I have strived to make sure that this future mural in San Miguel not only represents the community, but is derived from within the community. Having this mural be born within the community and not an alien baby plastered on their community space is a huge goal of mine and also a large fear of mine in regards to this project.

This new feature of their community will be something they see multiple times a day, if they want to or not the mural will effect them and their environment. Therefore, having the design and content be something they find beautiful and can associate with positively is key to the success of the mural.

To gather a better understanding of what makes San Miguel, San Miguel and to gather ideas for the content of the mural I became English Teacher for the day. Designed a lesson plan, where I ask the students both children and adults to tell me about San Miguel. I created little “My San Miguel” booklets which asked to name and draw their favorite  plants, and animals of San Miguel. They where also asked to describe their parents occupations, activities and passions of the community, and a favorite story from the past both in Spanish and English.

This was my first excursion at being head teacher with children, to be totally honest it was hard. I did not freshen up on my Spanish teacher lingo – therefore I had a rough idea how to say sit down, raise your hand, or listen in Spanish, and I think as soon as the students realized I was winging it was the moment I lost their respect and attention. My brain quickly reacted and started to rely on facial expressions and body language to fill in where my Spanish was failing. When a student was misbehaving I stood closer to him or her and raised my eyebrows, at one point I tried to use “if you can hear me clap once… clap twice” technique, which just looked like I was randomly clapping because I couldn’t clearly express what the clapping meant. Minus the difficulties directing the class, the booklets turned out great, and I think the class liked the activity and it gave me a great place to start dreaming about the content of the mural.

In the adult class we sat in front of the proposed mural location and I asked them what they would like to see in a community mural, they pretty much had the same input as the children. Though one adult, Gustavo, wanted to paint a mural of his birth, then a mural of the face of our community outreach director, Erin Keigher, so that the town would have something to remember her by.

What we decided would be good mural content:

• The river
• The mountains and hills
• The trees – coconut, mango, palms, cashew, banana, and bougainvillea
• The animals – roosters, cows, horses, stray dogs, tropical birds, and big toads
• The people – children, farmers, and mothers
• The church
• The ranchos y fincas
• Soccer, cooking, and farming
• Relationships with nature and God

So with the content brainstorming sessions with the community over, I started a virtual inspiration board on Pinterest. Here you can see some of the images and inspiration behind the design on the mural.

This next week I’ll be focusing on the design of the mural. Get excited and stay tuned, mural design up soon.

A celebration without food is a sure-fire way to displease a crowd.  As with the gathering to celebrate a significant change such as a birth or a marriage, the cultivating and harvesting of land is an act of caring.  At a time when many great, inspiring thinkers are putting energy towards analyzing and proposing solutions for our broken global food system, I’m celebrating Panama with my fork.

By sampling wonderful cuisine that includes sancocho, ceviche, and tropical fruit galore, I am experiencing nature through a new perspective.  Beyond that, I have the opportunity to critically think forward. As we in the Agriculture and Animal Sciences program aim to build a sturdy, healthy food base for the future community of Kalu Yala, we are trying to problem solve with the help of local farmers, international research, and common sense.  Melding these isn’t so easy, as we’ve found out. Here are some thoughts that I’m juggling in consideration:

1. The concept of what is natural is culturally based and is ever shifting.
2. Our act of manipulating nature has been driven by our demand for food.  Our landscapes reflect and dictate what is on our forks.
3. We have tools, both technical and ideological, that can enable us to considerably improve landscapes and thereby our food system.

To the first point, I came to feel this and not simply intellectually accept my biases.  What sparked it?  My intense sensitivity to seeing a piece of non-compostable trash while in the valley, whether it’s one chip bag, one cigarette butt, or one soda can, has motivated me to step back.  What’s in front of me is tainted, even with the butterflies fluttering about.  Similarly, I was challenged to celebrate with a local farmer friend when he nearly gloated about having killed and eaten a panther.  To him, it is a delicacy; to me and my fellow Western environmentalists, the act of killing the endangered and keystone species is atrocious.  These are concepts that we’re coming in with that are rooted in research that is attached to our society, and thereby in some ways detached from the local culture we are experiencing.

The American fascination with pristine nature has created a framework that imposes judgment on a well-functioning, close-to-symbiotic relationship with nature. John Dixon Hunt, a contemporary landscape historian and theorist, wrote about the categories of landscape defined during the Renaissance.  The first is wilderness, the land of the gods and raw materials for the other natures; the second is cultivated land; the third is the garden that combines nature and culture.[1] I see more of first nature as I explore the valley, while the surrounding cattle, citrus, and chicken farmers rely on the productivity of the second nature.  My expectation is that there should be no urban issues, such as the existence of non-biodegradable materials, in the rainforest of Panama. Aren’t people who live directly off the land, meaning those who cultivate food, more connected to it than urbanites?

Wendell Berry speaks of his concern about “the failure of the environmental movement to envision and promote a conserving, land-based economy.  The movement has failed to foresee or envision a mean between the pristine and the utterly spoiled.  There’s talk now among biologists of dividing the world 50-50 between nature preserves and industrial farming and forestry.  But this abandons any hope of harmony between human life and the life of the world.  Without which neither can be preserved.”[2] The food system is a motivating link to reimburse nature for our output-driven relationship with it.

Recently, there is talk of a fourth nature, the mediated landscape (check it out).  Over the course of the 20^th century, humans have been able to expanded the scale and complexity of landscapes.  We have tools that enable us to control our actions and potential consequences, including the collection of data, the management of the flow of resources, and the ability to redress environmental imbalances.  This gives heated hope for us working to foster a sustainable community.

We can question, learn, research, and act.  The framework of the fourth nature, the mediated landscape, offers an opportunity to revisit our relationship with all three natures.  I hope to see a more symbiotic relationship with nature.  To piggyback off of the concepts of biophilia and biomimicry, I turn to the eusocial insect, the ant. “[T]he interdependence of the leafcutters and their fungus is one of the most successful symbioses of all time.”[3] The transfer of food is the connection they have with one another.  We have this with the earth and its diverse energy supplies.  Whether you explore, pick, or vote with your fork…it matters.

Thanks to Terra Hope for her photo!

[2] TUC Radio. Fast Food World. San Francisco: TUC Radio. (podcast)

[3] (3) Holldobler, Bert & Wilson, Edward . The Leafcutter Ants: Civiliation by Instinct. New York: W. W. Norton & Co, 2011.

In their 2011 paper  “The tree planting and protecting culture of cattle ranchers and small-scale agriculturalists in rural Panama: Opportunities for reforestation and land restoration” Garen et al. explored the reasons why cattle ranchers and small scale farmers in Panama have maintained a tradition since pre-European contact of both planting and protecting valuable multipurpose trees and shrubs on the land they farm.  In the interviews conducted for their research they discovered a total of 99 tree species that were seen as valuable by small scale farmers and were either planted, or the wild trees protected. Interestingly all but 28% of these species of tree were native to Panama and 61 % of the species mentioned were used for more than one use (i.e. live fences, firewood, fruit, etc). Although much attention has been given to the deforestation practices of small landholders in rural Panama it was interesting to see the opposite perspective explored, and especially how widespread this appreciation for the services of native trees is within rural Panama.

This paper acted to confirm something I had taken note of during my exploration of both the Kalu Yala Property and the surrounding valley, the campesino’s seem to place great importance on planting and maintaining tree species around their rancho’s that provide them with a variety of services. These are most often in the form of either fruit trees or living fences. The diversity of species planted in some of the small orchards is astounding, it is not uncommon to see a plantain, banana, yucca, Palm, mango, Guanabana, Orange, Grapefruit, wild Cashew, Tamarind, Pineapple, and a variety of living fence species all in the same 1 or 2 acre plot. To help aid the development of my own agroforestry plot what I hope to do before the end of this semester is conduct a series of two part interviews with as many of the local campesinos as possible. The first part of the interview would be focused on some basic demographic information and questions about their land-use practices, the second half will be a walk around their farm and the forest edge and having them point out species that are valuable to them. The results of these interviews will be complied and be used both for a future blog post and also for my research paper I am writing for my university.

After more than 6 weeks of getting acquainted with Panama, one of the things most of us have discovered is that time in Latin America is viewed much differently from in the U.S.  Americans lead fast-paced lives, always hurrying from school to work to events and more.  Food is fast, service is fast, everything is fast.   Latin America moves to a much different rhythm.   Nothing is done on time.  People move at a leisurely pace whether at work or elsewhere.

This is often hard for us Americans to get used to.  We are accustomed to quick service and punctuality.  We have to really try hard not to get annoyed while waiting.  In business and in social settings meeting times are loose suggestions.  If you’re host tells you to arrive at 8, better make it 9 to risk not arriving too early and finding them just hopping out of the shower.  If you’re going out for dinner, make sure you’re not starving.  Have a snack before you go because you will most likely have to wait a bit for your food.  If you are prepared for this difference in time mentality, your time in Panama and across Latin America will be much more enjoyable and you will save yourself a lot of frustration.

The Amazing Adventures of Boss Man and the Machete Mobbers!

Chapter V: The Honey Creepers

The machete blade rose high into the sun then came down with elegant force. Stocks of elephant grass swiftly dropped through the mat of compiled vegetation that elevated Boss above the hillside. Engulfed by the grass, boss hacked forward. He had a goal to clear a good area of the hillside, but conducted his action in a way that became meditative. Only breaking his train of thought, or lack they’re of, with crawling maneuvers through the thick mat of vegetation back to the top of the hill for water. The shade from passing clouds hugged his back, giving him quick relief from the harsh sun.

Boss Man in the elephant grass before the hill was cleared.

Boss on the hill top after the he cleared the elephant grass

Faint unrecognizable noises sneaked through the soaring grass from a distance. Curiosity probed Boss’s thoughts until he could no longer ignore the noises, and headed towards them. A path began to emerge beneath his feet. “That’s odd,” he thought as he passed a pink ribbon tied to a branch. Another…and another pink ribbon. He followed the path of ribbons as the noises became more distinguished.

Boss spotted three figures through the heavy vegetation and approached them with caution. Two females and a male were, what looked like, blazing trails. Boss decided to approach them, machete unsheathed. Walking slowly into their workspace, Boss made certain to have a smile on his face and give a good wave to show a peaceful approach. The three workers rebutted waves and smiles.

“Making trail are ya?” asked Boss.

“We sure are” replied the man, who was now leaning on his shovel. “And you?”

“Just about the same. Starting from the top of that hill down to the Pacora.”

“Well aint that funny, we were starting down from the rio to up top that hill”

“Ha! Well alright then! “Im Boss Man”

“Largo” the man replied as they shook hands.

One of the women hopped from her standing position to almost right in front of Boss. “Sol!” she said and stuck her hand out to shake his.

The other women started to stride over, so Boss walked half way to meet here.

“Tierra” she said smiling, with a pickaxe resting on her shoulder.

Boss worked with the three for the rest of his stint. He became fond of them as they shared stories, opinions and trades from their work. They were proud of their efforts in the jungle and called themselves the Honey Creepers, after one of the birds you could see along the new trail.

Boss packed his things to head out to the city but knew he would see them again.

Chapter VI: Boss Man vs. The Volcano

During allocated days away from base camp in the valley Boss traveled to Boquete. Located in northern Panama, this small town is surrounded with stunning geography of rivers, jungle and mountains. The town is famous for its location next to the tallest point in Panama, Volcano Baru. Boss had limited time there so he made sure to use it well.

Before arriving he contacted Cesar Melendez, one of the top 200 rock climbers in the world to see if he could meet up for a climb. Boss was fortunate as his first morning was filled with climbing volcanic rock walls with Cesar, who agreed to take him to the good spots.

Boss got some food and packed his gear, for he was to climb Volcano Baru the same day. The hike would take any ware from five to seven hours and he planned to spend the night atop the volcano to watch the sunrise from the summit. After a relaxing cup of coffee he hailed a cap to take him to the trail-head.

Boss shut the cab door and headed up the trail by himself. It was 6:00pm when he started. The sun started to set a little more than an hour into the hike, which was still an amazing sight that foreshadowed the sunrise he planned to see the fallowing morning. Twilight lit the sky for about half an hour, and then Boss stopped and put on his headlamp for the rest of the way.

The night grew cold and his pack started to impair his steps. “I think I brought too much water, maybe I should poor some out…no I might need it for the way back” Boss thought. He thought about a lot of things. Five hours of hiking provides lots of time for the mind to wander. He stopped for a PP & J and stared at the stars. There was so many it was hard to recognize even the most basic of constellations.

There were signs that stated the distance left till the top. Eager to pass them to ensure the right direction and prove his progress, Boss shined his light into the sides of the trail from time to time in hopes of catching their reflection. Five hours passed and boss had reached the campsite at the top, only 1 kilometer from the summit. It seemed he would be the only one on the mountain for the night as there were no other tents pitched. At this point he had been hiking with a faint light as his headlamp started to die out. He decided he had made it this far and needed to make it to the top that night, so he set his things down behind a bush and went up. A couple fist punches in the air and some hollers satisfied his efforts to reach the summit, then headed back down to the campsite. He set up his tent and then his headlamp died…”perfecting timing” he thought. Boss put on the warm clothes he rented for the night and settled in for the night. But sleep was not as easy as usual and the cold at the top was ever present. Waking up to his body shivering he knew the hike the next day would be done slowly.

Boss looked down at his watch, the alarm was set to go off at 6:00am but he was already up. He broke down his tent and headed up to the summit. The sun was creeping behind the clouds. The landscape looked as though it was being seen through an airplane window. He got to the top just in time. The sun blasted over the clouds and delivered awesome beauty. Then, Boss was lucky enough that the day was clear, and could see both the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans from the same point. Deep breaths and a big smile is all his body could deliver, Boss had conquered the volcano.

Stay tunned for another exiting chapter of

The Amazing Adventures of Boss Man and the Machete Mobbers!

Boss man at the summit of Vocano Baru during sunrise

Walking down the twisted warped sidewalks of Panama city where the very land this metropolis was built upon rejects it like a failed liver transplant, it is hard not to think on the paradox that is Panama. The country sits on a fountain of life. Each tree, flower, spider, bee screams to the glory of their chaotic existence. And in that sweet chaos, a cacophony of beauty thrives. It is a place where no death is wasted no life meaningless. A place where it can be hard to distinguish land from the night sky on account of the infinite spider eyes twinkling just as the stars. And in the midst of this wondrous explosion of creation lies a people disconnected. It is commonplace to discard trash wherever the perpetrator see fit, the government has no waste collection and until recently had the audacity to dump raw sewage directly into the Pacific ocean. It is baffling to see a people with so little regard for such a wonderful place. I know full well this disconnected may not be the norm, but I also understand a group is defined by its extremes. Whichever the case, majority or minority, the trees are still littered with the rotting carcases of discarded grocery bags the sidewalk festooned with broken glass. At times it can be overwhelming; as the unknown sledge of unknown origin trickles down over your sandled foot, it can make you want to shout to all who will listen, “Can you not see? Can you not see the world you are creating? Can you not smell the waste you have produced? Can you not hear the wind through the tree’s new plastic flower? Can you not touch the glass which threatens your children? Can you not feel your impending fate?”

[singlepic id=4968 w=320 h=240 float=right]But in this wild frustration hope can still be found. A seed planted in the jungled valleys east of the city. A seed as wonderful as the land that nurtures it. And as this seed grows to a seedling, a sapling, an Oak, change will spread. Land will no longer be looked at with confusion and disconnect. The people will forge a bond and will begin to apprehend the intricacies and wonders of their home. This Oak of enlightenment will branch and flower and provide. Under its shade great thinkers will gather and create, artists will find their muses, dreamers their footing. In this torrent of apathy and wondrous brio as seed grows an idea grows a renaissance grows.

If one were to assume that living in the jungle is easy, they would be mistaken.  While this may be true for many, there are plenty of ways to make life possible in the bush.  When life becomes possible for any individual within the jungle, the benefits will, in turn, appear clear as day.  One such benefit that can be shared involves a connection to the land.  The jungle radiates a certain type of energy that makes the hairs on the back of your neck stand up straight. The beautiful thing about this energy is that it can be harnessed and used to benefit humanity in many ways.

The energy I am speaking of is in the foods we eat, the plants that flourish,the insects that keep the ecosystem balanced, and the water that keeps the river rolling.  Making a conscious effort to understand this energy and live in sync with it will put things into perspective quite nicely.  As Walt Whitman once stated:

“Now I see the secret of the making of the best persons; it is to grow in the open air and eat and sleep with the Earth”.

Once a person can live with this energy and become a part of it then it can also be used to achieve a state of mind.  For many, this state of mind is tranquil and untroubled.  When we become distracted we lose sight of this energy and the many cycles that coexist in harmony.  The tropics are full of life and so many things are happening that should capture our attention as humans.  After spending time in the jungle, it becomes evident that the trees, plants and animals are actually the teachers; in order to live in unison, we must learn from them first.  As Greek philosopher Epictetus once said:

“Nature has given man one tongue, but two ears, that we may hear twice as much as we speak”.

We must learn before we act in order to keep our planet safe.  The fruits and vegetables that we eat for example are charged with information from the universe.  This information may not be visible or tangible but we can learn to be receptive towards it.  When this information is obtained, people can then learn to appreciate it, creating awareness, and as a result, serve as a vessel for the transportation of this knowledge.

The mountains, trees, rushing rivers and open valleys encompass the peaceful spirit contained within life.  A wise man, calling himself John Muir, once said:

“Climb the mountains and get their good tidings. Nature’s peace will flow into you as sunshine flows into trees. The winds will blow their own freshness into you, and the storms their energy, while cares will drop off like autumn leaves.”

The beauty of this energy lies within its attainability and fundamental solutions for a global concern.  These cycles that exist in the wilderness may seem complex, but when broken down into smaller units, we then understand their simplicity and we can see how each function for the greater good of life as a whole.  For example, when an animal such as a monkey eats a banana, he or she leaves behind the peel for the tree.  The monkey does not carry the peel to another location but instead leaves it where he or she found it.  The peel then decomposes and becomes a nutritious supplement for the soil and the tree.  Learning to understand the essence of these cycles and how they work together is something humanity has forgotten and become ignorant towards. Projects like those at Kalu Yala are important because they help raise awareness and consciousness in hopes to change the way people live by spreading knowledge and ideas involving a more natural lifestyle.  Here at Kalu Yala, we feel it is important to share this energy with other children of  mother nature and therefore are hoping to inspire others to join us in this search for a better lifestyle.

Lillian, Hannah and Courtney already talked about the river clean up day in their blogs, so I’m just going to post this video I created! Enjoy 😀

WATCH THE VIDEO HERE 🙂

Things are interpreted relatively. If you’re traveling in a car at 100km/h and you throw an orange backward out your window at 25km/hr, the orange is traveling 75km/h, relative to the road. Your body is traveling 100km/h relative to the road, 0km/h relative to the car, and 25km/h relative to the orange. This analogy may ooze banality, but it holds true to the concept of relativity. Depending on the point of reference, things may exhibit varying characteristics; as in the former example, one’s body can be traveling 100, 25, or 0km/h. When applied to abstractions, such as the social relevancy of something, the point of reference is subjectively designated. However, social dynamics cannot be quantified like the speed of a car on a highway. They are intangible, highly variable, and subject to complete entropy. Our ability to conceptualize relativity and proportionality is rooted in perspective.

People see things relative to themselves, and relative to their community environment. I will not state this as an infallible truth, because it is not. People do stray from their community’s “point of reference”, borrowing new points of reference from other communities. For example, Billy thinks homosexuality is sin, because the white-supremacist, bible-thumping Baptist community in which he lives thinks so too. According to his community’s mindset on this point, relative to a heterosexual, homosexuals are un-godly. Billy may or may not begin to think otherwise, regardless if he is living in this community. Who knows what kind of epiphany he’ll have.

If Billy strays from the community mentality, he does not approach a more positive mindset, nor does he approach a negative one. The constancy of relativity still remains; subjectivity and perspective are the variable roots of all opinion.

I am suggesting that “facts” seen as truth based on a premise of relativity are never consistently factual due to these variable roots.

Mathnawi VI: 2955-2962 The spirit is like an ant, and the body like a grain of wheat
which the ant carries to and fro continually.
The ant knows that the grains of which it has taken charge
will change and become assimilated.
One ant picks up a grain of barley on the road;
another ant picks up a grain of wheat and runs away.
The barley doesn’t hurry to the wheat,
but the ant comes to the ant, yes it does.
The going of the barley to the wheat is merely consequential:
it’s the ant that returns to its own kind.
Don’t say, “Why did the wheat go to the barley?”
Fix your eye on the holder, not on that which is held.
As when a black ant moves along on a black felt cloth:
the ant is hidden from view; only the grain is visible on its way.
But Reason says: “Look well to your eye:
when does a grain ever move along without a carrier?”

– Rumi, Jewels of Remembrance –

“Ahhh..!! If I knew that not many people speak English in Panama, I would have practiced my Spanish before I came here!” said Jocelynn, browsing her Spanish-English book trying to communicate with a local in the bus. We still make fun of her because when the guy asked her out, she said “Sí” (yes) to him without knowing what it really meant. So, the local guy in the picture is called Jocelynn’s novio (boyfriend) among us.

It’s true that you don’t HAVE TO learn Spanish before you come to Panama because Kalu Yala interns tend to travel in a group, and there is always at least one person who can speak a little bit of Spanish. However, you will find your Spanish skills extremely helpful when you come to Panama (if you’ve been practicing any) because there are a lot of moments when we have to communicate with locals who don’t speak any English. For instance, Amanda, Zac and I have been learning how to weave a basket from a local Campesino, Ramon, who lives close to Kalu Yala’s base camp in the valley. It’s been two weeks since we started hanging out with Ramon, and as a result, we’ve learned how to weave a basket as well as have become masters of body language. I made a video of Amanda and Ramon because I find their conversations hilarious. Just watch. If you come to Panama without knowing any Spanish, this will happen to you too.

WATCH THE VIDEO HERE 🙂

Of course, even if you don’t speak any Spanish, you can still get around with your body language and a variety of sound effects like Amanda. But I’m telling you~ It does come in handy if you practice a couple of phrases in Spanish before you come to Panama!

