Profile: Junie Ryu

GBB Panama Blog

Junie Ryu, Business Administration

Blog 4

Day 6, El Bale, Veraguas Panama City

Today was our final day with the farmers and their families in the community, so we really made it count. However, before having a last hurrah with everyone, there was some important business to take care of. I, along with David, Jordan, Kevin, and several farmers, had the privilege of trucking into a remote but local area to harvest some honey from real hives! It was no small matter – we were swathed from head to toe in all kinds of clever gear designed to keep the “Killer African” bees out: a thick, canvas, romper-style suit, knee-high rubber boots, a hat with an attached mesh 360 degree mask, and gloves that were tied to our sleeves to prevent bees from getting in through any minute openings. This wasn’t to mention the jeans and shirt I had on underneath. All this prepping definitely made me nervous!

When we got to the site, the farmers lifted off the wooden boards that covered the hives and pumped in a special smoke designed to “basically get them high” and come out of the hives. Slowly, clusters of bees drifted out. As each board of the hives was lifted off, the little grove we stood in became completely filled with bees and there was a collective droning in my ears that had me feeling pretty claustrophobic. Needless to say, we did a lot more ogling and taking pictures, gloves sticky with honey, than helping. But what little we did was an amazing, surreal experience. I got back on the truck feeling like I had survived within an inch of my life!

By the time we got back to El Centro, colorful tattoos already covered every possible space on kids’ faces and arms while the kids still clamored for more. I think I applied about one tattoo before I made a beeline for the less chaotic kitchen…or so I thought. Apparently, trying to cook for 50 or more people is as hard as it sounds. The mac and cheese, stewing in a pot the size of a bathtub, bore an embarrassing resemblance to cheesy porridge. Luckily, we redeemed ourselves with sweet and fluffy PB&J sandwiches. Thankfully, you can’t go wrong with those!

After lunch, we had all the kids line up and handed out the fun stuff – backpacks, Play-Doh, and other school supplies. One of the kids I got to know, Cesar, had a gift of us his own to give! His mother had given him their own bottles of honey to give to a couple others and me. I had always heard well-traveled people talk about the generosity and hospitality of people who seem to have very little and it always seemed cliché to me, but I could see for myself how true it was with respect to the farmers of El Bale. It was emotional for all of us to say goodbye. I guess I hadn’t really realized how close we had become. After promises of future visits, we reluctantly piled into the trucks and braced ourselves for the bumpy ride out of the mountains.

At the foot of the mountain on paved ground, our transfer from the farmers’ trucks to the air-conditioned bus officially marked our arrival to “civilization” as tourists. By early evening we arrived at a beautiful, semi-secluded beach, complete with a restaurant, cabanas, hammocks…and dead jellyfish in the sand! Unfortunately, that meant we couldn’t venture out into the water but the weather and scenery were beautiful and made the environment perfect for sunbathing. Dinner was served right on the sand. It couldn’t have been a more perfect way to start our evening. I say that because after getting back to the hostel a couple of hours later (which looked like a five-star resort the second time around), we all piled into cabs and headed for the discoteca and a fun night!!!

Our week was the perfect balance of work and play. Our work was serious, sobering, stressful, but it was also rewarding, eye-opening, exhilarating and 100% memorable. I feel like I have seen every aspect of Panama and had a taste of so many different aspects of the culture. Unlike other trips, when I see and am surrounded by sights designed to appeal to the foreigner, on this trip I felt like I got to see much of the country and the people simply as they are…and I loved it.

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Blog 3

Day 5, El Bale, Veraguas

Today is our last full day in the community. It has been a long, busy week full of workshops, breaking ribs (almost) riding around in the beds of the machine-like pickup trucks with snorkels, and stuffing myself with some of the most “rica” (authentic) gourmet Panamanian food I will probably ever taste. I am now officially addicted to hojaldres (a thick, deep-fried, slightly crispy, tortilla-like thing, only better), honey, and of course, platanos.

This morning we got to divulge the decision we made in yesterday’s capital investment meeting: how we are going to distribute our donation (part of our program fee) to the farmers. The farmers’ ultimate short-term goal is to form a co-op. They can’t do this until they have a physical building and do a bunch of legal paperwork. We decided to put our capital investment (over $1,000) mainly into supplies for finishing the paused construction of their co-op building, or “central hub,” as we dubbed it. It was such an intense and exciting moment, to present this news to the farmers and see their excitement. It was so humbling and even disconcerting to see them all clapping so earnestly. After all, this was a donation I hadn’t even thought much about before last night’s meeting; plus I was making it after one simple electronic transfer from my parents…and here it was, about to make a profound difference in the farmers’ lives. I was also filled with admiration for the farmers – their strong spirit and their simple lifestyle.

