Two Out of Shape for Panama

Sophomores at St. Edward's University, Sana and Jimmy explore Panama and evolution via Study Abroad. Here are our stories.

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Final Reflection: Sana

This study abroad trip to Panama was so much better than I ever expected. I went into it with a lot of apprehensions mainly about whether or not I could even make the hikes (I’m really out of shape), if I could get through our “rustic” lifestyle for a whole week (at one point we had to pack a weeks worth of clothes in our backpacks because there weren’t enough horses to carry everyone’s luggage), and if I could acclimate to the culture. However, I was proved wrong from the second I got there! My Spanish was a lot better than I realized and after our first little hike I got some more self confidence since I did not quit in the middle of it. While there was one hike that I just could not make through due to altitude sickness in Boquete (a part of Panama high up in the mountains), I am still proud of myself for trying and successfully making every other hike. The hardest part of the trip for me was hiking out of the Darien because it was so hot and we were all a little sunburned and our hike through the Quetzal trail (since it’s quite mountainous there was a lot of inclines). I am so proud of myself for getting through both hikes and getting to learn about all the new species in the jungles and mountains. My favorite parts of the trip were our time spent in San Blas because it is so breathtaking and the culture of the Kuna Yala people is so beautiful. Also Boquete is gorgeous in general (I recommend everyone goes to both places at least once in their lives. Overall I think St. Edward’s did us really well and I will always appreciate this amazing study abroad trip!

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Final Reflection: Jimmy

These two weeks in Panama were a beautifully enriching experience for me. When I first woke up on May 15th, I was really anxious about what this trip would bring. I had never left the country before, and I was traveling with a group who were in majority strangers. It did not take long however for me to see how beautiful this country is and how friendly everyone, both in the group and the locals, were to me. This trip brought me once in a lifetime experiences, like watching a boat travel through the Panama Canal, trekking through a real jungle in complete darkness, hiking through a cloud forest, and staying multiple nights with 2 different indigenous people. I will certainly be telling Panama stories for a very long time. 
This trip forced me out of my comfort zone, which is something I’m very grateful for. Spending time in another place gives you more of an appreciation for the culture of others, and is an overall enriching experience. Thanks for reading about our adventures, I hope we were able to bring a little Panama to all you guys.

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Last few hours in Panama! It was a great scientific and cultural experience that I will never forget. St. Edward's really did us well with this study abroad.

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Last day with this cutie patootie!

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Coffee Plantation: Finca La Milagrosa

Today we visited the coffee plantation of Finca La Milagrosa in Boquete, Panama. Unfortunately Jimmy was too sick to come with us, so this post is all Sana! The first thing that popped out was how rustic the whole place was. After looking closer at everything and with further explanation from our tour guide I learned that the rustic appearance was due to all the recycled materials that were used. This plantation in particular is so unique because everything is made from recycled metal, from the stair case to the coffee roasters, the whole place had an air of wabi-sabi (thanks for the new term, Stevie). In the plantation we got to walk through and see the crops. Here they use a method of intercropping to combat parasites such as fungi or insects that kill off the crops. This means that along with the coffee plants other crops are planted such as banana trees or mandarin trees so that if a parasite does invade the crops not all of the coffee plants get ruined. After checking out the crops we stopped by the natural drying processor, the first step in preparing the coffee for roasting. After our tour outside we came in to see how the coffee was roasted and to have a little sampling. The coffee was so smooth and delicious! Plus I bought my mom a pack of Geisha Coffee, which is a very light roast and highly caffeinated. After looking around some more we headed out. I think the most amazing part of the whole coffee plantation tour was seeing all of this innovative technology simply made from recycled metal scraps.

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In the first picture we see the first step in preparing the coffee beans, which is through drying in a natural processor. Next is an leaf infected by a fungus commonly called Ojo de Gayo. In the third row I'm holding a bag of the green coffee beans that are most commonly exported and on the far right of the third row is an example of "bad" coffee beans. In the fourth row is a wall of awards as well as the brand of the coffee. And lastly we have a couple of cute Cowboys protecting the coffee roaster!

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Check out this coffee roaster made all from recycled metals!

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Touring a coffee plantation in Boquete, Panama! This coffee plantation was anything but ordinary seeing how all of the machinery and materials are recycled from all sorts of different objects.

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Walking into town in Boquete! Feat. Maribel The Coolest Roomie 🔺

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Checking out the fish market in Casco Viejo!

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Hiking along the Quetzal Trail via scary bridge 😖

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The town of Boquete Panama. A place so beautiful it is often referred to as a "Little Switzerland" and is a hotspot for retirement. With views like this it's easy to understand why 🏡🏤🏠

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Our last boat ride out of the Mogue Community and on the way to Panama City😢🚣🏽

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Arrived at the Hotel Ladera in Boquete! The last leg of our travels 😢.

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Quetzal Trail Pt. 1 feat. Sam! Unfortunately we did not get to see the Quetzal bird, but the place was gorgeous anyway!

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Sorry for the choppy video! This guy was moving too fast for pictures so I snagged a video. Here we have a Cane Toad(Rhinella marina). These are often used in ceremonies as hallucinogenics.

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Back to Panama City!