When traveling to a foreign place, it is a given that there will be many first impressions. In the case of the Panama study abroad trip, there were so many different things to take in and adjust to upon arrival to the country. Firstly, the business program itself immediately engaged us into the business culture of Panama, specifically what we would be dealing with. We learned about community banks, common problems entrepreneurs face, and the vast income gap between our clients and the upper class of Panamanian society. My first thought about the program was that it would be very hands-on and personal to our clients, which it indeed turned out to be. When first taking in the city, it would be extremely difficult to ignore the heavily contrasting features of the surrounding buildings and architecture of Panama City. There were highly developed and advanced industrial buildings located directly next to very run down and poorly kept housing or facilities. It didn’t even take going down a different street to see the contrast, but rather walking a mere few steps to see it firsthand. When interpreting the country as a whole, I initially recognized how important culture was. The culture was represented through everything- billboards, food, clothing, music, language, architecture, practically, etc. Panamanians are very proud of their culture and enjoy sharing it with tourists, making it a very welcoming and diversifying environment. After initially taking in the country, I hoped to learn more about Latin American business and specifically how business worked differently in Panama than in the United States. The main difference I recognized between Panama and the United States in culture was the organization of their cities, as rather than having a poorer and wealthier side of town, things were placed interconnected with each other rather than having segregated parts of town. Panama’s culture also seemed to place more emphasis on hospitality and family rather than being focused on the self as I feel many Americans are.