So, here are some phrases that we use everyday:

• ¿Cuánto cuesta? – How much is it?
• Vamos a ir a ….. – Let’s go to …..
• ¿Dónde está el baño? – Where is the bathroom?
• Hola/Buenas – Hello
• Adiós/Chao/Hasta luego – Bye
• Mucho gusto – Nice to meet you
• Me llamo ….. – My name is …..
• Me gusta ….. – I like …..
• Gracias – Thank you
• Está bien – It’s OK
• Tengo hambre – I’m hungry
• Una cerveza, por favor – One beer, please

Don’t worry if you don’t speak any Spanish. Whether you know Spanish or not, it’s still worth coming down here. All you need to do is leave your pride at the door and try to get your point across with whatever it takes. Who knows?! At the end of the internship, you might be surprised by how much Spanish you’ve learned in Panama!

In eight short weeks I will be starting a new job and moving to a new state. I will graduate and start my new career as a summer camp professional. This week I thought a lot about how my time at Kalu Yala is preparing me for some of the most important aspects of my future career. You may be asking yourself how living in the jungle and building things could possibly prepare me to manage youth and staff. Let me tell you why.

The Kalu Yala intern program is essentially summer camp for adults. Some people may read that and default to some negative idea that we are a bunch of 20 somethings just playing, hanging out, and not really doing much in the middle of the Panamanian Jungles,and I would have to disagree with those individuals. Summer camp is so much more than fun, it is the things that children learn while having fun that truly creates the summer camp experience. At Kalu Yala we learn exponentially more than simply the skills we use to complete our work.

I started going to camp when I was six years old. I started working at camp when I was 16, since then I have only been away from the camp setting for two summers. I major in Recreation and Leisure studies with the career goal of one day owning my own camp. It’s not because I want to play for the rest of my life or just have fun; it is because I truly believe that camp is an essential, crucial, powerful tool that has the ability to shape a better future for the entire world. I can talk for hours, suggest multiple books, journal articles, and more about the benefits and power of the summer camp experience. I’ll spare you that for the sake of brevity, but I will list just a couple of the benefits that the American Camp Association’s research has revealed. According to ACA children that experience summer camp report increased self-esteem, peer relationships, independence, adventure and exploration, leadership, environmental awareness, friendship skills, values and decisions, social comfort, and spirituality. I don’t know about you, but I know a lot of “adults” that could use a healthy dose of all of those things. So what is it about the camp experience that produces these results in thousands of children summer after summer?

I’ve thought about this question a lot. I’ve had the privilege of working at two camps on almost opposite ends of the spectrum. Both camps are great in their own right and both create these results among the youth that they serve. After reading, reflecting, remembering, and analyzing, I believe that the power of the camp experience comes from the ability to challenge oneself beyond measure in a supportive community.

Kalu Yala provides the exact same opportunity. I can put myself out there and try something I never thought I could do. I built a chair, a seemingly small feat, but the feeling of nailing that last nail in, sitting down, and seeing others use it brings nothing but joy and empowerment. If the chair had fallen apart upon first sit, there would have been 17 people there to lift my spirits and bring new innovation as to how to make it work. This is a community, it is extremely similar to a camp community, and it is the model that needs to shape every community if we truly want to create a better future.

Society has moved towards a model that champions individualism and self-preservation. We no longer recognize and feel the connections between what we do and how it affects others. The future community of Kalu Yala hopes to shift this dynamic. It will call for a return to face to face conversation, to empathy and compassion, to friendly disagreement that leads to monumental change- these are the things that create community and a better future. I happened to learn them at camp as a child and now have the privilege to feel that wonderful connectedness again within the Kalu Yala community.

I know all too many people whose internships consist of making copies, answering phones, and busy work. They are reduced to being simply a cog in the machine, but they have no idea what the machine really does. At Kalu Yala I have the autonomy to create my own projects or help others with theirs.  I feel comfortable taking risks and challenging myself through the support of my fellow interns and directors. I know that the decisions I make and the culture and community of the interns will determine the direction of this company. Which sounds better?

I’m learning how to create culture and community in the best working environment possible by being a part of a community that values each of its parts. When I get to camp this summer I will be coming from one supportive community to another and my time at Kalu Yala will greatly shape the community that is created at camp.

Everyone is frustrated with the current state of the world, there is no doubt about that. If you want to be one of the people that starts actually working and living for a better world, then Kalu Yala is what you are looking for. If you’re ready to stop focusing on everything that’s wrong and start looking at all the potential, if you’re ready to step away from the screen and into a community that values your strengths instead of trying to fix your weaknesses, if you want an internship that is more than paper pushing, then this is where you need to be. Don’t let “I wish I could’s” and “maybe one days” keep you from living the life you want to live starting now. It is possible, and it is here. Email [email protected] for more information regarding Summer and Fall 2012 programs.

Stop and think about the people you know. How many of them live their whole life within their comfort zone? How many of them do not take the risks for a better life they dream of when they could? I recently had a chat with one of my oldest friends, and while telling him about Kalu Yala as an option to get a new perspective in life, he answered me:  “Yes, but if I am really ready to take the kind of risk you are talking about, I need to be absolutely sure it will advance my interests and serve my career goals.”

If we’re always afraid of branching out in our lives without the certainty that it will benefit us in the near future, we’ll soon find ourselves in a treadmill of a life and not following our dreams or doing the right thing. Doing work in general is important to us because it brings meaning to our life, makes it possible to express ourselves and upholds the development of community life and infrastructure. Individual contributions to society are the key to our development as a human race. However, if we neglect the core reasons of doing fulfilling work to instead focus on productivity, it can make us blind to our own future. Giving yourself a chance to expand your comfort zone and adapt to new situations can be a very uplifting experience – either locally or overseas like I did it. Simply put, I wanted to take a risk for widening my horizon and exploring new methods on how to do work and take part in a more sustainable way of life.

The reason many of us do not take risks for a better life has a lot to do with submitting to outside expectations and pressure. Pressures such as company engagement, manipulative advertising, keeping up with the Joneses’ and making sure we don’t fall by the wayside. The fear of missing your ride in society’s merry-go-round as it starts to gather pace keeps most of us living according to majority values or the status quo. Our society’s artificial boundaries prepare us to think we must succeed in our career and be productive at the expense of our health. We must constantly study, exercise, eat well, think twice, create schedules, experience the extreme, endlessly improve and safeguard ourselves from losing it all. All this just so that you can say, at the end of the day as you’re lying in bed (exhausted by all the things you did in fear of failing or losing your job) that you managed to live up to all the expectations laid upon you. This pattern is easily noticed in the streets of Panama City the same way it has visibly affected the daily routines in the US, Germany, Japan or Finland.

John Lennon once said:

“Life is what happens while you are busy making other plans.”

Life is not a race; at least it should not be a race. Projects like Kalu Yala, along with other similar initiatives that try to figure out the real essence of a good life always include risks. Life is about risks, taking risks and picking up the pieces of wisdom on the way – it’s not something to put on a resume for your future boss, not to populate endless forms to demonstrate you’re worthy of owning a life. Life is to be  present when something happens. Like in sustainable development, organic farming, or long term community creation, the true result in life comes through taking chances and lessons learned – a result that will fulfill your life with true happiness of being exactly what you are in a place you can call home.

Albert Einstein, whose massive bust sticks up in a plaza named after him here in Panama, recently reminded me of the mysterious dimension of time as I saw him there solemnly watching over people in their everyday lives:

“The only reason for time is so that everything doesn’t happen at once.” – Albert Einstein

Maybe we should honor this wise man and give our projects – and ourselves – some time to grow and adapt.  Similar to the way trees need time to bloom in our Kalu Yala valley or as our village grows little by little along with our dreams of it. I truly believe that in our hearts we know that life is ultimately about exploring new frontiers, finding your place and having courage to interact with the people around you.

If you want to give your dreams a chance to bloom and step into the trail already partly cleared by the KY interns and staff, or just want to get more information about our internship programs, email [email protected] to get more information on how to apply.

This week was my first chance to help out with ESL classes! Fully charged from a rooster wake-up call, cool shower and coffee I was ready for the challenge.  The first couple of kids slowly approached the library with coy faces, yet as introductions began they quickly warmed up to us.  I swear children’s smiles could probably bring world peace.  One little boy, Eynar, was so excited to tell me about his Peter Pan backpack and Yankees hat that he almost missed instructions for Tiffany’s bingo game. They are so eager to meet new friends and tell us about their lives!

Yesterday I assisted Tiffany in making 4×4 bingo boards to help review basic English vocabulary like numbers, colors, body parts and food.  For example, one square had a cutout red apple, one had a cutout hand, and so on.  We would call out the words in English and they would have to identify it on the bingo board.  Although my attempts at cutting out 16 tiny hands was sub par at best, the kids took to the game instantly.  I made sure they understood that in order to cash in their bingo they had to wave their arms in the air and yell BINGO!  I showed them how it was done (emphasizing that goofier is better) and soon they got into the excitement bringing our bingo parlor to life!  Tiffany’s concept was great, involving visual reinforcement of words as well as a fun element.  Games, songs and interaction are going to be key in successfully teaching the little ones.

The modest school has a handful of teachers including Miriam, the librarian, who lets us use her space for three levels of English classes. She is friendly, funny, and a great connection within the community.  While spending time at the San Miguel School I cannot help but to compare it to my days in grade school.  I was privileged to have computers at my disposal, lavish field trips, expansive air conditioned facilities, unlimited sports equipment, and so much more that I simply took for granted because that was all I knew.  Although these children are given excellent mentors and educators that give their all to the kids, they will never have the resources and exposure that many American children, like myself, get to experience.  I say this just to illustrate the enormous difference in our lives.

I love learning about the San Miguel culture, some moments I am humbled while at other times I am so grateful to learn from these people and gain new perspective, enriching my life.  As humans, our greatest resource is simply each other.

Río clean-up was a huge success, the hen house was very happy to have around 50 people from the community come out and help us clean the beautiful river that runs through San Miguel. I only have photos of heading down to the river with the community cloaked in gloves and trash bags. I was too soon concentrated on picking up trash to take more photos, but there is a great video from Gasun, and soon to be another on the Kalu Yala website.

So this most recent valley trip yielded some great progress on our base camp.  The base camp is  just about finished with. It looking like a legit structure already.  We have completed all the bamboo and palm walling as well making a great palm roof.  We are basically  experimenting, but i would like to incorporate some more local knowledge into the palm roofing.  Our neighbor Catalino has a great rancho that is perfectly thatched with palm, and I have seen similar designs all over Panama as well as back home in Hawaii.

The next order of business in the “Jungle Construction” field, as well as the Agriculture program, is building a greenhouse using bamboo which will be very exciting as I will be able to replicate it on Hawaii if it is successful.  We also have to finish the last part of our roof in base camp  and few small areas here and there.  Along with these projects I would like to build a toolshed in the same style as base camp.  I believe that a toolshed will motivate people more to return the tools they use as soon as there done and provide some protection for the tools.

The projects I have planned to work on this week in the Valley are to build a vermicompost unit and a bench to put in a clearing on top of the big hill.  My vermicompost unit will be a very simple one made out of a plastic tub and thats about it. I want to have it set up near or next to the greenhouse so the compost material can be used in the starter plants but mostly to extract the liquid that builds on the bottom.  This liquid can be used as a very potent organic fertilizer, and can be formulated with certain other materials to be an organic pesticide, with potential to combat the coffee boring beetle I mentioned in a previous blog.  Now as for this bench, I plan on making a clearing at the top of the hill and putting this bench up there to create a scenic lookout where you look down upon the property and base camp as well as the surrounding region.

My mother has always been a big component of pushing me to write thank you letters, even when I didn’t want to.
Mama always said a thank you letter goes a long way, especially when it is hand written.

Well, this week I wrote thank you letters to some of the women who have welcomed us into San Miguel. These thank you letters were a result from a brainstorming session from within the Hen House (a newly coined term for the San Miguel Community Outreach home in San Miguel). We planned to write thank you notes, including some traditional Gringa cookies and also the recipe for the cookies. Most of the women we were planning on giving these thank you letters to had shared with us a traditional Panamanian recipe; María who showed us the corn tortillas, and Aminta who shared her queso fresco recipe.

A recipe for A recipe makes the world happy and fat.

Well, the challenge was up to me to write a thank you note for their time and help, and translate the recipe into Spanish while the girls made the cookies. Accidentally, my camera was at the same time busy taking photos every second of me writing the cards, so I put together a quick video of the process.

Tiffany and I delivered the cookies, recipe and letter to María. Again we found ourselves EATING patacones, pollo, and limonada on the front porch, speaking Spanish with her wonderful daughters, her mom and her neighbor looking over the valley. So I’ll have to write her another thank you card.

This week we had the annual Rio Clean Up Day and what a success it was! Hannah and I made posters to promote the event and put them up at the school as well as the local store. We met at the Cancha around ten and had a great turn out! All of the kids, as well as the adults were excited and eager to get going on cleaning up their beloved river. A lot of the valley crew and directors came out to help as well. It was great to have so many different groups to come together for a common goals. We picked up a ton of trash and with a brand new soccer ball used as a motivator, the kids were scrambling to see who could pick up the most trash.

We successfully filled up three barrel trash cans as well as a lot more trash that we put into bags. We taught the kids and people of San Miguel the importance of dividing the trash into trash, glass and plastic so that recyclable items could be picked up by the appropriate pick up crews. The soccer ball was rewarded to a great family, all of whom attend our English summer school classes each week. They were all a great help and such hard workers in picking up all the trash.

Overall, this event was a huge success in cleaning up the river and bringing together the San Miguel and Kalu Yala community!

Tuesday was Valentine’s Day and there was no shortage of love in the San Miguel house. While Valentine’s Day is more widely celebrated in the United States, we brought a few Valentine’s Traditions with us to San Miguel. The direct translation of Happy Valentine’s Day is “Feliz Dia de Enamorados;” however, in San Miguel they say “Feliz Dia del Amor y Amigos.” It is a day of celebration of both your loved ones and friends! On my way to school it was great to hear a friend in the community say Happy Day of Love and Friends to me!

Fun Fact: Miriam, the librarian at the school in San Miguel, explained that the reason red is associated with Valentine’s Day is because it represents life!

During our summer school session we went over basic vocabulary you typically see on Valentine’s Day cards in the United States including: “Hugs & Kisses,” “XOXO,” “I Love You,” and so forth. We had the children make Valentine’s Day cards for their mother, father, friends, or other loved ones. There were pink, red, purple and white cards decorated with glitter, markers, smaller hearts, and English phrases! Hannah, Lillian and I even played a little of Frank Sinatra’s song L.O.V.E. while all the children made their cards.  This was a great, fun activity for everyone to do during the last week of summer school.

Life is all about balance, as Einstein said “Life is like riding a bicycle. To keep your balance you must keep moving”. Myself and the interns in San Miguel are balanced and moving forward.

Roles are becoming more defined in the house. Lillian and Hannah are taking on the education of the teens; Tiffany is in charge of the little niños; and Courtney and Myself are teaching the adult classes. The interns all have individual projects too. Hannah is working on a mural for the town;

Tiffany is prepping and planning for a dental education workshop (which we will present in numerous schools); Courtney is continuing the with soccer program, and will be making hoola hoops with some of the girls in the town, and Lillian has been actively working in the house garden, and is planning and prepping for an after-school conservation group. We are busy bees 🙂 We are also continuing with our spanish studies; and I have been teaching and leading yoga classes for the interns at the house as well.

San Miguel is blessed with a beautiful landscape,  the Pacora River, a dominant feature of the town. This picturesque river regularly attracts both locals and visitors from the city and in turn, trash is often struin along banks.

Although the river is littered with trash, much of the community wants to make a change.  They understand the negative impact both visually and environmentally, so we gave them the extra push and organized a River Clean-up Day.  We hung posters and rallied the kids and adults to come together as a unified community.  Several interns came in from the city and the valley to support San Miguel and about forty kids and adults from the comunity showed up to participate!  Armed with gloves and trash bags we started filling up bags faster than we could give out new ones.  I was impressed by how many kids showed up and how dedicated they were to filling their bags.  It was a fun and productive day that brought Kalu Yala and the people of San Miguel together in perfect harmony.

After collecting and sorting the trash everyone came to Casa Llena for tacos and lemonade, a great end to a beautiful day.

“Life on the Frontier” is a glimpse into the lives of Kalu Yala’s adventure-driven, Spring 2012 Interns as they begin their epic voyage in this unique social experiment — building, conducting research, charting their observations, establishing community relations, and finding comfort in their new humble abode. Once again, we welcome you to the junglescapes of Panama. It’s like the Oregon Trail but with a twist of lime and all-consuming heat.

We did it again. We’ll continue to. We promise.

We’re lifting the red curtain.

LIFE ON THE FRONTIER

Interested in applying to Kalu Yala’s Summer 2012 semester? Check out our website for more information or email Ashley Davis at: [email protected]

For more than one week now, western Panama has seen violent demonstrations and riots between two opposing forces. First are the indigenous community of the Ngobe-Bugle, Second are the national Panamanian police forces. The protesters have managed to shut down a section of the Pan-American highway(which links the country to Costa Rica).  All this has been in opposition to the Government non-enforcement of Article 5 of (proyecto de ley) 415, which cancels and prohibits all national and foreign mining and hydroelectric development within their traditional lands.  Although Panama is accustomed to unrest and demonstrations, always for similar reasons, this time it seems to be more violent than usual.

The recent Indigenous demonstrations have already created important economic losses for the country, as the (blocked)province of Chiriquí is Panama’s chief agricultural centre and a strong tourism center at the same time. Many villages are isolated, so when a majority of roads are blocked, many people are not supplied with basic products. For instance, Some Central American travelers are still blocked in Boquete  without the possibility of exiting. In response to this popular uprising, anti rioting forces have deployed and repression has started.

Police forces are accused of using excessive force: while I am writing this post, dozens of demonstrators have been arrested or injured, and one 26-year-old indigenous man was shot dead by the police. Unfortunately, if this sad situation continues, it is probably going to compromise Kalu Yala’s research trip in Boquete and Panama’s highlands.

All this is showing us how Ngobes (and natives’ communities all around the world in general) are tied to their land. Many of them are ready to fight to death in order to protect it from big corporations which only are focused on profit, no matter the impact on land and local communities. Governments should have this in mind and realize that land is the most valuable asset a country owns, and even if exploiting it will bring short term profit, it is not profitable to destroy it or the people whom it maintains.

Attached are  links that describe the situation in greater detail:

Panama police, indigenous clash over blockade

Indians, Panama gov’t in deal to end road blockade Read more here:

http://www.miamiherald.com/2012/02/06/2628373/panama-indians-seek-release-of.html#storylink=cpy

Sustainability economist and author of the book Prosperity without Growth, Tim Jackson thoroughly addressed the problem of the ecological limits of a finite planet in one of his recorded conference speeches that I happened to find a couple of days ago online. I was fascinated by this public speech and will definitely put his book on my must-read list as number one. Below is a quote from the speech.

”Our consumer society […] It’s the story of us being couraged, persuaded perhaps, to spend money we don’t have, on things we don’t need, to create impressions that won’t last on people we don’t care about or, worse still, who don’t care about us.” – Tim Jackson on the recent rise of consumerism.

Consumer behavior was one of the points he made. Corporate responsibility was another. I’m not saying that Jackson is right in all of his visions but, at least he is calling out consumers and corporations, which both play key roles in future sustainability investigations. In the US and in Europe, we’ve already seen a significant change in how big multinational corporations change their core business values to include environmental and corporate responsibility. This is, in fact, a mandatory approach to meet today’s environmentally aware customer expectations. Corporations, big or small, riding “the green wave” find substantial competitive edge over their business sectors by driving structural change – both in markets and legislation that is more resilient and environmentally friendly.  This has to be done in the face of analyzing and defining our planet’s true limits and future risks.

It is hard to foretell if this will ultimately be enough to change the course of this overburdened planet. In a way, it has some similarities to the Kalu Yala initiative, which also calls people within the corporate world, governments and universities for a radical shake-up. Opening one’s eyes to see the future ideal of a community being built and managed according to the principles of sustainability is a vital part in Kalu Yala’s mission. The idea of a good community is about citizen participation in development and an equal chance of having a meaningful life.

There are a lot of genuine, good people behind our distant economic systems and corporations, just as there are people behind the enormous infrastructure to cradle almost six billion unique lives on this planet. The time has come to unify people with different backgrounds, no matter where they come from. We need to stop being just consumers only interested in new products, spending money and giving up our free time and freedom to something we can’t control – but instead start living together as full citizens. The recent collapse of our western economic system is a call for people to participate, question and start making an influence.  As Nicolas Sarkozy, President of France, expressed publicly in 2009:

“The crisis doesn’t only make us free to imagine other models, another future, another world. It obliges us to do so.” – Nicolas Sarkozy on remodeling our economic indicators to include the health of a nation.

We will always have big cities, we will always have some sort of corporations, but will we also have the right environments to properly provide for our people? People are ultimately the only ones able to take action and create change. Kalu Yala is striving towards commonwealth in healthy surroundings in Panama to show the world that we can do this. We can live according to the rules of a finite planet and actually enjoy it while it’s happening.

In this blog post I hope to continue to expand upon the potential of Agroforestry in the Kalu Yala Valley and specifically investigate a piece of legislation that could be of great help in a push for an expansion of the Agroforestry Project.  However, I must first give a quick recap of the Agriculture Teams progress during our 9 day trip to the Valley. We began to prepare for the building of our Greenhouse, first by collectiong the bamboo stalks that would make up the frame of the greenhouse and then we dug our post holes for the main support beams. The Greenhouse will measure 20 feet by 30 feet and should provide ample room to meet our current needs and still allow for future expansion of our farm and Agroforest. Secondly my Program Director, Ian Chesser, and myself decided on the area where my Agroforestry demonstration plot would be placed, and began to thin the overgrown brush in the area to prepare in for planting. Finally the team egan to brainstorm design ideas and compiled a list of species we would like to see planted in the Valley, and we will be making a trip to a local Nursery to acquire seeds and cuttings very soon.

The long term vision for the Agroforestry plot would to begin to reforest much of the pasture land within the valley property that is not already destined for future development.  What I envision is reforestation based on the principals of Agroforestry, designed in a manner such that it maintains or enhances the functioning of the ecosystem while simultaneously providing products that could be of socio-cultural benefit to the future community of Kalu Yala. This will require investment, both in terms of man power and financially. This begs the question, how do we find a way to uphold our principles of sustainability without breaking the bank in the early stages of development before economic benefit can be derived from the forest products? The answer may come in part from a piece of legislation that was passed by the Panamanian government in 1992. Law 24 was designed to provide economic incentives for reforestation projects within Panama, At the time the law was passed it is estimated that Panama was losing it’s tropical forests at a rate of 79,000 hectares per year. Law 24 would provide several important benefits to Kalu Yala. Firstly any wood harvested within the project is exonerated from Panamanian Taxes and all investments in the project are 100% deductible from the investors Panamanian Income Tax ( Law 24, Article 5). Secondly, and important for a large scale project, any equipment and materials purchased for reforestation can be imported into Panama Tax free (Law 24, Article 6). If my Agroforestry plot should prove successful, Law 24 would provide a means of expanding the project while reducing the cost, this means a better return on investment. It is my hope that Kalu Yala could apply to  INRENARE  in the near future to join the reforestation project and begin to derive the some of the benefits from this legislation.

