Day Three!

       Day three of our visit to Panama and we are finally starting to fall into a routine. The heavy humid air and the moistness around us it something that is becoming easier to adjust too after the dryer months we left behind in Florida. Walking up to the bus that is waiting for us in front of the villas fills me with a sense of anticipation and excitement because of what the day holds. For me, some of the most interesting moments have been looking out the windows watching Panama pass us by. It is unbelievable watching the contrasting areas and drastic differences of the city.
        Driving through the "slumy" areas on the way to Hospital del Nino was an eye-opening experience. Children run barefoot on the uneven sidewalks that are scattered with garbage and broken bottles while their mothers watching from decaying balconies and their fathers gather together on the street corners discussing the dealings of the day. Stray, underfed dogs weave through hanging laundry patrolling the same streets the children play on. The slums have a certain beauty about them that makes it difficult to look away, while the poverty of it also fills you with a sense of sorrow and pity. Its amazing to think how many of the adults from that area have never left that area or experienced a different part of the world and whether their children will share that same fate. It makes me wonder what they think of us foreigners and whether they can't help but feel irritable towards Americans. I got a similar feeling from the parents and patients at the Hospital del Nino.
        Simply put, Hospital del Nino was a heartbreaking experience. Terminally sick children, whose mothers' abandoned them, crying mothers of new-born babies, and an overflowing neonatal ward were norms. Walls in need of paints jobs and ceilings with water damage was seen every corner we turned. It was not hard to see what a desperate and needy state the hospital was in. However, inside the private hospital you almost forget that you're in a third world country; it feels similar to back home in the states. Clean, crisp hallways and the obviousness of the higher class people using this hospital is a complete contrast to what can be said of the public hospital. We were in shock how two hospitals only miles away look like they are worlds apart.
       Then leaving the Hospital Punta Pacifica affiliated with Johns Hopkins Medicine International we again see how a city can hold so many differences. On the way to Casco Viejo we see a completely different beauty of Panama City. Gorgeous, green parks and shining skyscrapers surround us on both sides, and the old city itself is something out of a storybook or fairytale. It is a completely indescribable sight. The post-colonial architecture of the buildings is absolutely breathtaking...to say the least. Clustered together along the narrow cobblestone streets looks like a view from a Crayola crayons box. The vivid yellows, pinks, purples. and blues of the buildings adds a romantic feel to our adventure. The buildings themselves are a beautiful scenery, not even taking into account the view from the old seawall of the Panama City skyline. On top of that, add Juan's stories and history of the area makes my jaw drop that this antique world exists only a five hour plane ride from home.

-Vita Bobelis

En El Tercer Día

'Mena,' as how the Emberá would say hello!

Today is our fourth day, or our third day of class-scheduled activities, here in the tropical paradise of Panamá! At this point it seems that everyone has acclimated to our new environment, except maybe not to the cold showers or the lack of our smart phones, and we’ve all found how great of a group we are and how well we all get along. I’m truly grateful for this and it’s been such an enjoyable trip for me so far because of this!

Our adventure began at a visit to the Hospital del Niño de Panamá (see picture of us below) where we were graciously given a guided tour by Dr. ‘Jo’ Young, who’s currently in the 7^th month of her residency.  An interesting fact: Dr. Jo comprehended English much better than she was able to speak it, but more so, she spoke quickly with few pauses. I think that I can speak for the majority of the group when I say that translating for her was rough. Although she was able to reply in English with some rudimentary responses, even some of our fluent speakers had difficulty translating some medical terms.  Regardless of the deficiency in sharing information, perhaps due to the large group in a hallway or the translations, we were all indubitably left with a strong imprint of our experiences there.

If you happen to scan the website for the Hospital del Niño de Panamá (http://www.hn.sld.pa/) I’ll tell you that, in proportion to the reality of what we actually saw, there are too many smiling faces and the impression that you may get of a clean hospital is inaccurate. Although I haven’t been in many Hospitals to get a better comparative understanding, we received an overall shocking and emotional experience throughout our tour of the emergency room and the many services, specialties, and wards offered to the public. At times we felt that we were invading the privacy of the patients and their families but at other times we couldn’t help but be overwhelmed by the lives that we observed and shed some tears for them. Something about seeing the tiniest babies requiring extensive care in the neonatal ward was especially difficult for me.  I was shocked by the number of babies that were in there and to find out that most stay between 3-4 months and some are still there for their 1^st birthday. I found that the cost is extremely minimal, less than approximately $30 for long-term stays, and “families only pay if they’re able” –says Dr. Jo! I also found that their mothers aren’t allowed to visit for more than an hour due to the exorbitant number of babies in the filled-to-capacity room. This neonatal ward is built for the care of 70 babies; however, they’re able to even double the room capacity in times of need and we were assured that if that wasn’t enough, they would make room or find other space in the hospital to accommodate the baby. See picture below.

