Day 3 in Panama:
Today we started out the morning with breakfast early. We
were on the road by 8:00AM and headed to La Granja! This is the place where many
students faced their fears of heights and unknown things in the water.
After a bus ride to Colon, the students were ready for the
adventures! To make sure that the kids experienced as much as possible in the
time that they had at La Granja, we split into two groups. One group started
with kayaking with me and the other group started on the ziplines with Mr.
Potter and Nafi. They did a wonderful job trying new things and overcoming their fears!
On the ziplines there were 5 different lines: two over water
and one over 1km long! This adventure isn’t for the faint of heart and it
definitely takes quite a few kids out of their comfort zones. I heard a lot of
encouragement in the group and appreciated their supportive nature! If you don’t
see a picture of your kiddo, please know that you will get a Google Drive link
with all trip images upon our return!
Everyone also took their turn on the kayaks. We followed our
guide out and around and island, while listening to the sounds of the birds and
other animals in the forest.
After using all muscles in our arms, we returned for a swim!
Just as the rain set in, we sat down for a traditional Panamanian lunch of arroz, frijoles y pescado o chuleta de cerdo (rice and beans with fish or pork chop). It was super tasty!
After leaving La Granja, we made a stop at the Xtra Market. This is a grocery store that is larger than a Walgreens and smaller than a WalMart. It would probably be comparable to a Neighborhood WalMart. This is one of my favorite things to do on my tours. Not only do students use an ATM card for the first time, understand Spanish when they purchase, and shop on their own, they also have good discussions over brands sold here, the cost of items, and all different types of foods! So much can be learned and practice with just a trip to the store!
Following the grocery store experience, we chose to grab some ice cream. The mall is a great place to interact with people, have a snack, practice some Spanish, and take a look at your some of your favorite stores in another country. I also have one student who is desperately hoping to find a Panama hoodie. Turns out the weather in Panama isn't really "hoodie weather" and the one gift shop that had one... didn't have her size. The mall also isn't really a place for souvenirs... just a place for ice cream and fun. We shall continue the search for a hoodie elsewhere!
Students had a choice of ice cream from a lot of different places. The favorite options are shown below. Several students stopped at La Heladería, one of Panama's national chains for ice cream. They ordered in Spanish and had a yummy treat!
This mall is HUGE! It is one of the largest in Central America. Each entrance has some sort of recognizable statue. There were dolphins, penguins and more. We chose to exit at King Kong.
After our stop at the store and the mall, we headed back to the hotel for dinner. Students enjoyed an hour of handstand competitions, hold you breath contests, races, and synchronized dances. It was EXTREMELY entertaining!
Below you have the judges photo! These are people who chose just to put feet in and be entertained.
Parents, below, you will find a "Guess which handstand is your child" photo. Good luck!
Note: Not all students chose to swim/participate in the competition.
Quotes from each day will all be posted at the end, with videos of note, in a separate blog entry!
Stay tuned for more adventures!
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