Preparing for a future job?

Tres is working hard at learning to drive the boat. I think that he may end up paying for his way through college as a guide, etc. around here. Do you think age eight is too young to start? He probably should get a haircut if he is to be taken seriously. Or grow it out really long. Who knows what he will end up doing someday.

Carnival Mask

Here is a great carnival mask that Jim snapped in town this month. These things are worn by the diablos participating in the Carnival festivities on Isla Colon.

LA Times Article - Can local environments survive the 'Survivor' franchise?

So, my friend Scott Van Pelt, who has been managing a bed and breakfast on Isla Contadora hosted a reporter from the USA a few months back. Scott showed the reporter the destruction left behind by an international film crew shooting a "Survivor" television show. Scott explained to the reporter that we have had similar issues with reality tv shows in Bocas del Toro. The reporter gave me a call. I explained to him about what happened on Bluff Beach last year with El Desafio as well as the problems we have had with other reality tv shows filming throughout the archipelago in the past.

You can take a look for yourselves. What are your thoughts on reality tv shows filming in delicate environments? Should it be allowed at all?

Recent Wildlife Sightings

Thanks to Jim, Natalia and Ramon, we have lots of great wildlife photos. They each take so many photos that it is very hard for me to keep up with them. However, I went through and grabbed a few of my favorites from the past month or so to share with you today. These are just a sample of what you might encounter here during your stay. Have a great weekend.

Green Living Project - Austin Premier

Just a quick reminder to any of you living in Austin, Texas - the Green Living Project is doing an Austin Premier of its Best of Global Sustainability program in Austin on March 24. See here for more information. Tranquilo Bay is included in Green Living Project's Central American Expedition. We will be represented onsite by Panama Boutique which is a subsidiary of JB Journeys. Panama Boutique will have information about Tranquilo Bay and why you should choose Panama as your next vacation destination. Have fun!

Punta Valiente Community Project

Punta Valiente is a beautiful area in the indigenous comarca of the Ngobe Bugle people. We take guests over to hike the lovely terrain and spend time on the beaches when the weather permits. It is a unique experience that our guests truly appreciate. This excursion is a bit farther a field than most that we do, but it is well worth the boat ride.

Audrey Blocker, the current Peace Corp volunteer on Punta Valiente, has applied for a loan from the Peace Corp programs to build a bridge for the community. She explains the process herself in this open letter to the community: http://bit.ly/eDMzOY

What we like about this process is that the community must participate and put forward at least 25% of the funding for the project. We have found that the projects which really make a difference in the long term are those where the community has buy in from the beginning. These projects where the community must either participate in the construction of or the funding of the project have a much greater return on investment than those where the community is a recipient of a gift.

I made a donation on behalf of Tranquilo Bay. It takes very little time. You can donate $5 or more to the project. The community is providing over 50% of the overall cost of the project through their own labor. The project needs around $3600 to begin the bridge. Thanks for considering this project. Please forward this information to anyone who might find this project interesting as any donation helps. Thanks.

SHOUT Online Learning Portal

Earlier this week I found a new project that the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute is doing in combination with some other organizations. The program called SHOUT is for students and educators to meet together in an online community to learn more about a variety of global environmental issues. There are live sessions, podcasts, and recorded versions of the live sessions to review. I listened to a podcast by the director of STRI to learn a bit more about what STRI does and will be doing. You might want to go check it all out. Here is the link: http://www.smithsonianconference.org/shout/ The Deforest Action program appears to be a great project for kids. I assure you that ours will be getting into it.

Looking for a chef/cook

We are looking for a chef/cook. Our current cook has decided to go to work in his family's business. Leo has been with us in our kitchen for over four years now. He originally worked with his sister as the second in line and has been our head cook for almost a year. He is leaving effective June 2011, as such, we are looking for someone, preferably a Panamanian woman, to begin working with us as soon as possible so that the two people can work together for a period of time.

