Field Note Category: Azuero, Panama

It is midday on a Sunday in the Calabacito community of Azuero and I am realizing that skipping breakfast may not have a been the best idea. Beckoned to the back of the Pinto family house, I encounter Señora Pinto seated with her daughter and granddaughter as they shred buckets of chicken with their fingers, … Read More

I was nine years old the first time I left the United States. My parents planned a vacation to Oaxaca, Mexico, to explore Mayan ruins and learn about local folk art. None of this sounded appealing to my nine-year-old self, especially since what I knew about Mexico was shared by classmates who traveled to the … Read More

Despedida from Community, Debriefing, Panama City and Departure Back Home     Our project is coming to an end and we do not want to say goodbye. At times “see you later” works as a replacement, but such a promise doesn’t seem appropriate, at times, to share with people that have meant something so pure … Read More

Week Four: Fiesta Ambiental at Reserva Montuosa (Chepo, Azuero) Participants officially passed the halfway point of their journey in Azuero, Panama and, to celebrate properly, we thought it would  be perfect to host a Fiesta Ambiental in the beautiful Reserva Forestal El Montoso, a natural wildlife reserve near our communities in Las Minas.  In true … Read More

Midterm is upon us and our participants are kindly reminding us that it’s time to call home. As July 10th and 11th came around, supervisors gathered participants from every one of their routes at regional hubs with trusted WiFi connections in Las Minas, Los Pozos, Pese, and Parita, which all are located approximately an hour … Read More

This blog is from week two of participants living in communities. The AMIGOS Azuero, Panama experience this year will be exactly 43 days long. With five whole weeks taking place in communities, project leadership decided to introduce a tailored, experience-of-leadership opportunity to each participant through a custom 30 Days of Leadership Challenge calendar. From June … Read More

24 communities, 63 participants. Multiple stories of friendships and cultural exchanges blossoming among true amigos all over the Azuero Peninsula. Northeast of the peninsula, 30 minutes away from the busy city of Chitré, the community of Los Castillos hosts volunteers Sophia and Sarah. As Thursday comes around, supervisor Lizzie takes a bus to check on … Read More

The Azuero Project 2018 participants arrived to Panama City on June 19th. Tired and jag lagged, little did they know that their project leadership team had been enthusiastically waiting to meet them for ninety-four days! Training, training, and more training shaped each of the nine staff members into people participants could recognize as kind faces … Read More

The Azuero Project participants will have a chance to call home on July 10th and 11th. Please note that some participants choose to stay fully immersed in their experience and may decide not to call home during these dates. AMIGOS staff will provide the option at this time, however.