Panama Day 5

2/19/20

Cleaning Cat Ears

Today was our first day at the clinic! Instead of working as taxis, Ali and I were post-op helpers. Our job was to clean out the wound with a disinfectant, apply ointment, clean ears and apply frontline (flea medication). At first I was a bit intimidated by the task, but after we did it a few times I realized it's no big deal. This job was way less physically taxing, which I appreciate after Day 2's workout, and it gave me more experience with the technical side of things. I felt like I was much more involved in the process today.





The clinic we visited today was very different from the first one we worked at. For one, there were many more awake animals. In the "lobby" section of the building, there were dogs and cats wandering freely. Most of the animals were pets of the volunteers, but there were some for adoption. I had a fun time just relaxing and petting the animals on our breaks. They were all very cute and friendly, aside from one sassy chihuahua.

Tonight we went out to eat at a Japanese restaurant. We all got bubble tea (boba), and I got a sushi bento box which was very delicious. Afterwards we went bowling which was also a lot of fun, even though I didn't play very well.

-Liz

Mouse Bowling

Spay Panama, el segundo día

Hola!

Today was el segundo día of working with Spay Panamá. Instead of doing a mobile clinic, though, we were at their full-time clinic in Panama City. There were many volunteers there today, including one professional photographer named David who has been volunteering with Spay Panama since 2005. Amazing!

My job today was to shave the bellies of dogs and cats that were muy chulos (very cute) and get them ready for their surgeries. Today was a much different experience than Sunday because we were able to talk with Panamanians about what they do at the clinic and have more responsibility with los animales. I loved it a lot! The highlight, though, was clearly cuddling with the teeny tiny orange kitten named Otis, pictured below. 😍

We finished the day with ramen and bowling! 🎳 Tomorrow, we’re back at the clinic in the morning and then we’re headed to Panama Viejo, which is the part of town in which the ruins of the very first Panama City establishments are found. I’m looking forward to climbing the one remaining tower, as it is supposed to offer an excellent view of the city.

Buenas noches, all!
-Cait

Bubble Tea and Bowling

Our evening outing included bubble tea and some really lousy bowling.  It was super fun!  Our official bowling names were Jimii, LEYZ, K and Ali and we all need to go bowling summer camp. :) 

Jimmi Stevens

La Clínica de Spay Panamá

Our first clinic day was such a learning experience. I had the surgical tool cleaning station, which tested my tolerance of icky things.  I survived!  Cait was in charge of belly shaving and Ali and Liz handled wound care.  We all had a busy, but rewarding day.  I loved seeing the same critters we saw last summer.  The 3-legged dog is still waiting to be adopted.  Anyone interested?  

He is super sweet and lazy.  

Jimmi Stevens

First Day at Spay Panama

Day Five in Panama

Today we volunteered at Spay Panama's clinic. When we arrived, they had us put on scrubs,  and I felt like I was a doctor or vet. Almost immediately we were put to work; I was stationed at Post Op. There we cleaned the wounds and the animals' ears. It was fun to have a job more involved with the care of the animals. Today was not as busy as the mobile clinic, but there was still quite a bit going on. When I had a little break, I was able to hold an adorable tiny kitten named Otis and play with some of the cats who live at the clinic.
Tonight we are going bowling!
-Ali

Panama Day 4: Diablicos

2/18/20

Tonight was a lot of fun. We went down to Casco Viejo for some shopping and then went to eat dinner and see the Diablicos performances. The dancing was fun to watch, and the music, although loud, was exciting and fun. I really like the Diablicos masks. The colors and intricate designs are very cool and they inspire me as an artist. I liked them so much I bought a mini wall Diablicos person.

My Wall Diablico 

I also enjoyed a new dish. I had a whole fish for the first time and I enjoyed it a lot. 

Panama Day 4: Biodiversity Museum

2/18/20

Today we visited the Biodiversity Museum "Biomuseo" in Panama. The first thing I noticed about the museum was the architecture. Unlike most museums, this museum was partially indoors and partially outdoors which I think really goes well with the themes of coexisting with nature and wildlife. 

In the first room, there were many sculptures of Panamanian wildlife. The Harpy Eagle statue caught my eye right away due to its size (it's massive). We would later learn that the Harpy Eagle is actually the National bird of Panama, and is classified as a nearly threatened species. 

 

I really enjoyed seeing all of the sculptures in this area. As an artist, being able to see art of this scale is just amazing. I also enjoy ancient animals, so learning about the prehistoric creatures was one of my favorite parts.

Indoor Exhibits

Biomuseo y Diablicos

Credit must be given where it is due! Ali knew about and asked to go to the Biomuseo in Panama City, and it was AMAZING. I left with my mind well and truly blown. Did you know that, when Panama emerged from the ocean via volcanic activity and connected North and South America, it changed the climate of the literal entire world? The WHOLE. WORLD. I didn’t know that! It’s actually insane to think about how much Panama has affected the lives of billions of people, and yet it’s a country that remains largely overlooked. Thanks for bringing us to the museum, Ali!

Following the museum, we had some down time in the afternoon (I snuck in some miles on the dreadmill— next race is March 15!) and then we got ready for dinner at Diablicos! Los Diablicos have their origin in the Spanish conquest of Panama, when they forced native peoples to convert to Catholicism. Diablicos, of course, means “little devils”. The idea behind them is that, in lieu of using language to convert the native peoples, they used dance to essentially say “these devils will get you if you don’t convert to Catholicism”. Now, the dances are a colorful, lively, and beautiful part of Panamanian culture. It was amazing to see the dances and costumes, as well as listen to the music! 10/10, would recommend.

Buenas noches!
-Cait

¡Viva la Cultura de Panamá!

Today we experienced el baile, la música y la comida de Panamá.  

                                         

                                         

Jimmi Stevens