We are in full swing here in Panama. Our family and students are enjoying and benefiting from everything the this unique place offers. It's been sunny, dry, and very photogenic here. Many outdoor adventures are literally just outside our doorstep. So far, we have camped on the beach, trekked one of Central America's premier trails, and explored many of the mountain trails and rivers of the cloud forest to the North.
Students have been active with Volunteer Work on Community Service Projects. We've become friends with one of the teachers of a local private school (one that is drastically underfunded) and have painted several of their class rooms. We are also going to a local school on a weekly basis where we teach English, play with children at recess, and contribute in anyway we can. You can see these pictures from this week to the left and below the text.
We continue to focus on:
*Music Production and Music Recording
*Spanish Language Learning
*Academic Coursework
*Daily Chores and Cooking, and Gardening
*Exercise (we go to the gym 3 times weekly)
Our Personal Growth Emphasis is on Developing Healthy Core Values Through Awareness, Creativity, Accountability in Goals and Projects, and Learning New Life Skills. The picture above is our ranch style home, Casa Amarilla, where family, students, and staff live.
Led by Eder Rodriguez, a Native Colombian, and one of our 3 bilingual resident staff, we conduct daily Spanish sessions, individually and in groups of two or three. Our Spanish class are held in our open breezeway room where we can hear the birds and smell the flowers of a tropical world very different from where we come from.
In addition to our Volunteering and Spanish Learning activities, we are teaching a family and their friends English every Sunday. It's been wonderful opportunity to get to know some of the locals, and for our students to participate in a positive and wholesome social environment every weekend. Last weekend, the Garcia family invited us to teach English at their families property in Boquete, where we had also a picnic, went swimming, and played soccer with their daughter and their friends. You can see a picture of the scenic soccer game to the right.
Musically we are continuing to compose and record some great original music. To hear some of our past productions, click on to our music page here. You will find a Divshare player which features short segments of many of the original songs that students have written and recording in the last few years in Argentina, Chile, Spain, and Panama.
We are also fielding a Football team in the local league, La Liga de Fútbol Americano Chiriquí. It's been a great social outlet to meet local people and participate in a team setting. We've currently had one scrimmage and, much to our surprise, the local Panama teams know a great deal about this sport which originates in the United States.
Another exciting development is our Organic Garden. One of the challenges here is growing temperate vegetables like broccoli, kale, and lettuce and other greens in a hot tropical climate. We have seen significant progress and are now beginning to harvest some of the greens. We also enjoy several mango, cashew, noni, and lemon lemon trees in our yard. Matt and Rich are very passionate about healthy eating habits, which includes lots of vegetables and vegetable juices in their diet. Their enthusiasm sometimes inspire the students to learn more about nutrition and health.
 |
| Teaching English at a local school |
 |
| Before we descend a trail into the Canyon |
 |
| Melon, our dog at Casa Amarilla |
 |
| The fairgrounds at Boquete |
 |
| An artistic shot from one of our days exploring Boquete |
 |
| The Garcia Family and Friends, whom we teach English on Sundays |
 |
| Crossing a stream on our hike of The Quetzales Trail |
 |
| Students prepare and teach lesson plans for our English students on Sunday |
 |
| A charming boy who asked us to take his picture, than demanded "moni" for his photogenic skills. One dollar well spent... |
 |
| Boquete, a town about 30 minutes from our home, is one of the premier coffee growing locations in the world. |
 |
| One of several avion visitors who flew into our home |
 |
| Exploring one of Panama's oldest port cities, Puerto Armuelles |
Students have been active with Volunteer Work on Community Service Projects. We've become friends with one of the teachers of a local private school (one that is drastically underfunded) and have painted several of their class rooms. We are also going to a local school on a weekly basis where we teach English, play with children at recess, and contribute in anyway we can. You can see these pictures from this week to the left and below the text. 
In addition to our Volunteering and Spanish Learning activities, we are teaching a family and their friends English every Sunday. It's been wonderful opportunity to get to know some of the locals, and for our students to participate in a positive and wholesome social environment every weekend. Last weekend, the Garcia family invited us to teach English at their families property in Boquete, where we had also a picnic, went swimming, and played soccer with their daughter and their friends. You can see a picture of the scenic soccer game to the right.
Musically we are continuing to compose and record some great original music. To hear some of our past productions, click on to our music page here. You will find a Divshare player which features short segments of many of the original songs that students have written and recording in the last few years in Argentina, Chile, Spain, and Panama. 
Another exciting development is our Organic Garden. One of the challenges here is growing temperate vegetables like broccoli, kale, and lettuce and other greens in a hot tropical climate. We have seen significant progress and are now beginning to harvest some of the greens. We also enjoy several mango, cashew, noni, and lemon lemon trees in our yard. Matt and Rich are very passionate about healthy eating habits, which includes lots of vegetables and vegetable juices in their diet. Their enthusiasm sometimes inspire the students to learn more about nutrition and health.
No comments:
Post a Comment