By Brittany M. Colton

When I signed up and paid for my plane ticket to Panama, I knew it was finally happening. After consistently changing my mind for the past two years about what I wanted to do immediately after graduation, I finally thought I was set on a fixed plan: I would attend law school for public interest purposes. With this plan in mind, I knew I wanted some first-hand experience. I stumbled across the Global Brigades organization online, specifically the Human Rights chapter, and I thought this would be the perfect opportunity.
 
I had no idea the prospects that lay ahead.

A month later, it was 5:30 in the morning, and we were waiting at the Newark airport to board the plane. My mother was freaking out (clearly over the phone), and I was starting to get nervous. What if this really isn’t what I wanted to be doing? Pushing my fears and doubts aside, I boarded the plane; this was only my second trip flying, might I add.

At around 1 pm, the plane was starting to descend over beautiful islands and strips of land. Flying into Panama City didn’t feel foreign. I mean, Panama City is like the Dubai of Central America; many foreigners, including Americans, retire there. We weren’t going to be in Panama City for our brigade though, so I held my breath and braced myself for the days to come. Instead, we worked about 5 hours outside of the city in a rural community called Plantanilla. The way of life was startling: little shacks housed entire families, toilets were not common, if present at all, and resources were scarce; we would be in this community for the week to come.
 
Our mission was simple, at least written down: we were there to provide legal assistance to the public and educate them about their legal rights. I was surprised to learn that individuals who were years older than me had no idea about any of their legal rights; some didn’t even know what a lawyer did. Throughout the week, my eyes would be opened to the immense need for lawyers and workers in these poverty-stricken communities.
 
The family I worked with changed my perspective on life. I aided in the paperwork for a case concerning a couple who got married 19 years earlier in a ceremony. The problem? The pastor never filed their paperwork. They were not legally married. On top of having 5 kids together, they only lived on $30/month. Can you imagine? After sitting down with them and going over their paperwork, they were ecstatic to be receiving this kind of help. So ecstatic, they fed us- a whole group of six. That’s almost one meal for the entire family! I couldn’t believe it. Their act of kindness made me realize what’s really important in life.

From that point on, I knew what I was meant to be doing. Sure, law school might be in my future, but not immediately. I hope to intern with Global Brigades or join the Peace Corps. My eyes have finally been opened, and because of this short experience, my future seems limitless.