Blisters, Bus Rides, and Beating Clothes Against a Rock

Training week 5 (of 10) was culture week and a group of us were welcomed into the lives of the Ngobes, one of the largest indigeneous groups in Latin America. Overflowing with culture, creativity, and mystery, the island is located in the Bocas region of Panama. Almost everyone speaks Spanish but many are committed to the continuation of Ngobere, their native tongue.

I was treated both as an honored guest and an old family friend, with evenings spent trading stories with Sergio and Lucia and days spent traversing the difficult terrain and taking in the daily experiences. I lay awake each night, tossing my observations, thoughts, and feelings from one end of the mosquito net to the other. Culture. History. Pain. Lack. Desire.

Last week I stepped hundreds of years back in time. Next week promises to be even more challenging. Will the next subculture be as interesting? Could the next family possibly be as sweet as the last one and as loving as those who await my return?

Week 10 of training beckons me as I am drawn to the community that will be my own for the next two years. It also taunts me with the impending and inevitable goodbyes. I am challenged by the promise I made to myself that I would embrace these new relationships, no matter how temporary they are. El amor vale la pena. Love is worthwhile.

Grace & Peace,
Anita