Day in the Life
Santiago-Escuela Anexa el Canada
by Colleen Godfrey
Community
Along with the four other WorldTeach Panama volunteers, I am living in the bustling town of Santiago. It’s located about four hours up the Panamericana from Panama City in the province of Veraguas. Santiago has everything you need while still maintaining a small town vibe. Grocery stores, internet cafes, fondas (inexpensive restaurants where you can get comida típica) and all kinds of stores are plentiful and can be easily found off of Avenida Central. There’s a big baseball stadium where locals go to cheer on the Veragüense team and although I haven’t been there yet, I’ve heard rumors of a movie theater somewhere in town. While being a blond-hair blue-eyed gringa makes me stick out around here, it is easy to feel comfortable and accepted into the community – coworkers, host family members and acquaintances have been quick to offer their help, invite me places, and insist that I simply must stop by their house sometime for a visit.
Host School
I work at Escuela Anexa el Canada, which just so happens to be the largest primary school in the whole country – there are upwards of 1,500 students! Fortunately there is a staggered schedule (Kinder and 4-6 grades come in the morning, Pre-Kinder and 1-3 come in the afternoon), so between that and the school’s spread out classroom buildings, large patio and gym area, it doesn’t feel overcrowded. There is a baseball field, soccer field and small playground area across the street where students like go after classes are ou
t.
Teaching Assignment
I work with all eight of the 6th grade classes. I team-teach with two Panamanian English teachers, which means I alternately lead classes on pronunciation and work as a teaching assistant during the other periods. As an assistant, I help with whatever the lesson of the day is – it can range from practicing a dialogue to introducing new vocabulary to reading dictations. It’s nice to have a balance between the two roles because my Panamanian co-workers are a great resource for learning about some of the logistical matters about classes (things like the schedule, curriculum, discipline), but I still get to be responsible for planning and carrying out some of the classes.
Living Arrangement
All of the WorldTeach volunteers live with host families from the community. Since host families come in all shapes and sizes, everyone’s situation is a little different, but the one common trait that stands out in my mind is how open and kind these individuals have been in welcoming us into their homes and treating us like family. I live in a about a 15 minute walk from my school in a home owned by Doña Carmen. She lives with her son and Chihuahua named Punky. Most families provide three meals a day, but since Carmen works long hours, I have a special arrangement where I can use the kitchen to do my own cooking.
Language Issues
I was fortunate enough to arrive in Panama with strong Spanish skills, so I have managed to steer clear of any major “lost in translation” moments. However, even having studied Spanish before, it’s been an adjustment to get used to the Panamanian accent (they tend to “swallow” some of their letters) and I am constantly learning new slang terms and vocabulary that locals use – the process of learning another language never ends!
Greatest Challenges
Being the first is always tough – as the first group of WorldTeach volunteers in Panama, we are starting from scratch! With no precedents established, this means that everything we do – whether it be figuring out our teaching role at school, developing community involvement projects, collaborating to stockpile teaching resources, or even sometimes just finding where to look for things around town – can be challenging. We have been able to work though most challenges by approaching them with creative thinking as well as trial and error. The important thing is to maintain an open mind and a flexible attitude!
Santiago-Esucuela Normal
By Megan Linehan
Community
I am here in the beautiful town of Santiago, Panama. Santiago has that small town feel where everybody knows each other, but it has all the amenities – stores, restaurants, movie theatre – that you could possibly want. Most things are within easy walking distance, but if you want to avoid the heat it’s easy to hop in a taxi or catch a local bus. Santiago is also centrally located, so it’s convenient to take a weekend trip to Panama City, the mountains, or the beach. 
School & Teaching Assignment
My teaching assignment is at the Escuela Normal. The Escuela Normal is a high school for future elementary school teachers and the students come from all over Panama. Every morning as I walk up the steps to school I am welcomed by the ornate façade of frolicking ladies and the watchful eyes of the two lions standing guard. It’s a very beautiful and historic site, which means that it is a protected historical monument. It’s great that the government wants to protect the building, but it is frustrating that we cannot hang any teaching materials on the classroom walls, lest the walls be damaged!
I am working with two grade 11 (or 5th year) English teachers here at Escuela Normal. They see their English classes four times a week, and I get to take over for one of those class periods. The main focus of my class is supposed to be conversation, and I also try to reinforce the grammar and vocabulary that they are working on in their regular classes. My teachers, Diamantina and Nixa, have been incredibly welcoming and receptive to the ideas that I have for lessons. The students are less enthusiastic about speaking English, but the confidence and participation is growing every week. In order to draw out the students with a real interest in developing their English skills I am also starting an after school program for grade 11 students.
Living Arrangement
I am living with a lovely family within walking distance to Escuela Normal. Maruquel and Jaime are both teachers at the school and have welcomed me into their home as a member of their family. I have my own bedroom in the back of the house where I get a nice breeze (so essential in this heat!), and I join the family for meals and we like to watch TV in the evenings. Maruquel also runs a small beauty salon out of her house, so if you need a haircut or a manicure she’s the person to see!
Language
My Spanish is pretty rusty. I hadn’t really used it in the ten years since high school, but it’s slowly coming back to me. My host family doesn’t speak any English so I’m forced to practice my speaking skills at home. I also have lessons with a Spanish teacher to give me the structure of a class setting; otherwise it’s too easy to put off studying for all the other things I need to do.
I’ve found that I have good days and bad days. There are days when I understand almost everything and feel really encouraged about the way my Spanish is coming along. Then I’ll have a day where everything sounds like gibberish and all I want to do is retreat to my room and watch movies or listen to music in English. I think it’s a normal part of learning a language, and, if anything, makes me more aware of how my students are feeling in the classroom.
Typical Daily Schedule
5:40am Resist pushing snooze alarm more than once. Immediately head to kitchen where my wonderful host mom has coffee and breakfast waiting for me. A post-breakfast cold shower finishes the job; I am now fully awake.
6:40am Catch ride to school with my host parents. We are usually the first ones there so I take the time to review my notes on how things went with my classes the week before. Since I only see each class once a week, I want to make sure that I’m getting the most out of the time I have with them.
7:00am Classes start. The normal class is 40 minutes long, but on Monday and Wednesday there are special schedules that cut class time to 35 minutes. I teach four classes every day. When I am not in the classroom I can usually be found in the teacher’s lounge – air conditioning and wi-fi make it a popular place to be.
12:35pm School is over for the day. Time to head home for a large lunch. By this time the heat has pretty much zapped my energy, so I like to lie down in front of my fan for a while and recharge.
3:00pm Head to local bakery for my Spanish lesson. This bakery has air-conditioning, iced tea and delicious brownies, so it is well worth the 25 minute walk to get there.
6:30pm Time for dinner and the news. Since my host mom does all the cooking I make sure to wash the dishes after dinner. Then we usually watch TV – Latin American version of game shows (Who Wants to Be a Millionaire, Wheel of Fortune), Canta Conmigo (American Idol, only with minors), or a soccer game.
8:30pm Back in my room. It’s time to prepare for tomorrow, maybe do some yoga, read a book, or watch an episode of a TV show on my computer. I always intend to be asleep by 10pm, but that never happens, so tomorrow I’ll be fighting with that snooze button again.