The Panama Adventure

Doing Good Deeds

Posted on February 28, 2014 by Kris Cunningham

I recently met someone who takes doing good deeds extremely seriously. I met Tom McCormack and learned a bit about all the amazing things he does in Panama.

Tom McCormack and Hydeé, discussing a wheelchair for her student.

It started with my good friend Haydeé who is a special ed teacher. She has a student, a young boy who is unable to walk and is carried everywhere by his mother. She asked me if I had any idea of how she could get this boy a wheelchair so he would be less dependent on his mother, and would then be able to attend school for more than a short time every day.

I remember hearing about someone from a video by my friend Ryan, and reading about someone on Chiriqui Chatter, and a bit of research led me to Tom McCormack’s WEBSITE. Within hours I had a reply to my email and an invitation to meet Tom at his warehouse.

When I arrived at the warehouse he and an assistant were very busy cleaning and repairing wheelchairs. He had a small wheelchair that looked right for the child, and after a short phone call with Hydeé to verify some facts the wheelchair was put in the line for repairs.

This morning Haydeé and I visited Tom in his office workshop. He has a small room full of prosthesis parts, a parallel bars, a work table, and a bit of space for a chair and his assistant’s desk. Tom was busy working on a leg prosthesis for a man, and another was waiting outside for an arm prosthesis. Tom gets donated parts that are the receptacle for the end of the limb, and I also saw some artificial feet, but he often fabricates a lot of the prosthesis himself from PVC pipe, metal pipe, and any other parts that will work.

Both times that I’ve seen Tom he has been a whirlwind of activity. He works harder as a volunteer than most of us work on our regular jobs! He told me that he spends half his time in the US, and half his time here. In the US he collects all the medical equipment he can find, loads it into containers and has it shipped to Panama. When he is here he works on repairing equipment and distributing it to people in need, usually the poorest citizens of this province.

He told me that right now his biggest needs are hearing aids and breast prostheses. He also collects glasses, wigs (for cancer patients), and any sort of medical equipment – prostheses, beds, walkers, wheelchairs, crutches, etc. And, of course, money is always welcome to help cover his costs of collecting items and shipping containers.

Tom first came here 20 years ago as a master beekeeper, to help Panamanian beekeepers be more productive. When he saw that things often discarded in the US would be so useful to people here he started bring clothing, and then medical equipment. From there is has grown to an organization of many volunteers both in the US and Panama, and at least a dozen full containers have been shipped.

I am looking forward to learning more about Tom McCormack and everything he does. Unfortunately he’s leaving for the US next week, but I know he’ll be back. Meanwhile, who knows. Maybe I can find some sources of donations among my US contacts.

If any of you want to support this very worthy cause with either donations or equipment, go to Tom’s website. His contact information is there, along with instructions on how to send money by either check or Paypal. If you support this effort you know that everything goes to help people who really need it!

Posted in health care, Miscellaneous, Panama | Tagged crutches, medical equipment, prothesis, Thomas L.and Linda J. McCormack Foundation, Tom McCormack, volunteer, wheelchairs | 3 Comments

A Panamanian Farm

Posted on February 26, 2014 by Kris Cunningham

Yesterday my friend Cedo wanted to go up to her finca (farm) which is about 20 minutes south of Volcan, not far from Cuesta Piedra. I was curious to see it, so off we went. It’s a nice drive through a beautiful area, and she told me a lot about people in the area and what the farms produce – mainly dairy and cacao, and some fruit.

On the road in front of the farm are three little houses. Cedo’s son lives in one of them when he’s not in Panama City (where he spends most of his time). Another is rented to a lady from Mississippi who works from home on the computer. She’s been here about 1 1/2 years, loves it, and is trying to convince her mother to extend her visit here and not return to Mississippi. The third is rented to a lady from Spain who works for her church doing outreach and talking to people.

The farm itself has cows, chickens, and pigs and is cared for by an Indian man, his wife and three sons who live on the property.

The caretaker was roping the bull to the fence. Apparently he has a bad temper so he thought it was better to keep him out of trouble while the cows left the milking area. He was making quite a racket and bellowing loudly when we arrived.

The milking area, and the beautiful view behind the farm.

Milking is done for the afternoon, so the cows are starting to make their way back to their pasture.

Every tree is covered with bromiliads and other plants.

She has one of these interesting trees that makes big balls. I forget what it’s called, but people make water containers, cups, and bowls from the balls.

The chicken area. The rooster had some loud things to say, but the two geese were by far the noisiest.

It’s surprising how much racket a couple geese can make!

Cedo, the caretaker, and his son are discussing the chickens.

The baby chickens were small enough to get through the fence and run around.

The caretakers house. Two adults and three kids live here.

The back of the house – the kitchen and cooking area.

The pig enclosures.

Some of the piglets were running around and playing with each other.

This sow didn’t want to go back in her enclosure so she was squealing and protesting loudly! He just went on with his other work and managed to coax her in later.

