I went on a two week trip around the country that left me excited, tired, and wondering about my future. I first went on the mission of a lifetime that took me to the Darien on a 3 day trip just to get to my friend Carmen's site in Bayamon. Once there I helped the local artisan group decide on a name for their group, make a logo, and gave presentation about the group in my community and its successes with tourism and artisan sales. They seemed to be pretty excited about their future by the end of the meeting and I felt pretty good about it. The native Embera community was so different than the Ngabe that I thought I was in a different country. They seemed to have kept a lot more of their traditions and customs which is now paying off as many tourists really want to see it. One thing that I really liked was the hagua which is type of body paint that extracted from a plant. The paint lasts for about 2 weeks and I didn't really think about that before I went to pick up my friends from the airport. I also bought one of the nicest pieces of artisan work I have seen here in panama. A hand woven and dyed bowl that took the woman two weeks to make. The amazing colors and brightness of the Embera people really made me a little jealous as my people are very timid and have almost non of their culture left. Even the traditional dress that the Ngabes wear comes from christian converters trying to cover up their bare chests.
When I picked up my friends from the airport I really didn't know what to expect. I didn't even know if they were going to be on the flight as I had had limited contact with them in the weeks leading up. I spent a great deal of time trying to figure out how to use my diplomatic ID card but it was worth it as I was able to get them through all kinds of lines and was able to wait for them at the gate. It was crazy seeing some of my close friends after a year and a half. They hadn't changed much and actually seemed more grown up. Sonja, Noelle, and Natalie, were all quasi roommates of mine at one point and time in our lives and spending a week with them brought back so many memories I had forgotten about. It was great seeing them and I don't think I was completely prepared for their wanting to “spring break” so much. I guess I didn't realize that in the real world or the world back home at least that people don't really get the chance to take week and half long vacations. We had fun and they were more adventurous than I thought they would be. Going hiking into the jungle and getting to see baby sloths, and 500lb leatherback turtles up close were a couple highlights. One of the best highlights was probably going to the construction zone of the canal where they are building the new locks. Not very many people are allowed into this zone and only because of my close work with EWB got me permission to go in. It was pretty educational and fun as well.
The girls had fun or at least they told me they did and I did more nights of staying up late and sleeping on strange floors than I'm accustomed to. It went by fast and coming back to the community after being gone for so long but in the same country was a little weird. It seems that every time I leave for an extended period of time that the artisan group grows by leaps and bounds. This is mostly because they are. More and more I realize that they do not need me anymore and I find it hard to insert myself into what they are doing. I've had to step back and realize that this is where they will grow and become what they want to be and not what I helped them to be. Their new identity will be solely their own and I only hope that with the instruction and base that I have helped give them that they will be able to stand the test of time.
I'm still working hard trying to get the grinder equipment in and it has been over a year since we first started talking about it. It seems that with the help of EWB (Engineers without boarders) we are going to finally realize the project but there are still setbacks that keep popping up. Mostly trying to work with local vendors for the machinery is the biggest problem, but we hope to have that figured out soon.
Health update:
My freaking toe still hurts. I've had an ingrown toenail for months now and I keep cutting and digging into it to try to get it out. I'm slowing realizing that I'm going to have to have the nail peeled off which sounds terrible.
I realize that my broken foot has healed on its own. I'm not sure when, but it did.
My allergies are driving me nuts. Not sure why since they have been good for so long.
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