It’s hard to believe there are only two days until you, our last delegation of the summer, arrive!
As program coordinators, we worked hard for the first three months to make this 16-day itinerary the best that it could be! And over our first two trips we’ve been tweaking things as we see fit to make it even better. It has been awesome traveling all around the region and we’ve met with tons of amazing contacts who can’t wait to share with you the rich culture, history and complexities of the Azuero peninsula. We’re super excited to meet you and for you to get to meet and learn from all our local contacts.
Now a bit about ourselves:
My name is Erik, and I’m a 24-year-old almost-graduate in graphic design. My first intercultural experience started when I was six. My mother is Panamanian and made the decision to move back to Panama just as I was starting the first grade. At the time, I spoke some three words in Spanish and moving left me few choices other than learning quickly. When I’m not working, I’m usually trying to get some rest, but when I’m not doing that I like to paint and listen to people be enthusiastic about the stuff they like.
And I’m Lucas, 26 years old, from New York City. I loved growing up in the hustle and bustle of NYC but was lucky enough to get to study abroad in Panama during my junior year of college. Seeing a country with such diverse cultures, amazing biodiversity, and fun, friendly people was eye-opening, but even more so was the reality of inequality and other problems that have arisen from rapid development. Needless to say, I was hooked and was determined to figure out how to create a life for myself down here. I started with a job teaching English in Colombia, and two years later found my way back to Panama. In my free time, I like to read, continue to practice Spanish and most of all, play basketball with the locals!
While these blog posts are great, we can’t wait to meet all of you in person! So make sure to prepare for some fun, hot, exciting, challenging but rewarding.