Hola blog! This is my third time on the Panama train, and I am incredibly grateful for the love and knowledge that have been given to me with each exchange. Going into my third and final Panama experience, perspective and trust are the words that will be guiding my intention for the week. I want to take a step back and make decisions that lead to new experiences. I believe that the only way to grow is through change, and this is something I want to get better at embracing. Change can be hard in the short-term, and it can sometimes be hard to see the bigger picture of it all. By trusting in this idea, I will be striving to evolve in the way I teach, move, and interact with my fellow dancing diplomats.
During our first day, I was told that one of my friends who I had made the strongest connection with for the past two years was no longer living at Malambo. She had gone home in December, and this hurt my heart tremendously because she was one of the main reasons I decided to come for a third exchange. I can only hope that her home life is a happy one and that she is being showered with all of the love and kindness that she deserves. This change could’ve had the power to taint my entire experience, but I had to fight the feelings of sadness and loss in order to embrace the growth. Even though I miss Monica dearly, I know that her being gone will allow me to open up to other children and experience things differently. I will always cherish our time together, and I know that the love I have developed for her will always have a special place in my heart.
XOXO,
Alyssa Smith
– WMU Dance Diplomat
