Bad news is that i got my camera and ipod stolen from my bag in an internet store. I was in the big mall and bus terminal in Panama City and had left them my bags with a friend while i went to the bathroom. When I came back to leave the bags were all in the exact same spot but my camera and ipod were missing. I spoke with the Peace Corps safety and security officer and filed a official report but there is not much I can do.
I am much sadder about my ipod because I was just getting into podcasts to stay up to date on news sports and other stuff. My camera was really old and I brought it to Panama expecting for it to be destroyed by the weather. This means my blog will probably seriously be lacking until my family comes down with my other digital camera.
Saturday, April 21, 2007
Sunday, April 08, 2007
Soccer and a trip to the Peninsula
Its official! My soccer team, Alianza de Riscó is in first place with a record of 5 - 0. There are 11 teams playing in the coregiemento (county) league. We play every Sunday in my town and some team walk for more than an hour or take buses to play. My team is made up of the teenagers that play futbolista or small sided soccer on weekdays. Some of them come of as being punk that aspire to be reggaeton stars, but most have warmed up.
Here we are after or Easter Sunday victory. I am in the upper right corner in a Portugal Jersey. For a while I was borrowing a red shirt from a teammate when I decided that of all the people on the team I shouldn´t be borrowing a shirt so I went out and got a $7 replica. I´m still learning on how to match my style of soccer which is very rigid about positions and focused on passing and moving the ball to space which their style of holding on the the ball as long as possible. It is almost a metaphor for the combination of cultures. I think I can bring alot to the team simply because I recognize where I should be to receive a pass or to guard a defender. On the other hand I don´t always receive any passes because my teammates like to dance with the ball.
As you can see it was muddy this Sunday. The field gets played on just about everyday which really does a number on the grass. This was by far the muddiest soccer I have ever played. My cleats were so watered down and caked with mud that I almost kicked one off. The ball would also hardly roll anywhere and you had to advance it in the air. In this pic you can see a free kick, the goal made out of bamboo, and handmade net and the rain clouds receding from the valley.
Another shot of the mudpit. You can see in the background several small casitas. This is wear spectators gather to watch, the league president, keeps track of substitutions and score, and people sell food. I love Sundays because there is always people to talk to as well as empanadas, and duros (frozen juice in a baggy), this is the only time of the week that you can get these delicacies.
This past week we had our regional meeting out on the Peninsula of the Comarca (Indian Reservation). It is a beautiful place with many beaches. It was a combined meeting with Bocas and the Comarca so there was almost 50 volunteers out for this event. This a shot when the group was leaving. The volunteer that was host the meeting chartered a boat that could fit about 35 volunteers and their bags. The boat was cut out of one massive tree!!
It was kinda raining when we left, and we ended up covering ourselves in a tarp to protect us from the splash of waves and rain. The Country Director was also out for the meeting which was a big deal. 
And I crashed into the fence, this was so much fun. Probably the closest thing to sledding in Panama. I highly recommend you do this if you get the chance.
A sunset from Melissa´s porch over Bahía Azul.
Melissa´s kitchen. It is tiny! Her whole house is about the size of my bedroom, but it is definitely sufficient. We made some delicious curried soy with rice and peanut butter.
This is Jack´s house. He lives across the bay. He has any amazing view of the ocean, and accordingly has really cool windows that fold up. We had two days of Ngobe language class here.
Here we are after or Easter Sunday victory. I am in the upper right corner in a Portugal Jersey. For a while I was borrowing a red shirt from a teammate when I decided that of all the people on the team I shouldn´t be borrowing a shirt so I went out and got a $7 replica. I´m still learning on how to match my style of soccer which is very rigid about positions and focused on passing and moving the ball to space which their style of holding on the the ball as long as possible. It is almost a metaphor for the combination of cultures. I think I can bring alot to the team simply because I recognize where I should be to receive a pass or to guard a defender. On the other hand I don´t always receive any passes because my teammates like to dance with the ball. 
As you can see it was muddy this Sunday. The field gets played on just about everyday which really does a number on the grass. This was by far the muddiest soccer I have ever played. My cleats were so watered down and caked with mud that I almost kicked one off. The ball would also hardly roll anywhere and you had to advance it in the air. In this pic you can see a free kick, the goal made out of bamboo, and handmade net and the rain clouds receding from the valley. 
Another shot of the mudpit. You can see in the background several small casitas. This is wear spectators gather to watch, the league president, keeps track of substitutions and score, and people sell food. I love Sundays because there is always people to talk to as well as empanadas, and duros (frozen juice in a baggy), this is the only time of the week that you can get these delicacies. 
This past week we had our regional meeting out on the Peninsula of the Comarca (Indian Reservation). It is a beautiful place with many beaches. It was a combined meeting with Bocas and the Comarca so there was almost 50 volunteers out for this event. This a shot when the group was leaving. The volunteer that was host the meeting chartered a boat that could fit about 35 volunteers and their bags. The boat was cut out of one massive tree!!
It was kinda raining when we left, and we ended up covering ourselves in a tarp to protect us from the splash of waves and rain. The Country Director was also out for the meeting which was a big deal. I visited my friend Melissa´s site to help her with her aqueduct and encountered some of these kids with a carro. It was a 55 gallon drum with a hole cut in it. I figured I take it for a spin!
Is this a good idea?? I bet this can roll over really easily.
And I crashed into the fence, this was so much fun. Probably the closest thing to sledding in Panama. I highly recommend you do this if you get the chance. 
A sunset from Melissa´s porch over Bahía Azul.
Melissa´s kitchen. It is tiny! Her whole house is about the size of my bedroom, but it is definitely sufficient. We made some delicious curried soy with rice and peanut butter. 
This is Jack´s house. He lives across the bay. He has any amazing view of the ocean, and accordingly has really cool windows that fold up. We had two days of Ngobe language class here. In other news today is Easter and so the end of my fast of soda, candy, chips and sweet breads. It was much harder than I expected because sometimes when you are tired and hot a cold Coca Cola from a glass bottle sounds so good.
I went to visit the US Army base. I met some interesting people especially some reservists from NH that included alot of Bostonians with thick accents. I need to return there to find out if and how much materials they can donate.
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