We also had an opportunity to see and visit with a 23 year old (see the picture below of him when he was 10 in the black sweatshirt) in the dialysis ward that had been abandoned by his family many years ago. Although we had been told of his story beforehand as a previous Honors class recalled their meet with him, it was still shocking to actually place him and his environment and find out about the commonality of familial abandonment at the Hospital.

Another such abandonment case was a 4 year old, named Roberto (in the picture below), who had excess water in his brain (for a lack of proper medical terminology). It was especially challenging for me to cope with the reality that he was abandoned. Although it may be my ignorance of his families’ circumstances and/or how strongly his disease interferes with his development, I felt that if he had been my son, I wouldn’t have given up the idea of improving his social skills, motor skills through physical therapy, and just being there to comfort him as he had confused reactions to our presence there. One particular question that was posed by our teacher resonated with me.  Paraphrased, “what will eventually happen to Roberto?” to which Dr. Jo responded that he could potentially, but improbably, be adopted or join a type of foster home at the hospital. Hopefully a good future is in store for him.

We ended our tour in the Emergency Room, where we learned of the structure of how patients are categorized and then some of us got an opportunity to speak with a new mother who had just come into the hospital because her baby was sick. This was an especially distressing and compassionate period for some of my peers in comforting for the mother.

I think that, out of all of our experiences thus far, this Hospital is in most need and would be able to stretch any donation as far as they could.  There was a clear distinction that this was a Hospital to serve, rather than one for business purposes, like we saw later in the day at the Hospital Punta Pacífica (http://www.hospitalpuntapacifica.com/).



Ciao!
-Alexandra Wallmueller

Dia Numero Dos

Today is our third day in the lovely City of Knowledge where USF Health is located and we are staying during our time here in Panamá. The USF Health office came to the City of Knowledge in 2006 and since then they have been providing research, education, and healthcare to the country of Panamá. We took a bus tour around the City and learned about all of the amazing opportunities and resources offered here to students and the people of Panamá. I had no idea the city had so much to offer! They are currently doing health education programs in the Comarcas, educating the residents about basic personal hygiene that will improve their overall health status.

I was filled with joy when I saw so many international organizations right next door to one another. UNICEF and UN Refugee were the two I am most interested in looking into. When I saw those offices I even said “My life is changed!”, because I really could see myself here using my second language of Spanish to my advantage. After seeing what Panamá has to offer, I would not mind making a career dedicated to serving the rural areas here in Panamá.  Several of the organization’s regional offices were located here in the city. I love how much diversity the city has to offer; there is something here for everyone from Special Olympics to PAHO.  Many of the students in the group today were interested in finding internship opportunities here. The City of Knowledge has been opening the doors for so many people and providing support to people all throughout Panamá and the world. When the earthquakes occurred in Haiti and Chile almost all of the international organizations in the city left to go provide relief support. This shows the heart and passion of the city. The city in my eyes is based around the ideology of passionate serving to your neighbors and striving for new ways to meet their needs by providing excellent education.

The City of Knowledge is growing faster every year. On our tour of the city we saw a lot of construction from new biotechnology laboratories to simply a new commercial area with food for the residents. I thought it was interesting how the City of Knowledge, once known as Fort Clayton, which was once the largest military base in the America’s has now turned into this area where people from all over the world are getting together for the enhancement of Latin America.

After eating a delicious meal at Mira Flores on the Panamá Canal what a better way to spend it than shopping at a Panamanian market. The time had come to put our bargaining to the test. We were all excited to see all the intricate pieces of art and shop for our families and ourselves. When I first walked in to the market my eyes were blown away by so many beautiful colors.  I made a mental note of what I really needed, but you all know how those mental notes work out. I walked from stand to stand being greeted by the friendliest Panamanians I have met thus far. Their friendly greetings made me want to buy from them. Let’s just say it is too easy to convince me. Luckily, I did not bring too much money so I was able to control my spending.

