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<p>WILKES-BARRE &#8212; The feather colors looked so vivid they had to be fake: Reds and yellows and greens straight out of a Disney animated feature pointed straight up from the straw hat.</p><p>But they were from real birds, unaltered, Gustavino Mendoza insisted. &#8220;We have many colorful birds in Panama.&#8221;</p><p>Mendoza was sporting a traditional costume of the Ngabe-Bugle, which he said is one of five indigenous cultures in Panama, where he teaches English. &#8220;I speak three languages,&#8221; he smiled, &#8220;Ngabe, Spanish and English.&#8221;</p><p>Mendoza is one of 22 Panamanian teachers visiting Wilkes University, the second cohort of teachers here under a new agreement with Panama. They arrived May 22 and leave July 15, improving their English, learning new practices in education and exchanging culture.</p><p>On Thursday the teachers arrived outside Kistler Elementary School during a monthly event staged with the Commission on Economic Opportunity. Residents could pick up a bag of free grocery staples and as usual, with the bonus this time of tasting some &#8220;Raspado&#8221; and enjoying a few Panamanian dances.</p><p>Raspado is a fruit flavored snow cone with a twist: A topping of condensed milk mixed with honey.</p><p>Fellow English teacher Elnier Fuentes eagerly discussed images of different aspect of Panama life displayed on several poster boards, from the types of food to the legendary canal, recently expanded to accommodate larger vessels.</p><p>&#8220;This is Sancocho,&#8221; Fuentes beamed pointing to one picture. &#8220;It&#8217;s basically chicken soup. We eat it every day.&#8221;</p><p>Fuentes wore a costume of his native Tonosi province. He joined in several dances, including one lead by Mendoza with only the sound of his rattles to keep the beat as a line of people stepped in tight formation forward and backward.</p><p>After the dance and a song led by Leydi Moreno, the teachers took a break. Despite the activity in the afternoon heat, they looked cool and comfortable.</p><p>&#8220;In Panama we sweat all the time,&#8221; Fuentes conceded with a smile. &#8220;Here it&#8217;s very nice, even in the sun.&#8221;</p><p>Keep that in mind the next time you curse the summer heat of Wyoming Valley.</p><style>
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<div class="neCaption">Gustavino Mendoza, of Panama, leads a procession during a Panamanian dance demonstration outside of Kistler Elementary School in Wilkes-Barre on Thursday. </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo0>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/web1_panama01.jpg</photo0><caption0>Gustavino Mendoza, of Panama, leads a procession during a Panamanian dance demonstration outside of Kistler Elementary School in Wilkes-Barre on Thursday. </caption0><photoCredit0></photoCredit0></div><div class="neFile"><img class="neImage" src="https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/web1_panama02.jpg">
<div class="neCaption">Leydi Moreno, of Panam,a sings a song during Panamanian teachers visit to Wilkes-Barre on Thursday during the Chiildren&#8217;s Produce Market at Kistler Elementary School. </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo1>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/web1_panama02.jpg</photo1><caption1>Leydi Moreno, of Panam,a sings a song during Panamanian teachers visit to Wilkes-Barre on Thursday during the Chiildren&#8217;s Produce Market at Kistler Elementary School. </caption1><photoCredit1></photoCredit1></div></div>
<div class="metaInfo"><subheadMeta>Pete G. Wilcox | Times Leader</subheadMeta></div><div class="metaInfo"><bylineMeta><p>By Mark Guydish</p><p>mguydish@www.timesleader.com</p></bylineMeta></div><div class="metaInfo"><shirttailMeta><p>Reach Mark Guydish at 570-991-6112 or on Twitter @TLMarkGuydish</p></shirttailMeta></div>

Panama teachers bring culture to Kistler elementary