Every stay in the Valley creates a great opportunity for new thoughts and reflections to emerge.  This past week I was especially absorbed by the harmony of the jungle ecosystem.  The untrained eye would look up to one of the ridges that embrace the Valley and see a chaotic muddle of brush and bugs.  But in reality it is a shining example of nature working in perfect order.  Every animal, plant and process has its place in the system.   Kalu Yala is designing itself around working the human community back into harmony with its physical environment.  As far as agriculture in that new community is concerned, permaculture takes into account the values of working with nature to create the perfect food and resource system.

Permaculture, as described by Bill Mollison, is “a philosophy of working with, rather than against nature; of protracted and thoughtful observation rather than protracted and thoughtless labor; and of looking at plants and animals in all their functions, rather than treating any area as a single project system.”

At the heart of permaculture rests a set of three core principles and twelve design principles that encompass the ethics of sustainability and harmony with nature.  The three core principles are care for the earth, care for the people and fair share.   The second two values ultimately stem from the first.  The fair share principle aims to set limits on reproduction and consumption and to see that all surpluses are shared.   These three core values set the stage for the following twelve design principles.

• Observe and interact.  Learn from nature how to best assimilate into its system
• Catch and store energy.  Sun, Wind, Hydro
• Obtain a yield.  Human labor is an important resource and needs food to fuel it
• Apply self-regulation and accept feedback. Self-regulating systems are the most robust and adaptable.
• Use and value renewable resources and services. Proper stewardship of the land guarantees its condition for future generations
• Produce no waste- The proverbial Reduce, Reuse, Recycle at its best
• Design from patterns to details. Look at the big picture.
• Integrate rather than segregate. The whole is greater than the sum of its parts.
• Use small and slow solutions. Local food, Keep it Simple
• Use and value diversity. “Don’t put all your eggs in one basket.”
• Use edges and value the marginal. “Nature does nothing uselessly.” –Aristotle
• Creatively use and respond to change.  Embrace change and use it you your advantage; design for adaptability.

Here at Kalu Yala, these same types of principles are being used to create a thriving community both with nature and between the residents and locals. The ethics of permaculture are inspiring and applicable to so many institutions.   Through our next trip into the Valley and beyond I will be considering the values of permaculture and how they really create an ideal model for sustainable design.

Resources:

http://www.holmgren.com.au/

Permaculture: A Designer’s Manual by: Bill Mollison

Well, DUH….I know I should do the following…

• Drink water! It’s hot here and if you’re working hard or hiking in the sun, drink more than you think you need. Also, if your pee is yellow orange that’s a sure sign that you need to be drinking more liquids and no, I don’t mean cervesa.

• Repeatedly put sunscreen on. I’m talking, lather yourself in it so you look like a ghost. At least put a good amount on, let it soak into your skin then rub the rest in. Put more on after swimming and sweating, it sucks but mix all that goopy goodness in. I’m telling you, you will be glad you did!

• Look where you’re going. Nothing’s worse than looking at that beautiful volleyball court you just made when you walk right into a snake then you spend weeks in the hospital instead of in the sand!

• Tell someone where you’re going and don’t go alone, buddy up! This is very important in the jungle because most of us foreigner’s aren’t used to this type of environment and are unfamiliar with the area. If you want to go on a hike somewhere bring a friend along with you and make sure someone knows where you are going. If you can, provide a time frame so people know whether to be concerned after so many hours.

And some more useful advice…

• Pack out what you pack in, in fact, why not pack MORE out than what you packed in? If you see some trash along the way, take it back with you.

• Contained designated fire pits.

• Evacuate the contents of your bladder 200 feet away from water sources. If you want to dooky use the awesome bamboo compost toilet we have but if you can’t, dig a hole at least 6 to 10 inches deep and bury it also away from water.

• Filter any water you plan to drink from streams and river, or use iodine.

• Designate an area for eating and cooking. We now have an awesome kitchen and dining area that is well shaded. Some things we can do to help minimize our impacts here are drinking any leftover food juice and or dispersing our dish and food water.

• Cross rivers and streams with caution, you don’t have to wear Care Bear floaties on your arms, I mean, you can if you want to, just be cautious of slippery rocks and swift currents.

• Be considerate of others, in particular, the Campecino’s live nearby and even though they might not know you’re saying, it’s probably still annoying.

• Don’t feed wildlife because they will haunt you and make you feel bad every time you see them. But seriously, our food is not good for them so make Chef Johnny proud and eat all of your food. The dogs here are masters of trickery and do have homes.

• Put trash, recycling, and compost in their respective containers. Bags must be hung high up on the poles to prevent animals from getting into them.

  

• Take pictures and leave what you find. That flower may look beautiful in your hair for a day but that hummingbird could have used the nectar for survival.

• Don’t eat any wild fruits or plants unless you know what it is. Again, would you like more time spent in the hospital or on the sand? You’re choice.

• Stay on designated trails. Team Honeycreepers are currently creating trails in the area. The flora here grows fast but there are particular areas that can be easily impacted.

The creepy crawlies…

• The two most venomous snakes in the valley are the Ferdelance and the Rainforest Hognosed Pit-viper. If you get bitten, ACT QUICKLY, follow these four steps:

1. Try to identify the snake, kill it if you can and take it with you. Notice if it has a bulge from recently eating.
2. Try to remain calm and if you have to hike out, have someone carry you.
3. Do NOT put a tourniquet on.
4. Go directly to the Chepo Hospital, an hour and twenty minutes away from the valley.

• Poisonous spiders are not common in the valley but some people have had spider bites, creepy, but nothing to worry about.

• Mosquitos aren’t as bad as I thought they would be but still use prevent measures as some mosquitos carry diseases.

  

• Sand fly bites are similar to mosquito bites, don’t scratch them or they can become ulcers.

• Ants here have a fierce bite but are not that dangerous.

• Zac Long found a small scorpion in his hammock, if stung, don’t pinch the stinger out but scrape it out with a plastic card.

• A few of us got ticks, one of them being me. Make sure to grasp the head of the tick with tweezers and pull them out otherwise they stay latched on.

Prevention

• Pay attention to your body, common illness can be aggravated by lack of rest, water, and any stressors. Use the first aid kit provided by the company to mend any wounds and let others know about any concerns you might have about how you’re feeling or any particular weird looking rashes or wounds. We want you to keep all of your limbs so we can keep you working!

• Do not use power tools or the generator without permission.If you don’t know how to use a particular tool, just ask someone for advice, everyone here has different skills to contribute and this is a safe learning environment.

• During orientation week we had to write down any allergic reactions we have in case of an emergency. They have an epi-pen on site and a very well laid out health emergency policies and procedures. The emergency coordinator here is Biology Director, Max Cooper.

“The lilies of the field toil not, neither do they calculate, but they are probably excellent structures, and indeed Nature is generally a better engineer than man … Nature seems to be a pragmatic rather than a mathematical designer; and, after all, bad designs can always be eaten by good ones.” – from Structures: Or Why Things Don’t Fall Down by J.E. Gordon

1. Benyus, Janine M. Biomimicry: Innovation Inspired By Nature. Harper Collins: 1997.
2. Leigh, Egbert Giles Jr, and Rubinoff, Ira. ‘Understanding and Conserving Tropical Diversity: Perspectives from Barro Colorado Island.’ Tropical Rainforests: Past, Present, and Future. Editors: E. Bermingham, C. W. Dick, & C. Moritz. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 2005. 223-250.
3. Crop Wild Relatives project manual, linked here.

The Amazing Adventures of Boss Man and the Machete Mobbers!

The Machete Mobber (not all) From left to right: Machete Moos (Rob Taylor), Tarzan (Zac Long), Dr.Chop (Max Cooper), Machete Queen (Brigitte Desvaux), Chicklit (Kylie Bechdolt), Nacho (Joe Mckittrick), Tropic (Alex Goff), Feature (Ian Chesser), Frau Mabba (Anne Shingler) and Bombs (Kari Remmen).

Chapter II: Boss Man vs. The Jungle

A haven of shade covered Boss and the Mobbers as they waited just outside Panama City for a buss that would take them to San Miguel. After two busses passed, packed to the brim with people hanging out the door and 45 minute in between each arrival, they decided to try for an alternate form of transportation. Within 10 minutes they found themselves on an exiting hitch in the back of a pickup truck that took them all the way into town. Water and energy was replenished and off they went for another stint in Kalu Yala Valley.

A Taste of Adventure

Boss seemed to like the hike out more than the first time but was just as exited to get into base camp. He liked so much that he hiked the trail 8 times during this particular stint. There was always work to be done at the camp, and was embraced with a fantastic work ethic by the Mobbers. Bambboo walls were continued and fronds were used to finish upper walling and roofing. New trails were being developed, flora and fauna were being identified and resources were gathered, all conducted at a steady pace. To keep true to a pact for sustainability Boss used left over frond stock to build a chair. The volley ball court was restored as well. Plastic was layed under the court so that the amazing speed of vegetation growth did not corrupt it. Sand from the beach was taken to fill the court, after a test to see if the sediment would be regenerated, and it did. Boss and the Mobbers could now enjoy competitive recreation that brought quite a lot of laughs…although running after stray balls was not so fun on bare feet.

How Base Camp looks as of February 10th, 20012

Chair made from left over palm frond that was used for roofing and walling.

Boss and the Mobbers working to clear the court from vegetation growth from time in between semesters.

Plastic is placed so vegetation growth is prevented, then sand layered on top.

“Vally ball” court ready to play!

Rock climbing is one of Boss’s favorite hobbies. He brought climbing gear to Panama in hope of finding some ascendable rock. However faces were littered with vegetation and were rare altogether. Boss and Machete Joe (one of the Mobbers) decided the unclimbable face next to the local swimming hole would be fun to at least repel. They climbed up the steep but safe backside only to be met with copious vegetation that could not be seen from the bottom. They started to hack through but were greeted by a swarming ant hive in a low hanging tree. Another direction seemed to be their best bet, but another ant hive in the dirt stopped them in their tracks. “Owe!” yelled Machete Joe pulling an ant from his forehead. “F%$k!” yelled Boss plucking an ant from the back of his neck. They were under siege! Yelps leaped from their mouths as bites proceeded, “lets get the hell out of here” Machete Joe yelled. The top of the hill was to steep to rush down, so time and care had to be taken while descending. They grabbed onto vines to aid them, only to feel sharp pains from protruding thorns. They slid down the hill and plunged into the river. Defeat was met…the jungle had won.

Chapter III: A Night in Fright

The sun snuck behind the horizon and twilight lit the sky. A couple Mobbers had hiked to the top of Kalu Yala hill to scout possible additions to the trail and catch the sunset from the top. Equipped with headlamps they were ready for the dark, but dark had come and they were not back at base camp. They did not specify the duration of their escapade and their absence delivered concern. Worry had settled into the rest of the Mobbers as scenarios for their delay rattled their minds. “Maybe they got lost”, “maybe one broke a ligament”, or “maybe one had been bitten by something nasty”. The Mobbers waited until after dinner and decided it was appropriate to search for the others. They geared up with water and medical packs and hit the trails. One team went up the same trail the missing Mobbers and another team, with Boss, went around the back of the hill. They trekked through the night and yelled their names. Their voices echoed through the valley, but only dog barking and bugs noises rebutted. The first team had reached the top of the hill to find the “missing” Mobbers just enjoying the full moon and the noises of the night. There was tension in exchange for the wear the search had tolled on the Mobbers, but they were happier knowing there safety was not in jeopardy. Perhaps the search party was not needed, but now, more communication and care would be established before future adventures. With no harm done to the Mobbers a lesson was learned with ease.

Chapter IV: Trash Trash Go Away, Never Come Another Day

Boss Man and the Machete Mobbers left the valley a day early so they could wake up early to help the Community Outreach Team in their efforts to conduct a successful river clean-up day with the local school children. The reason for the clean-up was the mentality of many Panamanians, that if its not in their backyard its ok. Burning trash along the riverside was common and even worse was the trash abandoned by banks. It was a detrimental goal for the Community Outreach Team to teach the children that littering is not ok.

They met at 10:00am with the children and some parents. A quick prayer took place. Then plastic gloves and bags were handed out. Boss brought a soccer ball to the states to give to the children, and used this opportunity to the advantage. Whoever picked up the most trash would get the soccer ball. And off they went! Bags and Bags came rolling in and boxes of glass bottles were stacked. The trash was separated in recycling groups and trash. After everybody finished eating the food the Community Outreach Team had made, the soccer ball was handed out to a whole family who worked together to bring in quite a lot of trash. Boss Man felt great about what they had all accomplished. After they had finished Boss Man and the Mobbers headed back to Panama City.

During the three days off, Boss decided to go to El Palmar, were Johnny (the chef) brought some surfboards. Some serious recreation and leisure was to be had by Boss.

After his return, Boss Man and the Mobber packed their things again, and headed back to their home in the Valley

Stay tunned for another exiting chapter of

The Amazing Adventures of Boss Man and the Machete Mobbers!

Change is the only constant.

Though the existence of change is constant, its rate alters given time and place. No doubt, the rate of change is rapid here.  Whether I’m in the jungle or in the city, biological change seems hyperactive.  In both contexts, plants animals and landscapes are drastically morphing.

In the city, the built environment, the population, and the culture are in constant flux.  When I wake up in Panama City, I hear the confusion mixture of tropical birds complementing the sound of construction.  Most of the change here seems to be in the composition of people coming and going: those investing in the city and the canal, those backpacker coming through, and those young entrepreneurial Panamanians launching from the country’s economic hub.  While changes to the built environment no doubt affect natural ecosystems, I’m impressed by how the tropics put up a darn good fight.  Pigeons and rats do not rule in Panama City, and I hope they never will.  The President’s house, in Casco Viejo, houses herons as well…I take that as a good sign.

In the jungle, the change in other species is high while the flux of the human population is close to none.  Kalu Yala’s neighbors are campicinos whose families have lived sustainably off the land for generations.  The diversity in the wildlife, and the perceived newness on a daily rate, is dazzling.  Every day I see at least a dozen species I hadn’t seen before.  I never quite know what I’m stepping into, sleeping next to, or hearing.  Speciation rate, the rate at which a new biological species arises, is high in the rainforest. Hence, there is immense diversity at Kalu Yala’s basecamp.

With diversity, there is specialization.  This applies to cultures, economies, and species.  In a paper written by biologists posted at the Smithsonian’s Barro Colorado Island in Panama, the scientists wrote that “ecological communities are organized in ways that favor high diversity, just as a thriving economy supports a diversity of occupations” (Leigh, 250).  In the city, there are neighborhoods for the young, affluent Panamanians, for the expats, for the blue-collar, and for the aging populations.  In the jungle, there are micro-regions of species depending on altitude, orientation to water source, and much more.  Each catchment area is different, just as each city is different.  Their changes take them in different directions, as they specialize, sometimes converging, and hopefully always diversifying in mutualism.

Leigh, Egbert Giles Jr & Rubinoff, Ira. “Understanding and Conserving Tropical Diversity: Perspectives from Barro Colorado Island.” Tropical Rainforests: Past, Present, and Future. Ed. Eldredge Bermingham, Christopher W. Dick, & Craig Moritz. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 2005. 223-250. Print.

Flower Image Courtesy of Terra Hope Filmer

What does a valid argument look like? Well, for those of us who have braved the tediousness of Critical Thinking classes in University (or College, as my American amigos would call it), we know it looks something like this:

((P -> Q) ˄P) -> Q

Also written as:

If P, then Q.

P.                        .

Therefore, Q

Which reads: “If P is true, then Q is true. P is true, therefore Q is true.

The letters P and Q are variables, just like in basic algebra. The argument is an equation. Input any given variable, and an output will ensue.

For example:

If today is Tuesday, then John will go to work.

Today is Tuesday.                                                          .

Therefore, John will go to work.

In Classical Logic, this is known as the argument form modus ponendo ponens, which means “the way that affirms by affirming”. It is one of the simplest forms of many argument forms in Classical Logic.

It seems ridiculous. It seems like a waste of time. It embodies the proverb “All Work and No Play Makes Jack a Dull Boy”. In the past, I felt nothing but distain for these argument equations; I harbored resentment toward their seemingly lofty, impractical structure. And yet, like any good student, I forced my mind to open. As it turned out, openness was the seed, patience was the tree, and understanding was the fruit when faced with the challenge of classical logic.

I write about modus ponens because I believe in firm, practical logic. Logic offers us a relatively objective challenger to our subjective world views. Questioning yourself and your world is, in my opinion, one of the humblest pursuits. As the French-Cuban author Anaïs Nin has written, “Life is a process of becoming, a combination of states we have to go through.  Where people fail is that they wish to elect a state and remain in it.”

If you have a point to make but have trouble making it, modus ponens is here to help. Learn to weave a web of premises and facts; thus, articulating an inescapable truth.Voila.

I think it’s important for us to challenge each other and raise questions.

Doubt incites change.

It all started with a girl’s enthusiasm towards birds.

Terra Hope Filmer. She is a biology intern. I get to spend a lot of time with her because I share a room in the city with her as well as the tent in our base camp. Her passion towards nature and all sorts of creatures especially birds is incredible. Not that I don’t love nature, but I’ve been learning a lot from her about things I never paid attention to in nature. For example, birds. At least in my eyes, all birds in the world were classified into 4 different categories: big birds, small birds, black birds and colorful birds. So when she told me that the bird I was looking at through her binoculars was called blue crown mot mot, I was like, “blue.. what..? ma..ma..?”

Anyway, I was trying to figure out what kind of projects I should work on for this semester, so I thought maybe it would be beneficial to all of us if we could build hiking trails and bird watching huts along the trail as my outdoor recreation project. Hiking and bird watching are recreation activities that anyone can participate in, and also bird watching huts would help biology interns study nature!

Therefore, some other interns and I went on a field research to find suitable locations to build hiking trails and bird watching huts.

This is a part of the map of the future Kalu Yala community I found in the master plan.

There are a lot of cattle paths around the base camp that leads to the top of the hill and it takes about 10-15 minutes to get there. Most of the cattle paths are located on the north side of the base camp, where the future agriculture area will be built on. So we thought maybe we could create a new hiking trail so we don’t have to go through the agriculture area.

↑ Maybe like this….?

“Do you guys wanna see if we can find a cattle path to go to the top from the south side?”

“Yeah! Why not?!”

“Ok, let’s go!!”

.

.

.

.

It was a NO BUENO IDEA……………..

None of us knew that we had to hike up through the jungle… literally THE JUNGLE… for three hours…..

Getting steep…

Lots of plants with lots of spikes on them…

Lots of insects biting us…

Getting thicker…

and thicker…

and ridiculously thicker…

And finally we made it to the top….!!! (after three hours of struggle, when it was supposed to be only a 15 minute hike)

I found a lot of incredible things on the top that I wanted to share with others.

And there are many more.. such as birds that I didn’t take a picture of, because I was too tired from the 3 hours of intense power hiking. Anyhow, we were excited to share this experience with fellow interns, and also we were missing out on the yummy lunch Johnny made, so we decided to go back to the base camp. However, going down wasn’t easy either. There were just too many cattle paths, and we didn’t know which one to take to go down!

Is it this way?………………………. NO

Is it that way?……………………… Nah~

It must be this way!……………………….. NOPE!

Let us know where to go….

“Gosh! We need some sort of signs along these cattle paths!!! They are just too confusing!” ………… and we looked at each other… “Hey.. actually that’s a good idea..! That could be our project for this semester!”

So, Zac, Terra and I decided to make a team called Honeycreeper and work on the project together this semester. The project is to create hiking trails to go to the top of the hill as well as bird watching huts and signs along the trails.

(Honeycreeper is a type of bird that we can see every morning at our base camp according to Terra)

So, last week, we walked on as many cattle paths as possible with Terra’s GPS in search of the best route for hiking trails and bird watching huts. As a result, we found a route that 1) we don’t have to go through the future agriculture area or the bathroom, 2) goes along Pacora river with some beautiful scenic areas, and 3) doesn’t overlap with trenches (that are muddy in the rainy season).

Our plan for next week is to finalize the map, name trails, and start clearing the area. Also, we are going to start making trail signs and building bird watching huts the following week. I am super excited to work on this project with these bad ass team members throughout the semester!

Go Team Honeycreeper!!! 😀

Life in the valley is where the magic happens.  When you bring people together from various backgrounds, which each have different skills to offer, you get to experience the beauty of diversity and collaboration.  The eight days spent in the valley this past week were truly inspiring.  Base camp is blossoming very quickly and has gone through some serious remodeling this past week.  Most of this remodeling consisted of creating walls out of bamboo and palm fronds as well as increasing our top shelter by layering palm fronds.   Here are a few photos that emphasize the progress that has occurred during our second stint in the valley.

As you can see we have created an indigenous hut out of palm fronds, bamboo and free standing posts.  We hope that this structure will carry on for quite sometime, however the rainy season may bring unfortunate circumstances for our structure.

The outdoor recreation crew and some other interns undertook another project this past week.  The valley ball court has been a part of Kalu Yala culture in the past and also a great morale boost after a long day of work.  The valley is a harsh climate in certain ways and the valley ball court needs to be maintained and groomed frequently in order to keep the vegetation from overgrowing.  In order to combat this we dug up plants and roots that needed to be removed so that we could play on a leveled area.  Next we covered the ground with plastic sheeting in hopes to create a level court to play on.  Lastly we spend the good portion of a day using the land cruiser and trailer attachment to collect sand from the beach in front of our swimming hole.  Slowly but surely the court began to take the shape of a real volleyball court.  The last objective needing attention was the construction of a new net.  We used the remaining horizontal lines and added a few more to create a base for weaving.  From here we cut smaller lines to connect the top and bottom lines running horizontal.  With some adjusting the net will work for the rest of this season and into the next, however we may need to add more sand soon.  I have included some photos of the court as we worked on it and as we played.

Here is a before and after as the old net was untied and a new net was strung.