Another sow with her piglets.

It was a fun and interesting afternoon. I enjoyed seeing what went on at the farm, and I liked meeting the people. Cedo says she is very happy with her caretaker and his family. He has a sweet smile and a very gentle way with the animals which made me like him immediately. I only met the one little boy but he is a cute as can be, and was right there with his dad helping with the work. He told Cedo that school started this week and he likes his class, and he promised to study hard and learn a lot.

After a whole afternoon with Cedo though, all in Spanish, my brain was tired of concentrating on understanding and communicating! She helps me a lot though, and corrects me when I need it which I really appreciate. Most Panamanians are too nice and won’t say anything even when you ask. I still have a lot to learn but I’m so encouraged that I understand a lot more than I used to.

Posted in culture, Exploring the Area, Panama | Tagged chickens, dairy cows, finca, livestock, Panamanian farm, pigs | 4 Comments

Moving Abroad – Health Care – NY Times Article

Posted on February 24, 2014 by Kris Cunningham

I was contacted recently by Tim Gray, a writer for the NY Times. He’s an excellent journalist, a really nice guy, and I’ve enjoyed our conversations and correspondence a lot. He’s written an article about health care and insurance options that should be very interesting to those of us living abroad, and to those thinking of making such a move.

http://www.nytimes.com/2014/02/22/your-money/the-dream-of-retiring-abroad-with-good-health-care.html?_r=1

You’ll also notice that Holly (a fellow blogger) and Scott were mentioned regarding their experiences with health care here.

You start writing a blog having no idea where it will lead and who you will meet! We have also had the pleasure of meeting quite a few of my blog readers who have visited the area, and we’ve had so much fun.

Posted in health care, Miscellaneous | Tagged expat, Health care, health insurance, insurance options, living abroad, NY Times, Tim Gray | Comments Off

Motmots and Tutarones, a bit of Panama Wildlife

Posted on February 23, 2014 by Kris Cunningham

We see so many birds here! A frequent visitor and one of my favorites is the Blue-Crowned Motmot. They are a bit larger than most of the yard visitors, very quiet, and usually visit singly or in pairs. Like all the birds here, they love papayas.

A handsome fellow on the orange tree.

Looking for papaya scraps that may have fallen from the bird feeder.

Notice the very interesting tail!

This is a typical look, sturdy with a flatter looking head than most birds and a thicker, strong beak.

It’s summer and dry season, and something interesting has returned. I’ve never heard anything quite like it. At sundown a whistling starts in the woods. The local folks call them tutarones. I believe they are a kind of cicadas, though I can’t find any information on line. I’m very curious to learn more about them.

This is a video with nothing to see but a view of the woods by our house, but turn up the sound so you can hear the whistling, and also some bird calls. There’s always something new and interesting around here!

Posted in bird watching, insects, Panama, wildlife | Tagged birds, Birdwatching, blue-crowned motmot, Chiriqui, cicadas, insects, motmot, nature, tutarones | 5 Comments

Weekly Photo Challenge: Threes

Posted on February 21, 2014 by Kris Cunningham

Weekly Photo Challenge: Threes

IN A NEW POST PUBLISHED SPECIFICALLY FOR THIS CHALLENGE, SHARE “THREE.” If you want to try a three-picture story, great! If not, try three images of the same subject taken from different perspectives, three images of the same thing at different times, or even a single image inspired by “three” — three flowers blooming in a line, three dogs frolicking at the park, three cars waiting at a stoplight.

What is on my door??!

It’s one of the biggest I’ve ever seen.

If you look more closely though, you can see it’s really an interesting and beautiful grasshopper.

Posted in Photo Challenge, photography, wildlife | Tagged photography, postaday | 10 Comments

Weekly Photo Challenge: Treasure

Posted on February 21, 2014 by Kris Cunningham

Weekly Photo Challenge: Treasure

What do you treasure? What’s most important to you? IN A NEW POST CREATED SPECIFICALLY FOR THIS PHOTO CHALLENGE CAPTURE SOMETHING YOU TREASURE.

This little Buddha statue was a gift. It has sat on my desk for years to remind me of things I have been taught, and to remind me to keep my head and mind straight. My mind wanders, negative things get in my head, and I don’t stay well on the path but at least when I see the little statue, or rather when I take the time to actually notice it and think about what it means, maybe I do better for a time.

The teachings are the real treasures, but the statue is a treasure for reminding me.

Posted in Photo Challenge, photography | Tagged Buddha, photography, postaday, treasure | Comments Off

Weekly Photo Challenge: Selfie

Posted on February 21, 2014 by Kris Cunningham

Weekly Photo Challenge: Selfie

For this challenge, snap a selfie with your cameraphone or camera. Feel free to get creative and clever, and if you don’t want to share a photo of yourself, think of a way to approach this challenge in a different way. (Hint: silhouettes and shadows are your friends.) A selfie doesn’t have to be all about you; it can reveal much more, given the elements you choose to include.

