June 18th
Today was our first full day in Panama, and it has been very eventful! We started off the morning with a tour of the city as we learned about the history of this place. Panama is a country filled with so much diversity and culture! As we were walking through the city, we got the opportunity to witness Corpus Cristi which is a Catholic celebration ending a two-week-long festival. It was really beautiful to see! There was a marching band playing music, masquerades, and so many people crowded the streets. After looking around the city, we went to see the Panama Canal which was very cool, and then we began our journey to Basti. Being in Panama again feels so surreal for me. Before dinner, I sat down on one of the benches that overlooked the water and the mountains as I took a moment to soak everything in. I was in awe of the breathtaking view and so incredibly grateful that I had the opportunity to be here again. Everything feels really familiar as if I never left, but there’s also a sense of novelty and unknown. I am so eager to see what these next two weeks hold, and the connections and memories I get to make while being here.