School Anniversary

CEBG (Centro Educativo Basico Grado, ie "school") Quebrada Grande recently celebrated it's 15th birthday, and threw a party.

That's Jesus' daughter Yadi (and her escorts), showing off her dance moves as out-going queen of the school.

Watching the ring toss. Throw a quarter sized ring over the top of a seco bottle from outside the railings and you win the bottle.

Jesus watching the ring toss (intently.)

Family Visit

The family came for a visit a while back and I haven't had a chance to post the photos yet so here they are.

Fletch, Dad, and I at Mirasflores Locks.

Fletch and Lauren on the Amador Causeway at Sunset.

My kitchen.

The family hiking around Quebrada Grande.

Jesus' family and the rest of us.

Peace Corps Panama in the News

http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/world/la-fg-peacecorps2-2009jun02,0,2239945.story

Here's a link to an LA Times article talking about two of my fellow volunteers here in Panama. Alex is one of my fellow Group 62ers and Yemiymah is the Regional Leader for Panama Este and the Darien.

The Good, The Bad and The Ugly

The Good

My house is done! I'm currently in the process of furnishing it, but it's ready to move into as soon as I head back to my site. I've already got the bed, mattress, and stove. The house looks fantastic and I really appreciate all the hard work the community has put in to helping me build it.





The Bad

It turns out I've been infected by the leishmanisis bacteria, aka The Leish. What does this mean? Well the Leish is like one of those rude house guests that doesn't go away. He doesn't do much, but he doesn't leave. I've got 2 dime-sized scabs on my other arm where I was bitten by an infected chitra (or sand fly.) The scabs don't hurt, and don't cause much harm, though they'll eventually leave a nasty scar. But, they can take up to 2 years to disappear on their own. Their is also a small chance that the virus can mutate into a more harmful form that attacks the cartilage in the body if it is left untreated. Unfortunately, this is one of those diseases where the treatment is worse than the disease. The standard treatment is a 30 minute IV drip everyday for 20 days. This means that sometime in the next month, I'll be heading to Panama City for 3 weeks of treatment. However, I should stress that the disease isn't that big of a deal healthwise, and while it is exceedingly rare in the US, Peace Corps and the hospital here have a lot of experience with it. So no need for you all to worry.

The Ugly

Pics of the Leish on my arm. (Ok, the pictures are still to come, but they should be here in another day or so.)

Experimenting with Skype

Friends, Family, and Anonymous Readers,

I've decided to start trying to keep in touch with people using Skype. Skype is a multi-platform computer program that allows users to make computer-to-computer voice and/or video phone calls for free as long as both computers are using the program. The program can be downloaded here:

http://skype.com/intl/en/

Once the program is installed do a search for my screen name using my email address. If you don't know my email address leave a comment below and I'll send it to you. Hopefully, I'll be talking to some of you soon.

Touring Panama

Gina came down for a visit a couple of weeks ago, and we took the opportunity to do some sight-seeing and see the country. Even though I've been down here for almost 9 months now, I haven't done much of the touristy stuff yet, so this was an opportunity to do that. We spent a couple of days seeing Casco Viejo, Panama City, and Miraflores Locks, then we headed to the San Blas islands in Kuna Yala. If you're going to visit Panama, you should really put the San Blas islands at the top of your list to visit. Don't expect luxury accomodations, just gorgeous white sand beaches and (almost) deserted islands. After San Blas, we headed up to Quebrada Grande where I marched Gina through the hills while giving her the guided tour.

One of several pretty churches in Casco Viejo.

Out for drinks and dinner in Casco Viejo.

We watched as this cargo ship passed through Miraflores Locks, because you can't come to Panama without seeing the Canal. For better or worse, Panama will always be defined by the Canal.

The Canal after the ship had passed through.

On our way, to Kuna Yala. We took a Land Cruiser from Panama City, and then a short boat ride out to Cartí where we were staying.

Our accomodations in Cartí. The cabana was basic, but had what you needed. That's a sand floor you see in the photo. Also, those are the clothes of the owners hanging from the ceiling. Someone lives here when there aren't guests.

Just one of the many gorgeous beaches.

Each island was surround by crystal blue water. Unfortunately, we didn't get to snorkel as much as we would've liked, because our masks leaked badly.

