I went back the next day and gave her a big hug and with a tear in my eye, I told her, “That was the best empanada I’ve ever had, in my entire life…ever. Thank you so much!” I soon became a regular customer and a pretty unforgettable one at that. I took a break from her fried delicacies and I think it broke her heart just a little every time I ran by in my work out gear and shouted “No thank you, I’m on a diet!” Anyway, this is the Bocas Empanada Report of 2013 and I’m back with a vengeance visiting 3 of the greatest empanada spots you’ll find in Bocas Town.

Lelia’s empanada stand is strategically located right outside of the hospital, on the corner of the main street, across from Calypso Apartments. She operates Monday through Friday from 8 am to whenever she feels like it (usually noon). Like I said, she has the best chicken empanadas in the world. It is a wonderful chicken medley cooked in tomato sauce with onions, peppers and garlic, then stuffed into regular flour based dough and fried in scolding hot vegetable oil. She’s also known for her holjaldre (oh-HALL-dray), which is essentially fried dough. It’s the same dough she uses for her chicken empanadas (which is what makes them so good). The hojaldre is a good vegetarian option for those who feel left out of the chicken empanada game.

Lelia is a sweet empanada lady who prides herself in selling her stuff “fresquito and calientito” (super fresh and super hot). She loves being a Jehovah’s Witness and even named her cart after Jehovah (Kisoko Jehovah Diré).  When she’s not selling fried goodies, she’s chilling on her farm in Almirante looking after her plantains and beans. So Lelia, why come to your humble little Jehovah shack?  “I sell the empanadas fresh and hot at a price that anyone can afford.” Amen. Now onto some funky empanadas that are anything but traditional…

George moved down from Portland, Oregon (USA) after his mom retired and bought property in Bocas.  He started dating Norma, a Panama City girl, and she elected to quit her job in the city and move to Bocas. They decided that if they were going to live here, they would need to start a business. George started selling sandwiches on a cart, but although they were delicious, not everyone could afford them. So he decided to take on empanadas since he could make a lot of different kinds of them and be able to sell them for a dollar. They started selling them in bars and on the streets, but eventually secured a location to vend their creations.

The name Taller de Sabor (Workshop of Taste) is a tribute to the experimental nature of their empanadas. Their empanadas are non-traditional. I mean, where else have you seen Coconut Wine Braised Beef with Green Peppers or Teriyaki Chicken with Ginger and Pineapple or a Mini Cheeseburger empanadas? There have been over 30 different flavors attempted at the Workshop of Taste; some went on to become staples, others were total flops, while some were only seasonal and a few were even jokes. There was one time that George made a Vegemite empanada at the request of a group of Australian tourists. Oh, Australians and their vegemite…

Check out the logo of the restaurant and you’ll see a picture of young boy with his hands covered in dough. You see, George went to a very progressive nursery school in Berkeley, California where they would teach the children how to read and do simple math through cooking exercises. The boy on the logo is actually a picture of young George in the midst of what very well may have been his very first empanada experiment. Okay, enough of these new age avant-garde gourmet empanadas, let’s take it back to the most traditional Bocas-style empanadas you can find.

Hilda aka Mima is yet another sweet empanada lady. She started selling empanadas when she became a mother, as a way to provide for her babies. She would sell them in the streets, stopping at the hospital, houses and hotels, before she settled down on the corner of 6^th street and Avenida G. After a while the owners of Hawaii Supermarket invited her to sit right outside their store and that’s where she’s been ever since.

Mima sells a lot of things, from fried fish to chicheme (a rice drink), but she is most notable for her minced meat delicacies: el patí (pa-TEE) and la carimañiola (cah-ree-mahn-YOH-la). The patí is a baked ground beef empanada whose name and recipe originate from Jamaica. Mima is of Jamaican ancestry and her patí recipe has been passed down to her through the generations. The ground beef is prepared in a red sauce, often with bread crumbs or club soda crackers andpurée to give the meat stuffing its consistency. The meat is packed into a flour dough and baked.  The carimañiola is similar, except the ground beef is packed into a yucca dough and it’s fried.  Carimañiolas, as they are known in Panama, you will find across the border in Costa Rica by the name of “enyucados”.

