Panamá: A Different World (Day 6)

Today we were blessed to have the opportunity to visit a village of the Embera indigenous tribe. We started out in the morning by driving an hour and a half to get to the shores of the Chagres River. The ride was bumpy, as not all roads were paved, but it took us away from the city and our idea of civilization. We met four guys who were in charge of the canoes. The canoes took us on a 45 minute ride deep into the heart of the rainforest of Panama. The canoes were made of wood and life jackets were worn at all times. Our guides traveled upstream on the way to get to our destination and used long wooden rods to steer the canoe. 

After our canoe ride, we stopped on the edge of the riverbank and were then able to hike to a beautiful waterfall and the kids had a chance to swim! The path was very muddy and slippery due to the rain and we crossed several streams and many jagged rocks to get there. Covered in sweat and a combination of bug spray and sun screen, the kids were dying to jump in! What a wonderful experience it was for them to swim in a waterfall, deep in the middle of the rainforest in Panama.

 

   

Today the students danced along in a tribal celebration, received tribal (non-permanent) tattoos, ate plantains and fish from a banana leaf, and played duck-duck-goose with the children of the tribe. We also learned that the children have a school where they are taught by a teacher who is provided by the government of Panama. This individual is not native Embera, meaning that all of their lessons are taught in Spanish. All Embera speak both Spanish and Embera. Since only Spanish is taught in school, they are now using the Spanish written alphabet to write down stories in Embera. Thus, this creates their own unique written language that is transformative. When thinking about the growth and decline of cultures, this culture will now come to mind. This was a great experience for my students to see that life is very different in various parts of the world. Insights and experiences galore! 

We ended the evening with dinner and riddle time followed by an hour in the pool. This has been a WONDERFUL tour! At the end of each day, I feel like I have just had a new favorite day! Tonight I go to sleep knowing that the eyes of my students were opened yet again today.

Fun/Funny Quotes from the Day:

At least I didn't think milk was a meat. 

Mrs. Potter, I have mud in my butt. 

I could eat as many calories as I want, as much as I'm walking this week. 

I just swam in a natural waterfall in the middle of the rainforest. 

We made it! (This quote came at the end of a very slippery, muddy hike in the rainforest. Immediately following the quote, said student fell.) 

I had the GoPro, I thought I was going to drown. 

How did I get dirt all the way up there? It looks like I have a beard. 

Now I feel like I can do anything at home. 

Stay tuned...

Heather Potter - Student Travel Group Leader