Day 6: Second day at Casa Esperanza

"Maestro! Maestro! Levantame!" The kids were tugging at my shirt, asking me to pick them off the ground and swing them. We were at this amazing tree. At a distance, someone from Tampa would think it as a large tree with moss hanging down. But to the kids, it was called the "[Tarzan yell] tree." From afar, they would point to that tree and would yell out and beat their chests. I did not understand them at first. During that day, several kids and I attempted climbing some trees in the park. This one huge tree had long sinewy rope-like vines that hung from high branches. I tried tugging on them to check for stability; it wouldn't even budge. Then I took a running start and lunged onto a vine and...swung. The crowd of kids all yelled out the Tarzan yell and then I realized. This tree was the best piece of jungle the city could offer. In a matter of minutes, children were swinging through the vines, and more asking for help to get on the vines. Richard, Jon, and Mr. Mejias came over to help out with the picking up. And the crowd just grew. Personally, I love climbing trees. These kids reminded me of my own childhood; the challenge and fun involved with each tree. But this Tarzan swinging completed my tree climbing childhood experiences. "Como un mono!"

Finally, the ice-SCREAM was made and the kids ran from all directions to the center of the park yelling "Helado! Helado!" Our group organized an ice cream party as a farewell celebration for our time spent with them. We had refreshing Popsicles and conversed with our new friends. They talked about their love for 'futbol,' and we exchanged some English words for Spanish words regarding the major body parts. We pointed to our face, and said cara; they pointed to their cara, and said face. The children displayed much interest in learning English. As a matter of fact, the sentence they knew the most and at the top of their head was: Good morning, Teacher! We were glad these kids were getting proper educational exposure. They had a licensed teacher and great staff at Casa Esperanza. The kids are impacted by the worst influences from their neighborhoods. From gangs to domestic violence, they are brought up from the roots of poverty, the source of disadvantaged conditions. And they turn to this beacon of light, a center of help and advice, a House of Hope: Casa Esperanza.

Later that day, we went to the Smithsonian Institute. This center focused on the research of marine science. It was an international hotspot for marine research that attracted undergrads, graduates, masters, and phDs from all over the world. Even our tour guide was originally from Finland, but has stayed in Panama for several years because of her love for her research and role at the Institute. About 3.5 billion years ago, the Panama was formed and officially formed the 'bridge' between North America and South America. Up until now, we have heard the economic, political, and geographic features of being the bridge between continents. However, today we learned about the marine significance. When Panama was formed, it divided the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. This resulted in a high level of speciation, formation of new species, as one species diverged and evolved into two, or more, species. The Smithsonian Institute researches the biodiversity of Panama, comparing and contrasting marine and geo life between the Pacific side and the Atlantic side. The Institute also serves a tourist museum and is undergoing some renovations and extensions. Overall, I learned a lot about Panama's geographic past and enjoyed seeing the different species from the country's different ecosystems. Our tour guide took us to different exhibits all around and we got up close and personal with sloths, iguanas, turtles, sharks, and more.

The Three Musketeers

Sayeef Mirza
Jonathan Casanas

Richard Slamas

Billy Halaby