Girl time (Monday)

Today, we indulged in a guilty pleasure:  Beading!

We had a lazy morning, and then, Lydia (of UTP and Speedy Bead fame) picked us up and took us to the Mercado de Mariscos for lunch.  We had delicious ceviche while we strategized about our visit.

Then, with our bellies full, we headed over to Avenida B.  There, we walked to Don Chicho, a definitely magnet for beaders (e.g., us!)  We all looked at different beads and each of us found some interesting treasures.  Then, we wandered over to the Kuna fabric where Sewellyn and I both bought some interesting fabrics - me for potential stoles at First Congregational, Berkeley, and Sewellyn for using in her amazing home.

After purchasing our treasures, we headed over to Casa Liu, replete with treasures.  Lydia found some wonderful large Baroque pearls while Sewellyn and I clucked over some lovely stones and left without huge purchases.  Whew!

Then, we headed home.  There, we all admired our purchases (always the first step) and then set to work creating.  Lydia gets the prize for both the most and the best jewelry.  Her necklaces were nothing short of stunning!

  

We had a fabulous time together!  It felt really indulgent - a chance to be together, creating, and hanging out together while we beaded.  I think it must be like the camaraderie women felt when they quilted in the past - a sense of connection and creating at the same time.  

Laying low (Thursday)

Today I awoke with a sore throat again.  It didn't go away right away, so I skipped Spanish again (rats!) and spent the day here.  The good news is that I'm feeling 95% better tonight.

Inspired by Lydia yesterday, I decided to sort through my beads.  I pulled out the ones that I don't think I'll be using.  Most of these will go to Lydia since they are more her "style."  I also ran up a bunch of other things to give to folks here.

I also dealt with the video from yesterday.  ARGH!  I fought with iPhoto, iMovie, QuickTime.  I searched online.  I tried and tried and tried.  And finally, I simply copied the files to my thumb drive.  I will have to share the files.

<sigh>

And tonight, Lydia sent a picture of the end result.  Lovely!

[Check out today's additions to Diablos Rojos:  An Evolving Collection - April 8]

Into the Field, Into the rain (Thursday)

Today, I gathered the initial field data for my class's exercise that we'll carry out next week.  

The premise is that we are doing an early concept assessment for a new "company", "The Speedy Bead."  This "company" will provide high quality beads (something that is hard to find in Panama) quicker than they are available from e-railers in the States like eBay or Firemountain Gems.  In addition, they would come quickly, with low shipping rates - something that is impossible if you buy from outside Panama because there is no reliable post, so things must come in through a freight forwarder in the US, which is extremely costly and takes quite a lot of time.  

The "data" I gathered today is background for this exercise and represents the current purchasing process of beads in Panama City.  My friend, Lydia, went down to Avenida B, the rather rough area where Don Chicho and Casa Lieu are located.  There, she picked out beads, and demonstrated how she puts together sets of beads for projects.  

I wrote up this information for the class to read before Wednesday.

On Wednesday, we are going to go to Lydia's home where I will show them how to do an ethnographic visit - using all of the methods we use.  She will show us where she keeps her beads, how she plans and executes a project and what she does with finished projects.

Then NEXT week, we will do another Affinity Diagram - this time using ALL of the colors of Post-its that we have - of the data we will gather.  Again, it will be in the hallway.  Again, it will stimulate interest (I hope.)  And it will serve as the basis for paper prototypes of the website that the class will create and test.

I'm very excited!  

Time, Interviews and Rain. (Tuesday)

Tuesday was totally different because I was not teaching.  We started the day eating at the market - a simple but yummy meal.  Plus there was a fruit stall nearby where we could stock up on yummies.

I had a number of errands to do - for myself and for others on the team, and since I was the one who was free, I had a chance to go do them and explore David a bit.

First, I had to go to renew my data plan so it wouldn't lapse.  Sanchez (our driver) helped me find the mail center for +Movil ("MasMovil") my carrier.  I had to get a number from this interesting display

and then wait.  And wait.  And wait. Finally, my number was called and I found out that to add money to my data plan I first had to buy regular cell phone time, and then pay for the data from that.  

The process was as follows:

1.  Add prepaid time to phone --> Press *166# [code on the card] # Send/Call (depending on the phone)

I had to add $15 USD - so I had to do this twice - once for a $5 card and another time for the $10 card - no such thing as a $15 card, even though this is the standard rate for data)

2.  Now, move money to data plan --> Press *456# Send/Call

3.  A menu comes up with Blackberry (1) or Other (2) - choose 2 then click "Reply" in the upper right hand corner of the screen.

