Ti blite Ngabere chi. (I speak a little Ngabere)

Well, my first week on the job has been interesting!

My first host mother, Chabi, has been outside the community working in the city. Consequently we moved up the timeline to move into my second host family house:  this involved constructing a latrine, a shower enclosure, and a room within their one-room house. 

I expect to be living with the host family through Jan or Feb. As there are no spare houses available to rent here, the plan is that the Water Committee will build me a home to rent for the remainder of my stay. The Peace Corps requires that we live with host families for the first  3 months.  I'm looking forward to having more of my own space, schedule, and diet. Still, like my host family during training, they are more than accommodating and very glad to have me.  The immediate family consists of father Mindo, mother Florentina (about my age), two grade school boys, Alvaro and Omar, and baby Ede. The community as a whole consists of a couple of extended families and  they, and I, are frequently visiting other homes. The work party's effort to build my new accommodations was very encouraging for me. It also felt humbling to accept it as a gift.

My host family, Mindo and Florentina Montero, with children Omar and Ede. Not pictured is 10 year old Alvaro.

I had the chance to visit one of several area churches this Sunday, a Baptist church with the service partly in Ngabere and partly in Spanish. It was encouraging to meet with other believers, though the service felt disorganized for me. I followed along in my Bible as the sermon was in Ngabere, and they were using the Ngabe Bible.  I hope to visit other churches in the coming weeks and choose one to attend regularly. Earlier in the week I chanced upon a missionary trio, two Panamanian Kuna (another indigenous group) and an American, that were there to support the local Baptist church's efforts.  It was neat to meet them as well!

At the same time I'm learning a little bit about the syncretistic religion, Mama Chi, practiced by some members of my community. I don't know much yet; but the traditional rituals are more frequently in the "summer" which starts in December.  Also there is a "curandero" or traditional medicine/plants healer who lives in the upper section of the community.  I pray that I will be able to walk well in a complex mixture of cherished cultural rituals, spiritual, and health practices.  Understanding what's going on here is going to take time and "confianza": confidence, or trust.

On October 28 we had a festival day in the large town nearby. Many schools' percussion marching bands competed.  Everyone turned out in their finest clothing, some of it made or purchased for the occasion.

Three other volunteers from the wider area were able to attend: Erica and Emma from my training group, and Carolyn who has been here one year.  We are all environmental health workers.

Susan, Carolyn, Emma, Erica

Here we are: some wearing the traditional dresses, nagwas. I have a chackra, a net bag made from natural cordage.  I'm ordering my own nagwa this coming week from a seamstress in the community. Little girls have been asking, "why don't you wear a nagwa?" They are beautiful and striking.





The community continues to be pleased that I am making an effort to learn their language.. as small as my current vocabulary is. Heaven knows there's a lot to absorb.  This past week has been mostly visiting around the community to know people better. There's a community meeting on Saturday Nov 5 as well, and my work here is part of the agenda.

To close, here are a couple of pics from Panama City, two weeks ago when we were there for swearing in.  Panama City is an interesting mix of "first world" skyscrapers, cultural attractions, shopping, and slum neighborhoods.