Day 3 – Working like a local

Hi Global Glimpse,

This is Rotem Ben David and Josephine Hernandez, your LDDs (Líderes del día) for our third day in Panama.

Today we started off with an early wake up call at 5:30 in the morning. We had breakfast at our accommodation then headed off to la Finca Espinal, a farm on the outskirts of Las Tablas. This was a goat farm! and we learned a deep history behind it! The owner of the farm told us about how the farm came to be, a long 22 years of struggle before he was able to get the fruits of his labor. He talked us through the different steps of everything from planting the food for the goats, to the new baby goats being born. He was able to create an entire cycle of life for the goats as well as produce products such as milk, ice cream, cheese, and yogurt. After his speech, his son did a cultural performance which told a story of the fight between good and evil. We were able to do activities such as planting, learning to grow saplings, feeding baby goats, and learning to make the barrels of grass to feed the older goats. When we finished learning about the work it takes to run their farm we got the chance to try couple of the products from the farm! We got to experience some heavy rain on our way out but quickly made do with what we had, and got back on a bus to carry on with our day! 🫶🏼🫶🏼🫶🏼

At the farm we definitely got our hand dirty – with real mud and a taste of what daily life is like Hugo and his son. After heading back to the hotel, we cleaned up and headed to a seminar lead by our PCs (Program coordinators) about Panamanian culture and some safety instructions before heading to a trip in Las Tablas. In this seminar we also did a fun group bonding activity and got to know each other better. Each of us were also able to contribute a norm we wanted our group to follow throughout the trip. These included being open minded, respectful, empathetic, and on time. After lunch we headed to explore the city and go to a local bakery and ice cream shop where the owner, Anna, shared her story and the history of her family business here in Panama. Both Hugo and Anna taught the importance of perseverance and not giving up on your goals – whether they be managing a farm or running a small business, if we are dedicated and consistent, they are possible.

Before dinner, we got a small glimpse (pun intended) of our CAP project (Community Action Project). We learned what makes impact sustainable and how to listen and ask the right questions to truly understand the needs of the organization we will be partnering with in addition to local community members.

After a long, hot, humid, and rainy day outside we had the opportunity to go to the pool at our accommodation to cool off and enjoy some well needed rest and fun team bonding time.

Rotem and Josephine – Signing off 🙂