Mima has the best patís and carimañiolas in town.  Just head to Super Hawaii around 8 pm on any given night and you’re bound to see people crowded around her table buying up all her home made goodies. In fact, you can find all of these delightful empanada snacks on the same street, which I am now dubbing “Empanada Lane”. Empanada Lane is Avenida G, where the main street bends at Mondo Taitu and heads out of town towards the beaches.  Lelia is in front of the hospital, Taller de Sabor is across the street from Habla Ya Spanish School and Mima can be found outside Hawaii Supermarket. Bon appetite empanada lovers!

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March 21 — April 19,

Taking a trip to the beach will provide benefits more far-reaching than at this time you can possibly imagine. Find a shady spot, hopefully not under a heavy cluster of coconuts itching to once again prove the infallibility of gravity. Set up a chair or spread a blanket, cooler optional.  But be ready to sit for at least an hour as practicing patience is the first step to improvement in yourself and certainly with others. Expect to see at least one reptile wearing sunglasses. Do not speak until spoken to.

Taurus

April 20 — May 20

Hopefully you took my advice, and steered clear of plumbers, plumbing, and pipes of all varieties. Plans you have been making for a trip seemed to be coming apart faster than two dollar sandals. Persist, but just like your latest girlfriend, consider reducing your expectations for happiness and settle for what is possible rather than an ideal. Focus on the local economy by carrying at least one shoe which could be polished. Something arriving by boat will become pivotal for you health wise, so wash your hands, and think before you act.

Gemini

May 21 — June 21

Gemini, knock knock, who’s there?  Answer, nobody. And why is this?  Simple, you let your fears, plus an unfilled prescription fragment your psyche to the point of no return. And that dear Gemini is why you eat alone, disturbed only by your inner voices asking you to pass the salt.  What a drag for you, you let a few minor, and believe me they were minor, imperfections screw up what could have been a marginally healthy relationship. It’s time to get right with yourself and the pharmacy. Your lucky number this month, $16.95 plus tax.

Cancer

June 22 — July 22

Expect a Taurus with a plan that initially seems both viable and profitable. Neither of these things are true, and your Taurus pal is chock full of exactly what you might expect a Taurus to be full of. Be polite, but be firm, this may initially hurt your friend’s feelings, but if they’re a true friend your relationship will prevail. Buy them a beer, listen politely, but be firm in the negative, or you could lose both the friend and the investment.

Leo

July 23 — August 22

Your time is a great gift and shouldn’t be wasted on people who don’t appreciate the wit and honesty that come with it. Consider upgrading to relationship 2.0. I know relationship 1.0 was okay, and seemed to work pretty well with the occasional upgrade. But really, do you feel as if you’re getting value for your emotional investment. The stars say no, and now is an ideal time they say to form a new one. Consider your options carefully, think globally, act locally. Check out a quiet Aries, the stars approve.

Virgo

August 23 — September 22

A Libra with a limp has been watching you carefully, and approves wholeheartedly your perseverance. They’re just about to step in with words of encouragement and perhaps a small but well deserved infusion of cash. Except the words but avoid the cash, as a Cancer’s influence may convince you to spend it unwisely, leaving you behind rather than holding the eight ball. Take time for yourself in the form of bathroom breaks both scheduled and unscheduled.

Libra

September 23 — October 22

Hi Libra, you’re probably feeling sad right now, this is due in part to almost all of the astrological signs ignoring your influence this month, all except for Virgo that is. Good job, Virgo is wise.  But back to feeling sad, your emotions are justified. Several acquaintances who have become friends are leaving soon. And although they promise otherwise you fear losing contact of both their friendship and advice. Fear not, like the stars, although your new friends may be distant, they will remain true.

