Panamá!
Been here for more that one week and was more public spirited than ever before. I worked in an old people´s home and definetly had some good experience. So, what I got in return was neither money nor food or accomodation. Instead, I once more got a deep insight in central american culture, people´s beliefs and panamanian politics.
Been here for more that one week and was more public spirited than ever before. I worked in an old people´s home and definetly had some good experience. So, what I got in return was neither money nor food or accomodation. Instead, I once more got a deep insight in central american culture, people´s beliefs and panamanian politics.My work mainly consisted of talking to the people(which often meant just nodding and smiling :-), read the Bible, play games and help out in the kitchen. 31 people live in that home, aged 72 to 101, and all so different that it´s almost unimaginable that they can live together under the same roof. After a couple of days I already would have been able to write a book about their characteristics, their stories, their daily routine, their rivalries, their harmony...
There was this 83 year old folk studying the Bible every day, fed up with the "Yankee Man" who opressed the Blacks for more that 200 years, and mad about having ended up in this poor people´s home. Still totally capable of constructing new furniture for the home (see pictures) and secretly probably still very happy when there is someone to play cards with (needs to be a stranger though as he avoides everyone in the house).
Then the 72 year old Alejandra with only one eye left, always smiling and telling me everyday about how excited she was to get her new dress on Sunday so she looks good and can model for me.
Also the 79 year old Nicolas who just lost his legs four years ago when he was still digging for gold in the jungles of Panama, getting hit by falling rocks. He loves to play domino, teach me Spanish and categorizes his roommates into "Almas de Dios y Almas del Diablo" (Soul of God and Soul of the Devil)
Mrs. 101 still likes to put up her fancy hat every now and then with which she looks cool and still remembers the Lord´s Prayer.
These people and some more, including the ladies that run the place with so much love and care and little money, gave me another lifetime experience. What more can you ask for?
