Megan Unbounded

I want to share with everyone a few things that I have learned and my overall experience while being a Peace Corps Volunteer in Panama!  I give you all the truth and try not to hide anything about how my time here! If you have any questions or similar experiences, please share!!

My time is winding down in the community so on the weekends, I'm visiting community members and cooking with them. Each weekend I'm trying to spend as much time with my Pana-mom especially. I also asked her to share any advice and words in a video just to look back at and be reminded of the great times we had together!

During the winter months, one of my favorite recipes to make is lentil chili. This chili has a different twist from a recipe I found on Pinterest with sweet potatoes because I add in some kale and avocado slices for extra protein and flavor. Plus, I like my food to have flavor and sometimes there is an urge to shake more salt over that delicious looking dish, but backing your hand away from the salt shaker (seriously, back away from the salt.... lol), try using more spices for flavor! Okay, like I said, this chili has no meat! (Nor dairy..yes, it is vegan!) I made the switch to vegan about 4 years ago to live healthier and cook better food but it has been a learning process. I would still like to learn more vegan recipes so if any has some to share, please leave a message or comment below! Sometimes my sisters can be skeptical of what I put together because they still enjoy meats and dairies since what I cook is very different for them. However, sometimes I catch them when my ba...

A couple weeks ago, I visited a volunteer to do a collaboration about baking and business topics. It was fun to work with one of the volunteers in my group and  with her community members! The lady who hosted all of us at her house was so cute and kind. Check out the video for a little more information!

There are quite a few ways you can travel on a budget and some I have found below are even free! So no more excuses if people feel that it is too expensive to go somewhere! Honestly, once you know the information, the next step is to just go for it. 1. Volunteer!  Like me, I did  Peace Corps  from 2014-2016 and it is important to understand that you will not be living in a 5-Star hotel type accommodation. Depending on your work experience, you could do Peace Corps Response for shorter periods ( I think 6 months or year long positions). But if you are open to live and volunteer abroad for two years, this is sufficient time to learn a language, a different way of life, and become familiar with a new culture. The biggest benefit about this option is that it is completely free, where the program pays for the passport, flights, and housing/health insurance for your entire service. If you do choose to travel to other places, that depends on your own saving...

If you are coming or want to come to Panama, there are many beaches to choose from but overall, I think that Isla Coiba and Bocas del Toro are two that are worth checking out. Equally beautiful with their clear blue waters and laid-back beach cultures, they have some things in common and different. Bocas del Toro is closer to Costa Rica and is more jungle that hide the indigenous native groups that live deep in them. You can either take a bus ($28) or plane ($100) to get to Bocas and to get to the islands, there are numerous of boats that you can choose from around $3-5 per person, one-way to Colon Island. Once on the main island, you can check out the others that are beautiful as well. One of my favorite places was Wizard Beach on Bastimentos Island because it was more private and the waves were fun to play in! There is a little hike through the jungle to reach it  but it really is a hidden gem  that does not have many tourists. We took a boat taxi from Colon to Bastim...

One of my favorite recipes to make is lentil burgers! It is full of flavor and I use oatmeal to replace the eggs, which adds some extra nutrients too.  (There is another one that is my favorite,  Curried Sweet Potato Garbanzo Burgers. I will share soon!!) A few times I have experimented with combinations of diced carrots, tomatoes, chopped spinach, and diced *potatoes or an 8 oz can of corn and diced tomatoes which I cooked the last 15 minutes with the lentils so they were softened. (*Cook the potatoes longer..about 30 minutes). I have even replaced the bell pepper and used broccoli with carrots! It all depends on what you want to add and how creative you want to get :) So I have the basic recipe below that you can mix in your favorite kinds of veggies. Don´t be afraid to change it up! Another important thing that I like to do with my burgers (and a suggestion from the vegan chili recipe), is to add in another round of spices after cooking the lentils to prevent adding in...