Position:

This position is responsible for managing the kitchen and meals in their entirety. Menu planning is not the chef's responsibility; however someone with the right experience may have this responsibility. Breakfast, lunch and dinner for up to 20 in the dining room and up to 8 staff each day. Our hotel is secluded – access to other islands is limited. Approximately 8 other staff members reside onsite in the staff dormitory. Our boat goes to town twice weekly for supplies, etc.

Due to our secluded location and since our staff is housed on the premises, the environment is very much like being on a ship. It is vital that our chef is secure, friendly and teamwork oriented. It is key that our employees get along with others well, both guests and staff. We need an individual who is healthy and highly dependable. English is not necessary (we have this job description in Spanish if you need it). We prefer a Panamanian for this position. This position calls for an individual who is professional and presentable. The chef position is a challenging yet rewarding one. Split shifts combined with the limited vacation schedule require a self-starter who is dedicated and remains focused on the job.

Because of our location, it is very difficult to replace any of our crew. We do expect a commitment from our employees to stay at least a year. It is important that our applicants understand the operation and what responsibilities will be required of them. Under normal circumstances, our staff works a six or seven day week for five weeks with a week off at the end of the five week period. This schedule is dependent upon guest reservations. It is possible during high season that the leave week be delayed due to guests on site.

We do not allow “partying” or dating within the staff living on site. We require that all staff abide by posted rules and regulations.

Compensation:

The salary will be between $500 and $1000 a month and is completely dependent upon the applicant's experience, etc. We are only hiring Panamanians for this position. We pay transportation costs to and from this person's home at the end of the five week period by bus. After a three month temporary period, we pay all social security and other governmental requirements. The person who fills this position will live on site. On site all meals are provided. Personal expenses are limited to mobile phone and personal toiletries. We do have internet and phone access which are available to this person during their off hours until 10:00 pm each night. Under normal circumstances there is a second person in the kitchen to help this person with meals and an additional person to assist with dish washing, etc. following each meal. We need a person who is ready to work and does not have specific lines set as to what is and is not a part of the job. This position is a great one for someone who thinks they are ready to have their own restaurant but do not yet have the funding to do so. This position allows someone to save money as it is impossible to spend money here. We do not require someone with experience. We will manage the responsibility level based upon the applicants and the ultimate hire.

If you know of anyone who might fit this position, please have them contact me at info @ tranquilobay .com. Thanks.

Sport Fishing Article goes live online

"Panama's Forgotten Coast" - this article has been a blessing for us. We have received more reservations from people reading this article than we have from any other to date. We truly enjoyed having Doug and Rob here with us last October. If you haven't read it yet - take a look at the article now on Sport Fishing Magazine's website: http://bit.ly/dOriHk

Panama Wildlife - 2011 Episode 1

Here is the first episode for Panama Wildlife. We have had to change they way all of the videos are named on You Tube so that you can tell which episode you are selecting in a series. The episode number is listed first and the year follows.

Enjoy this one - it is short and sweet.

Clements Bird List - 223 species and counting

We are up to 223 species we have seen on our excursions from Tranquilo Bay.

We have added a bird list to match the format of the Clement's 6.5 Bird List. The most established resource on the taxonomy and biogeography of birds for the world birding community, The Clements Checklist is the official world checklist of the American Birding Association (ABA) and is used as the authoritative reference in the birding competitions and listing activities of this preeminent North American organization for serious birders.



We also still have the Bird List based upon The Birds of Panama. We are working from the 1992 edition of the book. We have the December 2010 version of the book you see below on its way to us.



The Birds of Panama is the one field guide the novice or experienced birder needs to identify birds in the field in Panama's diverse habitats. George Angehr is a Research Associate at the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute (STRI) in Panama and the coauthor of A Bird-Finding Guide to Panama, also from Cornell. Robert Dean is the coauthor of The Wildlife of Costa Rica: A Field Guide and the illustrator of The Birds of Costa Rica: A Field Guide, both from Cornell.

You can download the lists here.

