Today the group and I went to “Cristobal” and I would describe the first day with the kids as beautiful chaos! The boat ride was about 30 min long and we were all pretty tired prior to our arrival. Nevertheless, the kids’ energy and curiosity was extremely contagious- there was not one dull moment with them. Whether the activity was making a paper airplane or simply drawing on the board, their jokes, comments and enthusiasm made it all the more enjoyable. I will say that both getting them to quiet down and understanding some of the kids’ mumbles in Spanish was difficult, yet on the way back we all agreed that even with the language barrier, the experience strengthened our Spanish and our world view. A highlight for me was teaching the kids how to snap photos on my digital camera. I adore photography so being able to share something that I am passionate about with children from across the globe will forever be a memory I cherish. I am looking forward to the rest of my two weeks in Panama and excited to learn more from / with the wonderful community of kids on the island!
~Laura Marques