MARCO FLACO... in Kansas City, USA!
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Marco gives the "thumbs up" at the
Kansas City airport. He is wearing
Bob's "Waodani" necklace from the
End of the Spear movie.
Kansas City airport. He is wearing
Bob's "Waodani" necklace from the
End of the Spear movie.
Marco signs in
at the AFS
Orientation.
"I am finally
here, and I am
very happy",
he said.
at the AFS
Orientation.
"I am finally
here, and I am
very happy",
he said.
WELCOME to the continuing, MARCO PROJECT! If you are
new to Marco's story, you can begin here as we start his year in
Kansas City, or... for more history you can begin on the
previous info page by clicking on "Meet Marco 2004", above.
My name is Rob Bowling. I met Marco in Panama five years ago
when we both worked on a movie set for End of the Spear. I am
the author of this site and Marco's good friend. We are very
excited that the dream is coming true for him to come to the USA
and go to school, learn more about the culture, and become
"more good" in English.
He is now a student at Shawnee Mission North high school in
Mission, Kansas. Wahoooo! His classes include U.S. History,
English, Consumer Math, International Relations, Science, and
Photography. He also made the Varsity soccer team. The school
is 1700 students, but Marco is liking it a lot.
Marco is staying at the home of Sonja and Charles Mollison who
are AFS volunteers and have hosted a number of other students
(6). They are helping him so much every day! He is also doing
weekend activities with some of the other 72 AFS exchange
students in the KC area.
The Mollison's and Marco are attending First Family Church,
which has been very supportive of the amazing story of the
Waodani, Jim Elliot, Nate Saint, and the End of the Spear movie.
He also goes to Nall Ave. Nazarene church on many Wed.nights
for their youth group. He has some great buddies there now!
Marco says things are going well in KC and he is "muy ocupado"
- very busy! He says, very very thank you to anyone who is
helping him and especially those who "JOIN the TRIBE" on this
website! (There aren't many, but you know who you are!)
Look over Marco's story, and if you could help or want to know
more, let us know! - Bob and Marco
new to Marco's story, you can begin here as we start his year in
Kansas City, or... for more history you can begin on the
previous info page by clicking on "Meet Marco 2004", above.
My name is Rob Bowling. I met Marco in Panama five years ago
when we both worked on a movie set for End of the Spear. I am
the author of this site and Marco's good friend. We are very
excited that the dream is coming true for him to come to the USA
and go to school, learn more about the culture, and become
"more good" in English.
He is now a student at Shawnee Mission North high school in
Mission, Kansas. Wahoooo! His classes include U.S. History,
English, Consumer Math, International Relations, Science, and
Photography. He also made the Varsity soccer team. The school
is 1700 students, but Marco is liking it a lot.
Marco is staying at the home of Sonja and Charles Mollison who
are AFS volunteers and have hosted a number of other students
(6). They are helping him so much every day! He is also doing
weekend activities with some of the other 72 AFS exchange
students in the KC area.
The Mollison's and Marco are attending First Family Church,
which has been very supportive of the amazing story of the
Waodani, Jim Elliot, Nate Saint, and the End of the Spear movie.
He also goes to Nall Ave. Nazarene church on many Wed.nights
for their youth group. He has some great buddies there now!
Marco says things are going well in KC and he is "muy ocupado"
- very busy! He says, very very thank you to anyone who is
helping him and especially those who "JOIN the TRIBE" on this
website! (There aren't many, but you know who you are!)
Look over Marco's story, and if you could help or want to know
more, let us know! - Bob and Marco
DBL CLICK on
any photo to
enlarge
any photo to
enlarge
Marco poses on the first day of
school at Shawnee Mission North,
home to 1750 students. The team
name is "Indians", which Marco
loves... he is Embera Indian!
school at Shawnee Mission North,
home to 1750 students. The team
name is "Indians", which Marco
loves... he is Embera Indian!
Marco at Airport and at AFS Orientation
Only 10 minutes after arrival...
the suave International man,
Marco Moda! (Marco style.)
the suave International man,
Marco Moda! (Marco style.)
AFS volunteers help load the luggage.
Can you find Marco? I like the green
t-shirt, "All I need to know I learned
from AFS." By the way, Marco is in
purple... that would be a different
Marco... he's from Italy!
Can you find Marco? I like the green
t-shirt, "All I need to know I learned
from AFS." By the way, Marco is in
purple... that would be a different
Marco... he's from Italy!
Marco has his first American breakfast
with some fellow travelers from
Thailand. The students come in over
three days from all parts of the world.
Apparently, "orange juice" is spoken
everywhere!
with some fellow travelers from
Thailand. The students come in over
three days from all parts of the world.
Apparently, "orange juice" is spoken
everywhere!
Don Coffman, AFS co-chair, greets
students as they begin their
Orientation day.
students as they begin their
Orientation day.
Cheery smiles on the first morning in
the USA! Here are Max and Ted from
Italy, and Wissen from France. The
countries sending the most to KC were
Italy, Germany, Thailand, and Brazil.
Marco is the only one from Panama.
the USA! Here are Max and Ted from
Italy, and Wissen from France. The
countries sending the most to KC were
Italy, Germany, Thailand, and Brazil.
Marco is the only one from Panama.
Paperwork, documents, passports.. oh
my! AFS volunteers help the students
make sure their documents are in
order as they fill out some new ones.
my! AFS volunteers help the students
make sure their documents are in
order as they fill out some new ones.
