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Days 1 & 2

After arriving in Panama City, I was amazed at how commercialized, clean, and busy the city appeared to be. With little expectations of the country's capital, I was proved wrong by the skyline full of skyscrapers, paved streets full of the typical American car, and familiar logos of international businesses. The water was safe to drink, the mattresses were nice and firm, and the food was delicious. Driving six to twelve hours from Panama City to Volcan on Saturday allowed me to see all walks of life within this neat country. Right out of the large city was a huge difference in a style of living; trash was everywhere and houses were un-kept. This was thePanama I had originally imagined. However, as the drive continued I was able to see the beauty of the countryside and the eventual reduction of extreme poverty. Although obvious poverty was still present, I was amazed at how many nice houses, churches, schools, hospitals, and stores were available. Again, giving me a new perspective of the country itself. Although the drive might have just functioned as a day full of traveling from point A to point B, it also gave me the chance to start the mission out with more of an open mind than I had thought I had came with.

Along our ride we stopped at the Panama Canal. We were able to see the passing of one or two ships until we were on our way again. We had the luxury of stopping to eat at McDonalds for lunch. Our ride was full of team bonding, reading, sleeping, and laughter. We arrived in Volcan to nice beds, relatively warm showers, and a hot Panamanian meal. 

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Emergency Contact Information

If you need to contact a member of the team during the trip, please coordinate communication with Synthia Foskey at the UUMC office: (919) 929-7191.