Hey friends and family!

We started off our day with a traditional Panamanian “tortilla” -a thick crispy looking pancake, with scrambled eggs, delicious tropical fruit and great fresh juices.  After a culture and safety seminar, we had a visit from a local musician/poet/historian Manuel Córdoba.  He told us about many things including the founding of Las Tablas, the history of the “mejorana” a traditional 5 stringed small guitar, and the Spanish roots of the songs composed for this instrument. He played traditional songs on three different instruments. Students were surprised that these songs and poems have been passed down orally for the past 300+ years! He is passionate about preserving and sharing the cultural traditions of the Azuero peninsula. The history of Las Tablas sure is interesting! We even found out that the people involved in building the town’s church are buried beneath it. We will learn about carnival and more about local clothing next week.

Some highlights of the afternoon were eating “paletas” – (homemade popsicles) and having time to explore the local super market! We spent much of our afternoon preparing for English tutoring, which starts tomorrow! We are feeling excited and prepared!

In our nightly meeting, we shared lots of big love! We are all grateful for each other and this time to get to know one another.

¡Hasta luego!