Gilberto is a native from the islands of Kuna Yala (San Blas), an independent and autonomous indigenous reservation in Panama City. He is a biologist, a photographer, and a naturalist guide. He has worked with popular magazines such as Outside, Sport Diver Magazine, National Geographer Traveler and Island Magazine. 
Julie Anderson is excited to return to Global Works for her third summer of adventure, service, and unforgettable travel. She has traveled independently throughout Central and South America, and has worked in Puerto Rico, Panama, and Costa Rica as a Global Works leader. Welcome Global Works travelers, parents and friends. We are excited to share with you trip updates from around the world. As our main office receives updates from the trips we will update the page as we receive the updates.
Update #1:
We´ve had a good first two days in Panama. On our first day after settling in we got to see the Panama Canal and watch a boat pass through its intricate system of locks. Then we headed down to the old colonial neighborhood of the city, enjoyed the architecture and talked to some locals.
Today we did our first service project at the Malambo orphanage. Our students painted a classroom, restocked a food room (harder than you´d think) and swung shovels and spades to clear a weedy garden patch. They loved getting to practice Spanish a bit with the kids: “I just learned more than in all of Spanish one” Zach said. Pickup soccer was also fun, and we had a good home-cooked meal for lunch. Tonight we´re headed to the mall for a bite and then will pack for our trip to the Kuna Yala islands the following day.
Update #2: (07/07/2010)
Greetings from Panama City! We are back at Hostal Familiar Amador after five amazing days in Kuna Yala (previously known as San Blas), an autonomous territory of over 350 tiny islands scattered across the crystal clear waters of the Caribbean Sea. Our home base was the uninhabited island of Arridup, where we set up camp between the coconut trees. Sleeping in hammocks took a bit of getting used to at first, but most agreed that the cool breeze and spectacular night sky made this Kuna tradition an unforgettable experience.
Trip guide and Kuna Yala native Gilberto introduced the group to his home island of Carti, where we undertook our first extended service project painting classrooms, repairing desks and building tables for the new computer lab at Sahila Olonibiginya School. Of course, we did have to take a few breaks during the workday to check the scores and see how our favorite soccer teams were faring. On our final day, local students performed a traditional dance and school officials presented the group with handmade gifts in appreciation of our hard work.
When we weren´t working, we explored Arridup, made friends with the locals, swam, snorkeled and did our best to avoid falling coconuts! The language barrier (Kuna have their own language, unrelated to Spanish) didn´t stop Ben, Shaun, Jakob, Elias, Lowell, Zach or Forrest from engaging with local teens in impromtu soccer games (they won) and pick-up basketball (we won!). Julia couldn´t survive a day without her daily dose of fresh coconut, while Eliza enjoyed soaking in the warm waters of the Carribean. Rebecca found Arridup to be just the right size for a quick run in the evenings and Emily fell in love with snorkeling. While here,we ate alot of lentils, rice and fish!!!
We returned to Panama City early this morning and spent the afternoon catching up on much needed sleep, washing clothes and getting ready for tomorrow´s trip to Boquete, where we´ll be white water rafting on the Chiriqui river and checking out Panama´s western highlands. Stay tuned for more news!
Update #3:
After a day of relaxing at Hostal Amador on Wednesday, the group spent the evening at Albrook Mall, stocking up after Kuna Yala and bowling. Looks like we have semi-pro in Forrest, who had the highest score of the group and impressed us all with repeated strikes. And Ben enlightened us with his interesting and unique bowling strategy, which combined dance and gymnastics moves with traditional techniques.
The group arrived in Boquete Thursday evening after an eight hour bus ride from Panama City. After a quick stop in town to use the internet, we headed up the hill to our new home at Hector and Linda Sanchez´s gorgeous coffee plantation, located in the foothills of Volcan Baru. After unloading our bags, we enjoyed one of Linda´s delicious, home-cooked meals of spaghetti and meatballs, garlic bread and salad. Hector, who also owns Chiriqui River Rafters, welcomed us to Boquete and gave our group a safety talk about Friday´s trip down the Fonseca River. We awoke very early on Friday morning to get an early start to the river. Emily is turning out to be a real water baby. Everyone had a fantastic time and Lowell was ready to go back today for more rafting!
We just finished lunch at Restaurante Lourdes in downtown Boquete and are getting ready to head out to some nearby hot springs. Rebecca and Julia are stocking up on some comfort food from home (Cocoa Puffs and Snickers) before we depart for our homestay community of San Felix tomorrow. Shaun, Zach, Eliza, Elias and Jakob are watching the nail-biter between Uruguay and Germany for third place in the world cup. Shaun and Zach: “Go Uruguay!” Eliza, Elias and Jakob: “Go Germany!” Everyone is getting psyched (and a little nervous) for the homestays. Stay tuned for future updates and photos!
Photo Update #4:
Update 5:
It´s hard to believe that we are more than halfway done with our homestays in San Felix! We spent the week working on our service projects at Escuela Quebrada Guabo in the Comarca Ngobe Bugle of Quebrada de Guabo. The Ngobe Bugle people are the largest of seven indigenous groups in Panama. Ngobe women are easily identified by their naguas, colorful, full dresses with brightly embroidered collars and sleeves. Although the Ngobe are much more integrated into Panamanian society than are the Kuna of San Blas, they are less organized politically and many face economic hardship. During the past week we have mixed and laid cement for a new sidewalk, placed mesh screens over windows to keep bats and other critters from foraging in the kitchen and given a fresh coat of paint to the aging basketball court. Students really enjoyed working and playing with the children as they participated in the first annual “Celebration of the Environment,” a week-long event that included daily poetry readings, original speeches, plays and games designed to increase awareness of and respect for el medio ambiente. The celebration culminated on Thursday, when local students and parents came together for an evening of traditional song, dance and food, headlined by your very own Global Works participants, who ended the night with performances of “The Cha-Cha Slide” and “In the Jungle” a cappella to much applause. Be sure to check out the photos of our ladies in their traditional naguas!