One of the many pelicans who fish around the islands.

Kuna fisherman tossing out their nets.

Sunset in the islands.

A Kuna woman making a mola, and a little girl checking us out.

Isla de los Diablos.

Our international group: 2 Dutch, 2 French, 2 American.

Future homeowner.

This is my chiva, which Gina got to experience in all it's drunken glory. You can fit about 23 people in the back (not comfortably.)

50 books down, 150 to go

I've finished reading my first 50 books here in Panamá, and I've decided that 200 will be my goal before I leave which seems like a reasonable pace. I've noticed that they pace at which I read books strongly correlates with the number of rainy days in a month, so this list should give you an overall feel for the weather here in Panama. So please keep sending those books. If you've read any of the books and agree or disagree with my rating, please leave a comment and let me know why you agree or disagree.

The Rating System

1 - Not Worth Reading. Truly Awful. Stay Away!
2 - Not Worth the Time. It's got something to offer, but not much.
3 - An OK book. This is the Beach Read category. Good Stories with Bad Writing, and Bad Stories with Good Writing fall here.
4 - Among the best in it's genre. If you like the genre or the author, this is worth reading.
5 - An unqualified recommendation. Go read it. Now! You'll be a better person.

09/08

1. Writings on An Ethical Life - Peter Singer - 4

10/08

2. Jitterbug Perfume - Tom Robbins - 2.5
3. The Path Between the Seas - David McCullogh - 4

11/08

4. Coyote Waits - Tony Hillerman - 3.5
5. Tapestry of Spies - Stephen Hunter - 3
6. Master of the Game - Sidney Sheldon - 1
7. Flight of the Nighthawks - Raymond E. Feist - 3
8. American Gods - Neil Gaiman - 4
9. Will in the World - Stephen Greenblatt - 3
10. Finding Moon - Tony Hillerman - 2
11. A Walk in the Woods - Bill Bryson - 5
12. Angel's Flight - Michael Connelly - 4
13. The Deerslayer - James Fenimore Cooper - 2.5
14. Friday Night Lights - H.G. Bissinger - 4.5
15. The Boat of a Million Years - Poul Anderson - 3
16. The Brooklyn Follies - Paul Auster - 3
17. The Innocent Man - John Grisham - 2.5

12/08

18. Bait and Switch - Barbara Ehrenreich - 3
19. Sacred Clowns - Tony Hillerman - 3.5
20. The First Eagle - Tony Hillerman - 3
21. The Closers - Michael Connelly - 4
22. The Fallen Man - Tony Hillerman - 4
23. Hunting Badger - Tony Hillerman - 4
24. Blood Work - Tony Hillerman - 4
25. Resurrection Men - Ian Rankin - 3.5
26. The Lincoln Lawyer - Michael Connelly - 3
27. With No One As Witness - Elizabeth George - 3.5
28. The Oil and the Glory - Steve Levine - 4

01/09

29. Tourist Season - Carl Hiaasen - 3.5
30. Void Moon - Michael Connelly - 3
31. Fly on the Wall - Tony Hillerman - 2
32. Killing Rain - Barry Eisler - 3.5
33. The Best Book of Useless Information Ever - 3.5
34. Fool's Errand - Robin Hobb - 4
35. Golden Fool - Robin Hobb - 4
36. Fool's Fate - Robin Hobb - 4
37. The Cardinal of the Kremlin - Tom Clancy - 4
38. 1491 - Charles C. Mann - 4
39. The Yiddish Policeman's Union - Michael Chabon - 4
40. Black Sunday - Thomas Harris - 2.5

02/09

41. Ghost Soldiers - Hampton Sides - 5
42. Assassination Vacation - Sarah Vowell - 4.5
43. Nashville 1864 - Madison Jones - 3
44. Atonement - Ian McEwan - 3

03/09

45. The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle - Haruki Murakami - 4
46. The Audacity of Hope - Barack Obama - 3
47. An Ordinary Man - Paul Rusesabagina - 4
48. Spin - Robert Charles Wilson - 3.5
49. Obsessive Genius - Barbara Goldsmith - 3
50. The Tender Bar - J.R. Moehringer - 4