Work Update

 May 1^st

I’m still observing in the school two days a week, but I’ve had the opportunity to help team-teach some of the classes.  Last week I taught the kindergarten class about different family structures in Panama and around the world.  After the story and lesson we played a game, which hopefully taught them that everyone’s family looks and functions a little differently but they all are equally as important.  I’ve also been helping to teach proper pronunciation to the English classes.  This week I’m going to hand out a survey to the teachers, which will teach me what environmental and computer skills their students know and which skills they would like the students to learn.  Next week I’ll have a meeting with all of the teachers and the director of the school to figure out my schedule for teacher training and teaching classes in the school next trimester.

I’ve been spending a lot of time working with community members on their environmental and agricultural projects.  I’ve gone down to Beto’s farm a number of times to talk with him and help him with various projects.  He prides himself on innovation, so he’s constantly experimenting with new ways to improve his farm.  I’ve helped him build a wood-burning stove out of the terraced earth behind his rancho, and we’ve made a few different types of fast acting abono organico (organic fertilizer/compost).  I’ve also had a number of conversations with him about ways of teaching students and other community members about the innovative techniques he’s utilizing.

I’ve had many opportunities to work with members of the Piedras Gordas’ environmental co-op Cooperativa Servicios Multiples Pequeños Productores de Nazareno.  I’ve been helping them build a larger vivero (tree nursery) and preparing soil that will be used to for the saplings.  I’ve also attended a number of seminars that were hosted by the co-op, NGO’s, and Panamanian agencies.   These seminars have been conducted to teach members of the co-op about different types of viveros, how to create a business plan, accounting skills, administrative coordination, and how to smoothly transfer leadership within the co-op.

Two weeks ago I was invited to attend the co-op’s three year anniversery.  The anniversary was held as a celebration for the members of the co-op, and to elect a new board of directors for the upcoming year.  The day before the anniversary I attended another meeting with members of the co-op.  After the meeting I was very disappointed by my participation.  So at the end of the anniversary meeting I asked to say a few words.  I told the co-op that I truely appreciate the job they are doing to protect the natural resources here, restore ecosystems that have been degradated, preserve the community’s culture, and that I believe small “green” businesses, such as themselves, are the key to creating a sustainable model of environment stewardship. The co-op is finding a way to protect the resources that are vital to existence of this community, and at the same time creating jobs that will give future generations the option to stay and work in Piedras Gordas.