Four months in

I’ve been in Cerro Iglesias for 4 months now and in Panama for nearly 7. I should have been updating this blog more in recent months, but in my defense, I’ve needed that time to process my new life before I could reflect on it. Or maybe I’m just lazy.

Recently, my life here has changed, somewhat drastically. Two volunteers that each lived about 15 minutes from me, completed their 2 years and left Cerro Iglesias to travel the world and return to life in the U.S.A. Adam and Jessica were, in their own separate ways, very special to me and pivotal to my integration in this community. They completed some incredible projects and left me with big shoes to fill. I miss them dearly and am so grateful to them for sharing 3 amazing months with me. As sad as I was to be the only gringa in town, life goes on, and my community has only embraced me more since their departure. (maybe they just feel bad for me?) Thanks to so many wonderful people in my community, I have rarely spent a moment feeling lonely or bored.





























I no longer live with a host family, which has been great for my personal space and eating habits. I now cook what I want, when I want. For all that were previously concerned, my peanut butter consumption has been significantly reduced. Cooking has always been a creative outlet for me, so between the limited ingredients and no oven or refrigerator, I’ve been experimenting with all kinds of crazy, half-baked concoctions. I moved into the house that Adam (previous volunteer) built which, I’m sure, in it’s prime, was a fine structure, but is rapidly declining in its livability. After being there for a few weeks, I have decided that building a new house is more practical than fixing the old. It will be constructed out of the same materials (bamboo with thatch roof), but half the size with a big front porch that will overlook the gorgeous Pacific ocean view from my hammock. Finding materials and organizing people to bring them from the forest is proving to be a huge challenge, but it will be worth it. Patience is everything here.



In work-related news, last week, I hosted a 2-day seminar for cacao producers in my area. With the help of fellow volunteers that live on the Caribbean coast of Bocas del Toro, we were able to bring 3 experienced cacao producers that have been trained in the sustainable management of their farms to teach their fellow producers in Cerro Iglesias. We received a small grant and a donation from my local political leader to help make this happen and it was a success!

We are in the height of the rainy season, which also happens to be when the coffee is ripe for picking. The beneficio (where they process the beans) has been busy buying coffee from local farmers that is then de-pulped (by hand), washed (by hand) and dried (in the sun) in the new greenhouse-like structure (secadora) that was built thanks to a grant that Adam received last year. The secadora allows for the coffee beans to dry under a plastic roof which maximizes the little sunshine that we have right now before the coffee molds.

In a few weeks I’ll be giving a charla (like a lecture, only less formal) on safe ways to dispose of the skins of coffee fruit. They are extremely acidic and many times they are disposed of near rivers, causing a lot of pollution. I hope to teach some community members (or at least myself) about how to use these skins to make rich soil compost, which can then be used as a natural fertilizer or soil enhancer.

(Pictures Above: Adam and me with a giant papaya, Me and Jessica lounging in the hammock, My temporary hobbit-esk house, Below: Bocatoreño teaching my community to graft cacao trees, Jorge spreading out the coffee beans to dry in the sun, note new secadora in background)