Scorpio

October 23 — November 21

Hey Scorpio, start practicing the phrase “I will not date the crazy person”, there’s one gaining on you right now. And it’s not a stretch to realize who it is, yes that’s right, the one wearing the live fruit bat as a hat. Fair warning, just listen, the universe is snickering at you, and about to break in to open laughter. This person is not a project you can repair. Seriously, look up bull goose loony in the dictionary and there they are. You have been warned, and no amount of scrubbing after-the-fact will fix this mistake.

Sagittarius

November 22 — December 21

Okay Sagittarius, you listened to last month’s advice, and now in retrospect see just how disastrous things might’ve been. Good for you! But don’t let your guard down just yet as there’s still a little evil influence out in the cosmos. My advice, for the next week, keep your head down, eyes open, and your mouth shut. After that, expect clear sailing, a new easy-going yet exciting romance, and the return of a friend, hand tools or money.

Capricorn

December 22 — January 19

The best laid plans, just like the best plan lays, can often go astray. Don’t be put off by what you perceived as failure or inadequacy. What you experienced could happen to anyone. Instead just be thankful you have somebody willing to let you put your shoes under their bed. As a test of your partner’s affection eat more tuna, Brussels sprouts and asparagus, this will add more zest and aroma to your lovemaking, as well as annoy the cat. Make up a holiday, St. Swevans is my favorite ersatz holiday. Buy your special someone a useless gift, motor oil is always nice. This is especially effective if they don’t have a car.

Aquarius

January 20 — February 18

Hi ho Aquarius, just look at you, feeling on top of the world and with good reason. You took a chance and came out smelling like a rose. Yours truly, and the rest of the zodiac gang are mighty proud of the effort and success. Keep in mind success is not always measured by cash or status.  And in your case this may be especially true. So focus on your efforts. And remember, like perfume, it’s okay to sniff at the compliments which you receive, but not to swallow them. Your lucky color this month, are you ready, plaid.

Pisces

February 19 — March 20

Just like that stuff that gathers in the corners of your eyes when you are sleeping, some otherwise insignificant things, will take unusual priority in your thinking. Your concerns are misplaced, let the little things go, and focus only on the big picture. This does not mean forgoing regular hygiene, especially after extended periods of exertion, wink wink, if you know what I mean. At this time a close friend may seem distant; this is a temporary condition, a lot like that rash you have again. A little salve and a little time and you and your friend will be closer than ever.

Monthly overview of astrological influence

With spring in full swing, and the signs of the zodiac receding towards their outermost orbit, it’s no surprise that each sign is doing more than its share of self-examination. After all an orbit is an orbit, and what some may consider the beginning others may view as the end. And why not, it was either Bob Dylan or Beethoven, they look a lot alike to me, once said, it’s not so much the musical notes as the space in between them. And I think you’ll find this to be true as you begin to examine your own level of self-confidence and style. Keep in mind that peach is not an appropriate color for anything but fruit. I have this from the brightest and best minds down at the Book. What the universe is saying here I think, is that sometimes in life solitude and silence are the best places for introspection and improvement. Not to mention the added elation when the music starts again.

This monthly horoscope column in no way endorses, recommends, suggests or in any other form infers actual fact. And under no circumstance should be considered valid information for the purpose of life decision making. Should you have any comments or suggestions regarding this column, please feel free to keep them to yourself.

This column is created and written by John Schneider.  Mr. Schneider is currently accepting serious dating applications. Carbon based life forms only.

The post Monthly Horoscopes [May 2013] appeared first on The Bocas Breeze.

-Casie Dean

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Sometimes we ask ourselves how far the science we do can really reach. We wonder if what we find out about the environment will actually help to protect it. Does the knowledge we obtain from our research find its way to the people that need to know about it?

