Kalu Yala Criticism: The Truth About Kalu Yala

When something new comes into the world it is often criticized for its differences compared to the life we are used to living. This is exactly what has happened to the innovative and sustainable community being built in Panama known as Kalu Yala. The Kalu Yala criticism many readers may have heard is based largely on myth and misinformation directed at the community. This mistaken impression is a result of outsiders who are failing to grasp just what founder Jimmy Stice is looking to achieve in the tropical landscape just outside Panama City. Although many parents and students may feel apprehensive about undertaking an international internship, the opportunity to learn about different cultures, sustainability, and how to develop business opportunities is an adventure not to be missed.

Exploring The World

The majority of interns who make their way to Panama as part of the Kalu Yala experience are initially attracted to exploring a completely different way of living compared to their everyday lives in the developed world. Exploring the culture of Panama and the Tropics is a good starting point for many students and interns; but what the Kalu Yala criticism fails to take into a count is the fact that students are empowered to interact with their contemporaries from all over the world. This is an experience that is not available to the vast majority of students. Kalu Yala reports students and interns come from all 50 states and over 30 countries, offering a wide array of cultures and a unique dynamic for learning.

When students make their way to this sustainable community they are given the opportunity to provide a change in the way of life for the local people who are taught English and business practices by interns from around the world. One of the most successful programs introduced by the leaders at Kalu Yala comes in the form of the farm to table program which uses produce from the Trez Brazos Valley to improve the lives of local people. The exchange of ideas is not limited to the interns sharing their beliefs with the local people but includes the local population providing their experience of living in Panama to aid the growth and development of the community.

Sustainability is key

Climate change and rising sea waters are changing the way millions of people, concerned about the way we are treating the planet, are living their lives. Kalu Yala criticism does not take into account the fact the community has been founded with the aim of creating a settlement with the lowest carbon footprint possible. The settlement has been created by one of the top architects and urban planning specialists in the U.S., Moule & Polyzoides Architects who are known for their innovative approach to every project undertaken.

Founder Jimmy Stice believes the creation of a successful settlement just outside Panama City could have an impact on communities across the Tropics. Buildings are designed to limit the use of heating and cooling equipment to lower the reliance on electricity across the settlement. This approach could prove important for millions of people across the Tropical region of the world. Entrepreneurs and community leaders from across the world are already making their way to the former cattle grazing region of Panama to discover just how this settlement is rewriting the rulebook on creating an impressive future for the people of the world.

A safe and secure environment

Jimmy Stice and his partners spent much of 2006 hiking the jungles of Panama looking for the perfect location for their planned settlement. Stice felt his own childhood in the suburbs of Atlanta, Georgia had isolated him from his peers and was now the model for urban planning throughout the world. Making sure the perfect, safe site was chosen in Panama was imperative if the planned community was to find success in the future. By choosing the former cattle ranch as its home, Kalu Yala was positioned less than 50 miles from Panama City to allow access to financial institutions, communication technology, and the luxuries of the modern world. However, interns who apply and are successful in being accepted to Kalu Yala have the chance to enjoy developing an entirely new community in a safe and secure environment.

The overwhelming majority of those who have made their way to Kalu Yala as interns have given their experience positive reviews, and the number of applying for entry each year continue to rise. Each year the community at Kalu Yala continues to grow with more than 97 percent of interns completing their semester successfully with college credit achieved.