Wandering Thoughts

Inevitably, there is no way to capture every aspect being studied, every idea being explored and every decision that must be made in the limited number of topics we ultimately have to choose from. The beauty of life comes from the details and those details are what will make Kalu Yala an authentic place to live.

Arbol de la Vida
First for some theory, then for some fun. In my last blog post, I raised the suggestion that as a community, it would be more valuable for us to be confused, and somewhat uncomfortable, by the connections between our data than interpret them according to a predetermined set of expected relationships. As scientists of the [...]  Read More
Happy while painting the mural
So I recently watched the movie Into the wild and memories of how I envisioned it from the book was brought to light. The protagonist was listening to his heart; and going on his own path in a contradictory way of being mindful of himself (and others), as well as being selfish. He longed for [...]  Read More
Consumerism
I bought a DVD from Giant Tiger for $3.29. And before that item, I bought a shirt for $5.48. I don’t need either item, but I bought them because they seemed interesting and inexpensive – and they are both interesting and inexpensive. I don’t particularly want to contribute to the cycle of consumption of goods, [...]  Read More
Valley horses
Since the beginning of time humans have been wanderers. The joy of finding comfort on an unfamiliar trail or setting foot on a mountain ridge, as the sun so gracefully sweeps the earths crust, is a settling feeling. There is much to be learned from the art of walking and wandering. To be surrounded by [...]  Read More
View Catalino's Hill
This week, I have put together a slideshow to portray a glimpse of life as a Kalu Yala intern. Time has flown by all too fast. Some of us leave in two short days, others in two weeks. We have created a community, become a family, built a home, and learned so much. I am [...]  Read More
Ramon and bejuco group
“House construction is a collective enterprise, one in which some men have special knowledge but all play their roles, just as the house itself is a collection of named and symbolically significant pieces that when lashed together create an aesthetically pleasing whole standing for the solidarity of kin and community”  Read More
This week was the last week for classes and after school programs in San Miguel. A bittersweet ending to such a great semester with my adult English class and the kids in my soccer club. What a great experience it was for me to watch the adults learn English, bring me extra worksheets they had [...]  Read More
Bull
The Amazing Adventures of Boss Man and the Machete Mobbers! Chapter VII: Grab Life by the Bulls (video link at the end!) Boss and the Mobbers sat around their hand made tables as they digested their dinner and conversed about their hometowns. Machete Joe removed himself from the conversation and leaned over to Boss and [...]  Read More
Morning on the Cinta Costera
One of my favorite Radiolab episodes – “Cities” – explores how certain cities get their individual personalities. The hosts begin with a basic conceit: there’s no scientific metric for measuring a city’s personality. So much of the human-scale details that determine an individual experience within an urban center are left to chance. But two physicists [...]  Read More
This is Panama
After spending 2 months working in Panama, I can say joining Kalu Yala’s business program was one of the best decisions I have ever made. If you are a current business student, this internship program provides an unique and distinctive professional experience in one of the world’s fastest growing economies. Panama has a lot to [...]  Read More