In our opinion, a helpful way to contribute to sustainable environment conservation is to work with people whose everyday lives are strongly connected to what we study, namely tropical marine ecosystems. In the region of Bocas del Toro, the inhabitants of the fairly small islands live from and with the ocean they are surrounded by. Here, the generation that will create the future, the children seemed to be the most interesting group to connect with because, “In the end, we will conserve only what we love, we will love only what we understand, and we will understand only what we experience.” (Baba Dioum, environmentalist from Senegal).
In the workshop “LimpiezArt“ we combined several modules of teaching, environmental games, beach monitoring and art with kids from Isla Colón and Bastimentos, Bocas del Toro.

Our goal was to fascinate the children for the marine environment they have in front of their doorstep, to raise their awareness for the human impacts, in particular for the garbage problem in Bocas del Toro, and finally to show them how they can personally improve and protect their environment.
We started with a movie about coral reefs, letting the kids describe, paint and write down the organisms they remember and like the most. A garbage game helped them understand how trash reacts in the environment. It improved their awareness of how long garbage lasts in the marine ecosystems and how it affects the animals living in there. Did you know that an aluminium can needs 200 years and a plastic bottle even 450 years until it is gone?
In an outside activity at a local beach, we then held a beach clean up and a scientific beach monitoring. The kids were introduced to the general characteristics of monitoring and identified the different biological characteristics of the beach. They learned to distinguish between biodegradable and non-degradable waste, the different types and amounts of trash they found at the beach and filled many garbage bags with it. The monitoring sheets will be available for the local teachers and the STRI to embed a regular beach monitoring and to start a data collection of garbage pollution for this region.

Finally, we focused on strategies on how to reduce waste in our everyday lives. Here, the immense use of plastic bags and their substitution through fabric bags for grocery shopping was our topic. The group embellished bags we provided with drawings of marine animals and written slogans. Thus now every participant has their individually designed bag to use and reuse instead of many plastic bags. In the public event in the park at Bocas del Toro, Isla Colón we united the kids from both days and exhibited the bags, photos and the essences from the workshops. On site they created posters about the marine environment and the decomposition rate of different types of garbage. This event was hosted by the two groups and reached out to interested locals and curious passer-byes of all ages. We were happy to welcome so many children and their parents to discuss and design bags together. Throughout the whole event, 60 bags were individually decorated! In conjunction with the knowledge from the games, activities and information, they might be a step stone for the people in Bocas on the paths towards a more sustainable future.

Laura Hoerath (Environmental Science Educator, laurahoerath@hotmail.com)
Janina Seemann (Marine Biologist, janinaseemann@fu-berlin.de)

We want to thank the restaurant Buena Vista, the bakery Anna’s Sweet from Bocas del Toro, Uwe Abraham from the BGG (Berliner Gesellschaft für Großaquarien) from Germany and the Foundation SeaArt for their help, their sponsoring and their donations.

Participants
Bocas del Toro: Valencio Vecord, Jorge Luis Chance, Hira Conrad Samudio Grisini, Keoni Grace, Samudio Grisini, Carlos Alex Chen Chen, Jadiel Baker, Jeremy Baker, Luis Acosta Baker, Josephyn Garcia, Carlos Baker
Bastimentos: Dazneth Gomez, Kduar Gomez, Leonardo Cedeño, Michel Angel Delcid, Orma Davis, Ernesto Narvais, Aniti Wagener, Marco Rodrigue Bomarez, Edgardo Bashes Pomarez, Bebe Luigi, Miguel Molinar, Daniela Poweel, Sahira Poweel, Abel Archibold

