Camas High School students learn the value of hard work in the Agua Fria community of Panama

After a rocky day of travel, we arrived to the community of Agua Fría on little sleep and in an unfamiliar place. However, that night we enjoyed our first of many delicious Panamanian meals. The next morning we attended a Catholic Easter mass where we were able to learn and experience how culture varies or stays the same all around the world. We were also able to share one of our traditions by creating an Easter egg hunt for the kids in the community. That was only the start of our growing relationship with Agua Fria.

That afternoon we began our first of four days of work on the court. Although at times the work felt overwhelming we able to form bonds with local workers and volunteers. Through daily challenges we learned more about the history and current issues of the community. After the court was finished, we were able to participate in more activities with the community outside of the work site. We learned tradition Panamanian dances, learned how to make hojaldres (fried bread), and took a day trip to the river. Through these activities we deepened our already present connections. On the final day in the community we held sports clinics for the kids from local schools. In the evening, we had an inauguration of the finished court. We were able to watch traditional Panamanian dances as well as dances from some of the indigenous women. We ate barbecue, played sports, and said goodbye to most of the community. The next morning we said our goodbyes to the family that helped host us. 

Although our time in Agua fría was short, what we learned from the community is something we will value for a lifetime. Something the community taught us a sense of working together and stepping up when needed. Even though the work was not mandatory for the community they still showed up everyday to work hard. Some were even traveling up to an hour from their homes to help us at the worksite. We were impressed by the work ethic and their ability to embrace a group of an entirely different culture.

We also learned how to have fun in spontaneous and unexpected ways. We were unfortunately left without a volleyball net but that small set back did not stop the locals from having fun. They instantly found the solution of bending a long plastic pipe to create a makeshift net. Mishaps like these occurred several times throughout the week (our mixer breaking) but the community never let the negatives overcome the situation and they were able to have fun despite them. 

One of the big takeaways from this trip is that language and cultural barriers don’t have to stop connection. There are so many way that our group was able to connect with this community. We connected through humor and shared interests despite some of us speaking little to no Spanish. We also saw the mutual interest in learning each other’s language. Several community members asked to be taught some English or were practicing their knowledge of the language. ~ Beatrice and Charlotte

“This experience is so much more than a court building project, but the moment of finishing the court has to be the high point. It wasn’t because our work was done - it was the realization that, now, all that hard work can be wrapped up and gifted to the kids of Agua Fria”. ~ John Hunt

“The highest point from the trip was finishing the court. Everyone looked overjoyed that we were finished. We all worked together to help build it so it was great to see it finished. It was also nice to see all the kids play on it and see how all the kids came together to play”. ~ Emma Chapell

“I think this trip changed me by giving me a new perspective of the world. I learned that the community is charged 50 cents per meter of water for water they don’t ever have and cannot give to the community (...). Every drop they use is thought about and weighed on whether they truly need that one drop for whatever they’re using it for or if they should save it for something else”. ~ Sophia Brown

“My favorite memory on this trip was connecting with the local kids, whether it was braiding hair, playing games, or taking pictures, I felt like that was the most valuable thing for me. Each night, when we would hang out with the little girls in the community, I felt like we all bonded really quickly and I hope these are memories we’ll each share after going home” ~ Lilly Langer
“Another favorite memory of mine was playing volleyball with the locals at the school. I have played volleyball for the past years and seeing how universal sports can be made me feel more connected to other places in the world and showed me how we are not that different. I had a lot of fun and laughed a lot w/the locals”. ~ Charlotte Fresh

“From this trip I have been able to learn so much more about myself and realize that I am stronger than I think I am. I have realized that I am able to push myself and do things that might test my limites. I have learned that I can do anything I put my mind to and nothing is impossible.” ~ Charlee Grinstead

“The first thing that comes to mind is swimming with Campeon’s youngest daughter, who was incredibly afraid of the water at first. Although I couldn’t speak much Spanish, I did my best to communicate with her in order to help her into the water. Eventually, she was kicking her feet in the water holding onto me trying to swim. This showed me that it doesn’t take much to build trust and a relationship with someone from another culture or community, not even a shared language” ~ Elliona Sanchez

“In my opinion, it was great to see how women and youth, both the community and volunteers, worked together to finish this project. The interactions they had throughout the construction was an unforgettable experience that all of the community is commenting on and expressing how thankful they are for having this experience” ~ Campeon Mosquera, community leader

“It was hard work that took months of preparation and a lot of problem-solving skills but in the end it was exciting to see the community uniting around the court and the kids reaction to now having a space to play sports” ~ Ivan Ferraro, community contractor

“I like to support my community every time I can, whether is cooking for church activities, or other community activities. When they asked me to lead the cooking committee for this project, I immediately said yes because I knew how much benefit this project would bring to the community. I really enjoyed seeing the volunteers try local food and asking for second rounds which showed me they liked what we prepared for them” ~ Silvia Chavez, food committee leader