We decided to give this selfie another go. Maybe we could get everyone looking their best. But, when one person is responsible for the camera, another only wants to look at the most interesting thing that catches his eye, and the third is at the mercy of the other two, it’s more challenging than one would think!

He wants to look right!

Maybe if we put him between us he’ll look straight ahead. Ahh… no, there is something interesting to the left.

and now there is something else interesting to the right.

We finally decided to just look where he was looking (though I also had to check the camera out of the corner of my eye)

I think that’s as good as it’s going to get with this project 😀

Posted in family, Photo Challenge, photography | Tagged family, grandchildren, photography, postaday | Comments Off

Weekly Photo Challenge: Object

Posted on February 21, 2014 by Kris Cunningham

Weekly Photo Challenge: Object

In this week’s challenge, I’d like you to use one tangible object as both your inspiration and subject. It can be the obvious focal point of your shot. Or you can get creative and find other ways to feature your object — the only requirement is it must be somewhere in your frame. THIS WEEK, IN A POST CREATED SPECIFICALLY FOR THIS CHALLENGE, SHARE A PHOTO OF ONE OBJECT.

This is one of the few objects that came with me to Panama. It’s a little box that I bought on a trip to Venice, Italy with my daughter a few years ago. The top is Murano glass, specifically Millefiori (a thousand flowers), a very beautiful but complicated type of glass work. (check out this video on how millefiori is made) I love glass (even considered a career as a glass artist) so I had a great time seeing all the gorgeous glass in Venice.

This object is also significant because this was my first trip to another country. We had such a good time and the people were wonderful, and I lost my fear of “foreign” places. Because of this, I was able to consider living in another country.

So, it may be a small object but it represents a lot to me.

Posted in Photo Challenge, photography | Tagged Italy, Murano glass, photography, postaday, Travel and Tourism, Venice | 5 Comments

Return to Panama

Posted on February 20, 2014 by Kris Cunningham

We’re back home after our trip to the USA. This is the longest stretch of time away so far (6 months). I always wonder how it will feel, and it’s usually something I didn’t expect that strikes me the most.

For the first day or two I had to remind myself to greet people in English.
People are TALL! Panamanian people tend to be smaller so it felt very different when most people were my height or more.
I saw a lot of tattoos and piercings and occasionally smelled cigarette smoke, something quite rare in Panama. (I also noticed that the price of cigarettes is quite astonishing!)
It’s quiet. I woke up this morning to the neighbor’s rooster crowing, doves cooing, hummingbirds fussing, and a number of other birds singing, chirping, and calling, and realized I hadn’t heard that for a while.
It’s COLD! Of course it is. It’s winter up there, but I have become even more of a wuss after months of constant warm weather.

When I go back I always have a list of things to bring back. Since I’m bigger than the Panamanian women it’s hard for me to find clothes and impossible to find shoes for my size 12 feet. On this trip I came back with –

Shirts – I found a great breathable, sun blocking, cool, comfortable shirt at the Columbia store for $60. I found two more on ebay for $25, much more affordable for me.
Shoes – I love Keens (also found on ebay at good prices) Now I have two new shoes and a pair of sturdy hiking shoes.
Cold weather clothes – two long pants and two long sleeve shirts that can double as underwear when needed for cold protection. Since I also get cold at higher elevations here these will be great to have.
Bike toys – a bike computer and heart rate monitor, and another pair of bike shorts from REI. I also got two headlamps (flashlights you wear on your head) for adventures in the jungle or who knows what else.
Backpack – I think in most of the travels we want to do will be much easier with backpacks. My $60 one I bought here works great, but everything we saw there was a lot more expensive. So, a bit of internet shopping, and another like mine was waiting in CA for my husband.
Things that smell good – my neighbor said perfumes, bath gel, creams, etc are a lot more expensive here than in the US so she asked me to get her a few things. I had fun picking put a bag full of nice things, and she doesn’t know that there is another bag full that may appear for her birthday or Christmas 😀

Everyone seems to have a shopping list when they go back to the US. We can find almost everything we need here but sometimes there is something – a certain spice, a favorite brand of clothes, your cat’s favorite treat, that special foot cream. The list is different for everyone. We can shop on line and have things shipped here if necessary, but if you’re going north anyway it’s easy to pick up those few things.

It was a great trip back and I had such a wonderful time with my family! (I have more photos that I may get around to posting.) But, it’s also really good to be back home. Here I feel a different calmness, happiness, joy of living, and sense of community. I love the greetings and the smiles that light up faces. I love feeling like I belong, that I’m accepted. It’s funny. I always felt like a foreigner in my own country. Here no one cares if you are Christian or atheist, if you are gay or straight, if you are rich or poor, if you are young or old, if you are light or dark, if your house is fancy or modest, or any of the other factors we usually judge people by. They only care if you are friendly, kind, and have love in your heart. It’s really easy to feel at home here.