Karyn Johnson

I arrive in Panama City five weeks from today. That will be day 1 of our corporate service trip with School the World. I think we get to do a little sightseeing (Panama Canal and the Old Town), and have a welcome dinner.

Day 2 (Monday), we fly into David and travel into the Ngäbe-Buglé Comarca (indigenous land in western Panama) to start our service work in the community. They will hold a welcome ceremony for us. Once we finish up there, we will be transported about an hour away to our hotel in Las Lajas.

Each day, we will make the trip to the indigenous community. We will build two classrooms and a playground: concrete, painting — whatever needs doing. We will also teach classes, play with the children, and visit a home. We will bring gifts: toys, school supplies, and a practical item for the home we’ll be visiting.

When the work is completed on Friday, we’ll have a ceremony to dedicate the new school. And then we start making our way back to Panama City, returning home on Sunday, March 10.

I have so much to do before then. I still need to get more things for the trip. I have $600 still to raise to reach my goal — the overall goal is to raise $50,000 to build and maintain the school, buy library books and supplies, train teachers, etc. We are almost halfway there.

I got my vaccines: typhoid and hep A. I have added more upper body strength training to my workouts.

Before I knew about this trip — literally just days before, I mentioned to L that I was hoping to use my passport at least once more before it expires next year. Here’s my chance.

I still don’t have my full itinerary. No idea what flights I’ll be on, where we’re staying in Las Lajas, etc. Hoping to get all the final details soon.

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In other news, mud season has begun. Our yard is flooded and probably won’t dry out until late spring or early summer. Before the rain came, we had bitter cold and snow.

On one of those bitterly cold, windy days, L and I headed out in my Tucson to drop off an entertainment center at the thrift store. On our way there, I was rear-ended while stopped at a traffic light. My tailgate is damaged to the tune of about $2,600. I’ll take it to the body shop a week from tomorrow to be repaired. Thankfully, it should all be done before my trip.

Recent photos of Blitz, who will miss me more than anyone while I’m in Panama. I actually feel guilty about leaving him for a week.