After a break, we presented one last workshop, in addition to the accounting and organizational structure ones we had done two days ago. This workshop covered the basic concepts of marketing as well as applications to the farmers’ unique situation. To be honest, I had been stressed out the last couple days because of my inability to fully assess the impact we were making and would make. However, this workshop seemed to really make headway with the farmers – they were attentive and nodded eagerly – they understood! I could really feel things coming together and started to feel more confident about the work we had done so far and the outcomes that we were all hoping for.

The marketing workshop concluded the “work” portion of our stay. With that, we headed to the field for one last game of soccer. I wisely sat this one out and spent time with the kids instead, who had really opened up. They taught us game after game (all involving physical movement, of course), mercilessly jumped on backs, clucking at us like we were horses, and went crazy after discovering our cameras. They snapped picture after picture, giggling and passing judgments on each based on how well they turned out. One of the girls was particularly full of spirit – we just called her “Princesa,” or “Princess”. She took us into her home and showed us six puppies that had been born just a few days ago. Imagine our chagrin when we had to turn down her offer to give us some of the puppies!

It’s hard to believe that our time in the community, under the loving and hospitable care of Padre Roberto and the honey farmers, is at an end. I can’t help thinking about the last few days over and over and asking myself if I’ve done my best and if we, as a team, have done all that we could do. It’s a challenge to accomplish so much in just a few days, but I’m feeling good about the time we have spent here; not just in terms of what have tried to do for their business and livelihood, but also the friendships we have made (through embarrassingly chopped Spanish) and the memories that have been made for all of us.

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Blog 2

Day 2, Panama City El Bale, Veragus

To think that we had all been naïve enough to think the hostel in Panama City was rough! When we reached the community of El Bale in Veraguas this afternoon - a four hour bus ride and a one hour truck ride into the lush, green mountains later - we were introduced to our dormitory; a large shed-like building with open slats (yes, this did pose a challenge to changing with community members milling around outside) and row after row of dusty, rusty bunk beds. However, despite my initial apprehension, the next few days and nights spent here (the Catholic Center) drenched in bug spray and sleeping under starchy sheets would be some of the best times of my life, cold showers or not.

After settling in, we took a walking tour of the community. I was shocked that the mud-and-stick huts I could stare right through were actual homes. Yet staring at conditions that would never befall me in the U.S., I found to my pleasant surprise that I did not necessarily feel pity for the villagers, many of whom are indigenous. Unlike in the cities (and in any other developed community), where one can make an immediate comparison between the rich and the poor, sticks and mud are the standard here and it is adequate.

This little walk was when I first started to really realize how little these farmers and their families need to be happy. I felt almost giddy with wonder as we walked down the dirt roads under the tall, swaying trees. To me, the landscape was a mixture of woodlands and jungles. When we reached the center of the village (which meant there was a cluster of small cabins instead of just one home), I was touched by how untouched everything was. It was all so serene and idyllic. I may be guilty of romanticizing the conditions there – after all, electricity might make things just a little bit easier – but no doubt, it was one of the most beautiful settings I had ever been in.

After the walk, we headed over to the baseball/soccer field – two sports that everyone here loves to play. I’m not an athlete to begin with, but the kids made me look especially pathetic! Around here, there is definitely a shortage of coddling, indoor voices, and sitting around in front of the T.V. The kids were fast and full of energy! One of them, Noel, actually got bopped in the face with a ball - though he didn’t really notice, while I freaked out. When the games were over, all I could think about was dinner, even though I hadn’t exactly been exerting much energy. Luckily, I was richly rewarded with a delicious dinner of rice, beef, and platanos – fried and sweetened to perfection. We topped off our eye-opening first day with stargazing; all of us staring in amazement at the brightness and clarity of stars in a non-smog-filled sky.

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Blog 1

Yesterday I reluctantly took my first malaria pill. As bitter as the aftertaste was, I know the spoonful of sugar is going to be sweeter! In less than a week, I will be exploring the tropics of hot, sunny Panama! I will not, however, be frolicking in my bikini for seven days; instead, I will be “roughing it” with the honey farmers of Veraguas, several hours away from Panama City.

I don’t expect to relax much, but I’m excited; over spring break, around 20 other “Global Business Brigaders” and I are going to help the honey farmers develop ways to gain independence from the local church that is currently helping them distribute their honey. They hope this will increase profits and all other aspects of their business. We have already split up into teams; as part of the sales committee, I’ll help do a workshop to teach the farmers useful skills, such as how to create a sales pitch.

The idea of developing a useful deliverable for these farmers in just seven days is overwhelming! We’ve done some research about honey apiaries and the local economic climate of Panama, but there’s only so much you can do in front of a computer thousands of miles away. Most of the knowledge we need will be gained only by stepping off the plane and embracing the new experience and hard work that awaits!

As someone who has not yet been to Central America, I am most looking forward to being exposed to a new culture. I know what I experience will be authentic because I won’t be enjoying tourist luxuries in a location that caters to foreigners. I’m hoping to expand my experiences, learn a few things, make new friends, and on the way, brush up on my Spanish! !Buen Viaje!

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