"Free Time"

Just thought I would give an update of some of my (Ashley's) hobbies here in Panama- the things that are currently keeping me sane!

A 'typical' Panamanian day is never like the next except in that you probably have at least a good 6 -15 hours during the morning/day/evening that you have nothing- absolutely nothing planned. This is a great time to start working towards your next (or current) 'in-site' or community project(s), doing research, finding out what kind of interest around town there might be, or making materials for your project. However, it is very difficult to fill weeks or months upon end of 6-15 hour days of researching, gauging interest, or making materials for a particular project. Don't get me wrong- I'm sure some people do- but I would like to think that I am a very efficient researcher (because I love it), interest gauger (also helps that I live in a tiny community with my husband), and materials maker (thanks ID/Graphic Arts training!) SO, I am left with a plethora of time on my hands.

Many volunteers will spend their free time pasearing or walking around town visiting people all day, maybe taking in a couple movies or doing a half-day marathon of watching telenovelas (soap operas). Others may sit and talk with families, one-by-one, working their way around town (possibly looking for a free home-cooked Panamanian meal) until they get too tired to go to the next house (especially the case if you live in the mountains), and decide to move on home after one, last, cup, of sugar-laced coffee. But, because I just so happen to live in a very tranquilo (laid-back) town, that just so happens to house no more than 20 lived-in homes, that just so happen to be smack up against each other and built on a very flat beach, it usually doesn't take much more than a couple of hours walking around town to get to everybody's house to hear the bochinche or our version of the news (aka: gossip). (We also happen to live in THE MOST centrally located house in town and have almost every single community member walk by our house more than once a day, saludaring us or just saying 'hi'.

SO, while I am suprisingly busy these days (in and outside of the community), I still happen to find time for my current hobbies: Crocheting and Gardening.

I learned to crochet here in Panama from a girlfriend of mine that I met while in our Peace Corps 'de-briefing' in Miami before flying to Panama. I spent a good week in her community a while back, and during one of our 6-15 hour, no-plans-days she taught me how to crochet, and I immediately announced that I would make a blanket. So, 3 or so months later (and many nights of sore, callused & blistered fingers), I have now crocheted the sq. ft. equivalent of a 'body-blanket'.

Here you can see it being tested out on my loyal test subject.

Yes, that's right- I only have a 1/4 of it finished! My fingers are dying- but I can't stop now, I only have 3/4 of the thing to go. (I'll post a photo of the finished project... hopefully before we leave the country next June.)

My other hobby- gardening, also happens to be a lead-in to a community project that I am trying to drum-up interest for in right now, and I'm sure you'll never guess what it is... That's right, you guessed it! Its growing your own fruits and vegetables in a town that doesn't, ever, sell them! I know it is a crazy idea, but I think it just might work.

So far I am growing spinach (a great vining kind that gets as large as a 10' Christmas tree... I think I might actually put lights on it at Christmas.)

Arugula (Which neither Panamanians or ants like, which means it's all mine... and maybe Brandon's)

Tomatoes (this one happens to love where I planted it)

Cucumbers (you can't see it now because he is just a little guy, but it will be ama-zing! I might even get ambitious and make pickles. You like the homemade campo trellis don't you- another by-product of ingenuity... or an extra 6-15 hour day to kill.)

And, last but not least, Green Beans. Can you spot the green bean in this photo?

Most of the plants have taken really well (with the help of a little horse-poo) and hopefully within no-time we will all be eating home grown veggies (given that it starts raining someday soon!)

So- that's my current hobby list- check back for more updates, but don't expect an update all that soon on the blanket thing... its going to be a while.

Love from Panama

Lawn Mowers, or Another Wonderful Use of the Machete

The machete here in Panama is a fairly ubiquitous item. It can be found in every household, in every finca (farm), and in every Panamanian man's (or small child's) hand at one point of the day. The machete has so many uses it is ridiculous, and many an hour are passed listing the multitude of ways that machetes are useful. (We once saw a Panamanian changing a tire with the help of his machete. No joke.) But mostly machetes are used for clearing monte (the forest), killing animals (usually culebras aka snakes), or if you are us- for cutting your lawn. That's right, cutting the grass. Now don't get me wrong, we don't have an acreage. We have about 10 linear feet of grass to cut, which really doesn't sound like a lot- until you have to cut it with a machete. My heart goes out to those volunteers that actually have a yard, and have to cut the entirety of it with a machete- kudos.

(Our side yard)

(Our Back yard)

White Water Rafting

While there are a plethora of activities to do in Panama, white water rafting is one of the more popular ones around. Rafting in Panama is usually good for around the beginning of May until September/October, when the dry season starts. Many of the good rafting rivers (Chiriqui Viejo is the best, with multiple class 4 and 5 rapids and few straight-aways) can actually be found in the area around Boquete, and with many new outfitters popping up, it is getting easier to be on your way. Brandon and I went on a rafting trip at the beginning of the month with some of our Peace Corps friends, and had a fantastic time.

You can find more photos of our trip here.