participaremos en su sociedad con una perspectiva profunda que va a afectar nuestros trabajos, relaciones, y comportamientos. Nos gustaría dar las gracias a nuestro personal de capacitación por proveernos  una preparación efectiva, a los Estados Unidos por su apoyo, y a Panamá por su confianza en nuestra motivación para trabajar y promover la paz en nuestro mundo.