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By Casie Dean
If you’ve been to Starfish Beach in the last year or so, you, like so many others who have been there previously were probably disappointed. A few years ago, before the pounding music, the abundance of beach bars, and the constant hum from generators that power all those blenders, there were hundreds of starfish; Hence the name Starfish Beach. But as tourist attractions go, there was a profit to be made by ruining this beautiful slice of perfect serenity. A few months ago when I visited, it was completely packed, which is great for business; However I was appalled to learn that due to the vibrations from the constant loud music the starfish decided to migrate elsewhere. There were garbage piles everywhere, plastic cups floating in the water and glass bottles lying in the sand. I think entrepreneurship is great but not at the expense of the environment. There was not a single starfish in sight. If I were them, I would’ve moved too.
Last week I decided to revisit Starfish Beach in order to take some photos of this travesty. To my surprise, it was pristine. The music was more than tolerable, the sand was raked, and there was not a single plastic cup out of place. I was shocked. While there are just as many beach bars as before, they seem to have cleaned up their act. And I wasn’t the only one that noticed, because there were at least 40 starfish in the water nearby. Now, this is nothing compared to before, but it’s a great start.

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Taurus
April 20 — May 20
Taurus, Taurus, Taurus, you may feel as if the cosmos is treating you like a child, well it is. And you deserve it, it’s time, no actually it’s past time for you to put down your toys and pick up a focused desire to succeed. Look around, opportunities abound if only you’ll focus and apply yourself. Expect sad news from a distant friend; try not to over think it regarding your present situation. In this case knowing the past is not preventive maintenance for the future.

Gemini
May 21 — June 21
Hair gel and flattery will help you slide into an intimate relationship that’s been several months in the making. Be honest if possible, but if not, be enthusiastic. Write nothing down that may come back to bite you should this new found love falter. Don’t buy cheap socks. Go to the beach and look for a small rock that you think best reflects your personality. Take it home, wash it thoroughly and hide it someplace you’ll forget like every other stray you’ve taken home.

Cancer
June 22 — July 22
Congratulations Cancer, you’ve taken my suggestions to heart, lost the wig and rethought your mommy issues. Now you are surely on the road to recovery with only some minor roadblocks, standing between you and what passes for marginal emotional stability. For you this is real progress. Now seek out someone with a nervous tic and give it a Prozac.

Leo
July 23 — August 22
Good for you Leo, your better judgment led you to that sweet little Pisces instead of that hopeless schizophrenic, Gemini wise. Face it Leo you’re not young anymore, hopefully with age comes wisdom, or at least a discount at Super Gourmet. Now is the time to see the future in a positive way, rather than like a train bearing down on your fragile existence. Remember, what you’ve lost is nothing in comparison to what you’ve gained.

Virgo
August 23 — September 22
Lose the fear, and step away from those with it. You’re attempting a sport you are too old , and perhaps poor to pursue. A trade you learned in your youth will serve you well at this time. Someone in the shadows is waiting to help you, but before you can find them you’ll need to shine the light of discovery on yourself. For now, cultivate a fear of flies, what’s behind them could be deadly.

Libra
September 23 — October 22
Hey Libra, when dining out, consider using elaborate hand gestures and a shrill tone. Also always ask if they validate parking. Use the word classic to show others how sophisticated your knowledge of history is. An example might be “classic Three Stooges or classic Bocas”, or is that redundant? Hopefully you’ve learned your lesson about keeping secrets, now don’t forget it. Remember, that was the lesson, and the test is on the way.

Scorpio
October 23 — November 21
Sorry Scorpio, I seriously miss read the stars last month. My advice regarding the Chinese grocery could not have been more off the mark. Fortunately to them we all look alike, so there shouldn’t be any long lasting repercussions. But just to be safe, I’d say Super G. might be a good shopping bet for the next week. Keep track of your change, some comes from without, and the rest from within.

Sagittarius
November 22 — December 21
Keep your pants on Sagittarius, both literally and figuratively this month. I told you before and it’s still true, patience will provide what your abilities cannot. Don’t forget that Libra with the limp, relaxing your resistance may allow them unfair advantage, remain receptive but aloof until their true intentions are revealed.

