La Laguna, My Future Peace Corps Home...

I would like to preface this by mentioning that these pictures are not of my future site, just pictures that I have taken in the month that I have been here.

This past Wednesday all of us in training were presented with a packet of information on our future site for the next two years (starting at the end of October). I am very pleased with what the Peace Corps office here has picked out for me and eager to go visit.

Boy carrying yucca home from the farm.

I am going to a site called ¨La Laguna" high up in the mountains of Panama. Here are some of the details included in my packet:

"La Laguna is the quintessential Peace Corps site! La Laguna lays high in the mountains next to a small lake with 360 degrees of mountain views around it. The Ngäbe culture is strong, and they rarely see outsiders. The community is reached by one of the most interesting chiva (truck) rides in Panama, followed by an hour hike during which you will be able to see for views that extend for over a hundred miles. You will live and eat in the beginning with a host family in a traditional Nedrini house: bamboo walls and a grass roof. The temperature varies in the mountains - it can be hot and sunny all day, and quite chilly at night! The community will help you build your house and you will fit right in."

Traditional Nedrini homes in Bocas del Toro.

Looking at a map of Panama, start at Panama City and travel west (that sounds odd, but look at a map and you will see that Panama runs east-west, not north-south) along the interamerican highway. Before you get to the city of David (close to Costa Rica) you pass through a town called San Felix. From there I travel 2-4 hours (depending on the weather) by truck up into the mountains (North) and then hike for an hour (East) to La Laguna. The Peace Corps office can´t find a map of Panama that includes La Laguna. A year ago a Peace Corps volunteer stumbled upon it and went through the motions to solidify a future volunteer from my group to work with the community.

Two girls at a dance in Santa Clara.

La Laguna has between 100 and 150 people living in 12 homes. Currently there is a small water system that takes clean water to the school, but it only works part of the year. I have been asked to carry water through the town to all of the houses as well as build a storage tank for water for the community. Additionally, they would like more springs tapped into the system to ensure water year round and account for growth over the next 20 years. Sounds like I´ll be busy for the next two years!

Peace Corps volunteers working on a rain water collection system.

La Laguna is not a Latino site, it is a Ngäbe (Gnaw-bay) site. The Ngäbe people are believed to have descended from the Mayans but no one really knows. The women wear bright dresses and they typically have very large families. Also, Spanish is their second language. They speak Ngäbere among themselves. I have been told that my Spanish will likely be better than many of theirs. Consequently, I am now taking Ngäbere classes. The language is more similar to Spanish than English, but the pronunciation is completely different and going to be a difficult hurdle to get over. Additionally, the Ngäbere teachers don´t speak English, only Spanish. So, I am learning their language through Spanish.

I am running out of time for today. I´ll be out in the countryside for the next two weeks working with volunteers on their projects. I´ll post more information when I return.

Thanks for reading.

Rob