Road Trip

Pottery in La Pintada, Panama roadside stand

I love a good road trip. For me, no road trip is a bad road trip. I started from home at 4:30am and caught the Coaster to just outside the City, as close to the airport as possible, to avoid the ridiculous $30 fare from City center. I arrived at the airport only to find that the flight I was meeting was delayed over an hour. . It gave me a chance to check out the huge new airport terminal that is under construction. The terminal, new Metro line and a long overdue monster bridge over the Canal near Colon are the 3 big public works projects at the moment. After a while, the rest of the Global Brigades crew showed up and the volunteers from Penn State Medical College arrived, along with 3 big carts of medical supplies and equipment.

Med student volunteers tour a rural clinic in La Pintada

The drive to the beachfront resort of San Carlos was over the Centennial Bridge at Gamboa, which I had not enjoyed before – a longer route to cross the Canal, but far less traffic and a great view of both sets of Canal locks. As luck would have it, one of the new mega post-Panamax container ships was in the huge locks right below us. I swear, they almost look bigger from the air. Then, it was a winding drive through dense jungle, before re-joining the PanAmerican Hwy. I got to play tour guide, pointing out the local trees and sights and had some interesting chats with these first-year med students.

Piedra Gorda is home to the first Spanish mission in Cocle province

On the western side of the Canal, the PanAm is a 4 or 6 lane super highway, with billboards touting the classy resort properties, Rolexes,  BMWs and legal services for off-shore accounts. It hardly seems like this could be a country in need of assistance. Or, as I call Panama – the most over-developed developing country in the world. The truth is that very near the towering luxury beach front condos are lots of little villages without good water or sanitation facilities.

Don Geraldo is the perfect and innovative host

We stayed at a retreat center with a view of the beach. Unfortunately, a private golf course with concertina wire atop its fences prevented actually walking there or swimming. But, the volunteers were in good spirits and the food was good. I treated them to a pre-dinner lecture on various sanitation options and history. Not exactly the best aperitif, but it didn’t seem to diminish their appetites one bit. I got stuck in a bunk room, with 5 other men – 4 of whom snored – which was something I’ve not endured in a while. I slept surprisingly well.

Geraldos composting toilet uses the urine
stored in the 5 gal bucket as fertilizer and pesticide

The med students were the most motivated and punctual of any of the volunteer groups I’ve worked with and we departed 5 minutes EARLY. We drove further out the PanAm to Penonome and then to the clinic in La Pintada, where they were slightly aghast at the lack of medical diagnostic equipment. The staff have to rely more on human observation, which was maybe a lesson to these aspiring MDs and PAs. I was able to show them mangoes, bananas, cashews, coffee trees and Noni up close and personal, which none had seen before. La Pintado, as the name implies, is home to a large group of ceramic artists. They may not rival John Leas Hidalgo artists, but they are good and prolific.

Geraldos innovative improved cook stove and oven

We then headed to Piedra Gorda (home to the oldest Spanish mission in Cocle province) to visit Don Geraldo at his organic farm, besides his extensive coffee, mango, cabbage, onion, avocado and banana nursery and plantings, he has a worm farm, large improved cook stove and oven and a composting toilet, nearly identical to the Brigades design. His innovation that most caught my eye was a mens’ urinal, which was a bottle top and hose, leading to the urine drain line. He actually uses his collected urine as a foliar fertilizer and insecticide (mixed with baking soda) and I learned some tips on proper use (which mostly involves dilution), which I’ll pass along.

My primary purpose on the trip, besides being interpreter, tour guide and teacher to the volunteers, was a lunch meeting with Don Geraldo and two other sanitation gurus. All four of us are passionate about sanitation work and the discussion was spirited, sharing our collective experience. The result was perhaps a novel concept of merging some design features of a latrine kit I saw in Roldan, Peru near Will Jenson’s site of Quilmana and the urine diverting seat  that is used in composting toilets. The concept is to have a unit that is light enough to easily be moved (about 200 lbs), which brings the cost down dramatically and negates the need to build on site and to clean out the compost, while still delivering the nearly odorless quality of a dry bano. Brigades wants Cecilio and I to build a prototype, which I’m excited to do.

