¡Buenas noches familia!

Greetings from Panama! Today I was Líder del Día (Leader of the Day, LDD), which meant I was responsible for waking everyone up and getting them to breakfast by 8:30 am. Thankfully, the bus arrived quickly and we got to meet a local artisan named Eililin Hernandez, who has been working on his front porch making a style of shoe called “cutarras” for the majority of his life. He was extremely patient and kind towards us while guiding us through the art and skill of his trade while also teaching us the importance of local businesses and loving what you do. We fell into a therapeutic state as we wove soft, thick pieces of leather. There were many animals around his property, including screaming parrots, chickens, and many dogs and cats (none of which we were allowed to pet, of course).

In the afternoon, we spent numerous hours working on our CAP (Community Action Project) trying to learn about and design an effective plan for helping reforest the ecosystems and animal habitats of Panama. Today helped us recognize our large impact as consumers in society, while also appreciating local businesses and traditions. Goodbye for now! ¡Adiós!