Micah Haidle celebrated his 13th birthday on a trip to Panama with his grandmother in August. Here, they are pictured in a lock on the Panama Canal.
When Micah Haidle turned 13 this August 9th, he celebrated with more than your traditional birthday party–he was on his way to Panama! His gift from his grandmother Ruth Haidle, who lives in Mitchell, South Dakota, was a 10-day trip with her to Panama with the Road Scholar program. Micah is a Heartland 7th grader this year and lives with his family, Luke and Joanne, and sister Kate and brother Levi, in Henderson.
His grandmother began a tradition of taking her grandchildren on special trips with Micah’s older sister Kate, who went to Costa Rica when she turned 13 with Road Scholar. This year, it was Micah’s turn to experience traveling outside the country and much more!
Utilizing the Road Scholar program provides educational and fun travel opportunities. There is a wide array of themed trips to choose from. Micah and his grandmother chose the trip designed specifically for grandparents and grandchildren ages 13-16. The program appealed to her since she is a retired science teacher and superintendent who loves traveling.
When they landed in Panama City, Micah visited Casco Viejo, the historic colonial center, and the Panama Canal Museum. They then went to the Miraflores Visitor Center at the Panama Canal, where they learned firsthand how the lock system works after a 4 ½ hour boat ride alongside the locks, watching an actual ship go through the canal.
When talking to Micah, it’s evident that he soaked in everything he learned about the history behind the canal’s creation and how President Jimmy Carter gifted it back to Panama. They stayed for three nights in Panama City, and Micah was amazed at the heavy traffic. “They said there are 1.4 million people who commute into the City daily,” said Micah.
Next, they took a bus ride to a small peninsula on the Pacific side and stayed in a hotel near the beach. “We took a night walk to see the turtle conservation activity but didn’t see any nesting turtles. I tried to learn how to surf, but I’m from Nebraska, and it wasn’t that easy,” Micah said.
His trip was filled with hiking, biking, swimming, boating, and excursions or “field trips” designed to be fun and educational. After visiting a fishing village, he took a small boat with a local fisherman and watched them catch Jumbo Shrimp, White Sea Bass, and a Baby Hammerhead Shark. The only downside for Micah was that he was seasick, but he enjoyed watching them use ½ mile-long nets for fishing. They could take the fish back to their hotel and eat it for dinner, but Micah said the baby hammerhead shark was released back into the ocean.
Micah especially enjoyed their time with an indigenous tribe in the Embera Village, known for basket weaving and other handmade crafts. They traveled in motorized dugout canoes to the village, where they were introduced to their way of life and traditions.
“Visiting the tribe was pretty cool and was probably the highlight of my trip. We got to play soccer with the kids who played barefoot, and they beat us pretty badly,” said Micah. While there, they watched tribe members celebrate National Tribe Day, performing traditional dances in decorated costumes. They also distributed some school supplies they brought for the village school.
He learned all about sloths while visiting the Gamboa Sloth Sanctuary, where he viewed rescued and rehabbed sloths. However, his guide warned them not to attempt to pet the sloths after showing them his three-inch scar from a sloth’s claws.
He met other kids his age in their group from all over the country – Texas, Oregon, Montana, and North Carolina. “We ate a lot of fresh fish, rice, beans and pineapple. I didn’t really care for the cooked plantains they fixed that were a bit mushy, but I liked the seafood,” said Micah.
Another adventure while in Panama was his experience riding a bus called the Red Devil because they are painted red and drive like the devil said Micah. “It was a little bit sketchy, but everybody rides them since it’s their main form of transportation.”
Micah will most likely forever remember his 13th birthday, arriving in Panama, and having not only a learning experience but a fun time discovering another culture and way of life.