As I approached a stand I realized a lot of the items being sold appeared extremely similar to some of the items I had seen yesterday at the Embera tribe. That is when I realized it is because the items were the exact same ones! The lady who was selling them was an Embera. I engaged in conversation with her and she began to tell me she was from the Darien and travels to the market for economical reasons. She currently lives in the city but goes back to community frequently. She was a genuinely sweet lady. She was wearing modern clothing and listening to salsa. I felt bad for her because she has to be away from her family for the sole purpose of getting income. However, as I walked from stand to stand I saw more and more Embera women and men. There seemed to be a good amount that travel together. Another surprising thing I noticed was the price differences in items at the market compared to at the Embera’s at the Chagres River. I started to think that the reason the prices are more expensive at the tribe at the Chagres is because too many people bargain here and they end up having to lower the prices.

My favorite part of today was the market (although the canal was amazing!) because I was able to practice my Spanish and form some connections with the vendors. They were all so willing to help. One of the ladies was also even telling me about her life and introduced me to her daughter. I felt so welcomed and accepted. However, I did notice the difference from the way I was treated and some of the tourists from the cruise lines were treated. I felt I was treated with more of a kind heart and they were treated as targets for good money. Despite some of the negative things I witnessed, I came to the conclusion people in Panamá are some of the nicest people I will ever meet. I really hope we will be able to go back to the market!

By: Mitzy Gonzalez

The Panama Canal

Today, I was blessed with the opportunity to watch several ships embark on a passage through the Miraflores Locks of the Panamá Canal. Due to the immense size of the container ships, I thought that they were buildings until we actually arrived at the canal. It is mind boggling to think that each of these ships are carrying goods that will be received by various destinations across the globe. In all likelihood, we have all consumed or utilized a product that has crossed through the Miraflores Locks. This concept was reinforced in my mind when I saw ships labeled with Chinese caricatures, English names, and Spanish phrases. It is amazing to thinks that we are witnessing international trade in progress.

Beyond just witnessing international trade and transport, the actual ingenuity of the engineering of the Panamá Canal is astonishing. The Panamá Canal operates using two lanes that act as elevators for large ships. Watching the ships rise and decline with the changing water levels within the locks was surreal. It is one thing to hear a lecture about the canal or view a film and another to actually see it in action. The truly amazing thing about the locks is the absence of electrical power; the canal relies on gravity to move water from Gatun Lake through all of the locks to transport vessels.

The canal museum offered many unique experiences. The first exhibit contained various artifacts from the construction and inauguration of the canal. In addition the historical memorabilia and placards, the museum had a computer system that would allow you to look up the names and birthdays of people that worked on the canal. Although this was all informative, my favorite moment of the day occurred when I was transitioning from the first exhibit of the canal museum to the second exhibit.  To reach the second exhibit, I had to venture up an escalator that was located next to a large window.  The window was so close to the canal that the sight of a giant blue container ship that was headed my way startled me. It seemed like I was close enough to the canal that I could reach out and touch the ship.

The trip to the Miraflores Locks also consisted of a buffet style lunch that allowed us to sample various types of traditional Panamanian cuisine. I was surprised by how delicious all of the food was. Even if I did not know what something was, I piled it onto my plate so that I could taste it. My favorite dishes included a type of fish that was covered in this marvelous tangy sauce and topped with limes. The other Panamanian food that I enjoyed trying was ceviche. After watching the Anthony Bourdain video in class, I knew that I wanted to try ceviche and it was even better than I expected. In addition, the conversation that I had with one of the waiters at Miraflores was the first real test of my Spanish skills. At the conclusion of our short chat, I was surprised by how much I was actually able to manipulate and understand the language.

Christine Goddard

Day 1

        Our class had the wonderful opportunity of visiting the Emberá indigenous people of Panamá. We arrived in Panamá City, Panamá, yesterday and settled in at our villas in La Cuidad de Saber within the Canal Zone area. I was eager to wake up this morning to prepare for the trip out to the remote region where the Embera dwell at the mouth of the Chagres. Our tour guide, Juan, was open and knowledgeable about the history and culture of the Emberá. Being descendant from the Embera on his mother’s side, he was very informed and answered our questions with hilarious stories and jokes. We stopped briefly at a street-side produce market where we were encouraged to “buy the fruit”. Not only did we get to taste the delicious fruit, my classmates and I were able to sample what the locals call, “chicha’. Chicha, or juego natural, is the most fantastic tasting juice cocktail on the planet. There were so many different flavors to choose from and each one had a distinct, tropical fruit flavor. 

