While abroad, I definitely gained a different perspective from my life outside the United States. I was able to notice a variety of differences, culturally and in business. The most impactful experience was, by far, working with our clients in rural Panama. When we first arrived to the community, I was surprised to see the important of family members that come to support our the men we were working with. We learned during our class this semester that Panama has a very family-centered culture; it was really interesting to see this play out in real life. I also saw this concept during our business visit with Halliburton. The man we visited with, Carlos Falcon, was very happy to talk about his daughter. It was evident he was a family man first, and business man second. Back at the communities, seeing how they lived did create an initial shock. It was incredibly different than what I see in America and allowed me to see Panamanian culture in a new way. Even between the two communities, there were drastic differences. We heard numerous times how Panama is a country of contrasts. This was personified in Panama City, on the streets of Casco Viejo, and even by us students with our accommodations while visiting these rural communities. Originally, I thought this idea would not be noticeable. I was wrong, as the contrast is very obvious. This factor of the trip was the most impactful and the one that’s differs most from my original impression. As someone who has visited Panama previously, this experience showed me an entire side of Panama I was missing (a crucial one at that). This country has so many facets that people did not get to experience regularly, especially in the way that our Global Brigades group did. The business owners we worked with in the communities are an essential backbone of Panama – economically and culturally. The people we worked with create businesses out of necessity. This is why field trips like these are critical for the sustainable of, not just their business, but their lives. When I first learned this, I really felt its impact. In America, quite often we see small business created out of passion or for fun. The mentality difference was something I had to become accustomed to so I could provide the best possible solutions for my client. Going back to the idea of contrasts, the representatives we talked to in our company visits did not have to create something from the ground up to support themselves. I loved hearing their ideas and learning from them, but it’s so different than what I learned in the communities.
In all, my initial impressions of Panama really changed over this trip. I feel more knowledgeable about Panamanian culture because I was able to see both sides of it. I gained invaluable insight on how business works, not only for a billion dollar company, but from ones strive to make $100 monthly. On the surface, the differences between Panama and the United States don’t seem apparent. Panama has high rises, 5 star restaurants, and business giants. Once you analyze the country has a whole, looking at communities such as Alto De Coco, the differences become obvious. It’s up to the individual whether to embrace these differences like Global Brigades has.
