Bathing in a puddle

The last week in March I ventured out to the Comarca Ngöbe-Buglé (CNB) to assist a few (non-agriculture) volunteers with agricultural related doings. I also got to see a different part of the country, not only geographically but also culturally. The CNB is one of (and the largest) Indian reservations in Panama. A large portion of PCV serve in the CNB in Panama. I visited three Environmental Health volunteers whose main projects are building aqueduct systems or latrines with their communities. It was fascinating to see such big cultural differences between their Indigenous sites and my Latino site. Women in the CNB wear traditional naguas, colorful dresses with embroidered details. They also speak their own language, but the majority can speak Spanish as well (Spanish is taught/used in schools). A lot of the CNB has been disforested due to population growth and unsustainable clearing practices. Each volunteer I visited, did not have an aqueduct (not surprising because that’s why they are there), which meant my showering experience was very different from at home in my community. Either out of a bucket or a “stream” a small cup was used to trickle water over myself in vain attempts to feel cleaner. I put “stream” in quotations because I visited during the dry season. Meaning it hadn’t rained in upwards of four months (very different from my site, it rained every three days or so during the dry season) and these “streams” were no more than a dribble of water that slowly filled up a small rock pool in the streambed. The water was not crystal clear or plentiful, it was like bathing in a puddle. If I had a site like this it is safe to say I would no longer have long hair.

One of the biggest work days was helping one volunteer prepare his garden space. It was sweaty, gratifying, painful (my hands were covered in blisters), and productive.

 


 

 

 

Tripping and stumbling and turning my ankles is a pretty standard occurrence, but actually falling thankfully doesn't happen that often, but on the last day of my travels I fell straight on my knee. I got it taped up to help with the massive amounts of bruising and all was well.