Most evenings are spent hanging out with our homestay families. One of the highlights of our evening activities in San Felix was learning Shakira´s “Waca Waca: Esto es Africa” (The theme to the World Cup) lead by homestay brother and amateur choreographer Manuel. We´ve also enjoyed learning to play bingo Panamanian-style, where most numbers have their own special names. Some of our favorites include N 32, la culebra (the snake); N 44, Barack Obama; and G 55, El Gringo Borracho (the drunken gringo)! Tomorrow we have planned a trip to Las Lajas Beach with our homestay families, which should be muy chevere (very cool). Keep your fingers crossed for a sunny day!!
Update #6:
GW students, homestay families and San Felix community members gathered last night in the plaza principal for an evening of activities and intercultural exchange. Festivities included several performances of baile tipico (traditional dance) by San Felix youth dance troup, Nuestro Pais (Our Country); a couples dance choreographed by Lowell and Zach´s homestay brother, Manuel; and a special guest appearance by local celebrity and Panamanian reality show contestant (similar to American Idol), Norizel Rovira. The event closed with a performance of Shakira´s Waca Waca “Esto es Africa,” by GW students and their homestay siblings, which had audience members on their feet. Homestay mom´s were beaming with pride to see their actual and newly adopted sons and daughters strut their stuff for San Felix.
Today is our final day in San Felix, and students have a mellow evening planned with their homestay families, presenting their gifts and saying goodbye to the people they have grown to love over the past 9 days. Tomorrow morning´s early departure for Playa El Palmar Surf Camp will surely be tearful one for students and families alike!
Update #7:
We are in the middle of our last adventure here in Panama, at the Playa Palmar Surf Camp. Reflecting on the past weeks, students had the following to say:
About the homestay in San Felix:
“This homestay experience was something really special that not many people get to experience. Living with real people in a real town not just at some touristy resort full of gringos, while being immersed in a language was really unique.
“From the people to the food, everything was superb.”
“I was initially overwhelmed by the abrupt, full cultural and language immersion, but by the end of the day I was enjoying the unique experience. My Spanish improved every day and I really enjoyed meeting and talking to everyone in San Felix.”
“The last few days of the homestay were really fun. After getting to know my homestay family…it was really hard leaving. We had some good experiences and some bad experiences, but overall, the whole experience was quite amazing.”
“The homestay was very fun. I enjoyed my time with my family and I loved San Felix.”
“The homestay was a great experience. At first it was really difficult for me to spend time with the natives due to the language barrier, however, by the conclusion of the homestay my communication skills had improved immensely. I really feel we all connected with the people of San Felix in many different ways.”
“Our homestay was an experience I will never forget. My mom and brother were so nice…Also playing soccer with the locals was so much fun. When I left I was sad to go.”
“We wrote thank you letters to our homestay families yesterday. I miss my family, even though I was ready to leave.”
“My stay at in the homestay community was by far the best part of the trip. The one on one interaction I had with my family and new friends was no different than the interaction I would have with my family and friends back home. Although the communication was a bit challenging in the beginning, by the end it was hard to remember I was even speaking Spanish. Yesterday I was able to make conversation with my [homestay] sister over the phone and I was surprised by how easily the conversation flowed.”
“Pancakes, chicken nuggets, jello and a slice of pineapple: this was the last breakfast of the 10 day homestay. Staying in a home without any other kids from GW as difficult…at first but I quickly felt close with my homestay family and I started to improve my understanding of Spanish. Also, I participated…in the Waka Waka dance in San Felix. In the end that turned out to be a lot more fun than I expected, and the talent show was fun.”
About the service project at Quebrada Guabo School:
“The actual work at the school…was amazing. I felt [it] made a difference to the community, but I feel like they need more help so I would love to come back.”
“The service projects were the best so far, and I really liked how we got to connect with the people at the school.”
“I thought the service project at Guabo was really good. I felt like the work we did actually met a need at the school, and I loved playing with all the kids.”
“To be able to start something and see it through to completion was really rewarding. It made me feel good to know that the kids now have a new, safe sidewalk instead of an old, crumbled one.”
About surf camp:
“When we got to the beach I was very excited to go in the ocean and surf. We´ve been at the beach for two days and it´s been great but the thought of going home is still really weird to me.”
“Relaxing and swimming at Beach Palmar has been awesome. Surfing is not my favourite activity but just being at the beach has been really nice.”
“Two days into surf school I´m relaxed and ready to have a good time.”
“Surfing is really so much fun. I mean, I’m not that great at it, but I love doing it, and the surf instructors are all really nice and funny, even though a lot of them don´t speak any English. I now know the surfing lingo in Spanish.”
“I´m having an amazing time at surf camp and I can´t believe I can actually surf now.”
“The surf school we´re at now is a lot of fun and it´s great to get some days of rest.”