Team honeycreeper was created this week as three ambitious interns (Terra, Gasun and myself) set out on a quest to create a series of trails that will soon guide residents and visitors to various bird blinds and observatories where they can experience a more intimate moment with nature.  These trails will not only allow Terra and other biology interns to observe nature, but will give everyone in the valley an opportunity to get a closer look at mother nature.  We also hope that these trails will allow future interns to expand them to new areas on our property and also continue to provide this connection with nature that can be so beneficial to the soul.  This week two trails were started.  The first trail extends from base camp back to the base of the hill behind us.  Roughly half way to the base of the hill the trail opens up and there is a nice view looking down towards the Pacora river.  This is going to be the location for our first bird-viewing hut.  In the hut we plan to build seating to accommodate the bird viewers and potentially a guide.  If progress goes as planned we intend on connecting the trail along this river to the cattle trail that leads to the top of the hill.  The other trail that was created this week connects base camp to the dirt road in front of the Kalu Yala swimming hole.  This trail provides easy access to the river where Kalu Yalans enjoy cooling off during the hot days spent working in the valley.  There is still an abundance of work that needs to be done as well as some research into the design of trails in the tropics.  Here is a list of goals and objectives that were created by the honeycreepers.

-Collaborating with Recreational Interns to create a network of trails through –optimal wildlife and bird viewing areas.
-Helping to build a nature viewing hut and a bird blind.
-lay gravel on trails/put into our budget
-complete gps coordinates of cerro (hill)
-work on trail maintenance, drainage for the rainey season
-research trail maintenance in the tropics
-move the view hut closer the river
-visit Soberania National Park for ideas on how to build a trail and the type of informational signs they have

Team Honeycreeper took a visit to Soberania National Park earlier than expected so I decided to include some documentation of this trip in this blog.  We set out from Hispania at 6:00 am for the National Park.  After a bus change and some slight confusion getting to our destination, we reached the park headquarters where we spoke with two very nice park rangers who provided an abundance of information on the park and the wildlife surrounding it.  The entrance fee to the park is five dollars but once we told them we were students and revealed our school identifications, they let us in for three dollars.  We proceeded down the street on foot towards the botanical gardens and the Zoo.  Once we reached the Zoo, we figured we had come all this way so it was only necessary that we check it out.  I have never been the biggest fan of Zoo’s because it seems unethical to cage wild animals and put them on display, however they did have a Harpy Eagle, which is extremely rare especially in the United States.  They told us that there are only four of them in the U.S. and 400 in Panama.  After a nice long chat with the keeper of the eagle we continued with our mission to the park.  We took a taxi from the Zoo to one of the trail heads to the park, yet little did we know it was not the trail we were looking for.  Fortunately this trail took us to section of the park with a canopy tower.  It was twenty dollars to get to the top and even to just hike on the trails.  After we expressed our financial situation as students and travelers they let us use the trails and the tower for ten dollars instead of twenty.  This was certainly a highlight for the day overall.  The tower was 100 feet tall and had four different levels separated by a spiral staircase, each offering a different perspective into the canopy of the jungle.  After viewing some birds, squirrels and various plant life, the honeycreepers hiked the remaining trails.  My purpose for this trip was to assess the trails at the park in order to implement some similar designs into the trails at Kalu Yala.  Unfortunately we did not make it to the trails we intended to hike, yet I did take some pictures of drainage points on the trails, seating used for viewing wildlife, stairs found on steep trails and some interesting deck designs.  The following photographs represent these various trail designs and trail seating that may be used in a similar fashion someday at Kalu Yala.

let us build the future not fortify the present

let our mark be a good one and not a quagmire for our children to clean

let us leave the trees and the rivers to grow and flow untrammeled by human hands

let future generations drift and dream to the sounds of wind rustled leaves and cascading waterfalls

let them cool their bodies in pristine waters

let them clamber to new heights in undaunted treetops

let nature embrace these unborn masses the same as it embraces us

let not the rivers run dry nor the forest all burn within our stoves

let not the progress of today hinder the wonders of tomorrow

let not our children choose the lesser of two evils but the better of virtuous goods

let it be our unspoken gift.

However the world came to be, whenever it was all rolled into one, I also materialized. I am a mass of organic matter that has been recycled since the beginning of the universe. I am little bits of matter that originated before me, and when I’m dead, I will return to little bits of matter, I will return to the soil. I refer to myself this way often. It helps define my role in the circle of life.

As I move through the conventional checkpoints of my North-American life, I also move through an involuntary ebb and flow of moods – purposelessness to empowerment, apathy to ambition. So much is up the air. I find myself asking the unanswerable questions; what was the purpose of my life? I’ve never been a particularly religious or spiritual person, having lived my life primarily as a fact-collector, a proponent of the scientific community. I often find solace in ideas of evolutionary behavior, explaining my pursuit of meaning as a survival mechanism, explaining my presence on earth as reproductive roulette. When I think this way, I am a lighthearted leaf, twisting and turning in a breeze; I have no control over anything, and I am freed by that statement.

And yet, despite the indefinite physical evidence, I am somewhat spiritually convinced there’s more; I can feel the whispering reverberations from each of my cells, connecting me to my environment in a powerful way. Nature calls to me.

The moments in my life in which I felt the most inspired, when my cells reverberated the most, I was in an open air environment. Rivers, forests, sand, lakes, bogs. Here, I allow myself to exist, and nothing more, purposely diverting my thoughts up and out of my mind. Acknowledging my own simple presence has opened me up to the simple presence of life around me. I feel heat from mosses, shivers from insects on my skin, and pulses from waves lapping pebbles; they bring me peace of mind.

My project this term is to delve into our relationship with nature as humans. What drives some of us to hike through jungle thickets, and brave the harsh equatorial sun? Alternately, what drives some of us to stay indoors, stare at screens, and shut our blinds? Is nature an emotional need?

“I wish to speak a word for Nature, for absolute freedom and wildness, as contrasted with a freedom and culture merely civil—to regard man as an inhabitant, or a part and parcel of Nature, rather than a member of society”.

–Walking, Henry David Thoreau, 1862

A short video of me at the Pacora River:

These are a Few of my Favourite Things (In Panama)

– Jocelynn Nadeau

The first two weeks in Panama have already flown by! Orientation week helped us learn a little more about Kalu Yala: it’s philosophy, history, and visions for the future. We read articles and held discussions on various aspects of sustainable living fundamentals and through this we were able to gain a little insight and inspiration for our projects. We also enjoyed several scavenger hunts around the city to help us get acquainted with our coordinates and give us a chance to get to know our fellow interns a bit better!

Second week and we were off to the valley! After a strenuous hike, the view and vibe were well worth it! So much green space, so many sounds, smells, and feelings evoked. From swimming in the Pacora River to chopping down bamboo stalks with a machete, I experienced many new things during my time in the valley. A truly amazing experience being able to have a visual of what’s to come with Kalu Yala.

I spent a few days in San Miguel as well. Experiencing a completely different culture other than my own was an amazing experience. In my head, I kept comparing my life and surroundings at home to theirs. Such an extreme difference that made me appreciate everything I have and excited for working with the people of San Miguel for the next few months.

For my project, I am planning and implementing an after school soccer program for the children at the school. I am excited to bring Outdoor Recreation in to their lives and provide a safe and fun after school activity for the kids! This week I am meeting with the principal and parents to get the ball rolling!

Zac Long
Week 1&2: 80 hours
1/29/12
Kalu Yala is a sustainable work in progress.  The goal for our company is to create a sustainable community in the valley of Panama.  This community will be a place to live as well as a place to travel to or stay for a night while passing through.  My role within the company is affiliated with outdoor recreation.  Currently there is a lot of work that needs to be done and people are eager to get started.  Our first week was spent in Hispania, which is our home base in Panama City where we stay on our days off.  The goal of this week was to familiarize our selves with the city and also to get acquainted with the company, the other interns and the directors.  We spent the first part of each day completing the root series lessons.  These lessons included a reading followed by a series of questions related to the company and our goals.  The lesson on Tuesday got me really excited.  The reading was related to local businesses and the impact they create socially and economically.  After the reading we sat in a circle and answered the questions together as a group.  Here are some examples of questions that that were asked during this particular lesson:
-What would encourage you to buy more goods and services from local businesses?
-What currently stands in the way of you buying more from local providers?
-What are the local businesses that should launch the economy for Kalu Yala?
These questions allowed the group to share knowledge and learn about the underlying values of the company.  The agriculture department responded to many of these questions with some great ideas.  The ability to create a farm and sustain a community through agriculture is a promising response to economic issues.  The outdoor recreation crew started to discuss some future plans as well.  We discussed future plans to work on some existing trails as well as to create some new trails.  The volleyball court in the valley needs to be re-cleared and a new ground made of clay may be used.  The climate in Panama supports bio-diversity and plants re-grow so quickly it can be difficult to maintain trails and areas like the volleyball court.  In order to appropriately assess the adventure based side of Panama we decided to write a proposal for a business trip to Boquete, which is home to some amazing adventure recreation activities.  In Boquete there is a zipline canopy tour, hiking trails, river rafting, mountain biking, kayaking and some of the only climbing venues in Panama.  The outdoor recreation program is hoping to sit down with Cesar Melendez who is basically the pioneer of climbing in Panama.  He has set all of the routes in Boquete and guides groups frequently.  We are hoping to sit down with him for lunch and ask him some questions about the climbing company he created.  This trip will also allow us to speak with some people traveling through and have them fill out some surveys we are currently working on.  Here is the proposal I wrote and the budget the outdoor recreation interns worked on as a group:

Kalu Yala Outdoor Recreation Initial Business Proposal
Kalu Yala’s 7,000 acres is prime for adventure tourism.  With proper research this industry can bring immediate profit to Kalu Yala.  In order to create sustainable forms of outdoor recreation in the valley, Kalu Yala needs to assess the tourism industry in Panama and see what has worked for other entities in the surrounding areas.
Rationale
Boquete is a perfect model for a community who is successfully providing eco-adventures to travelers and residents on a daily basis.  Many of the adventures offered in Boquete could be utilized in a similar fashion at Kalu Yala in hopes to create a quick revenue stream.  The only way to obtain substantial information on the services provided by companies in Boquete is to visit them first hand.  Our research thus far has led us to a hostel in Boquete, which offers services we believe can allow Kalu Yala to prosper.  The types of recreation being offered at this hostel and others in Boquete include zip line canopy tours, mountain biking, rock climbing, river rafting, kayaking expeditions, guided hikes, nature tours as well as many other eco-adventures.  This trip to Boquete will allow Kalu Yala to assess these various services and gain insight on the logistics behind their risk management plans, management responsibilities, marketing strategies, and how to turn this idea into an immediate source of income.  This is a business trip that we believe Kalu Yala can benefit from immensely.
Research Justification
The desire to conserve biodiversity and our natural resources is becoming a common topic of conversation among people all over the world.  In order to preserve the natural beauty of the world we must recreate responsibly and create awareness for those who spend time in the backcountry.  Through our research we have come to realize that ecotourism allows local people to benefit economically by preserving these habitats more than they could by harvesting them for a short term gain.  Ecotourism contributes significantly to conservation especially in areas contained by rainforests.  Tourism is one of the world’s largest industries and ecotourism is one of the fastest growing segments.  Kalu Yala’s need for adventure-based recreation is a work in progress that could use some immediate attention.  This trip to Boquete is going to allow the outdoor recreation interns a chance to gain some vital information on the successes of this community in hopes to implement similar forms of recreation in the valley.  We have attached a budget plan, which outlines the expenses included for this trip.

Budget
Transportation
Bus from Panama City to David    $15
David to Boquete    $5
Local Transportaion    $15
Boquete back to David    $5
David back to Panama City    $15

Total     $55

Housing
Hostle    $10 (per night)

Total     $30

Food
Jon    $6? (for two meals a day)

Total    $18

Research Activites
Rock Climbing and privite meeting with Cesar Mendez    $40
Information gathering for adventure tourism     $0
Hiking    $5 (park entrance)

Total    $45

Grand Total    $148

Grand Total for three Recreation Interns
Zac Bron, Zac Long, Jocelynn Nadeau    $444

On Monday of week two we departed for the valley.  The valley is situated in the countryside of Panama.  Before we reached the valley we stopped in San Miguel, which is where our other home is and the base for our community outreach team.  We are currently trying to strengthen our relations with the San Miguel community.  We had lunch here and then the valley crew hiked into the valley, which is about a mile and a half.  When we reached the valley we got acquainted with the area and learned about base camp.  This gave us time to assess the camp overall and see what we can do to improve the areas where we eat, sleep and spend our evenings.  On day two we got up early and got the ball rolling on some projects to improve base camp.  My particular project for the day was to clear the trail to our composting toilet.  This gave me a chance to get my hands dirty and work on something that will be beneficial to the group as a whole.  The great thing about clearing this trail was that I could use all the brush I raked up for compost.  The trail had been previously cleared but re-growth happens very quickly in the jungle.  We also had to dig up stumps and any other plants that began to grow back on the trail.

On the third day we started building more shelters and furniture for base camp.  This included tables, chairs and benches for people to get comfortable after a long day in the valley heat.  It was really nice to get to work with tools and materials I am familiar and also unfamiliar with.  Learning how to split bamboo and create walls with it was very primitive and awesome to experience.  On this particular day Kari (another intern) and myself built a table to put under the shelter located next to the interns tents.  Some other work we completed this day included removing stumps and small plants that are potentially dangerous especially during night when it is easy to over look a stump or rock that you may trip on.  Some other interns focused on shelters and began implementing palm leafs which is a great idea for the dry season in Panama.  All of these activities gave the interns a chance to work together and accomplish goals.
On Thursday we explored some areas around base camp and got familiar with the land.  I also got to speak with Jimmy, the owner of the company, and express my interests and ideas for future plans.  After this period of exploration we continued to build up base camp.  This was a high point of the valley for me because I got the satisfaction of creating a wall made out of bamboo.  Zac Bron, Rob and myself had a systematic approach to building the wall where one of us split the bamboo while the other two nailed it to the supports.  At the end of the day we had completed an entire section of a wall.  On the last day we hiked out of the valley back to San Miguel.  In San Miguel we had a lunch and used some flashcards designed to teach various words in Spanish. After this we headed back to Panama City where we will be spending the next few days doing research for the projects we are eager to start.  My personal goals for the next week are as follows:
-Clear the volleyball court
-Finish constructing walls at base camp
-Clear a trail for a bird watching hut
-Explore more of the jungle
-Assist other where assistance is needed
These goals are subject to change and may not be completed entirely this next week but they are long term and areas I would like to develop more thouroughly.

Kari

Courtney F

Zac B

Tiffany

Terra

Rob

Sebastian

Lillian

Zac L

Amanda

Joe

Aki

Courtney J

Jocelynn

Anne

Alex

Hannah

Andrea

and me!

It’s been only 2 weeks since 19 of us arrived in Panama to be a part of the Kalu Yala team, but it feels like we have been knowing each other for years. Spring 2012 Kalu Yala interns who are from all over the US, Canada, France, Finland, and Korea have brought various interests and strengths into the group just like their various backgrounds. I feel like all the different personalities and the diversity of the group have created a new culture called Kalu Yala. The Kalu Yala culture is fascinating to me. I like how we have all different skills and knowledge, but we turn those competencies into a variety of individual projects to reach our common goal: creating the Kalu Yala community. Some interns study and research for the business of Kalu Yala. Other interns study about the wildlife and plants of the valley to make sure that the community is developed in the most sustainable way. As an outdoor recreation intern, I’m going to work on designing outdoor recreation facilities such as a soccer field or ropes course. All these different projects might sound somewhat unrelated, but I know that strengths of each intern will play a big role in all projects. For instance, in order to find an appropriate spot to create a soccer field, I will need some help from Terra and Courtney who are in the Biology program to study about the environment so I can minimize the impact on the wildlife when creating the field.

Kalu Yala is definitely more than just an internship to me. Kalu Yala gives interns an opportunity to be in charge of implementing a project of interest whether the project is to research about agricultural systems or simply to build infra structures. Since I’m in charge of my own project and whatever I create for the community, I feel like I am working on developing “our” community, not someone else’s. And because this internship means a lot to me, I want Kalu Yala to be recognized more widely on the international level. I’m sure there will be a lot of students and professionals in other countries who will be attracted to Kalu Yala’s vision of sustainable development once Kalu Yala becomes internationally recognized. Numerous people might bring more diverse personalities, strengths and ideas into the group which may create a whole new Kalu Yala culture.

I was thinking about all this while eating dinner in the valley last week and I decided to carve “KALU YALA” in Korean on the table..

..hoping to see more “Kalu Yala” in many different languages one day… 🙂

I awoke from a dead sleep with a terrible sinking feeling in the pit of my stomach. It was four days before my flight was to depart for Panama, and I still had no idea what in Gods good name I was doing. The room shrank; and in the waning  hours of the night pitch black somehow sank into a deeper and more menacing shade. Why had I devoted three months of my life to live in this place and work for this company? Neither of which I knew anything about. I felt as if a had put all my chips on thirty-three black and spun the wheel. For the first time in a long while I had given up the helm of my fate and allowed the rolling seas direct me to the nearest port. I did not sleep much that night or the following three, and when 4:00 A.M. came round on the fourth night I was wide eyed and nervous. It would take twelve hours three flight and one mad dash to make the final connection for me to arrive at the hub of the Americas, and in the midst of all this my mind raced to answer the nagging question of why the hell was I doing this. The closest explanation I could conjure was this: I read one too many books of adventure, watched Indiana Jones one too many times, listened to the stories of travelers too intently. My mind flooded with the image of the adventurous man. The one who wadded through the chaos of uncertainty with confidence. That tragic hero with his unwavering bravado and hubris. And like  a baby bird on the precipices on its nest it was time to fly or fall.

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Touching down at Tocumen International Airport I was met by a wave of hot humid air, like the first step from a cool dark movie theater in the dog days of summer, it stopped me in my tracks. I filed my way through customs and baggage claim and into a torrent of chauffeurs with their crudely made signs bearing the names of unknown travelers. My eyes strained to see the one meant for me. None. So as an adventurer, joining the ranks of Huckleberry Finn and Robinson Crusoe, I produced a pen and hastily scribbled the name of park, by which my new residence sat, on the palm of my had and went out to find any cabbie who knew enough English or would be patient enough with my lack of Spanish to take me. Finally, through many flashes of my palm and a few intermediaries, I was on my way once more. The view was impressive, the glow of a metropolitan city, not unlike New York or Chicago, silhouetting the Palms and Kapok trees, all of which sat in stark contrast to the vast unending expanse of the Pacific dotted with lights of ships queued up en route to the Caribbean by way of the canal. I thanked my cabbie and paid him, though I knew the amount was outrageous. Grabbing my bags I set forth across the park the five story pink apartment building that would be my house for next few months. I came to the door and rang the bell of apartment fourteen. This was returned with a buzz signaling the door was unlocked. The roulette ball has begun its decent and is looking like thirty-three black.

It is never silent in a tropical jungle. Mornings are full of the chitter and chatter of birds seeking food and howler monkey’s can be heard off in the distance. Mid-days are often the most silent as the sun beams down in full fierceness, driving all living things to seek refuge in the shade. By late afternoon it cools down again and the swallows swoop and dive gracefully in the air for bugs. The birds once again begin chattering making way for the sound of crickets as night falls upon the creatures of the jungle.

I felt a little dizzy as I tried following a group of hummingbirds through my binoculars. I often spend my mornings observing the variety of birds and trying to identify them with the only book I brought, The Birds of Panama. Even thinking about the biodiversity of Panama makes my head spin. With every step I take is a new discovery. I saw a troop of monkey’s climbing their way through the canopy of trees, a huge spider that was too close for comfort, crustose lichens that cover every tree trunk, frogs as small as a pearl, and a variety of colorful birds.

When you combine consistent warm weather and biodiversity you get flora and fauna that is in a constant battle for survival. Everyone was warned about the evils of the jungle, from spider bites, poisonous frogs, toxic plants, venomous snakes and the like. Everyday was like show and tell, “hey, look at this gnarly spider bite on my hip” or “could someone please get this tick off of me!?” Despite these hardships everyone was very positive and eager to work, laugh, and play.

It is obvious that all of the interns have a love and passion for nature. Every day people excitedly come to me with big grins on their faces, wanting to share their discoveries of certain plants or animals. “I have to show you this amazing tree next week,” said Agricultural Intern, Andrea Davis. I’m often asked about the name of a certain bird or plant and as much as I would love to know, they are all new to me. To aid in these discoveries, Biology Director, Max Cooper, and I are starting a biology library and I will also be creating laminated pamphlets highlighting common flora and fauna of the valley. This will enable future interns to feed their curiosity and aid them in their own projects.

As I head off into the jungle once again, I look forward to exploring the land and the creatures that make this valley their home. In particular I will begin to learn about the dangerous creatures that interns must watch out for, attempt to identify the plethora of birds, and make a bird viewing hut with Courtney Frazee (Biology Intern), Alex Goff (Agriculture Intern), and anyone else who wants to join!

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Yellow-collard Manakin

Manacus vitellinus

Purple Caecilian

Gymnopis multiplicata

After several failed attempts at getting the printer to work, I recruited Lillian to make 16 BINGO cards with me for the English class on Tuesday. Lillian and I cut out 16 different items from construction paper and made our own BINGO cards that would serve as an educational tool to gage the children’s knowledge before I started lesson planning for the younger children. The BINGO cards turned out amazing and were a huge success. We used the BINGO cards for ages 5-14 and it was an interactive way for the children to learn a variety of English words; including colors, numbers, animals, fruit and body parts. First we explained what each item on the BINGO board was, in both English and Spanish. We also used descriptive words, such as what color each item was to create sentences in English. Following we played several rounds of BINGO where we said the word in English and the children had to match the word to the picture on their BINGO board. Using both hearing and sight in an interactive games was a great way for the children to learn and stay engaged. I think BINGO will be a fun, interactive tool to use in the classroom when teaching the children new vocabulary words. After we teach and have them write the words for the week, for example English words about the body, we can create a BINGO board with pictures of the body part. This will allow the children to write, hear, see and speak the words in English.

We are moving… FWD in the right direction

____________we are Moving in the right direction

_we are meeting new peOple_________________

_______________Visitors coming to stay____

______we are teaching In the school___________

___we are fully embraciNg the community_______

_____there is lots of lauGhter in the Casa Llena house

__there have been some Frustrating events_______

_______we are blessed With a beautiful river_____

we are digging in the garDen; starting from scratch

This week I got permission to implement a mural along the wall in the outdoor recreation center – La Cancha. I am very excited to honor and represent the people, land, and history of San Miguel in a design format and provide a unique space for future community events. This mural will not only preserve the past but will enrich the present, all while adding to the beauty of San Miguel. I plan on gathering ideas and stories for the mural through the English classes, and having the children and the community help to paint it.

