The last thing I wrote about was my first three months in site and how it is to adjust to site and the culture of where you will live for two years. Well, now I have been in site seven months, almost eight months, which also means I have been in Panama for close to a year. The biggest thing I can speak upon on my time in site and in Panama so far is that it takes time. It takes time to make relationships, plan projects, find the needs and strengths of people. I think it takes more time than even two years! I have heard stories about how you find that perfect friend or counterpart right as you're about to leave and I can attest that I believe that happens. I say this because there comes a point where you have the relationships you made at the beginning and you don't visit houses as much or try to go to new houses, but then one day you'll run into this person in the local tienda or they'll be at a birthday party and BAM you've made a relationship you never thought you needed.
This is only my first school year with my school and it was not a full school year. I was unable to observe how my teachers or how the school year starts and so I am looking forward to see how I can help my teachers start their school year right next March. Right now we are coming to an end of the school year. The students are learning Christmas songs for the big activities that we will have with them and then they are on vacation. Luckily, this means I get a small break from classes and can establish a routine. One of the hardest things I have had here in my site is my inability to create a schedule. I have one within the school but outside of that, it feels I am walking like a chicken with my head cut off. I have many families that I visit but it is hard to keep up with all of them. This just means I am not in my home much which can be tolling on me when I am someone who has to recharge. Something to know about being a volunteer is we don't get days off like we do in the US, where we have our Saturdays and Sundays to rest. No. I work extra hard on Saturdays and Sundays because that is when the kids are around or when the parents have extra time to talk.
Within my first school year I have started an English dance club and two English clubs for after school. In January I am planning to stay busy during the vacation here by doing Adult English Courses and also having summer school with the students. One of my biggest focuses is not just English but just staying a routine and more practice for the students. I want to introduce a reading hour to the students so that they can learn to read better and get more accustomed to it. To give more detail, students are only in school 5 hours a day and there is no libraries or resources for books here. This means that the students only get practice with reading and writing by seeing what's on the board. So my goal this summer is to print many short stories and allow the students to have 30 minutes in a reading mood where they will practice reading in Spanish and I will go around helping with pronunciation or just listen to them read more. I want to encourage this by allowing the students to bring stuffed animals to schools, blankets, and pillows to make it like a reading corner that we would have in the US.
To finish the summer vacation, I want to celebrate the kids who are older and soon to be graduating and going to the colegio (High school). Many students from my area do not continue past sixth grade because they cannot afford the travel and expenses of being in high school. What I plan to do the last week of the summer is to have a day camp for the students in 4th, 5th, and 6th grade. The first two hours are field games and competitions and the other two hours is learning a drama and song in English. On the last day of the camp they will have a competition on performance and win some prizes and certificates for completing the English camp.
It has been a roller coaster here in Panama but I feel that I have found my place for the next years. Some days I want to rip my hair out because I feel like I am not being heard and other days I am ready to cry happy tears because the kids brought me flowers to my house. My birthday was the biggest eye opener here and I am so grateful to be here and for the love my gente gave me. I ran around the entire day making sure I showed up to every house that made me a special dinner or bought me a cake. The words that I heard and all the blessings they spoke over me just made me feel so good. For my friends and family who missed me while I was gone for my birthday, I hope you knew how loved and celebrated I was and that this holiday season will be spent well here with my new family.
That is all for an update! If you have any questions or want to keep up more closely, feel free to reach out to me!
Best of Wishes - Betigon
