El Presidente

Training has come and gone and it seems more like a few weeks since I arrived rather than a few months. We had our swear in ceremony last Thursday, the 28th of October 2010. It was really a spectacular experience. Everyone was dressed to kill and the men were sporting their best bigotes (spanish for mustache). For some reason, (just for humor´s sake) several of us decided to grow a mustache, which is extremely popular in Panama, to celebrate the occasion.

The Mustache Kings

If you´re gonna grow a mustache, do it right.

We were staying at the City of Knowledge in Clayton and escorted by bus to the ambassador´s house. That´s right folks, the ambassador of the United States of America! Take that! There were guards at the gate, one of which looked under our bus with a mirror, I assume checking for bombs or Robert DeNiro. There was a blockade at both the entrance and exit that rose electronically from beneath the earth and descended likewise to allow our passage. The house was grand with an expansive foyer, dining area, conference room and sitting rooms. We took a quick picture of the group before we were hurried inside by a small Panamanian woman who seemed very anxious, wearing a look of great concern like she might break apart and crumble at any moment. She was talking rapidly, saying the President was arriving and that we absolutely must go inside immediately. We of course obliged and then spent the next forty or so minutes milling about, taking pictures and talking amongst ourselves, as well as with current PCV´s who had come to share in the festivities. I recognized the ambassador, Phyllis Powers, a rather tall women with wavy blond hair, from watching the news and seeing her picture in the newspaper. She had only been in the country a couple of months after serving in Iraq the previous two years. I could see that she wasn´t very interested in the conversation that was taking place around her, most likely small talk and pleasantries that she certainly must be accustomed to after years of dinners, meetings, celebrations and ceremonies much like the one she was attending that night.

Tom Selleck and Ambassador Powers

When Ricardo Martinelli, El Presidente de Panama, finally arrived, we were seated in the conference area where there in the front was placed a long table with three chairs. The ambassador to the left, Martinelli in the center, and the PC Panama Country Director, Brian Riley to the right. There were American and Panamanian flags present and a podium with a large emblem of the United States; similar to the ones that I´ve seen on the news when a government spokesperson makes an address or announcement to the media. This one however, was emblazoned with the words: United States Embassy Panama.

Two people were selected from Group 66 to represent us on this occasion. Diana spoke on behalf of CED (Community Economic Development) and Elliot represented EH (Environmental Health). They both did an excellent job and the President even gave two thumbs up to Diana as she took a seat following her speech. She even worked in, much to my surprise, and quite eloquently, certain things that others had asked her to, including brujas (witches) and the use of just one arm. We were all given the microphone and asked to say our name, where we were from, what our project was, and where we would be serving. I was a little nervous as I took the microphone, never imagining I would be talking in front of an ambassador of the United States or the President of a nation. Not so nervous, it turns out, as Joe from EH who started to chuckle for several seconds before gaining his composure to make his statement. Everyone laughed; it was pretty funny. Kevin from Arkansas also received a thumbs up as Martinelli graduated from Arkansas. He later told me that when they spoke, Martinelli indicated he was flying to Arkansas that night to attend the homecoming of the University. The country director and ambassador both gave their speeches and received much applause. When Martinelli took the podium he handed an aide (perhaps) a few sheets of paper; possibly a prepared speech, I do not know. But he began to speak without any kind of notes, making several jokes and seemingly speaking from the heart about his country and some of the issues that we would face in the next two years.

Ricardo Martinelli President of Panama with Sean Sumner President of the Mustache Association of the Americas.

This is where I laid out my 10 point plan to Martinelli. If he follows it exactly Panama will be a world power in less than three years.

There was a small reception afterward where we were able to speak with Martinelli personally and have our picture taken. I was asked several times what we were talking about after I seized the opportunity to chat with the President. Although it couldn´t have been more than a minute, it was a longer conversation than most were able to garner. When I told him I was from Virginia he said something, not exactly sure what to be honest, about a high-school in Staunton. I told him my sister lived in Staunton and he replied that they have an excellent school named Mary Baldwin. I proceeded to tell him that my sister taught there and we spoke briefly about the area. He even mentioned that it was the birthplace of Woodrow Wilson, which I of course confirmed. At that point he could´ve said that it was the birthplace of the Smurfs and I would´ve agreed. Nonetheless, it was a great experience and one that I never imagined I would have. Later I spoke briefly with the ambassador and believe it or not, most of the conversation centered around that stupid mustache I had agreed to wear for the evening. (I shaved it off as soon as I returned to Clayton) I was hoping to have a little more time with her as I´m sure she has a wealth of knowledge and experience in Foreign Service. Unfortunately she was whisked away, no doubt on more important matters than my mustache.

Everyone has an inner mustache. You just have to have the courage to let it out.

The reception was short due to protocol dictating that the President can´t go until everyone else is gone. We loaded up the buses and most of us headed to a Lebanese restaurant downtown appropriately named ¨Beirut¨. We then broke off and spent the night dancing and celebrating, which we thought was much deserved. The next morning most people left for the beach, a few of us lingering behind in the city for various reasons. Several aspirantes mentioned going to the beach after swear in for a weekend of partying before going to our sites. I said ¨who wants to stay and go explore the two national parks close by?!¨ I´ll give you one guess as to who went to the beach and who went trudging around the parks by himself. But, that´s another story for later.