First Week in Panama!

Our first week in Panama has been incredible. I don´t think I´ve had a bad moment yet. We are at an internet cafe on our way to stay with the Kuna Yala for a week, and I think we have to get back in the bus soon, so I´ll try and include as much as I can before we have to get back on the road.

My favorite part of La Mica and El Cope (the biology research station and the nearby town) has been the river and swimming hole down the mountainside from our cabins. We´ve been swimming and bathing in the river every day so far. It feels so good to jump in the cold water after a day of hiking around the rainforest, float on your back and look up at the moss and flowers hanging down off the tree branches.

Yesterday our BIO 100 class went into el Parque Omar to think about what field experiment we could construct. We walked slowly through the forest, taking in our surroundings, which was a nice change of pace because normally we walk quickly and with eyes on the path to avoid tripping or stepping on a snake.

On the hike, I saw the most incredible tree I´ve ever seen in my life. I almost don´t know how to describe it. We had been walking for about an hour down the mountain and finally reached the stream at the bottom. At that low altitude, the thick tree cover blocked a lot of the sunlight. Over 100 ft tall, it was hollow in the middle with other trees and vines growing within it. It had these big thick ¨butresses¨ that curved out at the bottom that were as tall as my chest. It´s called a ¨strangler fig¨ tree, and it´s one of the coolest things I´ve ever seen. We took pictures, but havent uploaded them yet. Google search ¨strangler fig¨ if you want to see one.

On the hike we also saw armies of leaf cutter ants carried pieces of leaves to their nest where they break down the leaves to make the fungus they eat. Little tiny ants ride on the tops of the leaves the bigger ants carry. It was pretty cool too.

On another note, my Spanish is improving. I´ve had a few short converstions with Macedonio, the director of the park, but he has to speak mas despacio para me.

I know there is a ton I´m forgetting to mention, but I need to check my email still. I´ll try and add more later when we have internet access again.