Today was the first day of our Panama adventure. This trip is full of many dedicated students who woke up, many before 3:00, to be at the airport by 3:45am! Today was full of a lot of firsts and quite a bit of education on the basics of travel. The goals were to get up and ready on time, pack your own bag, navigate through security, and get on the plane without forgetting anything or anyone! For many of these kiddos it was also a lesson in how money and time are spent and how it is occasionally out of their control. Dunkin’ Donuts looks great in an airport, but it also comes at the cost of some of your trip spending money, and students must weigh how long the line is and if they can still make the flight. The also learned that there are things beyond our control, like the amount of time it takes to check 23 people in at the airport and advance through security or the speed at which some airlines load passengers. In Atlanta students all went to get a bite to eat. Our flight arrived and 3/4 of the passengers were already on the plane from a previous flight. The boarding wasn’t as big of a boarding process which meant we didn’t have as much time. Time allocation, delays, and speed are important skills at the airport. All food was obtained and eaten on the plane!
After all of the lessons in logistics and transportation, we arrived in Panama with all students and group leaders! We navigated through customs, discussed humidity changes, and airport comparisons. We hopped on our bus and met our tour guide Gabriel (Gabo) and Rafael (Rafin). These guys love what they do and welcomed the kids to Panama with huge smiles and positive vibes! I cannot wait to see what the next several days have in store.
We took about 20-30 minutes to get from the airport to our hotel. Along the way, many students saw their first glimpses of an extremely large metropolitan area (Panama City), skyscrapers, the Pacific Ocean, and palm trees. We are not in Kansas anymore!
Our hotel is outstanding! We are right in the middle of the city. Upon arrival, students learned their roommates, unpacked, and spent an hour at the hotel pool while waiting for the other school on our tour to arrive. It is EXTREMELY humid in Panama so we enjoyed the time to cool off.
In order to make us aware of the location of our hotel, Gabriel then led us on a walking tour of the 5-7 blocks around our hotel. Students were able to see a lot of the different architecture of Panama. Our hotel is located in a section of Panama that was mainly built in the last 20 years. The architecture is beautiful and the streets are bustling. Our walk also included a stop at the water walk. This is an area where everyone can sit and watch the waves of the Pacific. Students learned about cashew trees and how they are harvested, the fishing in the area, and what the water access does for the city. They also learned about the many different cultures, religions, and viewpoints represented in the area.
After our stop at the water walk, we proceeded to a local convenience store. Students were told to buy snacks that they might want in their rooms or on the bus and they had 20 minutes. This was a lesson in prices, how to use your debit card, money management, as well as the use of personal space. I think we had 4 different people knock over a stand of water bottles before all was said and done, but that’s a lesson in shopping! I was excited to see students getting snacks that they do not have at home, working with their roommates to have a plan (some of them devoted a dresser drawer to organized snacks), and discussing how the prices are different than in the U.S. There were things that were WAY cheaper and others that were much more expensive and there were multiple discussions of why.
After we returned to our hotel, it was time for a dinner of chicken with mushroom sauce, vegetables, and mashed potatoes. Either dinner was absolutely amazing or we were just all starving because plates were cleaned and bellies were full! We discussed room check routines, rules for hallway behavior (this does not include beach ball chasing) and anything else they might need help with! Lights out at 9:30p.m., after an amazing first day!
Many of the experiences that we had today are wonderful life skills and great memories, that were not on the itinerary. Please keep this in mind if you are ever considering allowing your child to participate in a group travel experience. Priceless.
Students are also working on assignments each day. Stay tuned for their favorite images from Day 1!
Quotes of the Day: CHALLENGE - Guess who said them!
“Is this Gatorade in a box for 45 cents???”
“Who is going to be naked for the rest of the trip?” - Statement made after Mrs. Potter found a suitcase left behind.
“When do I get to see the monkeys?”
“It was your turn, you skipped her but she didn’t realize it. She played her card, even though it wasn’t her turn, and then she yelled Bingo because she was down to one. Wrong game. I think we are tired.”
“Why does everyone keep honking?”
“The ocean breeze is amazing.” “That is NOT a breeze. I do not feel it.”
“Mrs. Potter watch! We are starfish!”
“You’re kids are amazing and kind.”
“You should be so proud of her! She used Spanish to help find our room!”
“Mrs. Potter, that guy is wearing a St. Louis Cardinals hat. I want to go up and tell him that they are my favorite team!” “Go for it!”
“It is SO humid here!”
“Beware of the ice machine!”
“Everyone is on the plane already and they are getting ready to leave. Drop the food and go.”
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