Howdy! I am writing from Cocle Province, Panama, on the fourth day of the Global Business Brigades program. In this program, we travel to rural communities in Panama and give lessons on financial literacy, business development, and consultations to local entrepreneurs. I have been very surprised by several things so far in this country, chiefly the very pronounced inequality, the abundance of diverse migrant communities, the attitudes of many Panamanians towards doing business (essentially founding their own businesses out of necessity instead of just an entrepreneurial spirit), and the attitudes of many older Panamanians towards Americans. I will go observation by observation.
With respect to inequality, being from a middle-class suburb in Texas, I had never seen such pronounced inequality. My city did not have skyscrapers, but it did not have shantytowns either. Every house looked exactly the same, down to the interior floor plans. I have yet to see something to indicate otherwise (albeit in my limited time here), but the middle class seems to be a lot smaller. I think the small size of the country and the recent influx of people moving to the capital for economic opportunities have also contributed to this phenomenon.
Secondly, I have seen several communities of people I did not expect to see in Panama. I have seen more Indian restaurants here than in an entire semester in College Station. Most grocery stores or kioscos are run by people of Chinese heritage. In the rural areas, people of indigenous descent have names that do not sound Spanish and preserve their languages and culture.
Additionally, it is very apparent that many Panamanians do not start their own businesses to be on Shark Tank. Their economic situation forces them to start selling furtniture, handicrafts, or vegetables in addition to the already extensive array of jobs they may already have. I have asked several Panamaians “a que te dedicas?” (what do you do?) and received multiple responses from each.
Lastly, I did not know enough about the history of American intervention in Panama, and it was definitely notable that some older people were more apprehensive to talk or listen to our suggestions. I sat with one older gentleman who described that one of the first times he had seen an American was when soldiers passed through the province (the United States invaded Panama just over 30 years ago). The influences of our culture are still very apparent, as many Panamanians like baseball and use American slang.
Images
- Skyscrapers of Panama city. Shantytown is located in the mud flats on the right
- House in rural Altos del Coco, Panama
- Sunset view in Panama City
