Today was the Greatest Of All Time…

Our breakfast this morning was very special, because it was our first time trying more traditional Panamanian food since arriving in Las Tablas, tortillas, banana, and scrambled eggs.

Our first event of the day was a trip to a local goat farm in the community called Finca El Espinal. This farm has been open for 23 years, has opened two stores and is getting ready to open another in Panama City. Additionally, they were nominated for the National Goat Milk Competition. The owner of the farm, Hugo, was very welcoming to us coming to his farm, and was very kind and loves having visitors come from all over. He was also excited for us to meet his goats. We were able to feed both the baby and adult goats Mulberry branches, which they hand plant and pick for the goats. We noticed that Hugo put a lot of thought into what he feeds the goats to make sure they are getting the appropriate nutrients and eating things that will make them feel good and stay healthy. In addition to the Mulberry, Hugo also grows a water plant to feed his animals. We were able to participate in this process and contribute to the sustainability  of his farm by planting some Mulberry trees ourselves. Although the composted soil was not appealing to begin with, we soon realized that it was more important to have this experience and have a lasting effect on the community. Up next, was the reproduction aspect of his farm, starting with the male goat that Hugo keeps on his farm. For every one male goat, there can be fifty females, which maximizes the amount of milk that Hugo can produce. We also got to see his business in action, and try the different products that he makes, such as cheese, milk, ice cream, and yogurt. At the end of our visit, we gave Hugo a small Diablico, or little devil mask, which is a traditional Panamanian mask used in cultural dances and events.

After getting back to the hotel, we had lunch, which was a traditional Panamanian soup called Sancocho with plantains and rice.

Next, we were allowed to walk to a supermarket and coffee shop near our hotel in Las Tablas. The community was very supportive of tourists and were very patient with our Spanish skills.

After that, we went to a local ice cream business, called La Paulina, for homemade ice cream. There was flavors from rose and almond to more unique Panamanian fruits we had never heard of before.

For dinner, we had chicken, rice and salad, which may sound simple, but the cultural spices and difference in foods made it very special. To wrap up the night, we had our nightly meeting where we discussed the beginning of our Community Action Project that we will be starting tomorrow. 

Our final thoughts on the day as the first Leaders of the Day/Liders Del Dia (LDD):

Hello, this is Elenore! I thought that being LDD was very fun, but also challenging to adjust to. I thought it was hard to feel confident as a leader in an unfamiliar country with an unfamiliar language. I had a lot of fun with the goats and with practicing my Spanish as well. I found it super interesting to go to the market and see all the differences between the foods in America and Panama.

Hey there, this is Yousif! My first thoughts of being the LDD was honestly nerve wracking but as time passed everyone was very supportive and following directions. Overall it was a very fun experience and helped me step out my comfort zone. I am loving this community that we are building here, I am starting to appreciate the small funny and corny moments that we have here and there. From the small games that we play on the bus or while we wait for an activity to our good energy in the meetings and seminars. 

Keep the comments coming it is a great way to end off our night and lifts everyone’s spirits! Our Global Glimpse Leader Mr. Alex’s narrations make them so fun.

Just as a reminder, we will be having a call home tomorrow at around 3pm Eastern time. The calls will be coming from WhatsApp, so if you don’t already have it, downloading it would be a good idea as it will allow you to talk to your child for ten minutes instead of five due to the cost of international calls. 

Goodbye for tonight, enjoy the photos, and hopefully more stories to come from future Liders del Dia! 

-Elenore and Yousif