Greetings from Cocle! The Volunteers have now been in their respective communities for three full weeks! Time seems to have flown by for Project Staff as working with this motivated and talented group of Volunteers has made our job a pleasure.  This past week Volunteers attended "midterm" in Penonome.  During midterm they got to call home if they wanted to, check e-mail, catch up with other AMIGOS buddies and learn all about what their peers have been up to in community. In reflecting back over the first half of the summer, the Volunteers left midterm ready to re-engage themselves and confront the challenges that face them, finding comfort in the camaraderie and advice shared by their fellow AMIGOS Volunteers. 

We are proud to report that our Volunteers hit the ground running this summer. In their first three weeks the work completed has been astonishing.  Each partnership has taught three weeks of campamentos (day camps for children) organized around specific weekly themes. The first week the Volunteers focused on getting to know their communities.  During the second week our Volunteers planted educational gardens that included squash, green beans and cilantro. These gardens were used to discuss the nutritional value of vegetables and fruits. Furthermore, during this second week the volunteers began making organic fertilizer that will be used to replenish the soil with the necessary nutrients, allowing the local youth to replant the garden according to the harvest cycles. Week three in the community was focused on recycling. 

In addition to organizing campamentos, the Volunteers have served as catalysts for community organization. Every community hosting Volunteers has submitted their applications for their respective Community-based Initiatives (CBI), and all applications have been approved by Senior Staff.  Materials that AMIGOS has purchased to support the communities in realizing their CBIs have been delivered.  Volunteers have supported their communities at every step in this process and many have already held movie nights, organized raffles, and coordinated dances to ensure adequate funds would be raised to complete the projects.

As if campamentos and CBI organizing is not enough, our joyful Professor Mendoza (reforestation expert extraordinaire) has been to our 14 new communities in Anton.  In each of these communities, Professor Mendoza of Circulo Verde has worked with the Volunteers and local youth to coordinate the planting of a variety of 100 native trees! AMIGOS looks forward to watching these trees grow simultaneously with the Volunteers and Project Staff.

Finally, Saturday, July 23rd, was the project's 7th annual FiestAmbiente! Each Volunteer partnership attended with members from their community to share a project, in fair-style format, they were proud of.  Various communities shared their typical dances and traditional costumes.  Other artisans presented and taught the process of making their unique goods.  Various musical members of Panama Verde presented as well.

At midterm Volunteers were reminded about how fast their final weeks in community would pass. As a Project Staff we know they will continue to work efficiently and effectively, so instead of pushing the Volunteers to work their days away we encouraged and reminded them to take the time to slow down in their communities and enjoy the small things. Volunteers are encouraged to reach out to new community members and relax into the campesino way of life, a life that they will never forget having lived, but will more than likely, never live again. Hasta Pronto (See you soon!)