Looking back on my time abroad in Panamá, I am so grateful to have been on such a journey. From the very beginning, even from signing up I was not sure if it was the right experience for me. I have never been a big traveler, let alone outside of the country but I can certainly say that this experience was well worth the trip. From the main city, all the way out to the streets of Cocle I had an amazing time. What started with a visit to a multi billion dollar organization that ended with a local craftsman, taught me so much about not only business abroad but business everywhere. What made this study abroad more than just a business trip was the mission behind the program. My group and myself were there with the objective to help foster growth in communities that had asked for assistance. When visiting the communities, I learned so much about culture and acceptance. Without this trip, I would have never gained the perspective that I have now on a country unlike the United States. Broadening your perspective is one of the most important things in life and opportunities such as this are the best way to do it. With the hands on experience I got from visiting a country such as Panamá, it helps foster growth in a unique way I cannot receive on campus. The people were so friendly and accepting of us, I would without a doubt do this trip again if I had the opportunity. My initial thoughts about this trip were that of a business trip. It would feel like somewhat of a job, with certain things that needed to be done each day but that was not the case. Each day, the things we had to do were not a checkpoint but a doorway of opportunity. The saying is true, if you love your job you don’t work a day in your life. Everything we did for the communities that was considered work was never seen as a chore but was done with gratitude.
