Day 6 – the double a Batteries – (Anoushka & Abbie)

Hello everyone, this is Abbie. Today, I was one of the day’s leaders with Anoushka. I had a great time working alongside her and having a partner to rely on when I felt I needed more support. This role taught me a lot not only as an individual but as an essential part of the group. Before starting my role as a leader, I had made a goal for myself to be louder and voice my opinion. Although I don’t think I was able to complete this goal completely, I liked how I was successfully able to work toward it.

The most memorable part of today was seeing everyone have a good time and sitting with different groups of people. Anoushka and I had noticed that for this trip so far, people had made the habit of talking to the same group of people, and for breakfast we decided to write everyone’s assigned numbers in random seats. As we were all eating, I noticed that we were all having very great conversations and making an effort to talk instead of sitting in silence.

Something that also stood out to me today was that everyone seemed to be extremely happy. Early in the morning, we went to the Saregua National Park and completed a hike in the hot, humid Panamanian weather. Our exhaustion from that activity quickly went away as we were able to buy snacks from the store and were rewarded with ice cream afterward, and it was very good and refreshing. We were also able to explore the city of Chitre because we had 3 hours of free time today, and the several various groups of people that we went out with all had fun.

At the end of the day, we were all able to bond and have fun with the agenda that we were given. We spent lots of time together, and no one stuck to just one group, which was a big part of our goal. I’m very excited to see what the rest of these days will bring.

P.S There is a picture of Anoushka and me tucking Nadia into bed, as the kind leaders of the Day we are!!- Abigail

Hi everyone, this is Anoushka, and I was one of the leaders of the day today along with Abbie — double A batteries! 

My partner Abbie has covered in detail the activities we had throughout the day, and I’ll share some of my own “glimpses.” 🙂

Our day began as the sun rose over the buildings of Chitre, bright and early at 6:00 AM. After waking everyone up at 6:30 and having breakfast, we headed out to Sarigua National Park for a hike and tour. We learned about the importance of protecting soil, reforestation, and other information about this park in Panama. Did you know that there are shrimp farms in Panama? It’s actually a huge industry here! This activity really connected to our theme of the day, Biocultural diversity, specifically the biological diversity aspect, because we got to travel and learn about a park which is actively working towards conservation efforts in Panama, which is rich in ecological diversity. What I took away from this activity was how important national parks are not only for conservation, but also for public education. By educating us on the importance of protecting soil and forests, the tour guides made me realize that climate change is affecting all of us — somehow. Without proper soil, the tour guides mentioned that nothing was able to grow, demonstrating how if one aspect of the vegetation is disrupted, everything is affected. While walking the dusty red flatlands and trying to avoid the cacti on the trail, I was reminded of how much I love nature, and I feel the rest of the group enjoyed the same. We saw cotton trees, cacti, huge leaves, and even an iguana. Despite the beaming sun, it was nice for us to spend time walking, taking photos, and walking together. 

After the national park, we got to go to a supermarket and buy lots of fun candy, drinks, and snacks, which I’m sure we will all be snacking on and sharing throughout the rest of the trip. We even were treated to an ice cream at a gelateria, which was a welcome cool moment along with icy AC after a hot and humid hike. After getting back on the bus and having lunch together, we had free time for more than 3 hours! This was so much fun, and we all explored town in groups, traveling to nearby vendors, stepping into dollar stores, and even visiting the local museum, which features pre-colonial Panamanian artifacts. During this time, we really enjoyed socializing together and laughing and joking around. Fun always makes hard work and travel a great experience for all of us. 

I’d like to conclude just by saying how great we all did today at staying hydrated and starting to get to talk to new people. With 19 of us, it can feel difficult at times to talk to everyone, but by having randomized seating at breakfast today, I saw new friendships and conversations bloom. Additionally, my goal today was to practice being more assertive as a leader to make sure everyone was attentive and organized. I think that I met my goal by using my voice, reminding people to drink water, and working with Abbie, my partner, to run headcounts and meal times. Overall, I feel proud of myself and Abbie for being proactive and practicing our leadership skills for a full day. 

Finally…some thoughts about biocultural diversity. Our theme today initially confused me, but then it reminded me of all I have seen so far in Panama. Biology and culture need diversity to function separately. If ecosystems are biodiverse, they fail to sustain themselves. Similarly, cultures which aren’t diverse lack opportunities for positive change and new ideas, keeping them stagnant. Together, biodiversity as a whole shows that rather than thinking of humanity and the environment as two separate things, we need to view them as one. Humans work with the Earth, rather than viewing it as just a place we can take from. I hope to apply these ideas for our CAP with AMURAM. Ciao!