Campo Warrior

Imagine this. Darkness. Rustling in my penca roof. Headlamp. Broom in one hand. Machete in the other.

Oh yea. I wish I had a camera. That is my campo warrior gear, fighting off tarantulas!

The first time I was unsuccessful. I was not properly prepared. The monster just hid in between the palm leaving me for a sleepless night. Second time is a charm. I woke up to a rustling bag. I figured a frog had gotten in my house again. Wrong! After a few deep breaths and a few machete swings. My tarantula intruder was no more.

Now for the creature in my latrine….

Going Postal

I am over the post office. The last 4 times I have been in there I have been in minor arguments. I discovered that not all provinces pay to store their packages, but here in Herrera we do. And maybe if they didn’t have stupid hours and tell me they work on Saturdays and then don’t work Saturdays, I could pick it up. Remember I live far from the regional capital people? Oh yea, and I got something stolen out of a package. So yea, I’m done with them.

Environmental Camp

Donate to my friends project if you can! I will be helping out with this camp in May and any help will be appreciated!

https://donate.peacecorps.gov/index.cfm?shell=donate.contribute.projDetail&projdesc=13-525-016

Regional Leader

I like Panama. I like Peace Corps. So I applied for a job. And I got it! You are reading the blog of Herrera and Los Santos's newest regional leader for 2013-2014! 

Here is what it means....

Peace Corps/Panama understands that the Volunteers are our greatest resource and in this spirit, in May 2003, implemented a Regional Leader (RL) system that enhances Volunteer support, site development and agency relations.  RLs are outstanding third-year or high-performing second-year Volunteers who ideally serve for a period of one year and are selected by the Country Director (CD) to act as a liaison between Peace Corps and partner organizations in each region.  RLs play a primary role in Volunteer support as a mentor and by helping to make sure Volunteers have the resources and contacts they need to be productive.  RLs are also members of the Site Development Team and support the Associate Peace Corps Directors (APCDs) and PTSs in identifying and developing sites and placing Volunteers.

Regional Leader duties include: 1) volunteer support, 2) site development, 3) regional meetings, 4) trainings, 5) inter- institutional coordination, 6) picking up the pieces, 7) safety coordination and 8) regional handbook 9) 25% of the time devoted to a specific project.

Another year in Azuero!

This is why we don't have nice things.

Peace Corps Volunteers become used to living with no amenities. So when you give them too many nice things at once, for example doors, someone is bound to get locked in. And that someone happened to be me. At our close of service conference in Panama City, I got locked in the bathroom. The door handle was broken and when I shut the door to use the bathroom, it did not re-open. After a hot half hour, and some PC ingenuity, a butter knife, and some pliers...I was free! Luckily they saved me a plate of lasagna :)

Chepo

Check out this website created by fellow Peace Corps Volunteer Steve Bailey. It is for a community called Chepo which is about a half hour car ride or two hour walk away from Los Virotales. This is where the closest electricity is and where there are "bigger" stores and 2 restaurants and where many students go to middle school.

http://chepolasminas.org/index.html

We did it!

Project complete!

25 stoves and 25 families later we are done!

Thanks again for the support from all my family and friends! Check out my facebook or ask my mom to see photos of the finished projects.

After lots of organizing and walking (you wouldn't believe the walking) and at times frustration, I am beyond pleased with the end result. It has been great helping to organize and execute a project that will stay in the community for many years to come.