Stay tuned for further updates on the mural project!

We had a beautiful day at the river with members of the community; uncles, aunts,  mothers, fathers, cousins, children and dogs. We were invited down to their local swimming hole, a beautiful spot of the Pacora River. These big gray boulders cascade into clear water with a healthy current and the rocky bottom glistens with flakes of gold – it is the truth.

Immediately when we arrived a few of the women started singing, the voices had such a beautiful harmony. Everyone just listened, and in that moment the world felt small and close together. Next, one of the uncles led the group into Spanish prayer and we bowed our heads to receive the prayer.

I practiced my Spanish by helping translate for Tiffany and Courtney with members of San Miguel’s community. I saw the kids quickly jump into the river with all of their clothes on then I too jumped into the river with all my clothes on. We talked more and laughed more, enjoying the moment, the people and the place.

When we were on our way to leave, the uncle joined us into another prayer, and when he finished he asked me to lead a prayer in English. I agreed, I knew they wouldn’t understand much of what I said, so with the pressure off I thanked the higher power for the precious moment and all the opportunities and blessings that had led us to that point in time. As I blend more and more in with the culture, I wonder what I can give to them in return? How will I let this little light of mine shine through to them?

My second week in San Miguel was full of excitement and new experiences. I got my first taste of Teaching ESL with one of the children in San Miguel; I made homemade tortillas and queso: I learned how to garden and I hung out with a church group and some new friends at the rio! You haven’t lived until you’ve tasted homemade queso and tortillas straight from the source.

This week in San Miguel I had the pleasure of meeting and visiting the home of the lady who makes cheese every morning from the milk that is brought to her by her local community member. The cheese is packaged in a banana leaf and sold at the “chino” corner stores every day. This is a perfect example of how a community can become sustainable; working with people in your community, to make products for the community, that will be sold in the community. On Friday morning, Hannah and I were invited to our friend Maria’s house, whom works in the library, to learn how to make corn bread tortillas. We helped grind the corn and rice, and place them over a fire to cook. Maria cooked one over the fire and fried another—I couldn’t decide which one was better because they were both so good! I am so grateful and blessed to be welcomed into the San Miguel community and to have the ability to learn and get to know these people.

Even though I cannot speak Spanish fluently, everyone I encounter is so patient and kind when I attempt to have a conversation. As previously mentioned, I had the opportunity to teach English to one of the children from San Miguel, her name is Rosina. In lesson planning for the English program, we have been unsure of how much the children have learned and retained from past lessons. Rosina surpassed my expectations as I went through numbers, colors, body parts, birthday, and other various topics with her. She could read and write the lessons we went over. This experience was great for me personally because it reassured me that I want to spend the majority of my time in the school with the children. I want to help them whether that be through English classes, art classes or extracurricular activities. Working with Rosina inspired me to start working on lesson plans for ESL classes for the younger children. These children are the future of San Miguel and will be neighbors with the Kalu Yala community.

Later on that evening we attended church with Aura, and to my surprise Rosina and her family were there too! It was great to start recognizing faces in the community and make connections. Everyone at the church was so welcoming and immediately offered us seats. Even though I could only understand a fraction of the sermon and songs in Spanish, the energy was still so uplifting. Finally, Miriam, the school librarian, invited us to come down the rio on Thursday to hang out with some of the children, teenagers and adults of the community. We practiced English, Spanish and I learned a lot about the history and community of San Miguel. This week we made such growth towards creating connections with the people in San Miguel and creating a mutual bond and trusting relationship.

This week was an amazing week for the San Miguel crew. We made connections, had fun, and got the ball rolling on all of our personal projects! I met with Mirium about the soccer program for the school and she gave me the thumbs up to get started. We had our first two games and they went great. A lot of kids showed up as well as their parents which was great for some additional help. The program was such a success this week that I decided to add two additional days a week for the kids.

A lot of cultural bridges were crossed for me this week as well. I felt as though I really immersed myself into the culture of San Miguel. We attended a church service one evening, and as we could not understand most of what was being said, it was an awesome experience to be able to share that with the people and be welcomed as one of them. Andrea and Anne Walker made a connection with a woman in town who milks her cows and makes her own cheese. It tasted awesome! Maria also invited us to her house to show us how she makes home made tortillas. It was really interesting to see how everyone uses natural products to make their own home made creations. All this cooking inspired us to use our own ingredients to whip up some home made oatmeal cookies!

Hannah, Tiffany and I also spent a morning at the river with Mirium, Maria and some of their church friends and kids. This was yet another amazing experience and I truly felt welcomed with open arms. The language barrier is a bit rough, but we are all learning and coming together to create some great relationships with the people of San Miguel!

As Americans, we live in a society of instant gratification.  When we want something, we expect to get it at 4G speed, and it boggles our minds when that doesn’t happen. As a member of the Community Outreach team I envisioned instantly being able to have a life changing impact on the people of San Miguel, yet relationships do not form overnight.  Obviously this was a silly assumption that deep down I knew was not practical, but my American ways took over my logical side.

As an anthropologist I have studied numerous instances of distant peoples imposing their cultural values onto a group they feel needs their help.  We have all seen this, over and over again, never learning from history that this is not effective.  The people of San Miguel don’t need someone to save them, if anything, I can learn from them.  So then how do we create a successful Community Outreach semester? I have been doing a lot of thinking about community outreach vs. imposition.  I cannot impose my ideals onto their lives.  I must foster respect while tenderly opening their eyes to new and different things that exist outside of their bubble.  I have to let relationships form organically, then they will openly and honestly communicate with us.

With a shift in mentality, this week was amazing.  We were out in the community, showing face and fostering relationships.  I was able to work with a few women from the community on the school garden and although the language barrier was at times frustrating, it was a great experience and laid a foundation for future collaboration.  Hand gestures and laughing at failed communication attempts dominated our communication, but nevertheless it was a mutually rewarding experience.

This week we were able to connect with Aminta, a women in the community who makes queso fresco daily to sell to the people of San Miguel.  She invited us into her home to learn her trade.  Her simple open-air kitchen was picturesque with bright oilcloth table coverings and simple rustic amenities.  No silly frivolous material things to distract from the beautiful landscape of San Miguel. Simply perfect.  She was excited to teach us, encouraging us to continue the tradition and pass on the knowledge to anyone willing to learn.

One afternoon while walking home from the school I met Javier, a community director from the neighboring community of La Mesa.  They were installing metal signs around all of San Martin to encourage people to help keep the Rio and community clean.  He invited me to a meeting where representatives would be gathering.

Thursday morning after stumbling upon the best empanada of my life, Erin and I made our way to La Mesa for the meeting. They understand that tourism is inevitable, and are working on plans to help foster responsible growth that will benefit the local community.  It was awesome to be a part of seeing small steps towards positive change.  We made great connections including a women who works for the private sector in D.C. as well as in Panama, and Ricardo who speaks impeccable English and invited us to visit his farm anytime.  While in La Mesa we were also able to establish a relationship with the ASEO trash director for San Miguel, Jose Rios, and discuss setting up a recycling pick up system for the community.

There was great progress at Casa Llena too.  With the help of Joe and Zac  we were able to build nesting boxes for our hens and painted the Roost, giving our chickens the sweetest pad in San Miguel.

Overall a great week, excited to continue laying the groundwork for friendships and connections with the people of San Miguel.

It’s the end of January and a new set of interns have arrived from different parts of the world to contribute to  Kalu Yala’s mission in developing a more sustainable future. When you enter a room full of young, enthusiastic interns, all eager to listen and learn, do research and implement their ideas, you will most certainly sense the richness of human capital and professionalism within the walls of Kalu Yala.  In the end you will see it does not matter whether those walls are made of concrete, bamboo or palm leaves.

While lingering in these moments I cannot but marvel at the joy of joint working and the process of learning from one another. The synergy this project gets from binding students from different fields of science together gives it a big advantage and is an impressive scene to witness. One of the most intriguing parts of this internship so far has been the variety of topics covered just within these few weeks. Some call this a cross-pollination of ideas, some cross-fertilization or transdisciplinary, but I would like to say it’s also about enjoying life in itself and having fun together.

As a business intern I am more than grateful of all the new information about flora, fauna, wood construction and doing sustainable business that I’ve been privileged to see, feel and learn during these first three weeks in Kalu Yala. When working in a project as ambitious and admirable as KY, business interns need also to go beyond the business as usual – just turning beauty and natural assets into money and marketing ideas isn’t good enough. We need to develop a sustainable approach, as everything can’t be measured by equations and models. In this world of deadlines and tight schedules, we often tend to forget that there’s a different kind of reality surrounding us that is a more tranquil, an intangible reality of nature’s assets and values. Panama is a living example of both of these surroundings with its new, modern citylife and still almost untouchable nature. Through the exponential growth of urbanism, human beings have lost their connection to the natural environment. Kalu Yala provides urban dwellers the opportunity to rekindle their connection with nature.

This being said, the business program will continue brainstorming to find new ideas, such as creating a working sustainable eco-tourism plan for the KY valley, as well as exploring the jungle and learning how to perceive the valuable landscape and nature that ultimately sustains all life on earth.

These last few years, the Panamanian tourism market has been growing quickly, and by following the steps of neighboring Costa Rica, the country has started to make a name for itself in the global community. Due to its tropical climate, attractive geographic location and use of the American dollar, Panama has become a top tourist destination. It’s a popular destination for backpackers and other travelers, even if the country is perhaps a little bit expensive for those with the tightest budgets.

One of the main competitive advantages of Panama (and Latin America in general), are the beauty of it’s landscapes. From the thick aggresive  jungle of Darien to Boquete in the highlands; from the magnificent San Blas islands to our Valley property in Tres Brazos, this country would appear as the place to be for sustainable tourism and eco tourism.

This new kind of tourism is one of the fastest growing segments, while other tourism packages such as the classic “sun package,” are slowing down. Travel behavior and motivations are changing; travelers are becoming sensitive to the impact they have on the places they visit and on local population.

Kalu Yala is determined to seize this opportunity, and become a hot spot for adventure and ecotourism. Everything we need is already there: beautiful landscapes, rivers, thick jungle, clearings, hills and a great variety of wildlife. We need to capitalize on these resources. This is why the spring 2012 business intern team decided to set up the first daytrips to San Miguel and the Valley. The primary aim is to communicate about Kalu Yala’s, objectives, visions and values. Customers will discover the Valley and will learn about nature and ecotourism. Secondly, daytrips will create short term revenue, which will be reinvested in the company. Finally, it will bring us a better idea on the Valley’s ecotourism potential and on the impact it will have on the community of San Miguel.

Kalu Yala’s Spring 2012 semester kicked off with large ideas AND personalities. This semester’s group of interns hail from all over the globe — including Finland, France, and Korea. Peek the filmic prelude to their great beginnings in Panama, as they leave the pink corridors of Hispania and head to San Miguel and the Valley for the first time.

Interested in applying to Kalu Yala’s Summer 2012 semester? Check out our website for more information or email Ashley Davis at: [email protected]

May we present …

In researching the potential for different agricultural techniques that could be employed in the Kalu Yala Valley one stood out to me in particular, Agroforestry. Right about now you may be asking yourself, just what is Agroforestry? In order to answer this, I will turn to a paper written by Robert D Hauff in 1999 called A Case Study Assessment of Agroforestry: The Panama Canal Watershed. In this paper Hauff defined Agroforestry in the following terms:

• A  collective name for land use systems involving trees combined with crops/animals on the same unit of land
• A combination of production of multiple outputs with the protection of the resource base
• Emphasizing the use of indigenous, multipurpose trees and shrubs
• Suitable for low-input conditions and fragile environments
• Involving the interplay of socio-cultural values more than most other land use systems
• Structurally and functionally more complex than monoculture

It is my personal belief that an Agroforestry system would be highly beneficial to the future community that will inhabit that Kalu Yala valley. An Agroforestry system in the valley would both provide a livelihood for its inhabitants while performing a variety of ecosystem services ranging from reducing the sediment load in the river, sequestering carbon, and enhancing both structural and biological diversity in the valley. Perhaps most important in my mind is the use of multipurpose, indigenous species, as one of the main goals of Kalu Yala is to help to maintain the integrity and functionality of the ecology in the valley. Secondly, I envison the Valley as being as self sustaining as possible and relying on as few external outputs as possible, and Agrofroestry systems fit the bill in this regard. Depending on what is planted there could be a supply of everything from lumber, food, even medicine. Of course one important caveat to Agroforestry systems is that they require long term vision since tree systems have a much longer production cycle than contemporary agricultural crops. I feel that Kalu Yala has the long term vision to make this a possibility. Importantly, with the aid of the Buisness program, the Agriculture program can work to improve market access for Agroforestry products within Panama.

During My First week in the Valley I spent some time trying to identify potential tree species that could be planted for an Agroforestry Demonstration plot near the current base camp site. This demonstration plot would both demonstrate the ability of these systems to function in the valley, and depending on the species planted could provide some economic input too.  Some species I was able to identify already existing on the Valley property or adjoining properties included Guyaba, Orange, Plantain, Banana, Guando Bean, Bamboo,  spiny cedar, and I have heard whispers of some shade grown coffee being grown by one of the Campesinos further up the Valley. Hopefully I can begin to gather seeds and cuttings and begin planting for my demonstration plot within the next month and show the efficacy of these systems.

The natural preservation of ecology is of great importance to Kalu Yala’s mission of creating an entirely sustainable modern village.  All cycles within an ecosystem are equally vital to the health of the overall biome.    Agriculture is especially affected and can exert great changes on the nutrient cycle.  Crops will not thrive without the proper nutrients and these nutrients need to be continually returned to the system.   In an organic sustainable agriculture model, these nutrients are best replaced through the simplest of practices: composting.

Composting can return a number of nutrients to the soil by recycling the scraps of the very food and plants originally grown.   Sir Albert Howard wrote in The Waste Products of Agriculture…“It needs no argument to urge that, in maintaining the fertility of the soil, the most careful attention should be paid to the utilization of the waste products of agriculture itself.”  The benefits are endless.  Composting helps create less landfill waste and reduces the need for burn piles. This is especially beneficial in a tropical setting considering the amount of leaves, brush and forage.  Composting also costs nothing and in fact may save money on waste disposal.  Proper compost practices cause no harm to the environment like a chemical fertilizer equivalent would.

Currently magic circles are the only form of composting in use at Kalu Yala in the San Miguel house garden and the Valley.   Magic circles are set up so that food scraps and sometimes yard clippings are introduced to the center of the circle.  A number of plants that complement each other nutrient-use wise are planted along the outside edge.  As the middle decomposes it delivers nutrients to the plants creating a mini-system of replenishment.  Over the next semester, I will be working on setting up the infrastructure to begin composting on a wider scale in the Valley.  The main considerations to designing this project are to make the compost areas easy to access and create an efficient way of caring for and utilizing the finished product on our farm.   With dry season on our side, this project should be fun and exciting to work on over the next few months.

So my first week in “The Valley” has gone extremely well and it looks as it will only continue to get better.  The motivation from everyone to work and get things done is amazing and is a sign that big things will happen in the next couple of months.

When we got to the Valley site there were some posts in the ground to put a tarp up, some benches,  tables and a few other posts that weren’t serving much of a purpose. At first, it seemed ok, until that night when someone put a hammock up on a post that was in very poor condition.  This resulted in a funny but unfortunate collapse of the post and some shelving that was used to keep tools on.  It seemed bad at first but the next day proved that it was a sign of good things to come.  Not only did we fix the damage caused by the collapse but we improved the base camp quite a bit. We put in many new posts, harvested on site, to form out a new base camp building. We also began putting things up such as palm leaf roofing for shade and bamboo walling. I would like to see the base camp look like a melting pot of different ideas of using local materials to build structures.  I am very excited about the idea of building structures from wood materials found on the property instead of buying in bulk from a lumber yard or using some other kind of material.

I am even more excited for our next trip to the valley on Tuesday.  We have gotten a plot of land cleared out by our wonderful neighbor Catalino that we are going to use for agriculture purposes and the first order of business is to put up a green house.  This green house will be built using the same methods we have used for base camp by using bamboo that is growing in the area.  I also have some plans to work with some of my fellow interns on building some different compost units and a bee hive as well, hopefully using as much onsite material as possible.

As for my project I will be looking into  potential areas for growing coffee at the Kalu Yala property in the Valley.  I have been exploring a lot of the property and have already found some potential areas but more research is needed. I will be heading to Boquete next month to see some coffee operations and see the areas and techniques the Panamanians are employing.  I will also  to be looking into how the Panamanian coffee farmers are dealing with the coffee boring beetle, and will be seeing how it could be fought with organic pesticides.

Alex Goff

I believe that the land is the body of a community, and sustenance the veins. In order for humans to thrive, one must consider the health of the land as a whole. In order to truly nourish and heal our body and soul, we must realize the effect we have on the ecosystem we are all part of. I infinitely believe that the cultural food heritage we are all offered serves as a vein into the heart of the past, the persevering lives of our ancestors. The plants they cultivated, consumed and used for medicine are the reason they survived, thus the reason their family lineage has expanded.  It is a cultural heirloom, so to speak, and in my opinion, the most important of all. Thanks to strong plant-human relationships is why we have continued to thrive as people, and we must give respect to their ceaseless contributions. The Agriculture Program is brand new to Kalu Yala, and I am one of the first interns who will help shape this local food system. My goal here is to help break ground for the farm and design a system that will utilize the verdant, raw topography in Tres Brazos. I will be incorporating multi-functional crops that will feed people a diverse diet and which could provide value-added products in the future. I will be avidly learning about local subsistence plants and cultivation techniques with the campesinos, then blending the local wisdom with my knowledge of companion planting and permaculture. I have already learned about a few staple Panamanian crops, one of which is guandu.

One cannot truly understand a particular environment or community without coalescing with their established food and health systems. Each person who walks this earth has an emotional response to particular foods, both positive and negative. Guandu is one such plant that heals bodies as well as the land. One of the last things my grandfather Bilo, a campesino from the Las Tablas, Panama region, showed me were the seeds of this beautiful plant. He was nearly 90 years old and walked with twisted old toes and a sore back from years of land stewardship, but he insisted on showing me this miraculous bush. I didn’t know why at the time, but now that I have returned to his patria querida, his cherished homeland, I feel accountable to perpetuate our family’s mestizo legacy.

To begin with, guandu is a short-lived, perennial woody shrub which belongs to the Fabaceae family, which is commonly known as the legume, pea, and bean family. The bean/seed of guandu is absolutely delicious and abundant in protein. It can be prepared numerous ways, similar to other beans. The most typical mode of preparation is Arroz Con Guandu, which is usually coconut rice and guandu cooked together, with various herbs and spices. In addition, the beans may be soaked in water and germinated into sprouts for a raw treat, as well as cooked and mashed to create a dip, or even dried and ground into nutrient-rich flour. Remarkably, the leaves and flowers are also make a very benficial contribution to wellness. Such medicinal uses include aiding in anemia, urinary infections, and yelow fever. Some research has discovered that the seed extract may even inhibit red blood sickling, which could aid in sickle cell anemia.

Furthermore, from a Permaculture point of view, guandu is an extraordinarily valuable plant! Firstly, it possesses a deeply penetrating central taproot which breaks up and aerates hard soils, draws up water and nutrients from the subsoil, and fixes nitrogen! Furthermore, because it can yield in poor soil with little rainfall, it makes for a great hedge to avoid erosion meanwhile restoring fertility to the soil. It’s branches can be pruned and used for firewood and leaves/husks fed to livestock and chickens. In the wet season it can be used as a cover crop to maintain soil integrity during heavy rains, and then can be cut back for use as a mulch and roots will release nitrogen into the soil for other crops such as fruit trees in the dry season. Lastly, one could maximize their land use by intercropping with guandu. One could plant grain, corn, or in Panama, utilize yuca (also known as cassava) which is a very important staple food in the local diet.

Ultimately, I am bringing a profound passion and borderline *obsession* with all levels of local plant-human relationships. Stay tuned for more updates on my discoveries and encounters in the sultry jungle of Panama.

Walking up to the Valley basecamp for the first time was somewhat akin to a child walking into Disney World for the very first time- with so many things to do where does one start? The possibilities for the future development of Kalu Yala are endless; with a group of highly motivated, passionate, and innovative interns and directors what can be accomplished in the next three months is only confined by the brevity of our time here. In our first five days in the Valley we tackled the necessities of life.

Thanks to our wonderful cook, Johnny, two of the three essentials of life, water and food, are taken care of; therefore, our group of nineteen tackled the third necessity- shelter. Armed with machetes, handsaws, hammers, nails and the resources teeming in the Valley, we set out to create a shade structure to shelter us from the sometimes brutal sun.

Working together we built a structure of 10 “posts” (trees harvested from the valley) to hold up a 15 foot tarp that provides much needed shade. Now complete with bamboo walls and the beginning of a palm leaf roof, the structure provides not only shelter but a common area where interns and directors can come together, discuss ideas, and enjoy one another’s company- an essential factor in the continued growth of the Kalu Yala culture.

With the three basic needs for life taken care of, our next trip into the valley will allow time to research project possibilities and endless opportunities for every intern to expand his/her knowledge as well as contribute to the continued growth of the Kalu Yala vision. With the autonomy to create and research our own ideas for the future benefit of the company, I know that this highly self-motivated group will accomplish amazing things in the next three months.

Kalu Yala is a lot of things, imagine the complexity and organization of an urban transect, a grossly oversimplification of how the urban environment transitions into the natural environment. Symbolically speaking Kalu Yala can represent an urban to natural transect. The concept includes principles from conservation and urban development, these principles have entered the Kalu Yala think-tank minds of the interns, directors, founders and investors. Orientation was a week long dialogue between biologist, planners, accountants, anthropologist, artist and economists on the subjects of community, local economics, sustainability, health and wellness. This type of multidisciplinary communication is so exciting and inspiring!

The physical structure of Kalu Yala also represents the urban-to-natural transect in 3 elements. The business post in Panama City represents the urban core of the transect, an intense arena for skyscrapers and perpetual construction. While the community outreach house in the San Miguel community represents the middle zone of the transect, homes, small restaurants, and hammocks amongst the natural landscape. Ending with the natural zone being base camp in the jungle valley of Panama, handmade open structures just a small dot in the intense tropical jungle.

