Teaching and Trekking

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...

This past weekend I went to Mosselbaai in the Western Cape for the Rotary District 9350 conference. We took the highway, with gorgeous views, for about 7 hours. We passed baboons all over the road, and odd sheep that were bald and blended into the color of the wheat they were grazing on... finally to this magnificent beach town. We drove past the southernmost point on the African continent, an aloe factory (they are known for an abundance of many species of aloe), and the highest commercial bungee jumping bridge in the world! My host Rotarians checked into a quaint little bed and breakfast in town, but as a student on a budget and up for an adventure, I stayed at the Santos Express Train lodge. A once functioning train, this lodge is stationed on the sea next to an up and running train track, with all of the cabins/ bed compartments facing the sea. The compartment contained 2 beds with an additional 2 beds that folded down above them. The train is situated so close to the wate...