Trip leaders, Heidi Valk and Trevon Bryant, share students final reflections of a memorable experience during their time in Panama.
As our adventure in Panama comes to a close, we are reminded of how grateful we are to have the opportunity to travel and experience other cultures. This trip has allowed is to better understand the rhythms of daily life in Panama City, the Kuna community on the San Blas islands, and in the remote rainforest (Mamoní). Along the way we have deepened friendships, seen some extraordinary wildlife and made memories.
At the end of our travels the students were asked to reflect on the time we have spent together this past week and to identify a memory or experience that best signifies their “rose,” “bud,” and “thorn”; something they look forward to and something that was difficult or challenging. Below are the “roses” as written by the students:
Maggie ’26: Talking with the teachers from the San Blas Kuna community.
Eva ’26: Playing basketball with some of the students from the San Blas Kuna community.
Julian ’25: Meeting and riding in the truck with Luis, from Mamoní.
Will ’27: Interacting and playing basketball with people from the San Blas Kuna community,
Owen ’26: The jungle scenery. As someone who has never been to the rainforest, seeing the picturesque Panamanian landscape was an exciting experience.
Edwin ’27: I loved the jungle hike. In particular, I enjoyed seeing so many exotic plants and animals, spending time at the waterfall and learning so much about the rainforest in general from our guide Kandi.
Akira ’25: The taco dinner on our first day at Mamoní.
Anneke ’25: While there were so many parts of the trip that I enjoyed, one of my favorites was getting to experience so many parts of Panama; the ocean and sandy islands, the rainforest and the city.
Campbell ’26: I enjoyed learning about and experiencing new environments and cultures and making connections with new people.
Eugenia ’26: Visiting the San Blas Kuna community and meeting the kids who live there.
Oscar ’26: Meeting and getting to know lots of new people.
Taylor ’27: Playing basketball with the students from the San Blas Kuna community.
Zach ’25: I really enjoyed the interviews we conducted in the San Blas Kuna community. I felt a personal connection with the teachers and I liked how the interviews morphed into an open discussion.
