Seton Catholic High School learning the value of adventure and trying new things in the community of San Pedro, Panama

It was a quiet Wednesday in the Portland airport when, us, 19 teenagers from Seton Catholic walked in the door with passports and excitement in tow. We were about to embark on the trip of a lifetime, a trip that would be very unique as we would be going to rural Panama to do hard work and help give the community, and specifically its kids, a better future. We had no idea what to expect from this remote community, but the minute we arrived, the group was greeted with nothing but warmth and kindness.

At first, the community was a little shy as they didn’t quite know what to make of the new Americans, but as the week went on and connections were formed, both groups interacted as if they had known each other all their lives. Both groups live very different lives, yet so much can be learned from each other.

We were working with the community to build an athletic court. It required carrying many loads of heavy rock, sand, and cement. It took us a little while to get used to the heavy loads, but the locals jumped right in every day with 2 dozen workers to help work on the court. They knew how important this was for their community, so they took time out of their week to do hard physical jobs. Throughout the week, the locals also told us the history of their town. From that, we learned how hard they had worked to go from a jungle to a community with a fully functioning school. The locals were willing to work very hard to better the lives of their families and community. It really shows the value of working hard.

Besides working on the court, the other main way we spent our time was playing with the many kids in the community. The kids were shy at first, but when they warmed up, we couldn’t go anywhere without being followed by kids. The kids especially loved playing Uno and Jenga, but we played dozens of games with them. Throughout the many hours of playing with them, we were able to see how important it is to have a community and connect with others. Their community came together for this event, everyone helped, and it was a great example for us as a group to really support each other.

Being in Panama is very different from the Pacific Northwest where we call home. Both places have a lot of green, but very different kinds of green. A palm tree and a pine tree may be the same color, but are very different. That’s kind of how our trip was overall. Us and the community were both groups of people, with many things in common but living very different lives. We had to be curious and ask questions to get to know them and their environment better. The food and terrain were very different, and we had to try new things so we could understand Panamanian culture fully. This trip taught us the value of adventure and trying new things. 

So as our trip ended, we reflected on how much this trip has changed us. We reflect on all the ways we have learned and grown on this trip. We have learned how important hard work is, as shown by the workers and how much the community has grown. We learned the importance of community from being with the kids and bonding together as a group. We learned the importance of being adventurous and trying new things. Lastly, we got to see how valuable it is to be in the moment and have gratitude. With no phones for the trip’s duration, we had no idea about the outside world. We didn’t know about the news or the exciting Olympic results. We had to focus on what we were doing and it made us focus on being grateful for our time in the community and for our things at home. This trip has made a great impact on all of us and will carry into our lives at home as we remember all the great lessons and memories from these 9 days in Panama. 
~ Grace Ferrell, Seton Catholic HS, Student Volunteer

“What I learned from the community was resilience, resourcefulness, and adaptability. Kids also adapt, for example, figuring out how to play soccer in the smallest places. They are also very adept here at using the resources they have in creative ways and not wasting resources.” ~ Aaron Jenniges

“When building the court the locals never complained or stopped but instead worked their butts off for the court they wanted. The community’s work and dedication to finish the court really showed the culture here and how important work is to them.” 
~Remy Jenniges

“During this trip in Panama, I realized how similar countries and communities are no matter the distance. There are similar struggles and roots for happiness. The joy here is spread through unity and allowing joy to come naturally instead of searching for it like many in American culture.” ~ Rico George

“I have always been so focused on getting things done, to the point I would create things to keep me busy. Being here has been a bright light of doing things only because they need to be done or I want to do them.” ~ Carrie Farrell

“The kindness and hospitality showed me how blessed I was to experience this trip. It’s going to really hurt knowing this all ends tomorrow. I loved being able to just be a kid again and share a week of silliness and fun with the locals.” ~ GG Lougen

“My high point from the trip was forming close knit relationships with kids of the community. Even seeing how this one little girl, Isa, has connected so much with our group.” ~ Kingsley Williams

Community quotes:

“Your hard work will be remembered for eternity in this community. It is because of your hard work that the kids in this community will have a decent place to play sports and grow healthy.” ~ Candelario Mela, School Principal

“For all of us in the kitchen, it filled our hearts seeing all the volunteers enjoy our food and trying the Panamanian dishes we planned for them.” ~ Magalys Ovalle, Culture Committee Leader

“We are very thankful with the work that school parents put in this project but even more thankful with the volunteers that came from the United States. We imagine the heat and humidity were tough for them yet putting that amount of effort into building a court for a community that is not theirs, is something we will be forever thankful and you will always be welcome in our community.” ~ Manuel Rodriguez, Community Leader and President of the PTA