     
      Finally, we arrived at the side of the river where we were to take long, narrow canoes, guided by the natives, into the depths of the jungle for the experience of a lifetime. However, little could prepare me for the unique, eye-opening experience that came to pass. Panamá’s rainy season was upon us as we rode across the Chagres, past three Emberá villages and into the jungle. These skilled men slowly guided the boats through the winding rainforests rivers and ended at a gushing waterfall. We all unloaded and hiked up to the waterfall and a few of us swam in the reservoir pond at the base. Even one of the Emberá men joined us and revealed a secret passage under the torrential wall of water from the intense rainfall of the season. It was magnificent to see the dense forests up close and in person. The wildlife was abundant, vivacious, and thriving.

       Upon docking our wooden dug out canoe on the river banks of the Emberá settlement in the heart of the Panamanian rainforest, a mixture of euphoria, gratitude and anticipation washed over me. The welcome was overwhelming. Drums, flutes and array of indigenous percussion instruments serenaded us into the village. As the women, in their very distinctive, flamboyant skirts and intricately beaded, sequined tops, danced around each other, I could not help but observe very subtle communicative behaviors among these new and exciting people. They all wore blank expressions. This was business. Doing the traditional “Tusipomo” and “Monkey” dances, displaying their traditional crafts and serving indigenous foods to tourists were all in a days work. Perhaps they were bored by tourists gawking at their traditional way of life or by having to repeat everything about their culture every single day. 

       Perhaps it became routine and meaningless after a while. I believe that the actual dance that we witnessed wasn’t a genuine representation of their culture, maybe because they perform these traditional dances everyday and can become tired of the habitual behavior. Even though the traditional dancing and the music were expressive and entertaining, I couldn’t help feeling a sense of bereavement for the Emberá people.  Since the government has placed limitations on their hunting practices and use of forest resources in their way of life, the Emberá have been forced in a way to resort to other means of income. 

       In my humble opinion, the Emberá peoples successfully straddle the fine line between the dichotomy of eco-tourism – cultural preservation and modern assimilation. Eco-tourism makes it necessary for them to preserve their language, dress, food, method of craft making and dance in order to maintain a sustainable livelihood. On the other hand, eco-tourism showcases the day to day lives of the Emberá people and promotes modernization and assimilation into 21^st Century Panamanian society.

       As a citizen of another third world country, Trinidad, I do believe that I arrived in Panamá with some perspective on what to expect. From the vegetation to the infrastructure, everything looked, smelled, sounded and felt distinctly Caribbean. Trinidad and Panamá share a similar history as they were both colonized by Spain in the late 15^th Century and early 16^th Century. As such, the architecture, narrow pot-holed roads and modest street-side fruit stands created a familiar atmosphere and subtle observations, such as bars on windows, did not need explanations.

       Experiencing Panamá through the mind of a Caribbean person is vastly different from an American perspective. The poverty we observed on the outskirts of Panamá City as a result of rapid and unchecked urbanization was not unfamiliar. As we continued our bus ride, through San Miguelito, one of the surrounding municipalities to Panamá City. I was amazed to see the beauty of the countryside and equally stricken with sadness to see such vitality and color even in the midst of such poverty. Shanty towns, shoddily constructed and with houses almost one on top of the other, created a most discouraging scene. As a developing country, this may be expected. However, considering the extremely successful nature of Panamá's economy, I do believe that more should be done to alleviate the poor living conditions of these unfortunate people. 

       Another topic of improvement that I feel should be addressed is that of waste management in Panamá.  It was shocking to see the amount of trash and debris that littered the streets. There were heaping piles of loose and bagged trash along the roads of the like that I have never before. Apparently, Panamanians have a system for trash pick- and disposal, however it requires a fee for service. As a lot of the people are poor or below the poverty line, it can be difficult to justify the need to pay for the trash service, when more pressing demands are what occupy household funds. It is easier for people to just dispose of their trash on the side of the road rather than pay a fee to have their trash collected. Even when families purchase trash pick-up services, the waste management companies are inefficient and provide a sub-standard level of service. It is a shame to see such a beautiful country have such depressing situations develop. It makes one ponder on questions such as: What are some solutions? If there are trash services, how can they be used efficiently to minimize the problem? These, along with others, call for a change in how government programs are run and how management of funds can be crucial to a simple chore like trash disposal. 




Co-Authored By: Theresa Wolf and Amaara Babwah

Welcome to Panamá!  After a semester of hard work, you finally get to sit back and enjoy everything this beautiful country has to offer.  Use this blog as your journal.  Reflect on your experiences.  Be open.  Be honest.  Include pictures!  And most importantly, have fun!