4. Another menu comes up - choose the length of time for the data (30 days) --> Reply" in upper right hand corner

5.  Another menu comes up - discrete purchase (1) or ongoing/continuous (2) - choose 2 and click "Reply" in the upper right hand corner one last time.

!*%#!

Fellow HCI'ers and others, tell me - is this an intuitive process?  I was mighty glad to have someone who could explain this in English while doing it.  I now have it safely documented in my purple book!

Next was the Farmacia for a friend, and then the fun part, a quest for beads.  Unfortunately, almost all of the beads available in Panama are plastic - this is true in Panama City as well - so I had to try several places, but finally, upstairs in a "Sederia" (a store that sells many things - for parties, for crafts, etc.) I found a few (and I mean a very few) stone and glass beads for new necklaces - this time for Maritza and for Sanchez's wife.  Plus some taiga beads - I haven't seen these before so I stocked up.

Back to UTP we sped.  Once I got there, I found out that there were 2 Ngobe-Bugle people - one a student and one a gardener on staff - who were available to meet with to interview.  This was intended to help add context to the research that Aris and Lydia are doing.  We were saddened to find out that they were pretty much assimilated into mainstream Panamanian culture, speaking Spanish in the home, being out of touch with migration patterns, and such.  I totally understand this.  After all, the Ngobe-Bugle are an indigenous peoples who have been marginalized and relegated to remote impoverished places in the Comarcha - a sort of reservation.  But it is also kind of sad to see the loss of their language and culture.  It also underlines the need to actually spend time in those remote areas and to work closely with people who can help us understand what is happening, and also who can help us find culturally appropriate ways to co-design if technology proves to be a useful tool to help provide access, learning, and healthcare.  If.  IF.

And then, the skies opened. Lightening flashed followed almost immediately by loud, booming thunder.

And rain.

Lots and lots and lots of rain.  The torrents were so loud they drowned out conversation.  And almost immediately, they filled the drains and flowed like rapid rivers through campus.

How to get home?  Even with an umbrella, in this downpour of epic proportions, there was no way we were going to get into the Dean-mobile without getting drenched.

Or was there?

Brilliant Sanchez to the rescue!  He had found a place to park under an awning that covered the entire van!  Yes, there was a huge, deep puddle on one side, but the other was only a little puddle (amazing given the downpour) and one by one, we were able to get into the van basically dry - OK, a bit damp around the edges, but basically dry.

Whew!

We wondered if it would be possible to rive, but that was selling Sanchez short.  He negotiated the roads, puddles and all, like the champion driver that he is.

We sped through the night as the rain abated, past villages and schools and homes.

And dogs.  Lots and lots of dogs.  Many were asleep in the now-dry road.  Others were walking nonchalantly across the street, seemingly blissfully unaware of the hurtling van.  Sanchez had his hands full avoiding them all, as the rest of us gasped and applauded his skill.

On through the night we traveled and finally, we reached Santiago, our resting place for the night.

 
And for dinner?  Why, sanchoce of course.

Limpiar! (Saturday)

Saturday dawned early, but I let myself roll over and sleep a bit more because today is the day to get all ready for the trip to Chiriqui, Veraguas, and Azuero to teach (en espanol!) and I needed my strength!

Eventually, the construction noise forced me to arise.  And then, I kicked into high gear!

First, laundry so I can pack.

Although the apartment is basically fine, I felt the need to clean - as in clean not just straighten the apartment.  I swept and re-swept and re-swept.  And in doing so, I found where the nasty-beastie got in!  Turns out there's a gap in the gasket of the door to the porch.  There were a whole bunch of others there - luckily (for me) dead.  I shuddered though, and hurried away to finish the job.

After the sweeping, I washed the floor.

And then I tackled the bathrooms and kitchen to get them as clean as possible.  And so they are.

Of course, such industry deserves to be rewarded so I headed for my favorite reward:  making necklaces!  I made a set of 3 for myself, as well as one with ceramic beads for Geralis.  It was practically spooky to get here What's Ap later in the evening saying it was her birthday!

But the most important task of the evening awaited.  My nails!  So I set to work trying to get them perfect.  And then I let them dry.  For hours.  During which time I watched episodes of my current TV series - Hotel Babylon.  And a movie.  And more Hotel Babylon.  It was a video extravaganza and it was perfect for drying my nails.

Of course, eventually I had to hit the hay.  By this time it was 2 am!  Too late!  But tomorrow is our travel day and I feel pretty much ready to pack - my last real task before leaving.