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Who are we? |
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We
are a community of Peace Corps Panama volunteers, staff, families, &
friends. |
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We help our members stay in touch with
Panamá and with each other. |
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We
contribute to
volunteer projects in Panama. |
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We
are a country-of-service affiliate of the
National
Peace Corps Association. |
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Contact us:
Tel: 206-888-8655; Email: 
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2008
Reunion in Panamá
45 Years in Panamá -- June 25 - 29, 2008
2008 is Peace Corps' 45th anniversary of entering Panama
and 25 years of service.
The Peace Corps office in Panamá and the Peace Corps Panama Friends alumni group cordially invite
you and your family to a Celebration of Peace Corps Panama.
Join us in Panamá June 25 - 29, 2008.
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PCPF Fundraising for
2008
Each December, PCPF mails a report on our activities for
the year. We ask for donations to fund our operations and for our
funding for Peace Corps volunteer projects in Panamá. See our 2007
letter: Dear PCPF Community
Member
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El Bochinche Newsletter
Our El Bochinche newsletter is published electronically each
quarter. Enter your email address below to receive next issue.
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 2008
Calendars
The volunteers in Panamá create a calendar each year from photos submitted by volunteers.
Donation $15 per calendar.
Includes free shipping to U.S. addresses. Shipping to overseas addresses
is at cost.
Sold out for 2008!
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 Retire
in Panama
ABC Nightline story
Panama is the top overseas retirement
destination, followed by Malta and New Zealand.
• Watch on
YouTube |
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 Peace
Corps AIDS Work
Leading the Way to a World Without AIDS
By Tricia Wood Peace Corps Volunteers educated over
10,000 Panamanians on HIV/AIDS in 2006.
These projects included youth health seminars, health promoter trainings,
health fairs, and dominos and volleyball contests to encourage community
participation.
• See
Tricia's article |
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 Crisis
Corps in Panamà
Panamá will soon be getting a little extra oompha from 10 Crisis Corps
Volunteers.
• Panama RPCVs are eligible to apply for Crisis Corps positions.
For example, the Institute for the Development of Women and Children has
requested a CCV to work as a HIV/AIDS Specialist for a 6 month assignment,
starting June 2007.
Read more by Tess Sparks |
 Diablos
Rojos
Nina Muller-Schwartz, PC volunteer in Panama from 1999 to 2001, has
produced a documentary film about Panama buses. Diablos Rojos: Los
Buses de Panama discusses transportation, globalization, and the
expression of Panamanian cultural identity.
Nina is now a cultural anthropologist with
a specialty in Panama. See film synopsis at
www.customflix.com. |
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 Ngabe Coffee School
Third-year Peace Corps Volunteer Bryan Richardson coordinated the Ngabe Coffee School, a partnership between indigenous coffee producer cooperatives and leading producers of Panama's high-quality specialty coffees.
• See Bryan
Richardson story |
 Torrijos
Visits Bush
Panama
President
Martin Torrijos visited Washington, D.C, where he
met with the President Bush. The main
topic in the agenda was the Trade Promotion Agreement (TPA) between Panama
and the United States.
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• 2004
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2005 •
2006
Demand
for the volunteers' 2007 calendar exceeded supply!
• Pre-order your
2008 Panama Calendar (available in October 2007)
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 Farmer
Training Supported by PCPF
Volunteer
Pete Caligiuri
thanks PCPF for donation for training of farmers in rice tank and fish
tank production.
• See Photos
and email from Pete |
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 PCPF
Reunion - Sept 15 & 16, 2006
1. Friday evening, 9/15: evening reception
2. Sat morning, 9/16: Meeting & Panama update
3. Saturday evening, 9/16: PCPF dinner
4. Fri, Sat & Sun: Pajaro Jai tours • See Reunion Photos
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 Pajaro Jai
Peace Corps Panama Friends hosted the Pajaro Jai in Washington, DC, on its maiden voyage to the U.S.
She was sailed to the U.S. by a crew including Embera-Wounaan from
Panama and Chris Meyer, who just completed his volunteer service in
Panama.
• See
Washington 2006 Visits
• See
Pajaro Jai
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 Father
& Son are Panama PCVs
"When I left Panama, December 26th, 1969, I never knew if I
would return again." Now, son is a
Peace Corps volunteer in Panama.
• See
Jan Daub's report and photos
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 David Peterson Returns to Panama
After a hiatus of 30 years, Group 14 member David Peterson returned to the Republica de Panama in March 2005.
Trip included river rafting in Boquete.
• See
David's report and photos
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 Native
Future
Protecting Cultures Conserving Land
Returned Panama PCV's have
founded Native Future,
a 501(c)(3)
nonprofit organization to work with the Wounaan in Panama to protect
rainforest and prevent the cultural extinction of a unique indigenous
people.
• See
www.nativefuture.org
for more information
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 Legends
Steve Herrick's article describes
his return to Agua Buena after 35 years.
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See page 24 in the April - June 2006 La Vaina
(Photo left- Steve Herrick in Agua Buena, 1971.)
Bocas Boom
National Public Radio's "Day to Day" reports that
retiring Baby Boomers are moving to Bocas del Toro in search of inexpensive
property and easy living in a tropical paradise.
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Listen to two-part series: March 8
and
March 9 |
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 Happy
Birthday Peace Corps!
In 1961, President John F. Kennedy signed the executive order creating the Peace Corps. Since then, over 182,000 Americans have served in 138 countries, creating a lasting legacy of goodwill overseas and commitment to service and positive social change at home.
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Highlights of the 45th anniversary celebration
Click photo for full-size view.
From La Vaina 45th Anniversary Issue, April-June 2006.
• See La Vaina home page.
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New PCPF Officers Elected
On November 16, 2005, PCPF
members met in Arlington, VA, to elect new officers.
Bud Keith was elected President and Jamie Thornberry Vice-President.
• See
Contact Us
for list of new officers |
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FARMS Leadership Program
August 2005
Help bring the third goal back.
Ten high school students participating in the FARMS
Leadership Program in Sonoma County, CA, will complete their year of
participation in the program with a ten day visit to the Lago Alajuela
region of Panama in July or August of 2006. There, they will help
construct a flooded rice paddy, a sustainable alternative to slash and
burn agriculture.
This is an "agro-eco workism" type of trip, "beyond
eco-tourism", and filled with good honest work. The trip will be hosted by
Sustainable Harvest International, and coordination with Peace Corps
Panama will also be sought.
If you are able to help us meet our funding
goals, raising $10,000 to offset travel costs (and provide to $3,000 of
that amount to the community we will visit for their granja), or would
like to be involved in next summer trip or future visits, please contact
RPCV Rick Kaye at (707) 569-1448 or rickk@sonic.net.
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 Keeping
the Bus on the Road
Peter G. Redmond, the new Peace
Corps Country Director in Panama, shares his June 30, 2005, PowerPoint
presentation on
Keeping the Bus on the Road as he and his staff plan for 150 PCVs
on-board by year’s end. |
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 Sustainable
Harvest International
Florence Reed, PCV in Panamá 1991 –
1993, founded Sustainable Harvest International in 1997 to address the global issues of
poverty and deforestation in Central America.
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