October 24, 2005: Headlines: COS - Panama: Blogs - Panama' Crime: Personal Web Site: Panama Peace Corps Volunteer PanamaChristy says: "The last entry in this journal was abruptly cut off because I realized while I was writing it that my backpack had been stolen."
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October 24, 2005: Headlines: COS - Panama: Blogs - Panama' Crime: Personal Web Site: Panama Peace Corps Volunteer PanamaChristy says: "The last entry in this journal was abruptly cut off because I realized while I was writing it that my backpack had been stolen."
Panama Peace Corps Volunteer PanamaChristy says: "The last entry in this journal was abruptly cut off because I realized while I was writing it that my backpack had been stolen."
"The detective was outraged though and expressed how sorry he was that this had happened to me, especially when I as a PC volunteer come to help their country and this happens. Tells you how valued the work of PC is in this country which makes me feel good. "
Panama Peace Corps Volunteer PanamaChristy says: "The last entry in this journal was abruptly cut off because I realized while I was writing it that my backpack had been stolen."
October 24th, 2005
[Excerpt]
2:54 pm
Watching my stuff
The last entry in this journal was abruptly cut off because I realized while I was writing it that my backpack had been stolen. The bag had my laptop, all my wires for my camera, etc., my photo album, and my personal diary. So that´s all gone. It was unbelievable and I am still denying that it happened.
But I was sitting in an internet cafe with my bags and another girls just 2 seats down from us because they wouldn´t fit closer to us. I could actually see them out of the corner of my eye, they weren´t behind me. But the place was busy and one moment I looked over and they just weren´t there anymore. So i went to security and we asked the store which denied that I had ever had a bag with me. Then I went with the policemen to look at the security camera tapes, but both the store´s and the mall´s cameras don´t work. BIG HELP they are!
The security people were a little disappointing in their competency, but they I called Peace Corps and they said to go to the police station, actually a place called PTJ which is more like an investigative unit and file a denuncia or a report of something stolen. So I sat with a detective for about 2 hours hashing out a signed statement of exactly what happened putting a value on each item I could remember was in the bag. However, the people were very kind at the PTJ and I felt much better after the whole thing. It is very unlikely that anything will be recovered and PC doesn´t reimburse for anything like that. So I won´t be getting anything back most likely.
The detective was outraged though and expressed how sorry he was that this had happened to me, especially when I as a PC volunteer come to help their country and this happens. Tells you how valued the work of PC is in this country which makes me feel good. He told me he planned on going to the store and making them have a very unpleasant afternoon because they treated me poorly, claiming I was mistaken in my thinking. They even drove me and my friend who accompanied me to the station back onto the specific bus we needed to take. Overall, a very good learning experience and really it is just stuff. I actually was thankful that I handled it quite well. The bigger blow than my computer was my journal and pictures. I was doing so well in writing my experiences in it. At least I have this one.
When this story was posted in November 2005, this was on the front page of PCOL:
Peace Corps Online The Independent News Forum serving Returned Peace Corps Volunteers
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Story Source: Personal Web Site
This story has been posted in the following forums: : Headlines; COS - Panama; Blogs - Panama' Crime
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