It occurred to me recently that while I have spent a lot of time writing why I am here in Panama and what my goals and endeavors are for this summer and beyond, I have blogged very little about what actually goes down out here in the valley on a day-to-day basis. So for this entry, I will elect to forgo my usual highfalutin language and grandiose platitudes in favor of a slew of annotated photos illustrating everyday life here in the wilderness.

Behold, the rancho, Basecamp 2.0. This new two-story structure is where take a break from the shade, study up on research (using actual books and encyclopedias, remember those?), and, most importantly, eat. No joke- using only a propane fueled stove our chefs have us eating like kings thanks to an abundance of fresh food and raw cooking talent (raw referring to talent, not our food).

It rains quite often here in Panama, and as a result most every structure which frequently houses human beings is surrounded by water drainage trenches, also known as muddy death traps once daylight fades around 7 each night.

Standing right next to the rancho is the cabana, fully equipped with hammocks and hand crafted benches and tables. The upper story houses a bookcase crafted by fellow UF student and intern Alice, or Big Al. It’s here that I prefer to relax and focus on my writing at the end of the day, staring off at the misty mountains in the distance.

Behold, the aforementioned mountains.

Of course we don’t waste all our time playing volleyball. We call it valleyball here.

One of the local rios. Also, the shower.

This lovely couple frequently visits our home in the valley. I have yet to see them separated by a distance more than about twenty feet.

See, I told you we actually do work. The working day lasts from 9-4 with a lunch break in between, and after the day is over our time is our own to relax, play volleyball, cards, or, in my case, read and write. Here the Ag Crew is constructing a raised bed using bamboo, sticks, and rocks, which we subsequently planted with various crops after researching mutually beneficial combinations. The raised bed allows us to plant seeds in softer, better soil. It’s basically like a permanent planter that you never have to transport once the plants grow too big. Why yes, I am holding a machete.

The finished product, with cowpeas already growing down the middle after less then 3 days. Also, note the barbed wire fence we installed ourselves around the agriculture land. The fence posts you see are actually tree branches, and they’re still living. After a few months they will have sprouted limbs of their own, and eventually each and every fence post will be a small tree growing in the ground. It’s called an agrofence, and it’s awesome.

Here fellow ag intern Jordan and I are working on our Magic Circle. This is where we plant the enchanted beans we traded one of our cows for. But not really though. It’s actually a big hole in the ground we throw leftovers in, giving it the dual purposes of garbage can and composting heap. The nutrients from the decomposed organic material spread to the surrounding soil with the help of rain, making the surrounding soil ‘magically’ rich and fertile.

We learned the Magic Circle technique from a local campesino like this one, Ramon. Ramon lives here in the house he built in the mountains and lives off the land. He is also a wizard. For example, he has a pet parrot that has lived with him for 23 years that herds his cattle for him. Here he is teaching the Kalu Yala interns how to make baskets out of thick vines which he has sliced up with his trusty machete.

Here is a small basket he whipped up.

Here is how Ramon eats oranges. After cutting them this way he squeezes the juice out, he doesn’t even need a cup.

 

Here we are enjoying Ramon’s fresh coconuts, cut down with what I can only describe as a hand made Gopher Grabber. 

This is a secret waterfall Ramon took us to. Of course I was wearing a shirt, mom.

Finally, we’re not in the valley all the time. On weekends we venture out to the city where we meet and worship with our family here in Panama. This picture was taken at a bible study one Friday night at a family’s home, and we also meet Sunday morning for an extended service in a small one-room shop where sermons and songs are in Spanish. To the far right is evangelist and great guy Greg Roark who gives his sermons in an American accent that I can understand and who translates for Sarah and I if we have any trouble.

     So there you have it, a little taste of the good life. We work hard and play hard out here in the valley, and I’m really enjoying my stay. I’m learning a lot about agriculture techniques and management, honing my Spanish skills, taking on responsibility and independence, and having a great time in general. I miss my friends and family back home a lot and think about you all the time, but my place is here this summer.