FULLY FUNDED!!!

GRACIAS! GRACIAS! GRACIAS! Thank you soooooo much to all that donated to the Los Virotales stove project! Your support is invaluable! It feels great to be moving forward in the project and everyone is very excited! More to come soon once we start building!

Thank you to:

David, Cindy, and Kelly Stypa

Richard and Lorraine Stypa

Sharon Schwedt and Brett Neubig

Les Neubig and Sue Matecki

Roman and Diane Cefali

Mr. and Mrs. Lyons

Mr. and Mrs. Gross

Mrs. Wik

Don and Sharon Mulqueen

Eric and Katie Zimmerman

Evan and Bethany Crahen

Whitney Peterson

Kira Sullivan-Wiley

Please let me know if you made a donation to include you in my thank yous! Not how much, just if you did! 

Motivation such an aggravation

How does one motivate another? I think this is the eternal Peace Corps question.

I certainly didn’t grow up with a silver spoon in my mouth, but I know that I have had many incredible opportunities in my life. I don’t feel that I have anything I don’t deserve or didn’t earn. It pains me to see the lost opportunities here. The Panamanian government and international governments give away millions of dollars each year in different projects, and the people don’t take advantage of it. When has the US government given me thousands of dollars’ worth of stuff for me to work and provide for my family. Never that’s when. 

Recently we began a soil conservation project with 4 other communities because there was not enough interest is just Los Virotales. This is legit the best project that has ever come. Soil conservation is great from an environmental perspective because they are not clearing new land every year to plant and will reduce the amount of chemicals used in production. From a farmers view, it saves them work because they are not clearing land every year, and saving them money in workers and chemicals. And those that are farming now aren’t spring chickens anymore. During one of the meetings that two people showed up to, the engineer asked me if I had land here because I was the most interested in the project. Yikes. This project also rocks because the funds are a lot more flexible. There are not just buying things that the project requires, they are asking the people what they want. Genius. What tools, what plants, what more could you want?

Good news. 4 community members are participating, and I believe getting a lot out of it. I still may be the most excited about it, but at least there are a few on board with me. And that is really what it is about, reaching those who are interested. Because not everyone will be. Peace Corps is here for those few motivated individuals. To help them move forward in their work and have them make the world a little bit better place.

Sex ED

This is not a topic that I would normally discuss, but the things that people still believe in 2012 really amaze me. Birth control is readily available in Panama, even in rural areas. Every two months a medical team comes to rural areas to provide basic health services, this includes family planning. At any health center protection is available. After three children, the government will pay for a woman to have her “tubes tied.” And for a country predominately Catholic, and if not Catholic some type of Christianity, the women in their 30s and 40s  typically tend to be supportive of birth control. Then why are girls getting pregnant so young? I blame the men. This is not some feminist remark, it’s the truth. Men feel less like men if they use condoms. They tell women that birth control aka the pill is harmful for their health and they could have babies with disabilities because they are/were on the pill. They don’t want to use condoms if the woman is on the pill. They tell women that they cannot get pregnant the first time. They tell a woman that “pulling out” is an effective birth control. And they believe it all for the most part. Because men are never wrong. Ha. Well my dears, if men are never wrong, why are you pregnant at 14? I realized that most Panamanian women are poor trophy wives, their husbands “maintain” them. I kid you not, this is the word they use, maintain. Again for a predominantly religious country they have some interesting beliefs in marriage. They use the term “casarse” or to marry very freely. Now, it is most commonly used for people who are living together, and most likely with children. Many people are afraid to get married, because they think it is a huge sin to get divorced. Which is theory is an excellent idea to have. Marriage is serious. You should take your time and think about it. It should not be rushed. But this time should not include you living and having children with your partner. Because sex before marriage and children before marriage is a sin, but it is brushed under the rug.  Yea see if that makes sense.