Life is Just Life March 18, 2009
Posted by Ken Newton in : Life in Panama , 1 comment so far
I know I should be writing most days. Always something that I find interesting. But that I am not has me thinking that I am starting to settle in. Things that would otherwise stand out in contrast to life in north america are becoming simply life here in Panama. Waking up to no electricity or water is just an extension of the first big yawn of the day. Annoying, yes - but to be expected.
The sensational is just not. We have experienced floods of proportion to nothing since the 70’s. Hurricane-force winds. Drought that is outside of the normal range of acceptance. Fields on fire continuously, and the smell of smoke forever in the air. Just last week we experienced 4 earthquakes, 3 of which had their epicenter less than 50 miles away and with a force ranging from 5.1 to 6.6 on the Richter. Anywhere I have lived until coming to Panama it would be all over the news, and as always occurs when 1/2 a centimeter of snow falls in South Carolina, people there line up at the stores until every loaf of bread and carton of milk has been sold. Life becomes a crisis, and life is in dire jeopardy.
Not here. Not anything close.
You drive here with hopes of missing every pothole, but never succeeding. You drive up saw-tooth mountain roads and keep a close eye for where half of the road has fallen away down a cliff, and you had better be on the right side (as opposed to the wrong side).
And, when the day ends, you talk about other things. The new lamb that was born overnight at Steve’s finca. The sky and the stars. The sounds of birds and creatures that you have never noticed. The wonder of family and friends that you were with that day, and those who you haven’t seen for months and miss so much. The dream you had last night. The seriousness of your finances and the uncertainty of the future. Forcing creativity and finding solace in some options yet to be developed. Wondering why life was so messed before and that you didn’t know to what extent nor did you ask the questions until now.
It comes down to the reality that life is just life. Take it as it comes. Not much can change it, nor is the descriptive all that important. Certainly not to the extent that potholes become someone’s lawsuit, and water-turned-crystal creates life in a bunker. OK - earthquakes are still significant enough that I would make a certain amount of noise, but even for that here, it seems like I am the the exception. Don’t misunderstand - stress isn’t absent. Some things still elevate themselves to crisis level, although it seems more in mind than most events themselves.
Panama is a great place to live. It is still an unfolding adventure for Lynda and me. I think it will always be, especially for the friends we have made and the values they exude within the life contributions they make. Dead Wheat continues to unfold, probably more for my understanding of its potential, and also for the new elements of functionality that appear out of nowhere. I talked in my last blog a little about our newest team member, Andrea, and what her role would be at Llano Nopo. Andrea ended up staying at our home for an extra week because of an unexpected delay, but she finally made it to her new location last Friday. She will be returning tomorrow to report on her initial experiences and observations, and we are excited about what she will share. I still intend to tell you more about Llano Nopo, and after meeting with her, will have current information.
On another note, Lynda and I made an impulsive decision on the weekend to go to Los Olas. This is a beach-side resort about an hour or so from here. It was like a warp-drive shift into another world. Pools, 27 kilometers of sandy beach, ocean-view rooms, showers with water pressure, incredible sunsets, food, wine and relaxation. It felt a bit like a 2-day “fix”, but it was really only an ethereal moment within the reality of life here in Panama. Then again, life is just life, including these self-absorbed moments.
Oh yeah - it was only $35 per person. Didn’t mean to spend that much, but then again, it’s high season here right now and rates are off the charts.
Panama is good….
Fishing and Capacity Building March 2, 2009
Posted by Ken Newton in : Life in Panama , add a commentI have been away a lot and when home in Potrerillos, trying hard to keep up with Steve and Paul for their never ending ideas and energy. If I ever thought life would be lots of reading in a comfortable hammock, I have quickly discovered that those moments will be both magic and infrequent.
This past week I was with Paul and Steve on the Caribbean coast. Yes, it included some fishing, and yes, I was the one who lost the big one. I learned a new term called “horsing”. Apparently it is not a good idea to pull hard on the line when the fish is jumping 5 feet out of the water. For a horse, pulling hard on the rein works. For a fish, the line breaks. There were no words of kindness or compassion from my fellow fishermen on that note.
It was strange to be away from civilization as we know it. No means of communication, no electricity. Travel in a cayuga that felt like it would tip over at any moment but never did. Treks in the dense tropical forest with no idea of where you were headed or where you were. All so comfortable to the indigenous people in whose village we stayed. But nonetheless, very isolated, and with no way to talk to Lynda, very lonely and insecure.
And – an episode in my life that most people I know will never experience for themselves.
This week, Andrea Martinsen will be commencing her assignment in Llano Nopo. I have mentioned her in prior blogs as a new member of Dead Wheat who will pursue a capacity building approach for the village of Llano Nopo. Dead Wheat is evolving in its purposes and approach to be that of empowering people in the Comarca through sustainable community development. One of the unfolding projects of Dead Wheat is its hydroponic farm, and the capability of constructing and operating similar farms in the Comarca. Andrea speaks Spanish and Gnobe, and has spent the past 3 years working to help the Peace Corp develop an effective strategy for working with the Ngabe-Bugle people. She understands the importance of capacity building alongside cultural pride.
A point on capacity building. Maria Ruiz is a family member of Ruiz Coffee, which produces some of the best coffee in the world. Marie lives nearby in Boquete, and is also highly educated on matters of social function. She is quoted in an earlier blog of Dead Wheat as saying, “we always look at the Indians and are quick to point out what they are doing wrong. But they have been in existence for over 400 documented years and probably over 1000 total, so why are we not recognizing what they are doing right?” We agree, and see the extreme value of studying the culture first, then building on it. Empowerment and ownership, not intrusion and dependency.
On Friday, we will be going with Andrea to Llano Nopo to get her settled. The first order of business will probably be to construct a home for her. After that, Andrea will begin the process of integration and assessment. And that will not be a 1-week statistical gathering effort. It will be at least one year of study. After that, we take the next step in capacity building.
It is very exciting!
Next blog I will try to give you a better insight into the Comarca, with more detail on the village of Llano Nopo. And over the next couple of weeks, I will also try to weave in some more of Lynda’s and my continuing experiences and personal adjustment to life in Panama.
Talk soon….