After spending a week in Panama, I have an abundance of new experiences to reflect on in terms of new business knowledge. From a corporate standpoint, getting to visit the Halliburton company in Panama City was a cool eye opener as to how different companies run and work together from a global outlook. There is something to offer from all parts of the world and having a diverse group of thinkers and cultures working in a business allows for more opportunities to grow and advance as a whole. That being said, my favorite part of the trip was the time we got to spend with the entrepreneurs in rural areas through business consulting. My perspective has completely changed in so many ways and I have a newfound respect for the people we worked with. It was incredible to see how talented and advanced their products were, especially in the sense that most of them lacked basic necessities like electricity, running water, plumbing, and so many other things we take for granted in the United States. They were people who had taken the responsibility of starting a business as it was the only way to make an income, not necessarily because they wanted to but because they had to, yet they were able to keep such a positive attitude and were eager to hear our opinions on how to improve their businesses. It was also very inspiring that they were doing so with very little education, and it makes me feel incredibly thankful to have the opportunity to study business at such a place as Mays Business School. My initial impressions were only proven further as I got to witness firsthand the importance of family while in the communities. Because they lack so many things, they rely on the support of those around them to sustain themselves, yet that is more than enough for them. My time in Panama was an experience like no other and was truly a week that I will remember forever.