Capricorn
December 22 — January 19
Buckle up Capricorn, it’s going to be a bumpy ride. You made an investment a while back. You thought it would be romantic, and now it’s turned financial, or was it the other way around. In either case, each day you wait to resolve this situation, it will become more difficult. Some form of amputation is imminent, fortunately, it’s up to you who holds the knife. Act now!

Aquarius
January 20 — February 18
Your best friends seemed to be out of sync with you, astrologically speaking. But don’t worry, they, like that rash, will be back before you know it. Treat one aggressively, and the other with love, understanding and the occasional home cooked meal. Yum Yum. Snow White for homecoming queen, vote and vote often.

Pisces
February 19 — March 20
Looking for change begs the question, does observation change outcome? Watch for the next full moon, no dummy, not while you’re walking. I mean what kind of an idiot does that while walking, especially in Bocas? Right now you’re feeling lonely. Just be cool and look for a shy water sign, you’ll be making waves in no time. Kilroy was here. Jerky good.

Monthly overview of astrological influences
With spring fast approaching, the astrological signs, like so many Easter bunnies, begin to circle closer and closer to each other. As I mentioned last month, Venus is on the rise, and this old gal is now nearly at her zenith, and trust me, she knows how to party like a druid. Her rockstar diva influence, plus the decreasing orbits of her buds, Sagittarius, Scorpio, and the rest, set the scene for potential unbridled whoopee here on earth. And I’m talking jungle fever; lock up your daughters, monkey love and worse. And I can promise you, and you can mark my words, the stars affect us all, animals included. So don’t be the least surprised if you happen to walk out your front door and find it necessary to step over your dog and cat lying together sharing an exhausted look and a cigarette. And God help you if you should have parrots, as if the squawking and the molting weren’t enough. They talk through the whole thing, and such language, what the hell is a spread eagle beak job anyway? They’re like Henry Miller with feathers, dear God it’s embarrassing.

This monthly horoscope column in no way endorses recommends suggests or in any other form infers actual fact. And under no circumstance should be considered valid information for the purpose of life decision making. Should you have any comments or suggestions regarding this column, please feel free to keep them to yourself.

This column is created and written by John Schneider. Mr. Schneider has been down so long it seems like up to him.

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Jess left the bustling urban life of New York City in search of a more relaxed life style. She moved to Bocas in 2009 with the desire to learn how to surf and speak Spanish. Three years later, she can proudly say she achieved both goals…and some.  She also turned an old rotting bus into a beautiful wrap and smoothie sanctuary.

“The bus was across the street from my first apartment in ‘Las Cabañas’. My friend told me I should buy it. I told her she was crazy. Clearly I’m crazy too because I ended up buying it,” recalls Jess.

What is now a wrap and smoothie spot, in the 1960’s was a school bus in the US. You can actually find a lot of old American school buses in Central America. You can tell by the instructions written in English directing you to “stay seated, be quiet and listen to your bus driver”. After it was a school bus and before it was an eatery, it seems the Batido Bus was used for tours, as it had “Bocas Trips” painted on the front at the time that Jess bought it.

Jess refurbished the bus and had it towed to the lot next to Mondo Taitu, where she opened in January of 2010. She started out selling exclusively smoothies; hence the name Bocas Blended “The Batido (Spanish for “smoothie”) Bus,” but then soon added wraps to the menu. She is now located on 1^st street, next to the El Reloj/Tropical Markets building. Her old location was good but as the business was growing, she needed more space. While it’s not the reason she switched locations, here’s a saucy little anecdote for you: according to the night watchman, inebriated Mondo guests have been known to take part in the occasional late-night hanky panky session on the roof of the bus. So far this has yet to be reported at her new location.

Jess opened her establishment with the mission to provide healthy alternatives with only the freshest of ingredients at an affordable price with quick service. Her menu boasts a variety of wraps, smoothies, salads, ceviche, natural juices and much more.  Jess and her girls are proud to say that every sauce is made from scratch. Each wrap can be made vegetarian or with chicken or fish.  Also available is the locally famous Breakfast Burrito, which is made with eggs, onions, peppers, pico de gallo, hash browns, bacon and cheddar cheese.  My personal favorite is the spicy Buffalo wrap with blue cheese sauce.

