well...this IS Panama

So, of course things didn´t go all sunshine and butterflies as I had hoped... We´ve had one more meeting with the tourism group since but nothing has changes. They say they all agree that work should begin at 9am every day, but they already know they aren´t going to be there. And someone is taking the entrance fee the tourists pay and not turning it in to the women but rather keeping it for themselves. drama drama drama. And no work has been done on my house for about three weeks now. So as you can see there are ups and downs and times when things just stand still. But I continue to play volleyball, sew, fish, and yesterday I even tried working a bit with a machete. I´m not very good. It is a long slow process when a community has lived and worked they way they have for all their lives and are accustomed to doing things the way they want. Change is hard.
Today I had lunch and a brief Ngabere language lesson with some of the other volunteers in the area and a volunteer who will be finishing here service in just two weeks. Hard to believe that day will come for me too. Time for icecream. Chao, Jessica

Three months- check!

I´ve finally passed the magical date which is three months in site. Where has the time gone? I honestly love my site! The transportation situation is a bother, but other than that (and maybe a beautiful beach) I couldn´t have asked for a better community. I´m still teaching English three times a week, doing a language exchange with one of the teachers, and now I´m finally going to get started on some real business work. As a result of the tourism seminar, the tourism group got together and had their first real meeting in months. It was decided that we will put together a business plan, which will hopefully start more great discussions and changes for the better. I´m really looking forward to it!
Yesterday was my first regional meeting. We were up in the mountains and it was cold! I also got my first warm shower in months. It was nice to finally meet all the other volunteers "near by" but a group of them is already finishing their service in a few weeks. And in less than a month a new group will start their service. I´ll be getting a couple new volunteers "near" me. Hopefully they can help me build my latrine :) Well I think I´m off to get a pizza and some icecream. Later!