What is incredibly appropriate about Kalu Yala and the transect comparison, is the impact the natural zone has on the operations of the middle zone and urban core zone. For the urban and middle zones, the natural zones provide resources, stability, health and balance.

Base camp, the natural zone, is what inspires and sustains the community outreach, and business programs in San Miguel and Panama City. The natural valley is our common interest and why people from all across the world and from different backgrounds of study are willing and wanting to work together.

This was my first week in San Miguel, and while I knew most everyone in town only spoke Spanish, the initial experience of not being able to completely communicate with others was shocking. I previously took Spanish in my four years of high school; however, I have not been presented with the opportunity to practice the language since. However, my Spanish skills started to come back throughout the week as I noticed I was able to speak and understand some conversations with the locals. The four of us living in the San Miguel house have even started Spanish hour every morning so we can better our communication skills. Even with the language barrier, everyone in town has been so patient and welcoming to us. The children are so excited, always smiling and say “buenas” to us whenever we pass by. After talking with people from all around the community and getting a feel for how we can most benefit them, there seems to be a strong interest in learning English classes. Many of the adults and students are interested in learning some English. I have noticed from traveling around in a few countries that English has come to be the universal language—typically you can find a few people from every country who speak English. It is amazing the impact America has had on the world. I think continuing the ESL classes is really important because when the citizens of Kalu Yala move in, the majority will probably speak English. While I hope most will try and learn Spanish, it will be very beneficial for some of the people in San Miguel to know English so they can prosper for Kalu Yala town. I am really looking forward to working with Erin, Lillian and Hannah on the English classes for both the students and the adults and seeing how else we can benefit this amazing community.

As I entered the world of Kalu Yala I knew it would be a great experience, what I didn’t yet realize was the strength of the bond between the people of Kalu Yala.  From the first night I arrived and was warmly welcomed and ushered through the “hole in the wall” to the roof party, it was clear the 19 of us along with the amazing directors were going to be a great group. Gathering from all corners of the world our intern group has already formed a tight knit family bringing elements of home to share with one another, connecting people and ideas.

During the first week of orientation we were sent on scavenger hunts, each day working together to conquer everything from negotiating with the cab drivers, finding the best slot machines at the casino to visiting Panama Viejo ruins.  As our groups dispersed everyday we unknowingly started bonding through these experiences, each day coming back to Hispania with stories to share and memories to laugh about.   Building these relationships has translated into good communication, open-mindedness and support for one another as we embark on our different projects.  I believe a theme of Kalu Yala is reconnecting with the idea of community and we are living that this semester.  We want to see each other succeed and therefore are willing to be confidants and cheerleaders all working towards the collaboration that is Kalu Yala.  We are all bringing something different to the table with a unifying mission and determination to make this Kalu Yala semester the best yet.  The passion and determination is electric!

This energy is not contained to the walls of our adorable pink Hispania house or San Miguel or even The Valley, yet extends to all the past interns and those who have been touched by the pulse of Kalu Yala.  One night a group of us were out enjoying wings, cold beer and American football and Jimmy Stice, the Kalu Yala CEO told me one something that has stuck with my about Kalu Yala.  In true southern fashion he used a fraternity as an analogy to the Kalu Yala clan.  Saying that this experience will stay with us forever and we will most certainly walk away with a network of connections and life long friends bonded forever.

I have already reached out to past interns, Evan Conaway, Kelsey Montgomery and Mary Ann Turrentine, each graciously answering any questions I have helping me lay the foundation for my projects this semester.  They may be thousands of miles away from our Panama City epicenter but their passion and experiences are still alive and acknowledged in the growing culture of Kalu Yala.  The ghost of interns past lives on, their imprint is felt as ours one day will too.

Today marks two weeks in Panama for me and I already know that the success of Kalu Yala is rooted in the people behind the name.  There is a continual flow of energy that is palpable each and everyday and I am grateful to be working with such a great community of people.

The cumulating stops I’ve had these past two weeks have, to put it bluntly, rocked my world.  Within 14 days I: left the states; spent a week exploring Panama City; pit-stopped in the small village of San Miguel before hiking up and down and up and down to the Kalu Yala Basecamp in Panamanian valley; and then finally returned to de-stinkify and regroup in Panama City.

With each step, my questioning has morphed.  The question of “What in the word will these next 3 months be like? How much will I miss a toilet?” lapsed into “What is the cab driver saying? Is that really THE Panama Canal?” which then trailed into “What kind of spider is that? And should I be afrai??  Well, it bit me…now what exactly do I do?”

These questions have been in response to the oh so many types of new.  For me, coming from an academic background in Urban Studies, I have a lot to learn during my first visit to Latin America. My recent test drives in four American cities has enabled me to quickly find familiarity in the bustling environments of Panama City.  Though I am comfortable as I sit here in a café, I am ready for round two in the jungle.

This feeling gets under my skin a bit and makes me challenge a notion I had relied on during my previous travels. Jane Jacobs, a prolific American community activist turned renegade urban planner, put my underlying notion well.  In The Death and Life of Great American Cities, she wrote, “By its nature, the metropolis provides what otherwise could be given only by traveling; namely, the strange.” Jacobs wrote extensively about the importance of street life: the vivacity of place should be felt on the journey while traversing from point A to point B.  I’ve had so many types of destinations in the past 2 weeks, the alphabet cannot help me catalogue my perspective of Panamanian street life.

My most intense experiences have not been while at Jazz Fest, not while learning from die-hard backpackers from Europe, nor have they been while understanding a taxi driver’s opinions of the redevelopment of the post-American-militarized land in the city.   They’ve been on the trails around Basecamp. I’m turning to look at trail life.  The natural world of the tropics offers so much to see and question while hiking.  The flowers, the insects, the lichen, and the snakes are all  strange to me.

While I learn from fellow interns that are knowledgeable about biology and agriculture, a thought of American urban historian Lewis Mumford resonates with me:

Whether one looks at the city morphologically or functionality, one cannot understand its development without taking in its relationship to earlier forms of cohabitation that go back to non-human species. One must remember not only the obvious homologies of the anthill and the beehive but also the nature of fixed seasonal habitations in protected sites, like the breeding grounds of many species of birds.

-Lewis Mumford, The Natural History of Urbanization

Kalu Yala is nurturing an investment network; so too is it developing roots for sturdy research about the land and the systems it currently supports.  I’m excited to be a part of the effort to get to know these non-human cohabitation while daydreaming about the future community that will respect it.  Setting up a  beekeeping system will be a great project for me to get to know the wilds of the land while being a part of the sustainable food system of the future community.  If it’s strange…well, all the better.

Chapter I: Meeting a New World

Three neat bags sat by the door ready to go, and so was Boss Man. Slowly loading himself onto the plane, the adventure ahead was looming like the anticipation of a jack-in-the-box. At any moment the box would POP, but what was inside was a mystery.

He arrived in Panama City passing towering buildings that blocked the sun, screaming new development, as old structures sat by watching the change surround them. Hispania, a quaint pink house, is where Boss Man would stay for the next week. During this time he met a passionate group of bright like-minded individuals who, unbeknownst to him, would become the fierce Machete Mobbers. They gathered daily for a director-facilitated orientation familiarizing them with the city and the escapade that was to come. The orientation consisted of group meetings in which values of Kalu Yala, the directors and fellow interns were expressed, fallowed by “scavenger hunts” out in the city. All was good in the quaint pink house but Boss Man and the others were itching to explore the jungles of Panama, a new world that they would call home for the next three months.

A bus hauled the giddy group into San Miguel, a small 500-person village. Johnny, the fabulous cook of the Machete Mobbers, made a quick lunch to fuel the intern’s for the semi-strenuous hike to base camp. Leaving the community-wellness interns in San Miguel, Boss Man and the Machete Mobbers trekked into the jungle.

Screams and hollers filled the valley as they crept up to base camp. “Finally!” Boss Man thought as he set his gear on the dusty earth. A couple posts, a bench and a few tables comprised the camp. No time was wasted as they went strait to work. With limited tools, the Mobbers began to create vital structural elements. Machetes became their best friend. The versatile tool was used to clear paths, harvest and split bamboo, cut down palm ferns and even to cut down trees for posts, as there was no axe. Ergo, the Machete Mobbers were born.

The day was sent off by the calls of howler monkey and as night fell the jungle came alive. With a headlamp, reflections of eyes popped out from everywhere. Snakes watched them from the trees with ninja-like discrepancy. Thousands of spiders’ eyes glared back as if the stars had fallen on the ground. The laughs of the Mobbers overtook any worries as they relaxed after a hard days work. The first night was unusually cold but refreshing.

The river provided much needed leisure and hygiene. A little sandy beach was only yards away from base camp. A small waterfall, deep banks and a healthy riparian zone made the river quite an attraction.

More construction on base camp fallowed the next five days. Hikes out to the bamboo were accompanied by beautiful scenery. Stocks raised 60ft+ out of the ground, but was no match for their machetes. Bound together, the stocks were hauled on their shoulders, digging into their skin as they droned through the rough terrain. Floating the bamboo as they crossed the river gave short but appreciated relief. By the time the five days past walls, roofs and furniture had been conjured by the diligent work ethic of the Mobbers.

Boss Man’s natural bench made from Panama hat palm (carludovica rotundifolia), strawberry guava (psidium cattleianum) and left over wood from an unused post.

Boss Man evening out a panel made by splitting and matting common bamboo (bambusa vulgaris).

Boss Man and the Mobbers headed back to the city for technological resources, rest, and to tend to bug bites and sunburns. Four days were spent away from base camp, but was always an their minds. Stories were already accumulating and ideas flowed for projects in the valley. Spirits were high.

They started to pack their things to head back, even going a day early to ease the withdraw.

Stay tuned for they next chapter of

The Amazing Adventures of Boss Man and the Machete Mobbers!

“Spotlights swayed yellow and green over the Loomis intersections, like air plants, the mainlanders’ epiphytes…” (Swamplandia!, 265).

The open landscape of the valley allows for sounds to travel a long distance. I was woken each morning by the animation of the landscape: the howler monkeys’ eerie lyricism, like instruments in the music of an ancient pastoral. Returning to the city from the valley felt like returning to sleep after waking from a dream; there is a sense of ease and comfort, the consolation of normality. But this contentment is challenged by the overwhelming sense that the vitality and magnetism of the valley is preferable to the familiarity of the urban landscape. The valley is dense and entrancing as any dream; it is verdant yet crackling: a simultaneity of heat and lushness. Apart from the insistent buzz of insects and the looming threat of snakes and spiders, it is a remarkable place to wander – a place that contextualizes time in a humbling way. In the valley, we must translate our versions of linear time and our senses of control and of nature’s obedience into more modest, pliable understandings.

I hope that my work as a biology intern can contribute to an ongoing consideration of how development – in many of its potential permutations – can affect specific parts of the valley ecosystem. To try to affix my attention on the entire ecosystem is of course casting my net too wide, so, I hope to identify a specific species on which rests the weight of the complex structure– a ‘keystone’ species. I will be utilizing the resources of the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute Library (right here in Panama City!), as well as observation in the valley and the guidance of fellow biology intern, Terra Filmer, and program director, Max Cooper.

Specificity is going to be my main challenge – understanding the impacts an individual population has on its neighboring species is like trying to distinguish the functions of particular genes: the complexity is infinite, altered by the smallest measures of external change, and barely readable to our most sensitive probes. My M.O. is something close to ‘aiming low,’ as biology proves time and time again how much delicate infrastructure exists in the most modest of mechanisms.

I also hope to bring an interdisciplinary focus to my work; as a recent graduate of a liberal arts college (and a huge proponent of this model of higher education), I don’t want to siphon my research off into what-is and what-isn’t ‘biology.’ In order for my research to be useful outside of its field, I plan to work with other interns to understand building models, specifically conservation development, and to make my research accessible to a variety of readers. The interconnectedness of the Kalu Yala project is what first attracted me to the organization, and I hope to carry on this virtue, in all of our efforts to build a culture of mindfulness and holistic learning.

I cannot begin to express how good it feels to be back in Panama with Kalu Yala. I was a Biology Intern in Summer 2011 and during my internship, the company expressed that they were going to be expanding. This expansion included  adding an Agriculture Program. I took this opportunity to show the company what I was made of! I put it upon myself to create an Agriculture program from scratch. I spent months writing the business proposal, preparing the budgets and recruiting for the program.  I have returned to Panama, bringing four highly qualified, energetic  interns down with me.

Alex Goff is a student of tropical Agriculture in Hawaii. Alex has  experience  working with tropical farming operations, and he is interested in researching to bring shade-grown coffee to The Valley.

Rob Taylor is studying Environmental Science at the University of Lethbridge, in Canada. Rob has countless hours of outdoor experiance in the Canadian Rockies, and now he has set his sights on projects in the Valley.  He is planning to create a small scale agro-forest on our farm site.

Kari Remmen will be graduating from the University of North Dakota in May, and will be attending graduate school in the fall. Her project ideas include creating a functional compost for our farm, as well as implementing the use of green manures and cover crops on our farm.

Completing the team is Andrea Davis. Andrea has a permaculture design certificate from Nicaragua, and she will play an integral part in the design of our permaculture garden. She plans to work on community relations from an agricultural perspective. Accruing local knowledge is her main goal.

All together, we form a tightly bonded group with organic agriculture squarely set in our sights. We will be setting down the agricultural infrastructure that is going to be necessary to supply a community with organic agricultural products.

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The Livestock/Animal Science Program is going to be tight-knit this spring as I am working directly with just one intern, Amanda Rosenberg. Amanda is a native of Boston, Massachusetts and graduated from Brown University. She is enthusiastic about living in the Kalu Yala valley and is hoping to begin a bee-keeping project over the next few months.

I first came to Kalu Yala in May of 2011 as an Outdoor Recreation Intern after my graduation from the University of Colorado at Boulder. After living in the Kalu Yala valley for two and a half months, I recognized that there was an immediate need for organic farming on the property. This will not only give interns the opportunity to begin producing some of their own food products, it will allow the processes of permaculture, livestock and crop rotation and agro-forestry to become a foundation of the Kalu Yala culture.

For the current semester which runs January 16^th through April 13^th, Amanda and I will be working together closely to bring Kalu Yala its first farming infrastructure. Beginning in two weeks, we will start the process of building a hoop coop and a hen house which will house chickens by early March. We will also be working closely with the Agriculture Program to build a bamboo greenhouse in which we can start growing our first organic vegetables and herbs. Additionally, we hope to construct several loafing sheds to provide shelter to goats, cattle and horses, which we plan to purchase in the near future. My overall vision for the next three months is to lay the correct framework needed to run a full-functioning organic farm. With the help of Amanda and all of the other valley interns, I hope to kick-start a healthy and successful farming endeavor that will directly benefit our interns living in the valley each semester, as well as our surrounding neighbors in the future.

Kalu Yala offers a truly unique experience. It is not often that individuals group together, and instantly find common grounds and values that can trigger innovative ideas in people’s minds. Even more uncommon is being given an opportunity where one is free to develop a project idea based on their personal skills or interests, and apply it to a realistic practical situation or project. Whether it be designing a ropes course or building trails, the Outdoor Recreation team has the option to develop projects that apply to the smaller, temporary intern-community scale, and to the larger, more permanent scale of the future community that is to exist. The opportunities are endless, and the ideas of the people who have yet to even see the property where they will live and work is exciting, inspirational, and an exceptional experience to be a part of!

Over the course of a few days, I have been inundated with an abundance of wonderful ideas from an extraordinary group of individuals here to pursue their goals in Outdoor Recreation. Through individual and group meetings, our team has a natural connection that can only mean a successful semester if this motivation and flow of ideas continues at its current level.

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From all around the United States, and even up to Canada, Joseph Mckittrick, Jocelynn Nadeau, Gasun Han, Courtney Johnson, Anne Shingler, Zachary Long and Zachary Bron (left to right in image above) will make up the Outdoor Recreation team for these next few months. Each having their own ideas and goals, individual and group projects are already being developed despite not knowing what our valley property has to offer.

I am extremely excited for this semester, and truly believe that we, as a team, can only benefit Kalu Yala by contributing our ideas and work. There is much to come during the semester, and based on how well these first few days have gone, we are off to a great start!

Spring Semester has started at Kalu Yala and our interns have arrived ready to be immersed in study and practice of sustainable development. This semester we are pleased to introduce two new faces to the KY Business Program:

Aki Saunamaki:

Hailing from the nation of Finland, Aki studied at Helsinki Metropolitan University of Applied Sciences. Since then Aki has developed valuable work experience with international companies Johnson Controls, Inc. and Agilent Technologies, Inc. as an engineer and logistics specialist. As one of our most experienced interns, Aki brings a significant measure of acute technical experience, strategic planning and forward thinking to the spring Business Program.

Sebastien Brunet:

Currently finishing his Bachelors of Business Administration from Lancaster University in the United Kingdom, Sebastien Brunet is originally from Bordeaux, France. Being multicultural (French and Venezuelan), Sebastien is eager to experience Panama and gain valuable business development experience. With significant experience in marketing and overall operations management, Sebastien seeks to focus on the study and application of locally sourced entrepreneurship and tourism.

The Kalu Yala Process

As former interns we understand that the degree of success Kalu Yala achieves in becoming a Launchpad for creative solutions is directly related to the environment and culture we establish for our interns. So, it is of the utmost importance that we establish a unifying aim, approach, and vision to our programs.

Additionally, we must place our programs in the position to apply our visions to real work. By allowing our program visions to be concretely expressed through a set of project commitments and semester goals we ensure that we not only learn from our local work contexts, but also achieve real work that sows goodwill and multiplies our local investment. In short, we seek to research, apply, and achieve success.

Our Unifying Aim: Health

“The most important possession of a country is its population. If this is maintained in health and vigor everything else will follow; if this is allowed to decline nothing, not even great riches, can save the country from eventual ruin.” Sir Albert Howard

Health is defined as the physical or mental condition of a being.  We at Kalu Yala define it as harmony between nature and it’s human contexts.  Health is the most frequent and constant output of our world.

Everything is connected, nothing operates within a vacuum, and the context of everything is everything else, so as we approach the standard of health we believe our community must be created as an analogue of the natural world that most abundantly provides health. We must subject our buildings, businesses and lifestyles to the ecological pattern that the earth has proven bountiful, diverse and extravagantly profitable.

Health is qualitative and quantitative; it requires both sufficiency and goodness. It is comprehensive, and it leaves nothing out. It is uncompromisingly local and particular; it has to do with the sustenance of particular places, creatures, human bodies, and human minds. Our aim is to take responsibility for the health of our local place and local constituents; this is all departments’ critical standard of success.

The Renaissance approach

As our unifying aim is clarified, we must understand the approach to pursuing this sort of sustainable development. We must take an approach that is modeled upon individual liberty and variety of expression.

The Renaissance approach starts with creating an environment that encourages our interns and staff to employ an interdisciplinary approach. Regarding health as the ultimate standard, we want our interns to be “renaissance people,” creating and expressing in a variety of ways. We will set up workshops in Panama City and San Miguel that allow our interns to follow a Renaissance approach to solving problems and creating solutions within their work in development. Our Business interns will be exposed and encouraged to participation in expressions that may include:

• Design
• Feasibility studies and Pro Forma creation
• Painting
• Sculpting
• Anatomy
• Recreational Studies
• Environmental Studies
• Elements of Mechanics
• Architecture
• Literature

Principles of the Renaissance approach:

• Always remain a novice and seek to learn first:
• Always enjoy and take pleasure in your work
• Seek to express yourself within your work as much as possible
• Seek to express your work in as many ways possible
• Always maintain a standard of professionalism and excellence in reporting.
• What you have learned, strive to share

Semester Commitments:

If you are interested in learning more about our visions or partnering with Kalu Yala Business, email me at [email protected].

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*For full content on our Research Vision for 2012 please see uploaded pdf entitled “Kalu Yala Business Program: Strategic Vision, Goals, Roadmap to a Business Incubator and Genuine Progress Indicator”.

*For full content on our Application Vision and Tourism Development, email me at [email protected], as the content is not for public dissemination.

The Kalu Yala team has hit the ground running in 2012. Orientation for our Spring semester began yesterday and the new recruits are busy familiarizing themselves with the hustle and bustle of Panama City. They come to us from as far away as Finland, North Dakota and Canada. Here are some of the new fresh faces.

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Hello Kalu Yala Enthusiasts! Rage on our river with us as we share an epic story from the Summer 2011 semester.

Kalu Yala presents the short “Ragin’ Rivers: Story of the Pacora.” Check out this webisode for a glimpse into the unexpected adventures Kalu Yala Interns can experience, especially during the rainy season! It’s all about community relations in San Miguel and the deeper stretches of jungle frontier; we happened to catch this little number on tape during our Summer 2011 semester.

It was a good day. It was an experience. It was “so Kalu Yala.”

Check out Kalu Yala’s Youtube Channel and stay tuned for more videos!

Film: Sarah Tyler

How often does one find herself in a pristine, pastoral setting milling freshly “nubbed” corn and having the wisdom of a nationally recognized seed-saver imparted upon her? For most of us, the answer would be not very often. This flowery scene is the stuff of idealists or out-of-touch dreamers who would have us forsake our Facebook and iPhones for an antiquated way of life, right?

I argue that this is not the case; I say that authentic places and experiences are making a comeback with “normal” people because their value is being realized and rediscovered by a new generation. An amazing characteristic of authenticity is its tendency to be created from humble beginnings, which makes it accessible and known by people from every strata of society. It is a quality that is nearly impossible to design and that no amount of poorly applied funds can force into existence. Authenticity comes from truth; to a discerning eye and mind, truth is instantly recognizable and its perversion abhorred. [i.e. why places like this give me the creeps: click here for heaping dose of inauthenticity]

A quest for truth is, and has always been, the fuel behind young people’s passion for change.

This truth, pardon the pun, is what I believe to be at work behind the burgeoning number of social entrepreneurs cropping up all over the globe. Corporate America has achieved wonders for us as a nation: a high standard of living, our formidable position as the world’s foremost superpower, and an economic system that secures the freedom to work and reap the benefits of that labor (though some would argue that 2008 changed all that) The problem arises when people wake up and feel like they are living in a dishonest world filled with inauthenticity. As it is today, the workplace for young people is often monotonous and devoid of stimulation. For me, life is about more than traveling from box to box in your little box on wheels. College students are graduating, and more of them are declining to become cogs in the machine, choosing rather to strike out in search of something real. Wanting to experience something real, it’s a novel idea, huh? but for many of us, it’s actually something that requires a conscious effort.

