Teaching and Trekking

Last year in Chiriqui, G78 Teaching English, Leadership and Life Skills (TELLS) volunteers planted the seed with the Ministry of Education (MEDUCA) and Panama Bilingue to offer English workshops for teachers of the  multigrado  schools within the province. It wasn’t until their Close of Service (COS) that we were finally able to turn their idea into a reality. The goal? To provide such teachers with the tools to increase English instruction and usage in the  multigrado  classroom. Playing the traditional game of Telephone to practice listening and speaking skills in English In June, we offered a 5-hour workshop in each of 3 regions so that all multigrado teachers in Chiriqui had the ability to attend. Panama Bilingue and the Ministry of Education (MEDUCA) staff took on the responsibility of setting dates, times, and locations, as well as sending out the invitations, encouraging participation, and maintaining attendance li...

I’m not here to single-handedly change the world; I’m just here to plant some seeds…    My main goal as a Peace Corps volunteer is to host projects and events that are sustainable by training local community members every chance I get. I recently paired with CEC PCV and Ultimate Without Borders representative, Danielle Thoene, to host an Ultimate Frisbee and Youth Development Camp in my site.   With the common goals of most Frisbee camps, we planned to encourage teamwork among diverse populations, help students plan for their futures and facilitate personal goal setting.   All this can be accomplished while having fun over the school vacations. After determining a community need and interest in the camp, I looked for community members to train whom could use what they’d learn from the camp in the future. Those community members needed to have similar interests and goals, in conjunction with some form of incentive. Every Saturday, my site hosts a prac...

Chiricanos Witness Snowfall by Laura Layton Many volunteers only dream of the opportunity to one day bring their best friends and counterparts from site to their hometown in the United States. There is only so much one can say to describe where they are from, but words never suffice. A few months ago, I lived out my dream by sharing my hometown first-hand with seven members of my community of El Palmar, Chiriquí, playing the role of tour guide, host, and cultural bridge. Last school year I assisted with an after-school English course for a group of teachers at my elementary school in site. The course was offered to all grade level teachers in an effort to make the school completely bilingual. When teachers graduated from the course, they received the opportunity through Panama Bilingue to spend their summer studying in the United States or Canada. To my surprise, seven of teachers from the course were chosen to study at Stockton University in New Jersey, only 30 minut...

Day 1, March 25 I arrived at mid-night feeling somewhat confident and secure, while somewhat nervous and unsure. When I picked up my luggage and headed to the exit I was relieved to see a man that resembled the pictures I saw on Couchsurfing. He greeted me and helped me place my luggage into the taxi. We soon stopped at a gas station to pick up some snacks and drinks and I was alone in the taxi, coming face to face with my mediocre Spanish skills conversing with the driver. When Anthony, my host, returned we began to drive down many unfamiliar roads that contained homes reminding me of townships in South Africa. When we arrived at his home, I saw a large gate blocking his property and I had no idea what to expect behind it. I paid the driver and walked through the dark with Anthony as he guided me and gave me a shadowed tour of the home and property. I didn't know what I was seeing until he showed me the building in which I would be sleeping. It had a tv and two mattresses low to ...