Throwback: Sambu

I was digging through half started blog posts and stumbled upon this lil' gem.  Enjoy!

Last April (I did say throwback...) I headed out to visit my friends Kramer and Nate in the Darien.  The Darien is the far eastern province of Panama that borders Colombia.  They live in an area called Sambu.  They have two indigenous groups in the area, the Wounaan and the Embera.

To get to their area it’s 6 hours on a bus from Panama City on the sometimes gravel and pothole filled Interamerican highway.  You know, the highway that runs from Alaska to the tip of Argentina with its only gap in between Panama and Colombia.  From there it’s another hour in a van, 4 hours in a boat, and then a half hour walk.  The boats go twice a week on an irregular schedule and high tides on the Pacific side often make the ride more… exciting than it need be for the size of the boat.

Boat ride in.  The boat out was uncovered and about half the size. Yikes!

We got painted with jagua.  It comes from a seed on a tree and is only temporary.

Coolest swimming hole ever!

2 hour walk to Nate's community. 

Nate and his host grandma.

AND Bunk Hammocks!

One of the best parts of Peace Corps is getting to travel to visit friends’ communities.  It was such a treat to be able to head out there and learn how, yet another, group of Panamanians live.