This is what we came for. Today marked the first day of our project, and it was sink or swim for everyone. As we stumbled out of the door of the Magnolia Inn, bright and early, none of us could have imagined the callouses, blisters, and sore muscles in store. And we sure didn't bet on loving every minute of the back-breaking labor.
Our day started in La Plaza de Catedral, where we met our project liaison, Marteen. A congenial Dutchman, Martine led us a mere five minutes away to a vast complex in the heart of Casco Viejo. Marteen explained to the group that the structure had been a sort of nunnery years ago, complete with schooling for local children and community activities, and he charged the group with the task of "returning the building to its former glory." Marteen's grand tour of the building ended with a rooftop view of the ocean. Although much of the work that they had done on the buildling was evident, there was still a long ways to go. Without further ado, the Rotaract team, outfitted in matching red tanks, made our way to the theater.
With the tasks delegated, our team descended on the theater. Less than half of the dilapidated tile floor remained in the theater, so a handful of us, including myself, set to the task of dismantling the cement and tile with pickaxes and sledgehammers. Talk about therapy. The four of us smashed all of our troubles away. While we hacked at the floor like madmen, others meticulously scraped paint and grafitti off of the wall, vestiges of the gangs who claimed the building as their territory prior to Marteen and his crew.
After hours of destruction, we had amassed a mountain of rubble and paint scrapings. Using two buckets, a fisherman's knot, and a figure-8-with-a-follow-through knot, the team devised a levee system to lower the rocks to the first floor to be hauled off. The remaining people sorted themselves into a crack assembly line formation. At quittin time we were dog tired, sweaty, and even bloody in some minor cases, but we couldn't stop smiling.
To unwind after work, the group decided to venture into Panama City proper. We took taxis to a highly recommended Lebanese restaurant called Beirut. After a classic mixup where most of the taxis dropped us off at the Meridien instead of the Marriott, we all arrived at the restaurant wide eyed and starving. The non-Spanish speakers (myself included) struggled a little bit with the Spanish translations of Lebanese names on the menu. Okay, so we struggled alotta bit. But we all managed, and after twenty minutes, the hummus and schwarma was flowing.
Sore but very much satisfied, we all came back to our home at the Magnolia Inn. Some people went to the bed, understandably exhausted from the day. But a few of us stayed up and explored the hostel. We found a ladder to the roof and settled in for a night of excellent conversation. The view was breathtaking. The foreground of the beautifully variegated Casco Viejo rooves contrasted with the glistening, futuristic Panama City skyline in the background, just across the bay. As we all laughed and talked, having bonded more in four days than I have with other people in a year or more, I made an effort to really take it all in. Only four days in, and already what a trip.
- Tyler McBrien '14
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