Panama Update #38
August 26, 2008
On Sunday I spent some time building a web-site for Nikki that she can use when the univeristy application season begins soon. In the fall of 2008 they start advertising online for 09/10 geology position openings. The website is still under construction, but if anyone wants to see it, here is the address: http://sites.google.com/site/nstrongearth/. Making a website like this is new territory for me, but I had the time to try it and it also saves Nikki some time. She is busy preparing to leave for two weeks (Sept. 1-15) on a research vessle in the Kuna Yala region of Panama. This area is a 226 km-long strip which includes nearly 400 islands in the chain. It is on the Caribbean coast and includes San Blas, and runs all the way to the edge of the Colombian border. The guide book says, "Following a violent uprising on February 25, 1925, the Kuna were granted permission to implement their own system of governance and economy. To do this day they are a fiercely independent people who maintain their traditions in a changing world." For this reason is was difficult for her group to arrange a trip here, so it will be a real groundbreaking research expedition. She will live on a boat with 11 scientists and conduct the research in both the land and water of that area. We tried to figure out a way for me to meet her half-way, but it looks complicated at this point given the difficulty of traveling their and finding a place to stay and lack of communication. She cannot be reached directly for the 2 weeks, but I can send an email that will be passed along. It will be strange staying in Panama without her for that long of a time, so I am trying to figure out what I will do. I have some projects, but will look for a weekend trip or something like that. I am even considering going back to Minneapolis for a week or 10 days and staying at the cabin, but tickets are around $900 round trip. I still may do it, but will think about it over the next day or two.