The rest of the week, the med students will be hosting multiple free clinics in the area. They came loaded with supplies, portable EKG, x-ray, microscopes and ultra-sound equipment. So, I jumped ship in Penonome and caught one of the big luxury cruiser buses back to the City and then a Coaster home. Tired and well satisfied.

Volunteers, big Wood and Chamber Pots

The Volunteers just keep on coming. This time, a mixed group from U of AZ, Pace and 4 Yalies. (I took it upon myself to deliver the news about the Ivy basketball play-off results - They wished Princeton well in the NCAA tournament). They got to experience mixing concrete by hand, mortaring concrete blocks and setting them, sawing rebar and pacay (a very tough wood). Once again, impressed by

their good hearts to use Spring Break for service to others and their work with a smile. Rather than party on a beach somewhere lapping up beer.

Benildo’s 84 year-old father is getting one of the new GB Bano units. He felt the drainage pit was too small, so he jumped in and doubled its size. He is one tough cookie !!
I'll be happy if I'm this strong at 74.

Here’s a load of wood headed to the mill, that is king size. Note that all logs are marked by inspectors as to point of origin and permit #, to insure that it is not wood pirated from the Guna or Embera reservations. Pirating wood has greatly diminished, but still goes on. Just ask my neighbor. When a single tree can be worth $10,000, the temptation is high.

The chamber pot in its simplest form

The Chamber Pot

In Piriati yesterday, I saw a woman carry a bucket out to her latrine and dump the contents inside. Not wanting to embarrass her, I asked my friend Jonathon if this was common practice. I was surprised to learn that it is VERY common practice – I’ve just never noticed it before. He says NOBODY goes to the latrine after dark. EVER. He seemed amazed that I didn’t know this after living in the 3^rd world for 6 years. Truth is – I’ve never had to use a latrine the whole time outside the US. I’ve always lived in a house with flush toilets – In San Luis, Lima and here in Torti. And none of the Volunteers who used a latrine ever mentioned it.

An elegant seat for the humble chamber pot - 1800's

My powers of perception duly chastised , being a Water & Sanitation guy, I decided to investigate the chamber pot and here’s what I found:

As a prelude to the toilet, the chamber pot has a long and noble history. We know that they have been used since 600 BC by the Greeks. They remain in common use in many parts of rural China and the Philippines (and other 3^rd World countries) today and are frequently given as wedding presents to assure the couple’s good luck. The device has gone by many names in English, to wit – jordan,  jerry,  guzunder, potty, or thunder pot. It was also known as a chamber utensil or bedroom ware. In Spanish, the simple “cubo” (bucket suffices.

Whatever the name, the concept and purpose is simple. It provides a convenient, indoor receptacle for human bodily waste, which can then be removed to a more suitable disposal site. In a wealthier home, it would be removed on demand by a “chamber maid”, who discretely covered it with a cloth or its own lid and carried it away. In the upscale parts of cities, the pots were stacked in the alley, awaiting the morning arrival of the Chamber wagon or Sweet wagon (possibly the origin of the modern “Honey Wagon”). In less opulent parts of town, the pots were simply emptied into the street gutter, where they joined horse manure and other waste. In rural settings they were carried to the cesspool or deposited in the outhouse.

The Chamber Pot came in all sorts. For the wealthy, they were elaborate porcelain affairs with matching tops, often set below an ornate chair with a large hole in the seat. For the less fortunate, they were a simple ceramic bowl, often with a convenient handle. The poor often used whatever cooking or mixing pot was available from the kitchen. Thus the expression “He doesn’t have a proper pot to piss in”.