The core of Kalu Yala is the idea and the struggle to create something real. In my pursuit to help achieve that goal, I try to seek out “real” experiences and places, glean from them some of the essence that makes them so, and then inject what I have found back into Kalu Yala. I recently found one such place.

I have never met a more professional, passionate and generous staff than the one I encountered on my recent trip to Blackberry Farm. Thanks to my dear friend’s sister, Beth McCabe, I was able to visit the Walland, Tennessee farm and shadow some of its incredible team. What I saw and learned there was beyond inspiring, and I only hope to bring a kernel of it back to Panama.

At Kalu Yala, we call the Internship Program the community before the community. In the coming months we will be building upon what exists, and adding substance and truth to the Internship Program. In short, we will be laboring to create something real.

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Hello friends of Kalu Yala! The livestock program is still looking for participants for the spring internship. Help us on our journey of beginning Kalu Yala’s organic farm which will support our sustainable ideal of producing and growing our own food products. As an intern in this program, you will aid in the building of our first farming infrastructure on the property. We will be constructing a loafing shed for horses, a chicken run and a hen house as well as purchasing cattle and goats to use in sustainable crop rotations. It’s going to be an incredible semester with big projects and we need as many hands as we can get! To apply, please email Ashley Davis at [email protected]. I hope to see you in the spring!

I think a truly beneficial internship experience is one that not only educates, but also sets one on a course to continue to learn. I firmly believe the Kalu Yala Internship fits the bill.

I highly recommend the experience for two main reasons (excluding content of study). Firstly, the internship being in Panama provides a dynamic opportunity to research and implement your ideas. Secondly, the path of a KY intern is drastically different from a traditional internship.

The backdrop of Panama provides a complementary setting for exploring ideas and principles related to sustainability. It’s a country that is on the fast track to development and at the same time provides the raw opportunity that entrepreneurs and founders can seize.

Path of a typical corporate intern:

• Early Mornings at the office in a regulated schedule
• Preparing daily data reports for a full-timer.
• Educationally “taking the scraps”
• Running Errands
• Working OT

Path of a typical KY intern:

• Learning a new language and culture
• A consistent course of modern and relevant education related to Sustainable Development
• Off-roading to camp in a pristine landscape
• A full time Director and budget allocated to your work-study
• Flexible Schedule that stresses experience over in-class instruction

As my internship with Kalu Yala in Panama has come to a close I can truthfully say it has been a pleasurable and challenging educational experience.

For those of you looking for an internship that is out of the box, consider applying. It will be worth it.

I have recently taken my annual journey back home to the United States for the rainiest of the rainy months in Panama. While here, I am set on exploring the wealth of well planned and executed projects that relate to our goals at Kalu Yala. The U.S. is brimming with exciting examples of sustainable principles not merely on paper, but in action. One such project is the Heifer International Ranch in Northwest Arkansas.

Heifer International was started in 1944 by Dan West, a Midwestern farmer who served as a relief worker to starving victims of the Spanish Civil War.

“These children don’t need a cup, they need a cow.”

Upon his return to the states he helped to send the first shipment of 17 heifers from New York and Pennsylvania to Puerto Rico. “Each family receiving a heifer agrees to “pass on the gift” and donate the female offspring to another family, so that the gift of food is never-ending. This simple idea of giving families a source of food rather than short-term relief caught on and has continued for more than 65 years.” The Heifer project has aided 62 million people up to date. Today, Heifer no longer ships animals, but instead gives the gift of local and environmentally appropriate livestock to families in need around the world.

The story of Heifer International is critical because it demonstrates that when taken seriously, sustainability and social entrepreneurship are not here today, gone tomorrow trendy buzzwords, nor are they in conflict with wealth and profitability. The ideals behind them are rooted in practicality, honest business, and a desire to afford dignity to all people.

[singlepic id=4204 w=320 h=240 float=left] The purchase of three chickens this semester and their transformation from chicks to chickens in such a short period of time has resulted in the need for a coop. Fast. It won’t be much longer until our egg-pawning hen starts to lay eggs, and supplying all of them with a shelter where they can eat and sleep is essential to their well-being as future food producers.

Being inexperienced in both chicken coops and construction of them, Max Cooper and I looked online for ideas to help us develop a plan. Coming across many different styles of chicken coops, we chose a model that was both simple enough for us to construct and suitable to accommodate up to 12 future residents.

The Chicken coop measures 8-feet wide, 2-feet deep, and has a two level interior with a total height of 4-feet. Removable chicken wire encloses the front façade of the structure so our chickens can be admired while cuddled up in their coop. Concrete blocks elevate the entire structure off the ground so if torrential downpours start to pool, the chicken coop won’t flood. A small ramp with pegs allows the chickens to get into the coop, while another ramp within the structure allows them to get to the second level.

For right now, the only piece missing is the roof, an essential finish prior to letting the chickens move into their new home. Since the roof structure will be the main preventative measure against rain, we feel it is important to include a waterproof, zinc roof that is attached at an angle to allow runoff to be clear of the chickens.

We plan to fill the bottom with sawdust and hay, reposition the chickens food in the coop, and lure them into their new homes. Hopefully they will find comfort in their new dwelling, and our little egg-pawning hen can scope out a spot to comfortably lay eggs!

This week marked the end of teaching the Kinder class at the San Miguel school and the last practice of the soccer program. I am so appreciative of the San Miguel children that taught me to enjoy the little things in life. I feel blessed that I was given this opportunity to come into their community and get to know each one of them. Here are a few pictures that summarize my time in San Miguel.

My time in Panama has come to an end, it’s a bittersweet feeling. Then I remember all the great memories that I’ve made here with the interns, my students, and the people in San Miguel, nothing could make me happier! There is no other place I would have rather been this semester.

A couple of days ago we went back to San Miguel to finish an art workshop and realized that it was going to be the last time I ever saw the kids. I was about to cry and then Alida put me on the spot and I had to think quick and make a speech for everyone.

“Les quiero dar las gracias por ser Buenos estudiantes y ser tan lindos con migo. Los voy a extrañar mucho y quiero que sepan que los quiero ye siempre pensare en ustedes.”

After playing a couple of games, some of the students came up to us and gave us oranges and gave us a hug and said they would miss us. It’s something I’ve noticed here, students don’t give their teachers apples; they give them oranges!

So we drove away from San Miguel with oranges, bracelets, and all these other great parting gifts that were made for us.

And that was it. My farewell to San Miguel and now back to my reality back home.

I see a movement happening among our generation.

It’s not based on any sort of innovation or new ideals cooked up in a remote lab. In fact, this movement has been the most consistent, practical and often seen in world history. I see a large amount of my generation begining to grasp the principles of de-centralization.

De-centralization, probably an overly complex term we use, is the same thing as taking power back from those in power. The most conservative version of de-centralization is taking collective responsibility for societal functions. The most radical version is Revolution.

The reason this movement seems to have jumped out to me is that it is not just happening to a specific discipline, profession, or aspect of societal life. The birth of the principle (as all organically grown principles) has started permeating our art culture, business editorials, academic reports, collective demonstrations, and political messages. Whether it’s occupiers on Wall Street, or disillusioned education students blogging about system reform; the movement is cross-disciplinary.

Now, more than ever, I see the same principles at work in our hearts today that were at work in the founding fathers hearts when they created a nation with a largely de-centralized system of Government. When states rights were paramount and the carrying of arms was made a law to protect against centralized and oftentimes unjust power.

For the last 50 years we have bought into the fallacy that specialization and unregulated competition is a holistic benefit for all.  As Reagan said:

“We have so many people who can’t see a fat man standing beside a thin one without coming to the conclusion the fat man got that way by taking advantage of the thin one.”

We have handed necessities, our families, our lands and lives to corporations and governments that we lazily have termed “specialists” and expected that it would all be OK because they in the end will be concerned with our “well-being.” We have believed the lie that outsiders with degrees and certificates are more effective and efficient at solving our problems of need and sufficiency than we are. Therapists solve our family problems better than mothers and fathers; nursing homes take care of our elderly because we have no need for their moral love and wisdom.

I see a generation of young people that want to take the power back for themselves. To take back economic provision and the diverse skills that it grow within our own two hands. To be independent, free spirited and responsible for their own survival.  People with real independence and liberty, reliant on no system of created wealth, yet prosperous in every way. We are ready to be neighbors again. We are ready to take responsibility for each other and not be afraid of each other. We are ready for community again. We are ready to hear each other again. We are ready to learn from each other again. We are ready to divorce efficiency of time for the diversity of relationships.

However, having said all that, I believe most of the movement is young and inexperienced (myself included). Not only in the diverse skills needed to be able to create economies and manage community with responsibility, but also the skills that the industrial economy offers us. Those skills are also of worth, business fundamentals and an understanding of the killer instinct are needed to run a successful project. Skills that can make you a winner in the corporate world are not to be ignored or discarded, only implemented within the appropriate context.

I believe the principles of de-centralization are organically growing, but that is only half the battle. No matter how noble or successful a principle is, it’s worthless unless people become experienced and courageous enough to translate those principles to work actions and practice. For that to happen, cross disciplinary leaders need to create opportunities to engage the brilliant (trapped) minds and capabilities that most of us have.

So, as every revolution can verify, nothing happens unless we man up and start building on principle with a fair guess of what we are doing. So, all you “thinkers” and all you “artists,” do something. Educate your community, preach independence. My heart is with you Occupiers; now go learn what a market is and what you need to do to change it in your hometowns. Or come down to Panama, we are trying to figure it out here at Kalu Yala.

By the way, check us out, mini-think tank/young people working from principles and fleshing out application in a developing economy. If you are into any of these, give a second look you can be here in January:

* Agriculture

* Business

* Biology

* Community Outreach

* Design/Build

* Livestock

* Outdoor Recreation

www.kaluyala.com

One of the greatest challenges of living in the valley is getting enough food for the interns and directors each week. The difficulty of this task is amplified because our food is preserved only in coolers and will last only for a limited amount of time. Therefore, obtaining food in a sustainable and efficient manner is a definite priority of the intern program. In the past week, Max and I have started planting some crops in the valley that will benefit future interns. We are fortunate to live in a climate that has a year-round growing season that will support the cultivation of pretty much anything.

We modeled the construction of our garden after John Arthur Douglas of a Lazy Man’s Farm. John Arthur Douglas promotes the use of permaculture which is essentially creating an agricultural system that is self sustaining and reduces the amount of energy wasted. With this ideology, he created the design of the Magic Circle that is now growing in our valley. Each will have a tall tropical fruit tree, a shade plant and a legume to fix nitrogen in the soil. The center will be where any and all compost can be thrown leaving the surrounding soil rich in nutrients. Once created, the Magic Circle should continue to grow and sustain itself without any additional work on our part. Our valley circle has banana trees and pigeon peas with the intention of soon adding sweet potatoes and yucca.

Other plants are being cultivated including yellow squash, tomatoes, zucchini and lettuce. We also set up an area along the fence line for passion fruit to grow because it grows particularly well on fences.

This coming week we plan to consult with surrounding campisinos about how they find success in their personal agriculture. I have noticed many gardens that are flourishing with mango, plantain and banana trees as well as many other fruits and vegetables. Just last week, Ramon stopped by our base camp and offered some incredible wisdom about how he goes about obtaining his highest plant yield. He relies heavily on lunar cycles when planting his crops. He said he saw his highest yield of beans in the past year because he planted them on a full moon.

Most importantly, we are trying to develop an agricultural system that is most efficient and does NOT incorporate the use of any sort of chemicals. For the benefit of future interns and valley dwellers, I am going to compile all research into a book that can be used as a source to reference as agriculture evolves in the valley. We must feed our minds and nourish our souls!

The month of November is a very significant month for Panamanians. There are several days that are celebrated due to their historical context. November 3^rd marks the separation from Colombia and the creation of the Republic of Panama. While getting ready for the separation from Colombia two Panamanians, Don Manuel E Amador and Dona Maria Ossa de Amador, designed and sewed a flag in secret. On November 4^th the flag was presented and is dedicated to its tribute. The color red on the flag symbolizes the liberals and the blue the conservatives, the two political parties at the time of separation.  The white represents the long awaited peace, the blue star symbolizes purity and honesty, the red star is authority and the law. On November 20^th,  Panamanians celebrate El Primer Grito de Independencia en la Villa de Los Santos. This was the gaining of Independence from colonial Spanish rule in the province of Los Santos. There are several other cities in Panama that celebrate difference days of independence from Spanish rule. The official day of Panamanian independence from Spain is November 28^th where they joined the union to Colombia (leading to the second independence date of November 3^rd).

At first I was confused when learning about the historical dates, but the basic and most important fact to know is that Panama celebrates two days of independence first from Spain then from Colombia. On November 4^th, I happened to be in San Miguel and was able to attend some of the festivities that the area had. We commuted to La Mesa, about a 30 minute drive from San Miguel and the middle point to the entire San Martin “County.” There we were able to see a parade of all the schools in the area and their small marching bands, mostly consisting of drums and xylophones. It was a huge celebration. There were various food stands and other types of vendors. This was something that I had been looking forward to! Needless to say, I ate a plate of potato salad, salchichas, about two or three holadres, and chichi de naranja!

We arrived to La Mesa just in time so see the beginning of the parade. The first to present was a woman in full Pollera dress, a tipico Panamanian style. She was dancing along with the music that was being played by the band that followed her occasionally stopping to pose for picture next to the Panamanian flag. Two schools later, our students from San Miguel were up! All of them seemed so serious and concentrated on their marching and their drum playing. It finally made sense to me why they took their recess time to practice their drumming instead of playing. This was their way of showing their pride, to their community of San Miguel and to their beloved country of Panama.

Watching them made me feel so happy! They passed us by as they continued to march full of smiles; I couldn’t help but feel proud! Those were my students, students that I have grown to care about. It was a great experience to be able to see them shine at the parade after all their hard work.

The task was brought to the education interns to create a pen pal project with the children in San Miguel and one of the previous intern, Celia Daly’s Spanish classes at The Atlanta School in the United States. Celia Daly teaches Spanish in Atlanta, Georgia to children of ages ranging from kindergarten to sixth grade. Mimi Powell and Celia Daly have discussed proposing a plan to allow the children in San Miguel to make amigos nuevos (new friends) in the United States by creating this project.

Each education intern, Myra, Alida, and I discussed creative ideas that the students could do using the English that they have learned this fall. Mimi made a small presentation for the children to be shown before partaking in their pen pal activity. It described where the students in The Atlanta School were from and why we had decided to do this project. The presentation showed pictures of the students in Atlanta and the students in San Miguel to allow the students in San Miguel to become excited about their new friends in The United States.

The Kinder and 1^st grade filled in the blanks to some simple information using their knowledge of English. They filled in their name, where they are from, and their favorite color. We added a hand print onto their paper using their favorite color to put a creative spin on the activity. The 2^nd and 3^rd grade had previously had a unit on family this fall therefore Myra proposed that they write a few sentences about their families. Then they were to draw their families and label the family members in English. They used construction paper and different colored utensils to put their own creative touch to the activity.

Alida proposed that the 4^th grade made an accordion book with construction paper. The students then wrote a short story about their family and friends in San Miguel. Each students added photos of their school, their house, and family in the book.

Lastly, the students in the 5^th and 6^th grade paired up and wrote their first e-mails through an account Mimi and Celia set up. They learned the basics for writing e-mail. Each student included their names, a couple questions for the students at The Atlanta School and some information about themselves. This activity turned out to be very helpful since we found out this was the first time the  students have been exposed to sending e-mail.

Another trip to the valley, and this time it didn’t rain. In fact, the sun was beaming and sweat was dripping as we continued our mission to machete down the weeds. Quite the workout, and the river was more than perfect to help cool off after![singlepic id=4333 w=320 h=240 float=left]

The river that runs by the valley property is the same as that which runs through San Miguel, the Pacora River. Same river, same water, but the swimming hole near the valley is quite different than the ones in San Miguel. Steep hills stand tall over one side, with boulders and rocks lining the river’s edge. The clear water is deeper, and the current doesn’t feel as strong. In certain spots, it is deep enough to jump off the rocks into the water. On the opposite side of the steep hill, rocks and a small beach are the perfect place to dry off after a swim. Even getting down to this swimming spot is beautiful. Tall trees and tropical plants surround a small path that leads from basecamp to the river. There is nothing but beauty too see!

People who love the outdoors are sure to love the magnificent scenery and landscape of the valley property here in Panama. This will most certainly be a key element in helping to advertise for the future community that will occupy the development. Seeing the beauty that is there now, living and admiring it is very helpful in provoking the thoughts about maintaining the land in a sustainable manner. The river is perfect just as is, and hopefully will be protected so that it can remain the same way as it is right now!

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Students of San Miguel present the theatre production of The Three Little Pigs, Spanish style. Maestro Teddy and the three education interns Myra,Alida, and I collaborated to present an exciting event with the children in the 2nd and 3rd grade class.Maestro Teddy introduces the story for the audience and then takes a back seat to let the children perform.

Each group of children constructed three cerditos (pigs) and one lobo (wolf). The students constructed three houses and painted the scenery for the production. The pictures below present the finished product of those props used for the play.

Maestro Teddy appointed certain students to be the narrator, the wolf, and the three little pigs. A look at behind the scenes shows that even Maestro Teddy is enjoying the kids performance.

Growth is a completely unique process of life. It is an interesting process to understand because it does not fit any mold. One can tell when something has grown, but cannot so easily quantify the process of growth. Growth is highly variable, many things can derail it, and many things can accelerate it.  We all want to achieve growth, but how do we control it? How do we grow with balance? Panama finds itself in a similar trade off dichotomy: how does it become an industrial powerhouse while maintaining its status as one of the richest countries in biodiversity?

The Panamanian government has created an economic growth strategy for 2010-2014 calls for specialization and globalization of four sectors. By Specializing in four sectors of Panama’s economy, the government is banking that these sectors will make Panama a top tier global economy:

• Logistics (Canal)
• Tourism
• Financial Services
• Agriculture

An excerpt from the strategy reads:

“Harnessing the untapped potential of these sectors is an important opportunity: 6%-9% annual economic growth and the creation of 860,000 new or better jobs, from now until 2020. However, to achieve this, Panama will have to make major long-term infrastructure investments for an estimated total of US$9.6 billion. This amount represents 70% of the total planned investments (US$13.6 billion) for the next five years” (Panama’s Economic Strategy 2010-2014)

Of all the money that the government is planning to pump in the country for the next 5 years, 70%(9.6B) is going to create infrastructure that will expand four current industries and actually create industries within those industries. New sub-industries are planned in all four sectors. The government is essentially begging for current business to get bigger and entrepreneurs to start businesses in manufacturing, logistical, hotel, agri-business and banking. But that’s not all; Panama currently has a FTA (free trade) deal recently approved with the good old USA. Not only does the Government want to grow the power and influence of Panamanian corporations; it is opening the door for the American giants to come join the party. It is clear that the government wants companies to get large, powerful and rich. Why? One word Jobs. This strategy took up 53 pages of the report.

Later in the strategic plan environmental issues are covered, in 6 pages. The strategy outlined in those 6 pages centers on merging two environmental institutions while modernizing and making them more efficient. ANAM and ARAP will merge to create a single institution to report and carry out “conservation and protection” tasks.

From this strategy it is sufficiently clear that the government is planning to spend $9.6B for an ever-expanding GDP output growth number and a large number of “job creations”. The one problem with this plan is that it is not realistic. The government is proposing to create clean growth but will most likely create economic disparity along with ecologic degradation. The reason why is founded upon a simple principle:

GDP and industrial growth is singular, simplistic, quantifiable, and based on efficiency.  Ecological preservation and human capital is multi-faceted, complex, not quantifiable, and based on diversity.

When a corporation is given an investment, there is one goal; take money and multiply it. An essential aspect of creating profits is to drive costs below revenues. When a company does this it classifies diverse resources into simplified suppliers.

Land = Raw materials

Men = Labor Units

As I said, the standard way to cut a profit is to drive costs below revenue. The Panamanian government is giving 9.6B dollars to four sectors and asking them to multiply the investment. Thus, they have to take the complex land and people of Panama and take what they need from them for the least amount of cost. In exchange, business will provide the lowest amount of money possible to people and essentially no compensation to the land. The government is endorsing the belief that life is best viewed from a financial point of view. With an increasing number of competitors trying to beat each other out of business, the Panamanian market will increasingly pursue greater efficiency and lower costs of production. This implies that growth that carries hidden costs to the people and land with the least representation (lower classes and eco-systems that can’t speak for themselves) will get expanded.

By treating the multi-faceted people and diverse eco-systems as simplified inputs to an equation, GDP based industrial growth damages more than it helps. This is not the only way that this happens either, only one of the most obvious and easy ways to explore this complex quandary.

On Wednesday of last week I attended ANAM’s (Panama’s EPA) presentation of the first Panamanian comprehensive ecological atlas. This Atlas provides comprehensive ecological information over every area of Panama. During the event, the president of ANAM highlighted that this information was written concisely and simply so that non-governmental institutions would read it. She stressed that these organizations must understand this information to sustainably hold operations in Panama. While the effort is an impressive accomplishment, I ask myself:

What authority does ANAM have to hold these non-governmental corporations in check? It seems that both worlds are set to collide, Economy vs Ecology.

More importantly, what corporations actually understand anything about ecology and how to relate to it?

That is, I think something that Kalu Yala is on the road to achieve. To create a new version of industry, industry that is patterned from the natural growth patterns of people and places. The natural growth patterns that are both rich in quality and low in local cost.

Have you ever tried to open a coconut to drink the pipa (coconut water)?  Did you know that a piece of paper can pop and make a loud noise if you fold it a certain way? Have you ever heard of the game ninja? Remember the days when you had not a care in the world other than which team you would be on for the upcoming soccer game?

This past week started off just like any other but quickly turned into a very memorable week in San Miguel. Normally, there is not much interaction with our students other than the classroom and other Kalu Yala activities, but this week was different. After soccer practices and art workshops, Alida (Outreach/Education Intern) and I decided to stay and interact a little more with our students. It’s important that they recognize that we are not just their teachers but their friends as well. This will definitely help build a stronger relationship with the students and create a better sense of respect and trust.

It started with playing soccer with some of the older kids and escalated to cracking coconuts on the floor and then to playing ninja! These kids will find any way to make a dull evening entertaining and that is exactly what I love about them. No matter how stressful my day was, I forgot about it when I was at La Cancha with the kids. They reminded me that there is no problem too big that can’t be overlooked with a simple game of ninja or tag!

