At the beginning of this trip i set out the goal to develop the following: gratitude for the experience, humility, and understanding of Bocas del Torro and the people that live here. Gratitude has come to me the most naturally. I am grateful for this experience, for being able to see such a beautiful part…

As I write in this hammock, I am internally happy. The stringed lights shine down yellow streams of bliss and reflect upon the white ceilings and pillars. I feel peace at this very moment, knowing that today exhibited success in learning about the beautiful people of Bastimentos and in befriending the children playing in the…

OK today was a fun day. We woke up at 8 am, had breakfast (these delicious pancakes), and got on a boat to go snorkeling. The boat ride there was so nice and breezy, and when we reached the first stop (which was a beach), the water was incredibly clear and clean . There was…

Today is day five. This morning we began our day with a hike to Wizard Beach. One of the most memorable things we saw along the trail were all of the ants carrying food for their colonies. Arriving at the beach, only slightly bitten by ants, we were greeted by soft sand and the sight…

While watching the kids live through their daily lives, I realized how numb I’ve become to my privilege back at home. I talked a lot to a child named Jesus, and as we read picture books together, we were equally teaching each other our respective languages. For me, the Spanish I learned has become helpful…

As our trip goes on, we begin to learn, focus, and practice Learning Service and how we shift our comfort zones. Seeing the group practice to understand Learning Service has been so amazing. Understanding in Cristbol & Basti that we are not here to benefit or change people’s way of being, but instead, learn about…

Today was the first official day of our Panama trip! Despite the heat and humidity, I really enjoyed our boat ride to Bocas Del Toro. I’m really happy that everyone has learned a lot about each other already. My favorite part of today was meeting all of the kids at the Cristobál school. I was…

We just received a message from the field informing us they have settled into their program with Give and Surf. The group arrived in Bocas del Toro this morning and, after orientation, jumped right into supporting the after-school centers run by Give and Surf. They will be staying on Cristobal Island until Wednesday afternoon, at…