The signature recipe smoothies are made with frozen fruit because using ice tends to water them down. Try the “Hangover Elixir” after that long night of partying that is inevitable in this town. This reporter was a bit under the weather at the time of the interview, but luckily Jess’ girls were there to serve me up a nice “Vitamin C Craze” to boost my immune system and give me the strength to write this article. If you’re really into the health thing, you might want to consider adding a spinach boost to your batido.

Find a friend and each save a dollar if you order your wrap during “wrappy hour”, which is Monday  through Sunday from 4pm to 5pm. Eat the wraps sitting on the high stools right there at the bus, the tables in front, the lounge area in back or the climb the ladder and eat your meal up top.  Just don’t get any funny ideas like those crazy drunken Mondo guests while you’re up there.

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“This community is a chorus of compassion for the people who don’t have a voice of their own, and I am just one in the chorus,” says Asilo nursing home volunteer, Tom O’Flaherty. According to Tom, the residents at Asilo are a mirror of ourselves. “If you look carefully you can see yourself in Asilo, old, alone, or without a family.” This is why he donates so much of his time to the bodies, minds, and spirits of the people there.
Tom describes the women who work there, Olga, Myra, and Filamina as “saints”. Usually the Asilo runs out of money, government funding is cut, and they do not know how they will feed the 23 residents the next day, much less for the next month or year. Many members of the Bocas community, who would like to remain anonymous, donate months of food at a time or pay the electrical bill when the funding is so scarce the electricity has been turned off. Tom admits to “shamelessly hustling people” that he sees on the streets or in restaurants to volunteer at Asilo. He says he explains to them to that their experience at Asilo will be the one they tell people about when they get home.
Those who hear of the many needs at Asilo want to help. I suppose this is why, most recently, the US Coast Guard dropped in to lend a helping hand. So on March 15, 2013, more than 50 volunteers from the Floating Doctors and the US Coast Guard went to Asilo to do whatever possible to improve the lives of the men and women who call Asilo home. They worked tirelessly for hours painting, plumbing, and rewiring hazardous electrical situations. I was fortunate enough to be invited yet again to watch the progress unfold and to see what the new volunteers thought of the experience.

I spoke with a few of the United States Coast Guard volunteers about their motivation to volunteer versus that of other ships’ when they set anchor in Bocas. Here is what James Lacagnina, a Machinery Technician Chief had to say, “I’m considered an old timer in the Coast Guard with 24 years of service, so I’ve definitely seen my share of bad publicity for our ships’ crews. After spending weeks at sea a crew will pull into a port to relax and blow off some steam. Sometimes one, or a few members of the crew will go overboard and the host community sees this behavior thus negatively branding our reputation. What these communities often don’t know about are the crews that volunteer for helpful service in the communities we visit. We don’t like being known as bothersome Americans or drunken sailors, nor do we want to be. When the offer was announced, the crew of our ship (the USCG Vigorous) decided that we would visit Bocas and try to change the opinion that past crews were responsible for.

Volunteering at the Asilo in Bocas del Toro was an extremely rewarding experience. When we signed up for what we call a COMREL project (Commercial Relations Project) no one knew any specific details, just that hard work would be involved. Improving the living conditions for men and women who could have been our grandparents was awesome, but more so very humbling. We did what we could while there from painting, plumbing, and electrical work. We also did some carpentry and helped the Floating Doctors repair one of their boat engines. After working at the Asilo and hearing stories of how far it’s come from just two years ago, I cannot imagine what it must have been like before or living that way. We can only hope that our time in Bocas made a difference to the residents of Asilo and that it will be a positive reflection on our men for the future.”

It was a job well done by a vigorous group of volunteers

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