In less than a month I will be returning to Parita after 3 long years. A lot has happened to keep me away, but the ultimate goal of returning never changed. Today I bought 75 rolls of film and 6 point and shoot cameras. I will give the cameras to the children I know, like Berta Maria pictured above. I am so excited to see the photos they produce and to help them improve their skills. It will be a kind of Born into Brothels scenario, except of course without the brothels.
I would describe Parita as a mainly middle class society, in Panamanian standards. Houses have running water, electricity, and television. They live simply and many rely on their local farm for money. But the town is also near the city of Chitre, which although not a large thriving place does have a decent amount of stores, restaurants, and I'm assuming jobs.
I will begin my time there living with my host mom Maritza Montenegro, who I stayed with for a month after I graduate high school. She is an older woman who lives alone, but is surrounded by her kids and grandkids much of the time. Although our phone conversations have been short and infrequent over the years, she still calls me her daughter. I would like to get my own place at some point so I can come and go as I please and have some place for visitors to stay. Maritza has told me that I will only need to pay for food, so all my expenses will be travel and photography.
I am not planning on working while I am there, but am hoping to volunteer with a local environmental non-profit and take some early childhood development classes in Chitre. The more activities I plan, the more I will network and the greater my understanding of the Panamanian culture will be. Wish me luck!