There were even songs about the infamous pot, such as this British ditty:

Well, I took the crayfish home, and I thought he'd like a swim
So I filled up the chamber pot, and I threw the bugger in
In the middle of the night, I thought I'd have a fit
When my old lady got up to a-have a shit
Husband, husband, she cried out to me
The devil's in the chamber pot, and he's got hold of me

Children, children, bring the looking glass
Come and see the crayfish that bit your mother's arse
Children, children, did you hear the grunt
Come and see the crayfish that bit your mother's cunt
It's the ending of my story; I don't have any more
I've an apple in my pocket, and you can have the core

Although, now that I think of it, I did use a cup or bottle on occasion to avoid the long hike to the basement bathroom in Witherspoon Hall late at night.

Ipeti Intrigue

Too adorable not to be the lead photo

If you’re a little kid in Ipeti, Panama, you have no TV or video games or even much in the way of toys. So, you go out with your brothers and sisters and make your fun. In this case, it was knocking mangoes out of the tree. The brothers did most of the throwing and poking, but the girls collected the fruit and retrieved the throwing sticks. It looked

like great fun and they even got a few mangoes. And a mango hat (left).

Kitchen sink and counter top

Just 6 weeks after they broke ground, the new house for the newly-wed brother and his bride is complete !! Some last minute touches included a vent in the bathroom (good thinking) and a wash basin on the back porch to minimize grime inside. Total cost was just around $5,000 , as they had estimated. Turns out, they already owned the land, so

Front door on and locked. BAM !! DONE !!

that it. No mortgage, but still some tile work and painting. The couple moves in this week, with furniture gifts from others in the family.

Sections of palm tree make excellent seats

A big old palm tree had to be taken down in Ipeti. But nothing went to waste – the fronds were used for roof thatch. Trunk sections make great seats or stepladders. They even made some slabs from near the base for table tops, which with be covered in resin.

Or a non-OSHA approved step ladder

The community work party finished the thatch on the new Casa Comunal (meeting hall) today and hope to finish the floor this afternoon. Meanwhile, a group of ladies cleaned the elementary school. Wouldn’t it be nice to have such community spirit in the US?

Another fine group of Global Brigades volunteers showed up to work on the Bano units in Ipeti. This group was from UNC Chapel Hill. After a class on general sanitation and composting toilet 101 from Prof Goyo and a brief walk to point out interesting features, they went right to

work.

My good friend Don Pablo couldn’t believe my camera would make movies. So, I took one of him and showed it to him. I only wish I had video of him watching it !! Like a little kid .     Click here for video

I couldn’t resist this scene of thatched roofs with 3 big Ciebo trees in the background. Near Huancucho, Panama, just off the PanAm Hwy.

Around Pueblo Nuevo

This is what community looks like in the Embera indigenous village of Pueblo Nuevo, Panama, Every day, the women who have time gather at the traditional round thatched Casa Comunal to watch any pre-schoolers who need watching, cook a meal for everyone and work together on their crafts, which they sell. It looked like a happy scene to me – plenty of laughter, chattering and likely some gossip. This frees the young mothers to catch up on house chores or shop, etc.

Imagine if we trusted each other and cooperated and helped each other more, instead of feeling like we must be totally self-sufficient islands.

Imagine…..

Stetson Brigade

We had 22 terrific volunteers from Stetson working in Pueblo Nuevo on the new Bano units (composting toilet, shower and wash tub). It was a HOT and humid day, but they troopered on. It was a delight for me to spend the day with them. They are bright, hard-working and really interesting. Also asked a TON of questions, which I enjoy.

It says a lot about these college kids that instead of spending their Spring Break at the beach lapping up beer, they have chosen to explore a new country and culture and do some good and promote international understanding. Lord knows, we need all of that we can get with Trump at the helm. They give me hope in their generation.

Way off on the edge of Pueblo Nuevo, I found this old composting toilet. Benildo said it was built 10 years ago. Same kind of seat as I used in Peru and good overall construction. Looks like it was used until both sides filled up and then abandoned. The hut next to it is empty. Next week, I’ll use it as a demonstration of what the (very) well mellowed compost looks like. So not a total loss.

This is the classic NGO latrine, built from corrugated metal. Hot and stinky as can be. A couple of the volunteers tried to use it, but turned back by the odor when they got to the door. It really is hard for me to imagine how anyone uses these things. Can they hold their breath that long ??