In the 7th grade I made paper mache piñatas in my Spanish class. My group crafted a frog. This week in San Miguel we made paper mache títeres. Our products: an uniperro (unicorn-dog), a girl, a witch, a hen, and a pig.

DAY 1: We worked in groups. The kids drew up their design for the puppet they wanted to make and then they received a balloon. The next step included cutting and shaping cardboard and then taping it onto the balloon. This is how folks made their ears, horn, noses, etc. From there came the messy and most enjoyable part; using a solution of flour, water, and salt to paste strips of newspaper on the balloon.

Myra, Blair, and I helped facilitate the process as Andrea documented.

Day 2: We reformed our groups and got to painting. One of our títeres, the girl, caved in during the drying process. It was sad but the kids quickly formed other groups more eager to paint than think about how we lost our dear puppet girl. Painting was fun and quicker than we expected. After groups finished we had them find two sticks; one large and one medium sized. The sticks will serve as the body and the arms of the puppets. From there we will be able to dress the puppets in a large shirt.

All the talleres will lead up to a final presentation that is planned for Wednesday, November 16th. Until then we will have one more taller that will combine two; making musical instruments from found and recycled items and theatre.

Until next time…
PEACE
Alida

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Typically Halloween is a time to dress up, eat candy until your stomach hurts and watch pee-your-pants scary movies.  Of course this years Halloween has all of that,  but a couple of nights ago, on the Saturday before Halloween, the Community Outreach interns combined forces with a popular backpackers’ hostel in Panama City, Luna’s Castle, and its associated bar, Relic, to raise money for the elementary school in San Miguel.  Relic hosted an extravagant Halloween party complete with spider webs, black lights and hula hooping champions and we were right at the door collecting donations and spreading our word to party-goers as they arrived.  All in all we raised $243.92 in just under two hours!

Putting this show together was a combined effort amongst the interns and directors.  Sarah Tyler not only handled the logistics on Relic’s end, but also made an awesome video for us to show people what San Miguel and the kids were like.  Blair, Myra and Alida all helped shout our word out and get people to stop and realize they can make a difference on the spot (even as a zombie, Cleopatra, witch, or smurf).  Bradley helped us move the necessary equipment to set up our station outside the door of Relic and Anne Walker helped make the signs and some donation baskets made of organic materials from San Miguel.  With everyone working together, working for the kids of San Miguel, the night was a great success!  Can’t wait to do it again next year!

One glorious Saturday afternoon, a few of the interns and directors ventured through the windy, muddy roads towards The Valley. It was one of the first sunny days that we had seen in San Miguel for ages. I was excited to return to The Valley to hike around and lay by the river. As we were driving one of the directors pointed at an object on the bank of the road. The first part I saw was a black tail slithering over a small hill.

The driver stopped the car so that we could get a closer look at one of nature’s finest reptile, a snake. Since I have arrived in Panama I have heard stories about huge snakes; one in The Valley and another spotted at the San Miguel house. My anticipation was over; this snake exceeded my expectations as I began to take photographs of it quickly slithering up the hill.

We began to drive away while I watched how quickly the snake maneuvered up the hill of the bank. At that moment I knew that I was safe inside the vehicle, but i realized that had I been on foot it would be easy to miss  this stealthy creature in the grass.

Different from the typical work weeks spent in San Miguel, this week I had a visitor and took some time off. Originally we planned on going to San Miguel and then out to Costa Rica, but things changed when we realized it would be costly and time consuming to get to Costa Rica. Instead, we looked at a map and saw a small island on the Caribbean side of Panama that didn’t seem too far away…Isla Grande.[singlepic id=4302 w=320 h=240 float=left]

Despite its name, Isla Grande is actually a small island in the province of Colon, only a 5 minute boat ride from the mainland. Here, the high season is not until January, allowing us to experience the true culture of the people. Many restaurants, bars, and hostels filled the street, closed and quiet as though the town were abandoned. Even then though, a few were open, and the one main store on the island was open everyday. Locals were the main occupants of the streets, listening to music, painting their boats, gutting their fish, and working on their homes. The hostel where we stayed had construction going on everyday. I noticed that our hostel (along with many other homes on the island) had rainwater collectors that they would use as a main source of water. The basins collected water and sent it through a filter, which was then used for all water needs (although I’m not sure I would personally drink it). If the island could just work on properly disposing their trash, it could almost be a well-off, self-sustaining island.[singlepic id=4300 w=320 h=240 float=right]

Not only would trash pick-up reduce the amount of litter, it would also bring out more of the beauty this island had to offer. When the sun was out, the ocean was that clear, bright turquoise blue. The small forest within the island contrasted the blue ocean with different shades of green. I would have thought the island was covered in beaches (like San Blas), but instead there were only a couple small beaches, and a pretty dense forest. Being a nature lover, I had to explore the forest, which turned out to be an amazing experience! In the forest I saw a variety of tropical plant and animal life from brightly colored fruits, to snakes, gi-ANTS, and huge, scary looking spiders! We climbed a tower where vultures sat atop, and got to see a birds eye view of the island, the mainland, and the surrounding Caribbean ocean. It was awesome! Just the right tropical biology that I wanted to see!

Despite the fact that the education system in Panama is struggling, MEDUCA does not forget to appreciate the students and their efforts for being committed to their education. Every October 27^th is Dia del Estudiante (Day of the student) in Panama. It is a day dedicated to celebrating students and their hard work in school. The teachers must find a student to replace them for the day, normally the student with the highest grades. The rest of the students are then assigned different roles according to their grades. The teachers must then take the role of the student for the day. This is meant to be fun and encourage kids to gain leadership in their classroom. There is also a mini celebration after school including plenty of food, candy, and fun!

This October 27^th happened to be my last class teaching in La Chapa and was definitely a great experience. One of the fifth grade girls was teacher for the day followed by 2 other girls taking the role of director (principal) and cook and a boy being the groundskeeper. It was interesting to see how the class interacted while their peers were the ones teaching. There was not as much chaos as I expected to see, everything seemed to be under control!

At the end of the class, we were served a hearty portion of arroz con pollo, an awesome pinkish looking potatoe salad with remolacha (beets), and pound cake with marshmallow frosting, and chichi (fruit drink/juice). The food was one of the best meals I have ever had in Panama! Following the meal, we received party favors, some cookies, candy, and bananas.

After lunch was over, Alida and I set up the piñata that we had made for the children (a pencil!). Although it was not the sturdiest piñata (it broke after 3 hits), the kids seemed to enjoy it and went crazy gathering the goodies that poured out of it! It was a great way to end the semester with my students at La Chapa!

I’m writing from Los Angeles where Ryan Brown and Kate Croft have met me to begin a 30-day journey of outreach to find Kalu Yala’s first citizens.  We have a Nissan Altima Hybrid, laptops, smart phones, a box full of vision brochures and investment documents, and a rolodex full of great people: both thought leaders in sustainability and friends with well-located guest bedrooms.

Kate Croft and Ryan Brown’s biographies plus Kassidy Brown, Ryan’s sister and Journey of Action partner

We’re on the road to meet face to face with the people Kalu Yala will need to launch the world’s most sustainable modern town.  These include the young people whom we have designed twenty special cottages for who will breathe the energy of youth into the town; our twenty First Founders whose investment will power the design and groundbreaking; our first small business owners that will serve the community and our guests; and the thought leaders who will engage the global citizens who will hold us accountable while also assuring we are using the best ideas possible.

Learn more about the four types of citizens we want to meet

Our journey will take us through some of the most beautiful parts of America: starting in Los Angeles, we next head north to the Bay Area, then onto Bellingham and Vancouver before coming back down to Portland.  Then we will leave the West Coast and head to Jackson Hole and down through the Rockies to Boulder and Denver, finally heading to Texas to meet with people in Dallas and Austin.

Click here for our schedule

We are on the move and filling our calendars to meet with passionate people interested in being part of creating the world’s most sustainable village.  If you or someone you know is one of those people, we would love to try to connect.  Please e-mail Kate at [email protected]

Find me on Facebook to follow our trip as we check-in and share the story.

Kalu Yala, with great enthusiasm, presents our Spring 2012 trailer — the past, the present, the trials, the triumphs, and all of it encapsulated here for you, our viewer. We are currently accepting interns for our upcoming semester beginning January 16th, 2012. Spend 2 minutes and 32 seconds absorbing what could potentially be your 2012 studies as a college student, graduate, or young professional.

Intern on the jungle frontier or immerse  yourself in  the San Miguel community. Whichever path you choose will be both fulfilling and broadening.

Panama awaits.

Panama awaits.

PANAMA AWAITS.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2SlJf-N5ZGM

You can follow more of our stories here:

 www.KaluYala.com

Facebook: 

http://www.facebook.com/kaluyala

Kalu Yala’s growing Intern Program brings students and young professionals from around the world to Panama to set their own course of work that they believe will contribute to the creation of the world’s highest quality of living. Interns not only bring passion, they also bring cutting edge ideas and resources to Kalu Yala. These resources include engaging their peers, parents, and professors to support them in this unique opportunity to make a dramatic impact over the course of two to three months.

To view the Spring 2012 Intern Application Packet, please email inquiries to: [email protected] or view it in PDF format on our documents page

Film: Sarah Tyler, Dave Coleman

October 2011

Culture shapes individuals and individuals shape a culture.  Together, these two forces shape the places where we live.  To ensure Kalu Yala’s success, we haven’t simply defined a common vision of building the world’s most sustainable modern town, but are also seeking for its first citizens to shape the culture that can produce such a place.  Where would we go looking for these individuals?  In places that already have that culture.

October 22^nd though the 29th San Francisco and the Bay Area

October 30th to November 2^nd Bellingham, Washington

November 3^rd Vancouver, British Columbia

November 6^th to the 9^th Portland, Oregon

November 10^th to the 13^th Jackson Hole, Wyoming

November 13^th through the 16^th Boulder and Denver, Colorado

November 17^th to the 19^th Austin, Texas

If you want to try to get together, please e-mail Kate at [email protected]

THE FOUR TYPES OF FOUNDING CITIZENS

The secret to Kalu Yala’s sustainability is the commitment to a single vision from a diverse community of believers.  Even though plans to break ground on construction are for January of 2013, our global community already exists.  The first investors who believed in the vision of Kalu Yala, some of the most experienced visionaries in the world, current interns and alumni of the intern program, and thousands of regular website visitors have already founded Kalu Yala and started to make it a real community.

Now, its time to finalize designs, begin construction, open businesses and welcome our first visitors and residents.

Here’s who we are looking for to help make that happen:

Global Citizens

Kalu Yala is the first community to be developed with 100% transparency in all that we do.  Why?  Because we are genuinely seeking the best answers to every problem and opportunity we face.  This means everyone must have access to those problems and opportunities, along with the current proposals for addressing them.  Thank you internet!  Are you a renewable energy expert, student, or professor?  Do you have a passion for architecture or locally owned businesses?  Then Kalu Yala needs you to use our website to provide your critique and hold us accountable so that we can be the best that we can.

Young Homeowners

New towns used to be the expectation of every civilization as it expanded, from the Mayans to the Romans, and the United States as it moved west.  Now, towns are disappearing as everyone is forced into megacities and the only “new towns” are resorts.  We need young energy and ideas to make Kalu Yala real.  To make sure this happens, our architects placed 20 special cottages in the middle of town.  These are reserved for people under 35 and we are offering a unique opportunity to make sure we get the best 20 owners possible. We will rent your cottage from you once you build it, while still letting you use it 4 months out of the year.

Business Owners

What kinds of businesses work in a cow field that is becoming a town?  Lots of them!  We already have economic opportunities from construction, agriculture, tourism, and servicing a budding population.  Inns, hostels, farms and agricultural products, and outdoor guide services are just a few of the business opportunities that make sense now.  While most small business owners have to go it alone, business owners at Kalu Yala are immediately part of a community and company fighting for their success.  Entrepreneurs, we want to talk to you.

The First Founders

Investors risk hard earned capital to gain reward from their decision to believe in what the world wants.  The revolutionary business model that underwrites Kalu Yala has been specifically designed to attempt to reduce this risk, while still providing attractive returns.  Our First Founders are not only investors, they are property owners and critical members of our community.  The first 20 investors will work with over a dozen of some of the world’s most experienced and visionary real estate, environmental, and economic experts to custom design the village that will change the world.

This week was our second workshop of the “El Taller” series. Our focus was poetry.

It started something like this:

“Everyone has ten pieces of paper; papelitos.”

“Imagine I have magic glitter in my hand. Now I give a little bit to everyone; to you, and you, and you, and… So you all have this magic glitter in your hands, right? Imagine you are just as small as that glitter. Plus, since it is magic you are magic, too. The wind comes, a nice breeze. What happens? It takes you, no? Imagine it. Imagine the wind just carried you away, your little self the size of glitter. Do not forget you are magic. This breeze can take you anywhere; another place, another city, country, planet, universe, anywhere. Now on your first piece of paper write where you have traveled to, where has the wind brought you.”

The workshop continued with this story and prompting questions until everyone recorded something on each of their ten papelitos. Then everyone had to rearrange their papelitos into an order they liked. From there it was all about writing; taking what was written on the ten pieces of paper and transforming it into a story or set of sentences or anything the kids wanted. At the end of the workshop we shared. At first only two folks wanted to share, but once they read almost everyone wanted to share, too.

I will forever continue to fall in love with young people and the things they write. They are magic. Below are some of the photos from the taller and at the bottom is a poem I wrote in reflection of it all.

Escarcha Humilde

Todos somos escarcha
Todos somos esa cosa que brilla
En el sol
O cuando no hay
Todos somos un día llovioso
Descalzo
Sentiendo el lodo entre los dedos
Sin miedo

Todos somos escarcha
Volando por primera vez
Imaginando sin limites
Lo que pudiéramos lograr
O donde podríamos ir
Si fuéramos escarcha

Pero no somos
Escarcha
Nosotros somos mas brillante
Nosotros somos voces
Susurrando
Nuestra esfuerza
En el oído de lo demás
Nosotros somos la creencia
Antes que hemos aprendido a creer

Esto
Esto se llama volando por primera vez
Solo que no tenemos miedo
Nosotros nacimos para hacer esto

This past week I attended a meeting with a team of professionals that work for the Ministry of Education in the province of Panama Centro (this includes San Miguel). The team consists of a psychologist, two social workers, two speech pathologists and several other members that facilitate workshops and parent meetings. Their job is to go to different schools in their region in order to evaluate student needs, meet with parents, and give workshops to teachers regarding teaching methods. They also focus on students with special needs and how to implement activities that will cater to this student population.

As I traveled from San Miguel to Los Lotes primary school (a 45-minute bus ride), I couldn’t help but imagine what this workshop would be like.  I had my notebook in hand and reviewed every question that I wanted to ask for my research.  I truly had no idea what to expect. First of all, I had no idea where the school was, so that in itself was an adventure. Luckily one of my students from San Miguel was on my bus and she helped me ask someone for directions. Once at the school, I was in awe! The school was huge compared to the tiny schools in San Miguel and La Chapa. There were students everywhere and so many classrooms! I was eventually taken to a computer lab (yes a computer lab!!), where I was to meet with the director of the school and the rest of the team from MEDUCA once they arrived. I first noticed that we were in the dark, the lights had been out for two hours. Second, I realized there were two A/C units in the lab! Like I said, I was in shock! I was definitely not in San Miguel anymore.

Once I got settled, I was able to ask a few questions to the director of the school. He informed that his school had 263 students, 40 special education students, 12 teachers, 1 special education teacher (who is on maternity leave), and 1 teacher dedicated to teaching English. These demographics made me feel sadness to realize how neglected the San Miguel and La Chapa schools are. As he explained, Los Lotes is NOT a multigrado (multiple grades) school, each teacher has one grade at a time,  and unlike San Miguel some students come in the morning and some in the afternoon. It was interesting to see how different this school was from what I was used to seeing if it was only 45 minutes away.

The team from MEDUCA finally arrived and they allowed me to ask them the questions that I had ready for them. The majority of them they didn’t know, which was very disappointing, but they promised to provide me with more detailed information via email. I asked about standardized testing and international education ranks. This was definitely an interesting topic. Panama does not have any standard testing, why? Just because it had never been suggested/proposed; some of them didn’t even know what standardized testing was! When they are asked to participate in international education ranks they only test 3 or 4 schools in one province (there are 9 provinces) and use those results to generalize for the rest of the country. I was not surprised by this response. This is a prime example of how Panama has neglected to provide any standard for their education system. I mentioned how standardized testing was implemented in many countries and one social worker explained to me how about a year or two ago the subject of this kind of testing was brought up but was dismissed, and that there are currently efforts to propose a standardized testing system.

The rest of the meeting consisted of the team giving a workshop to teachers on how to effectively teach students with different learning styles. There were several activities that were presented and how to cope with a child’s possible difficulty with the activity. It was very informative and the teachers seemed to be learning plenty, although every once in a while they seemed uninterested. After the workshop was over, I spoke to the main presenter to see what kind of research she had done to obtain these methods for the workshop. She explained to me that she had been a part of a research group that was gathering information on effective teaching methods used in the United States. She was then hired by the Ministry of Education and was trying to get this particular method to be used by all teachers in Panama.

After these past couple of months in Panama I have yet to understand how such a developed country can be so underdeveloped at the same time. The country is thriving with businesses and capital but everything else is lagging behind; education is at the top of the list. I’d like to believe that I am making a difference somehow during my time here, but it will take some time before change can truly happen in this country. It is comforting to know that there are currently elected and appointed officials in Panama who are trying to cause effective change like the team from MEDUCA and Kalu Yala.

This past Saturday Kalu Yala (Mimi Powell) and Hecha y Derecha joined forces by holding a “venta de patio,” better known as a yard sale. With twelve trash bags full of donated items by the head and founder of Hecha y Derecha, Virginia Campo, this yard sale was a huge success.  The inspiration sprouted from Virginia’s realization that instead of simply donating all of her gently used clothes, accessories, shoes and books, she could price them from $.10 cents up to $1 and donate the money to help fund the start of the women’s cooperative in San Miguel!

[singlepic id=4304 w=320 h=240 float=center]

The result? Hundreds of dollars raised by energetic, passionate women ready to ignite their cooperative business and showcase their talents to a wider market in Panama.  As part of their launching, I’m helping them market their talents through a promotional catalog that will give them a more professional foundation to present to clients and markets around Panama.  Stay tuned for a preview.

[singlepic id=4305 w=320 h=240 float=center]

Never would I have guessed that such small change could make such a substantial dent in their piggy bank. These women are strong and their determination to succeed shines through.  Truth be told, I feel pretty darn lucky to be interviewing and documenting their talents because each woman has a story and a message and to help make their stories heard is an honor.

[singlepic id=4306 w=320 h=240 float=center]

Upon being in Panama City well over a month now, I have seen some pretty impressive things along with some pretty strange ones. Of all things in Panama, I am most fascinated and intrigued by Panamanians themselves, the people. Of the many things that intrigue me about Panamanian culture, three stand out more than anything else.

• The diversity of the people and culture
• The importance of beauty
• The “Juega Vivo”

The first thing that enthralls me with Panama when I walk the streets is the ethnical diversity. No matter where you are there will be people of all ethnicities together. When the majority of the country is made up of mixed race people, it does something to the mindset and identity of a country. There is a feeling of freedom in the streets when it comes to racial diversity, a feeling that everyone is free to express themselves and no matter what you look like you could be a fellow Panamanian. While racism is not non-existent, it is definitely apparent in Panama that most people will not judge you by the color of your skin.

On a similar note, beauty is loved and coveted by all. Not that this is an inherently Panamanian characteristic, more it seems that Panamanians are always looking for something beautiful. Traveling with five girls for the first part of our time here it felt as if the entire world started whistling and did not stop (I even got a couple, which is weird). A study done by TNS research in the area revealed that the number one way Central Americans want to be seen is beautiful. This proved true across the board with no discernable difference in terms of age, gender or socioeconomic level.

Lastly, and perhaps the most distinct, is the Panamanian concept of “Juega Vivo.” Explained to me by Abraham the Director of the Internship program, it may be one of the most defining characteristics of Panamanians.

Juega Vivo literally means to “play live” as if one were playing a sport or in some sort of contest. The implied message that this phrase carries is something like “look alive” or “be crafty.”  It means get as much as you can out of every situation. A value in Panama, this mindset creates very resourceful and savvy people but also can be the cause of many inefficiencies and negative circumstances. In many ways, when everyone is “jugando vivo” it’s every man for himself.  You must be smart and quick witted to not get run over. Panamanians “juega vivo” when they drive, work, and interact with people; this cultural value makes Panamanians one of the most colorful and adventurous people in the world. The more and more I spend time here the more I find my Panamanian self coming out with the locals.

This week in San Miguel the Education Interns of Kalu Yala helped begin the making of the props and scenery for the 2nd and 3rd grade theatre project. My first instinct was to be afraid because I am not a super creative individual, but with the help of Alida we were led through two successful workdays. The first day involved making three cerditos (pigs) and a lobo (wolf) for the story of “Los Tres Cerditos.” The second day included building three houses for the cerditos and the background scenery for the production.

The construction of each “cerdito” began with the children drawing their version of each pig on a large piece of paper. After, each group received a large balloon that was to be the head of the cerdito. The ears and nose were made out of cardboard and shaped depending on the drawing that each group did. There were some ears that were long and pointy and others that were more round and short. The 3D noses came next; each one was placed on the balloon and then securely duck-taped. Lastly, each group used newspaper strips and began to paper mache either their pig or their wolf. We wanted a thick layer on each animal in order for the group to return later to paint them. Although this got quite a bit messy, it was a huge success.

The following day involved constructing three houses and painting the scenery for the theatre production. Myra and I were in charge of helping the students make the houses while Alida supervised the painting. Each group used the two cardboard boxes to construct the body of the house. The next step was making the roof; the group that I worked with had a specific vision for their house. They used their book that had an image of the third house and decided that was going to be exactly how their house was built. The house included a chimney, a door on the exact side as the picture, and a window on the second floor of their house. All of the houses were constructed to the group’s specifications and  were left ready to paint another day.

The best part was the end of the day when discussing our accomplishments with the teacher, he stressed how much the students enjoyed this activity. I believe that all students need to be exposed to the arts. This is important to help the students work in small groups and be proud of their accomplishments. I look forward to seeing the finished product of the theatre production!