Mitch (L) and Rod (R) go through the
students' passports to make sure all is
in order. Mitch let Marco and I stay at
his home that first weekend. Thanks!
students' passports to make sure all is
in order. Mitch let Marco and I stay at
his home that first weekend. Thanks!
International Card Games! It's late at
night here, but the kids are intense in
playing cards during some free time at
Orientation.
night here, but the kids are intense in
playing cards during some free time at
Orientation.
Bob discovered a Frisbee Golf course
at the camp, so even though we didn't
know the route, we had our first
SPORTS outing in USA! Go Enrico!
at the camp, so even though we didn't
know the route, we had our first
SPORTS outing in USA! Go Enrico!
Now it's time to meet the Host
Family! Pack your room, grab
your luggage and Grin Big. Here
come Lukas and Phillip!
Family! Pack your room, grab
your luggage and Grin Big. Here
come Lukas and Phillip!
POSE for a picture in front of the
banner. Verena's host family made
signs and brought flowers!
banner. Verena's host family made
signs and brought flowers!
Bob and Marco pose in front of the
banner also. Sonja, Marco's host-mom
was off on a business convention, so
Bob "had" to greet Marco and show
him around KC the first weekend.
banner also. Sonja, Marco's host-mom
was off on a business convention, so
Bob "had" to greet Marco and show
him around KC the first weekend.
Bob and just a few of the
amazing AFS volunteers
who greeted he and
Marco and made both
feel so welcome. THANK
YOU from both Bob and
Marco for understanding
the long journey we have
undertaken to bring
Marco to the USA.
amazing AFS volunteers
who greeted he and
Marco and made both
feel so welcome. THANK
YOU from both Bob and
Marco for understanding
the long journey we have
undertaken to bring
Marco to the USA.
Bob and Marco stare in disbelief just
seconds after Marco arrives at the
airport. It was his first airplane trip
EVER and he loved it. Afterall... he is
a stuntman! (More on that later.)
seconds after Marco arrives at the
airport. It was his first airplane trip
EVER and he loved it. Afterall... he is
a stuntman! (More on that later.)
Well, we have a great "hug" picture,
too, but I like this beaming smile on
Marco's face. After the idea four years
ago, and much WORK the last 1.5...
Marco made it to USA!
too, but I like this beaming smile on
Marco's face. After the idea four years
ago, and much WORK the last 1.5...
Marco made it to USA!
Marco studies his English at his hut in
his village, Embera Quera, in Panama.
(See www.emberapanama.com.)
his village, Embera Quera, in Panama.
(See www.emberapanama.com.)
| Introducing Marco Flaco: from the Jungles of Panama, to the movie "End of the Spear", to the AFS exchange program in the USA! May the amazing Story continue... |
| | | | | | | | |
| ALL PHOTOS copyright 2008-2009, Robert Bowling. Email me for permission to download or reprint. |
Update: DECEMBER 2009 - Marco is back in Panama after doing the AFS exchange program in USA for 10
months! He is helping his village with tourists and attending Bella Vista night school in Spanish. (However, our higher
goal is that he could CONTINUE THE MOMENTUM in English curriculum and keep getting stronger in his ESL.)
We are excited that Marco now has an opportunity to come to THAILAND to further his education! Bob has moved
there recently and Marco would love to go and continue his AMAZING EDUCATION. We have the okay to apply for a
one-year Education visa, and are pursuing that with likely approval. However, the lowest plane fare ($1627) goes
through the USA, and he needs a USA Visa to change planes. This is a little more tricky. I wrote the US Consulate in
Panama and with proper documentation of his program in Thailand, I am hopeful a visa will be granted. ($130)
Marco will enroll in the "EFL Learning Centre" to take English classes. The program is $500 per quarter. But it is
only part time and Marco will need to work on his GED online and possibly also do volunteer work for some mission
groups here in Chiang Mai. I am excited that it looks like he can do the "Barefoot Doctors" training for seven weeks
with American and Australian docs in Feb. and March. (See Frontier Labourers info on this website.)
To read more about the amazing story of Marco, you can either see these next pages about his year in the USA, or
you can go to "MEET MARCO" and see the original pages I developed in 2007, and thus read more chronologically.
THANK YOU for helping Marco - over the long haul - to gain a good education and excellent command of English!
months! He is helping his village with tourists and attending Bella Vista night school in Spanish. (However, our higher
goal is that he could CONTINUE THE MOMENTUM in English curriculum and keep getting stronger in his ESL.)
We are excited that Marco now has an opportunity to come to THAILAND to further his education! Bob has moved
there recently and Marco would love to go and continue his AMAZING EDUCATION. We have the okay to apply for a
one-year Education visa, and are pursuing that with likely approval. However, the lowest plane fare ($1627) goes
through the USA, and he needs a USA Visa to change planes. This is a little more tricky. I wrote the US Consulate in
Panama and with proper documentation of his program in Thailand, I am hopeful a visa will be granted. ($130)
Marco will enroll in the "EFL Learning Centre" to take English classes. The program is $500 per quarter. But it is
only part time and Marco will need to work on his GED online and possibly also do volunteer work for some mission
groups here in Chiang Mai. I am excited that it looks like he can do the "Barefoot Doctors" training for seven weeks
with American and Australian docs in Feb. and March. (See Frontier Labourers info on this website.)
To read more about the amazing story of Marco, you can either see these next pages about his year in the USA, or
you can go to "MEET MARCO" and see the original pages I developed in 2007, and thus read more chronologically.
THANK YOU for helping Marco - over the long haul - to gain a good education and excellent command of English!
August, 2008