Sarah D.

1. What got you interested in the Peace Corps?

I heard about the Peace Corps right before attending Sarah Lawrence College in fall 2019. I had always been interested in traveling the world and learning about different cultures, but after a few years in college I knew that would not be enough. I wanted to learn, but I also wanted immerse myself in other cultures and contribute in a meaningful way. Peace Corps felt like the best way for me to start working within the international relations realm in a positive way. I began my application in October of 2022 and by June 2023, I was at staging, meeting the people in my cohort who would become my closest friends.

2. What projects are you working on?

At the beginning of service, I was working at the middle school, as well as hosting a twice weekly English class that has persisted throughout service with more than 75 people having attended. We also started a weekly chess club with children from 5-15 years old and went on a field trip to a nearby Volunteer’s site for a chess tournament.

The last year has been focused on training young community members to take on leadership roles that benefit all community members but especially youth. Alongside my counterpart, we spent all of January 2025 training 10 community members between the ages of 12 and 25 on how to facilitate health education lessons, how to speak in public, and how to organize a summer camp. In February, we utilized these skills to implement a camp that reached over 90 community members, and taught participants integral health information and leadership skills. It was amazing to watch the confidence of the facilitators grow over the whole process of this project. Their ability to execute the camp with minimal guidance made me excited to see how these projects will develop after I finish service.

In tandem with the summer camp, I also worked alongside the health teacher to orient 140 students on how to make healthy life decisions throughout the academic year.

3. What strategies have you used to integrate into your community?

I have really focused on sharing my life experiences with community members and encouraging them to do the same. The excitement and interest of community members in exchanging knowledge awakened a feeling of immense pride about where I am from. Learning, teaching, and most of all, communicating about culture brings people together. Over a year has passed since I started my service in Panamá and with confidence, I can say that learning about Panamanian culture from individuals through their life stories has shaped me the most. Through these exchanges I have learned how to make chácaras (traditional Panamanian bags), dance típico (typical dance of Panama), and make coffee.

Community members are always so excited to share their food with me, and I want to show gratitude while also introducing people to different kinds of cuisine. So I never return plastic food containers empty. This is also a great conversation starter. I enjoy cooking, especially when it is a dish that I love and someone else has never tried.

4. What is a highlight of your time in service so far?

A highlight of my service has been creating connections and friendship with community members around my age. It is pretty common as a Peace Corps Volunteer to make your first friends among children and the elderly. My service has been no exception. In the second year of my service, I made a group of friends, all in their mid- to early twenties, that I could relate to and hang out with. My favorite part of service has been the conversations we have had, and all the belly laughs we have shared.

5. What have you enjoyed most about the community where you are serving?

I enjoy the community’s location, high above sea level. This provides for cool mornings, and chilly nights that is reminiscent of fall in the Northeast. I love that the community is big, but has different pockets of small neighborhoods inhabited by super-large extended families. This makes it a lot easier to plan community visits and walks. I also love how giving people are; it does not matter how early or late in the day it is; people will serve you a full plate of food and an overly sweet cup of coffee.

6. What are some of the most important things you’ve learned from your community?

I have learned to slow down and to enjoy silence and stillness. There are moments when control slips out of your hands, and you have to accept and adapt to whatever comes your way. Sometimes people do not have anything to say, and it is not necessary to fill the silence. Sometimes the only thing you have to do in a day is sit in a hammock making a Panamanian bag because school was canceled due to torrential rainfall that floods rivers and prevents students from getting there. And that is okay. Life gets in the way of planning it, and I have learned to accept this as a Peace Corps Volunteer.

7. How do you spend time when you are not working on a project?

When I am not working on a project, I am doing a variety of things. I may be doing housework, like sweeping, washing dishes, laundry, collecting water in the dry season, and making sure my latrine is as clean as possible. Sometimes children will come to my house and we will play chess, watch movies, or try to solve riddles together. At night I always go to the same family home to hang out, talk, and sometimes watch soccer games. From time to time, I also make traditional Panamanian bags.

8. What are you looking forward to in your remaining time as a Volunteer?

I am looking forward to hanging out with the people I love most here. My host family, and their extended family, have received me with open arms and made me feel like an important member of the community. I am looking forward to helping with the planning, organization, and execution of my host cousin's quinceañera, and participating as one of the masters of ceremony for that night. This big event of over 300 people will also be used as my good-bye party. I look forward to trying to express my gratitude to the community that has been my home for the last two years.

9. Once you finish service, what will you do differently when you return to the U.S.?

I will stop over-buying clothing. During service I had about a quarter of the clothing options I am used to having at my fingertips, and I still didn't use all of it. I am going to reduce my closet when I return to the U.S., and focus on only purchasing things that I need and will use. I will prioritize durability and appreciate what I wear every day. I will also appreciate my washer and dryer more.

Learn more about serving as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Panama.