This is the standard shower area in this area of Panama. Metal or plastic side walls with no roof. A small concrete “shower pad” at left. You dip a bucket in the water barrel and pour it over your head. Kinda like that Ice bucket challenge, but not so cold.

There’s a new colt on the block by my cottage. He and Mom seem to be doing well. I’m also seeing many young calves in the cattle fields. Must be spring.

More Kuna

Kuna Beads 411

Inquiring minds wanted to know the low down on the beads that the Kuna women wear on their forearms and calves. The nice Kuna lady seated next to me on the bus today explained: Each row is a separate "bracelet", that is tied with some string left over. The next row is tied all the way down. Then, the loose ends are tied/woven together to form the whole thing. They do untie and remove them about every other month, sometimes changing the pattern. Kinda like US women might redo their hair or nails. If weight is gained, they just add a few more beads to each row. As far as this lady is concerned, they serve no useful purpose - just tradition. 

There was LOTS of color at the "Kuna Junction" bus stop today.
Including the bougainvillea backdrop.

Then, when I asked her if they made the arms/legs warm, she explained that if you dip them in water, they actually cool the arms and legs for some time. That sounds useful to me.
Since the tying and untying is difficult to do on yourself, helping a friend is a sort of female bonding.
In any case they certainly add color to the Kuna wardrobe.

That was all the info I could get before she fell asleep on my shoulder. She had been up since 3am, taking a boat from her village to the Junction.

More Kuna trivia

The Kuna language was strictly a verbal tradition, with no recorded writings until two Spanish linguists (Batista & Wallin) studied the language and produced an alphabet and spelling guide in 1974.
The Kuna now feel that the cunning linguists were mistaken in their spelling of their tribal name. They say it should be Guna and not Kuna. 

Understandable, since the k and g sounds are virtually identical. Kind of the same as how the number 20 is spelled "vente", but sounds like "bente", in Spanish.

Anyway there is a movement afoot to get the tribal name officially changed to Guna.

Another interesting Kuna/Guna language tidbit is that they use only 5 vowel and 7 consonant sounds, compared to English with 20 vowel and 24 consonant sounds.

Here is a classic example of the Kuna (or Guna) "mola" - an intricately layered and sewn patch that is worn by the women front and back of their very thin blouses that they wear when outside the villages.

March Brigades and Construction

Team Goyo worked well and with a smile

The first of 6 groups of Global Brigades volunteers arrived to help with the Bano units (compost toilet, shower and wash sink) in Ipeti. Todays’ group of 24 was from Northeastern Univ. in Boston. Other groups will be coming later in the month from U of AZ, Yale, Stetson, UC Santa Clara and Auburn. They come for just a week

Team Captains - all expert masons - are also my good friends
L-R: Secairo, Don Pablo, Carlos, Oscar and Didiel

of “Voluntourism” – not like the Peace Corps experience of being imbedded in a community for 2 years, but still a good taste of development work and many experiences packed into the week. Nor do many speak Spanish, which really limits their interactions with the local folk. Most of the Brigade started construction on 6 new units, while Team Goyo put the finishing touches on another 6 and trained the families in how to use the composting toilets properly.

Drying coffee beans

My team got to see the coffee plantation and coffee fruit drying in the sun and how each fruit must be peeled to release the bean inside. Starbucks will never be the same for them. They also watched the community sawmill in operation and got to experience the “full nasty” of a conventional latrine – most couldn’t get within 5 feet before retreating. They will never look at their nice

Coffee tree in full bloom

clean flush toilet without a little appreciation. That is a big part of the week-long Brigades experience – seeing another culture up close and personal – not like most tourists.

Kitchen sink and countertop

 Neighbor’s house construction is moving right along. At just the beginning of week 5 since they broke ground, the floors are done – tile will come after the newlyweds move-in. Kitchen sink and countertop complete, along with septic tank and back patio. Electric still needs work and the bathroom will get tiled and completed this week. So it looks like a 45 day construction project; $5000 for the house and $6000 for the land. No mortgage. Sweet.

