Madre to Many: The Weight of the World...: May 2024

It's has been two days since we were last able to purchase snacks, so it was time to go to Xtra again before heading out on our adventures for the day. Students planned for what they needed for the remainder of the trip and a few even used their debit cards for the first time!

On our way to La Chamorra (a region in Panama where we will be visiting a pineapple farm), we saw the Panama Canal Administration Building, the shipyards of containers near the Panama Canal, and a memorial to Arnuful Arias. This is also known as the #Volveremos monument. He was president in Panama on three different occasions and started the Panameñista Party. He also led the fight for women receiving the right to vote in 1940. However he was also very controversial and was eventually removed from office in a coup supported by the U.S. in 1941. You can see this monument and a monument known as "150 Years of the Presence of China in Panama" below. This monument celebrates the Chinese culture that is prevalent in Panama.

The images below are progress photos of a metro system being built to connect various regions in Panama. This will improve the quality of life for many families who have members who live outside of Panama City and have to commute through hours of traffic each day.

We arrived at the pineapple farm and were met with a safari style truck to tour the farm. Little did we know that the farm was not only responsible for pineapple! We tried a LOT of different things on our visit.

This small flower pictured below is used to help make perfumes! It is used in Chanel #5.

Next, students tried starfruit. Each of these fruits came directly from the tree!

Irving showed us leaves from the citronella plant. This plant has a citrus smell that keeps bugs away and is used in a lot of cleaners.

Next up was mango! We have quite a few students who thought the mango was the most delicious!

Not only are fruits great to eat and have smells that help us in many ways, they also have special powers. Below is a paprika plant. It is a very common spice, but can also be used to dye things orange/red. We found it could be used for body art, hair dye, and lipstick as well!

Next, students tried Soursop. This fruit wasn't bad, but a lot of students struggled with the texture. Let's just say it didn't make the top of their lists! The more we learned about fruits, the more fruit Irving had in his hands. He even gave us a small juggling show!

Riding around on our safari truck to examine all of the fruits and where they grow also afforded us the opportunity to see other wildlife. Meet Donatello and Michelangelo. Raphael was too busy to come up and see us today.

Last but not least... we learned about the pineapple. We discussed the differences between ripe and not ripe and organic vs. non-organic. We also discussed how to know when the pineapple should be exported and when it should remain in Panama. We talked about prices in Panama vs. prices in the United States. The pictures below show us examining and enjoying both the the pineapple and the view from a stopping point on our plantation tour. Enjoy!

As a group we devoured a LOT of pineapple. Evidence below.

Although we ate A LOT on our tour of the pineapple farm, after our visit it was time for lunch. It is very important for my students to try local foods and support the people of Panama. For lunch today we stopped at a local family-owned restaurant in La Chamorra, called El Merendero. Students could choose between chicken, filet of fish or whole fish. Next they chose between yucca and potato wedges as their side. I had 6 students try the whole fish (the most different from what they eat at home)! Check out the picture below. The food did not disappoint and we had a great lunch.

Since we had a VERY full day yesterday and were going to have a late night this evening, we went back to the hotel for a break from the sun and humidity. Students showered, called home, shared pictures and got dressed in their fancy outfits for our folklore dinner! We went to the BayView hotel in downtown Panama City. On the main floor of the hotel they have a restaurant with a folklore dinner show. Students had more traditional foods from Panama. They also saw traditional clothing, dances, and music of Panama! The dancers and music were outstanding.