Ya.

First of all, it takes too long to post fotos. And since I don´t want to be sitting in front of a computer all day, I´ve decided to borrow other peoples fotos. So for some cool shots, go to http://picasaweb.google.com/mstauthamer/May2008

In other news,
I just visited my site. It´s beautiful. I like to call it Macau. Situated on a random island in Bocas, it´s perfect for surfing. Imagine walking down snow white beaches, seeing a perfect wave break and having idealic huts in the background.

And then if you zoom in your camera just a bit, you might see a gringa that the people there call Chamie. She´s content smiling, eating a steaming bowl of bananas and coconut rice.

Of course it´s not complete paradise. The community of 150 has 1 latrine. It´s situated over a tiny river. It actually has 4 latrines if you include the ones located at the school, but they get locked on the weekend. The site lacks electricity. So there´s no cold beer waiting for you after a long day of surfing. And cows wander and poop on the beach so you have to watch your steps and dodge the pies.

But the people are happy here. They do want to work. They want to learn English because they realize that learning it will increase their job opprotunities. And so for the time being I will be the maestra de ingles in the school. I am teaching the English classes in the school everyday, and classes for adults in the community Monday and Friday for 2 hours each.

Right now the community wants me to help them fix the aqueduct and build the latrines. I´m definatley more than happy to help build the latrine. As for the aqueduct, I´m completely clueless. I´ve never taken a engineering class in my life. But I do know that larger pipes will decrease water pressure, not increase it (like the aqueduct committee thinks).

But it´s peaceful here. I know my neighbors already and I have hours to talk and learn from them each day.

But in the meantime.... Please send me email. I know it sounds like a desperate request, but I only come into town every once in a while and it can be a little disheartening to realize that no one emails. It´s: jamie_konecny@hotmail.com

Peace.

Poverty

These past two weeks helped me question and reaffirm why I’m in Panama. I saw poverty for the first time. When you’re not expecting it, it can definitely punch you in the face. Maybe it’s because I thought that Panama City was a reflective of the whole country. (I guess that’s saying Manhattan represents the whole US). And when you realize that there is such a desparity, it really makes you think.

I don’t need to describe the community much, there were latrines, and running water, but the community was either at or below the poverty line.

I still have a hard time of understanding how some people could be so poor and yet so happy. I suppose it throws the whole money=happiness right out the window And the thought that me helping them “improve” their lives would somehow decrease their happiness has definitely crossed my mind more than once…

They are so poor and I want to help. I want to help teach them what I have learned and I know I’ll be learning a lot in the process. I guess it boils down to that: I have learned so much, so how could I not help others with the knowledge I have??