Looking for a teacher for our children

Our wonderful teacher is leaving us in May. We are looking for a teacher to begin working with us on July 1, 2011. Anyone interested in the position should send their resume and why they are a great fit for this job to info @ tranquilobay .com. This is a fabulous job for the right person!

Requirements:

• Deliver bilingual instruction given in English and Spanish
• Follow both U.S. and Panamanian curriculum standards simultaneously
• Plan and implement long-term and short-term lesson plans
• Implement plans for mixed grade level classroom based upon curriculum standards (currently 1st and 3rd grades, may support additional grades in the future)
• Plan and implement lessons for varying degrees of skills within the same classroom
• Provide lessons for all subject matter as well as specials suggested by the director (i.e. art, computer)
• Assess individual student needs or gaps in learning and address these appropriately
• Submit extensive written progress reports mid year and end of year
• Organize and submit assignments to director for Panamanian curriculum requirement due dates
• Provide weekly homework assignments and give feedback on completed assignments
• Research and plan field trips based upon standards
• Practice suitable classroom management and social standards
• Maintain appropriate behavior with students and serve as a role model
• Maintain classroom in an organized manner and be responsible for supplies
• Communicate regularly with director (i.e. concerns, needs, change of schedule, accomplishments)
• Follow morning and afternoon school schedules punctually
• Self-monitor and self-motivate

School Schedule:

Monday through Friday 8:30 am to 12:00 pm
Monday – Thursday 2:00 to 5:00 pm (approximate)
Vacation – June, One week every seven weeks (somewhat flexible)

Teacher Characteristics:

• Mature individual with an independent character
• Adaptability to live in a foreign country outside of your comfort zone
• Ability to dwell in a somewhat isolated environment
• Flexibility to coexist and share common and/or work space with other members of staff
• Adaptability to living in a tropical climate with basic accommodations
• Ability to pass several weeks at a time on site

Compensation:

Monthly salary at least $700 per month (dependent upon experience) plus room and board.

Updated to add more information...

Here is a link to some photos and videos to give you more insight into the position and our location: http://bit.ly/eG2Nz4

Panama Eco Adventure - 2011 Episode 2

Here is the next Panama Eco Adventure episode. We had a wonderful family down here with us in February. Jim and Ramon caught the boys surfing on film. Enjoy!

Much Better Adventures

Tranquilo Bay is now a member of muchbetteradventures.com!

We are delighted to have been approved as full members of muchbetteradventures.com, a carefully selected collection of adventure providers who have a strong ongoing commitment to sustainability.

Muchbetteradventures.com is the ‘trip advisor’ of adventure travel, specially designed to support local businesses and reward true ethical practice. You can get in direct contact with members through the site, avoid paying commissions, and check out reviews from others who have been to where you are planning to go. 

Muchbetteradventures.com worked closely with Sustainable Travel International and The Travel Foundation to develop a careful sustainability vetting procedure, so you can be sure that if someone claims to be ‘muchbetter’, they will be just that! The long-term aim is to build the widest and fairest selection of ethical adventure travel choices that outdoor lovers have ever seen, and bring support to many important conservation and community development projects around the world.

Check out our profile here: http://www.muchbetteradventures.com/profile/tranquilobay. Please leave a review to help us benefit from the site, and spread the word to your friends.

Woody Vines - Smithsonian Research

STRI had this article up on its page several weeks ago. I find it interesting to watch and see if the vines are in fact more numerous than in the past. We haven't noticed anything in particular, but now we are watching for this type of growth. We have one vine mat in particular directly above the entry into the walkway to the ocean facing cabanas that is enormous. It does receive more sun than the trees in that location so it matches with the research in this article.

http://www.treehugger.com/files/2011/02/vines-threaten-tropical-water-cycle-carbon-storage.php

Planting trees for the future

Jay and Natalia took the big kids on a hike over to the other side of the property to plant some fruit trees. We are hopeful they will take off without much care. As many of you know, the ants are our biggest problem in growing things on our own. They planted over thirty Sun Drop and Papaya trees.



Thanks to Natalia for the photo.