When I first arrived in Panama City it seemed like any other developed country and I wondered what we college students would be able to do to help the citizens of Panama. It wasn’t until getting to rural Panama that I realized that we would be able to make an impact on our client’s lives. Panama City is beautiful. It is a very festive and colorful city compared to many cities in America. In Panama City, we had the pleasure of meeting with a company called Halliburton. In this meeting, we learned all about the company’s history and background. During the meeting, we attended a tour of the office and heard all about the company’s background and experience. Panama City compared to the rural areas of Panama are quite different. The rural areas of Panama are covered in lush vegetation compared to America. The houses in the rural areas are made of mostly concrete without real windows. Another big difference is that most rural areas of Panama have outside toilets which is also something that is not common in America. My original expectations of working with the rural communities of Panama were exceeded. I felt as if they treated us as their family. One community brought us fresh fruits to eat and showed us all their chickens to hold if we wanted to. Our clients wanted to learn and grow their business and they were eager to get all the deliverables we made for them. Throughout this trip so far I have learned more than I could have imagined and gained experience most others don’t have. Working with the rural communities of Panama will be something that I will remember forever. Overall, I had a culture shock going to Panama, however, Panama is a beautiful country full of contrast and I would recommend anybody who gets the chance to go to Panama to do it.
