Panamá’s warm and hospitable people will welcome you with open arms. The country’s name comes from a Native American word meaning ‘place of many fish,’ and here you’ll find beaches of unparalleled beauty with coral gardens lining their shores, the Caribbean Sea to the north, the Pacific Ocean to the south, and rainforests with exotic animals and rare birds. The people of this country are eager to share the festivals and events that celebrate their heritage. Mestizos, people of mixed Native American and European descent, make up 70 percent of the population, but the country is also home to seven different indigenous groups and also boasts sizable West Indian, Chinese, Middle Eastern, and U.S. populations.

More than half the country remains tropical rainforest, sheltering more species of birds than are found in the U.S. and Canada combined. In addition, seven native Panamanian tribes still live according to prehistoric customs. At least one tribe still hunts with blowpipes. The climate is tropical and daily temperatures range between 21°C and 32°C (70°F and 90°).

Family Living
Panamanian host families, like all AFS host families worldwide, are not paid. They open their homes to students in order to share their community and culture as well as to enrich their own family lives. Panamanian families are usually very close and quite large, including aunts, uncles, cousins and grandparents.

An AFSer who went to Panamá for a year has this to say about his experience:

"Panamá is a very fun place to be, and has a lot of aspects to learn from. You'll see many different cultures in one small place such as the Kuna, Ngöbe-Bugle and Embera-Wunaan natives as well of the people of your community; and almost everyone is very open and friendly...And don't expect lots of cities, Panamá is one of the few countries that blends nature into a urban and rural area perfectly. And the beaches are one-of-a-kind there, so expect a whole new world of ideas and places when visiting Panamá!

Panamá has something for everyone!

• High School Year Program
• High School Semester Program
• Summer 3-in-1: Language Study, Community Service & Homestay (for High School students)
• 18+: University Year Program
• 18+: Semester Community Service Program

As much as AFS Staff and Volunteers love to tell you about all things AFS, you might want to hear it from another perspective on our bulletin board. Here are just a few of the recent topics that students like you have posted:

"I'M IN I'M IN I'M IN I'M IN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"
"A way to make money!! It worked!!"
"Convince the Parents?: Paraguay is safe"
"What will you miss??!?"

You can post the questions you have to get answers from AFSers who are abroad right now. Or just browse topics written by others. You might even find that a similar post already exists. Try doing a search for your topic!

If you are new to the board, follow the instructions to create a login user name. After you register (of course it's free!), an email will then be sent to you with your new password. Sometimes it takes a little while before you can sign in. Happy posting! Visit the Bulletin Board now.

This summer, 12 high school students will be selected to receive a full scholarship to live with an Egyptian family in Cairo and learn all about their culture and customs. Students will participate in an intensive Arabic language program from approximately June 28 to August 17, 2006.

Applicant Eligibility Requirements—

• You must be 15-18 years old
• eager to learn Arabic and interested in continuing language study upon return to the U.S.
• academic achievement—3.0 GPA or above
• outstanding representative of the U.S.
• able to meet cross cultural challenges with maturity, respect, and humor
• prepared to share your own culture with your Egyptian hosts

Alongside an intensive language program, you will have opportunities to interact with Egyptian parliamentarians, educators, and leaders. Excursions to Alexandria, the pyramids of Giza and other important historical sites, will help bring Egypt into its extraordinary historical perspective.

You must be nominated for this scholarship by someone other than a family member. The nomination must be submitted by April 28, 2006. To learn more about this unique opportunity and the application process, please contact Karissa Cain at 1.800.AFS.INFO ext 1546 or karissa.cain@afs.org. You can email your nomination or fax it to (503) 419-9646.

This month's fundraising idea was suggested on the Bulletin Board by an AFSer named Jen. This is one of the best things about the board! Try searching the word "fundraising" and you'll come up with hundreds of posts on the subject.

"Since the weather is getting nice, now is a great time of year to start planning a fundraiser Garage sale. I know a student who had family, neighbors, friends, etc., donate stuff for a garage sale and then she used the proceeds as a fundraiser. She raised over $1,000 doing this - only a few days of work, so not too bad!"

Advertise well and make sure you have some quality items that people will want. You could even put out a donation jar that says "Support Jen's Exchange to Austria."