Panama

FOUR WEEKS IN BOCA CHICA

As part of the crew for the TV-show “The Island”, I stayed for about four weeks in the teeny tiny village of Boca Chica (literally: little mouth). Almost no-one ever comes here.

I reckon it must have been quite the invasion for the 440 locals.

At first, we received quite a few stares and we must have been the talk of the town. But after a while, the newness disappeared and we tried to have chats with the locals after work. Or we’d play football with the kids in the field where the grass reached up to our knees. Of course, we got our asses handed to us every time.
I blame the heat.

The mosquitoes were a similarly superior opponent: in those four weeks I donated enough blood to keep a blood bank operational for months.

Despite all of this, I learned one valuable lesson: how wonderful it can be to immerse yourself in a community for a longer time. We tend to be so hasty in our visits to places that we rarely have the time to touch down and connect. Although I did start feeling a little cramped by the tiny world around me, it has been most satisfying to get to know this place and the people a little bit better.