I always enjoy seeing the Kuna women out and about. They wear their traditional outfits so proudly. All similar, but all unique – black skirt with green print, light blouse with VERY elaborate and unique “molas” front and back, beaded calves and forearms and red scarf. In the village, they usually just wear the skirt and are barefoot. But this is their “out on the town” outfit. Gold nose rings used to be the fashion and many older women have them. But, not so popular with the younger generation.

Mixed Bag

Construction near a station. Green screens are safety nets for workers

Panama Metro construction

The first line of the Panama Metro subway, which I get to ride anytime I’m in the City, proved so successful that a second line was started about a year ago. Line 2 is totally above ground and elevated and MUCH

Finished column with top support

longer. Construction is progressing rapidly. They hope to complete in 2018, which from what I see, is totally probable, given that about 1/2 of the route has completed track.

Construction is completely modular. First a 10 ft diameter hole is drilled in the ground for each support pylon by an enormous moveable drill rig. That is filled to ground level and a round pylon, with a massive amount of

Finished track section

steel rebar is cast in place, using slip forms. Then, the top cross piece is also cast in place. Finally, huge sections of precast track are shipped to site and lifted onto the cross beams by gigantic twin cranes.

It’s been quite a treat for me to watch the process unfold.

Another Interesting Bus Person

One of the things that improves the 4 hour bus ride into the City are the people I meet. I really enjoy talking with the locals and get a lot of otherwise unavailable insight that way. Today, my partner across the aisle was Jorge Batato, grandson of a slave brought in from Antigua to work on the Canal. His father also worked on the Canal, as did he  for 40 years. His wife was housekeeper for the family of one of the Canal executives. Talk about family tradition.

He just retired 2 years ago from his job as Captain of one of the dredging barges, worked his way up from deck hand. He has a Canal pension and Social Security, so I’m guessing he’s sitting pretty. He also owns his home in one of the residential communities that the Americans started for workers to encourage home ownership (exporting the American Dream) and even gave mortgages, which would not have been available otherwise. His only complaint about the American ownership was that blacks were paid less than whites for the same job. This practice stopped when Panama was given control of the Canal in 1999. Hard to fathom an American outfit discriminating like that in the 90’s. But now he worries about his pension, due to corruption in the Panamanian company.

He also witnessed the US invasion (Operation Just Cause) up close and personal. He was at his parent’s apartment, when it was hit with US missiles. He said it was crazy - there was no reason to destroy an apartment building of relatively poor people. HE said the soldiers were “ very mean” and treated them badly , offering little medical help.

He made no bones about his anger at the US regarding El Presidente Trump. He chewed me out pretty good “How could you be so stupid?”. His fear (and the fear I hear from others) is that Trump will hurt the world economy and maybe start a war and possibly use nuclear weapons. I had little to offer in defense, except “I didn’t vote for him”.

The only thing that saved my hide was telling him about Peace Corps and the water & sanitation work I’m doing. He liked that and gave me his address (about 3km from the Peace Corps office) and phone number so I can have dinner some time. His wife makes a killer ceviche, I’m told.

Whip Scorpion

Family Tradition

I just found these two roaming the cottage. I assume they are prodigy of the larger resident found last year. Lest you think they’re spiders, that mystery was solved last year when I discovered they are actually “Whip Scorpions”  nontoxic to humans, but voracious insect eaters.

So, between these guys, the geckos, bats and froggie – who needs an exterminator? They do all my bug control for free.

Beiber Comes to Panama

The local radio, TV and road side billboards and banner are all blaring the message “Beiber is Coming”, “BEIBER is COMING”. Like it was the Second Coming of Jesus or something. On the bus today, two teenage girls were screaming “Justin Beiber, Ah Dios Mio” when we passed a billboard.

I thought the kid was dead and buried by now. Just not so. I’ve never seen the attraction. Or any discernable talent. Unless singing by autotune passes for talent these days. I’m guessing it’s all about the hype. And I’ll give his PR staff credit  they know how to build a mountain of hype.