My initial impression before leaving for Panama was not accurate. You may think this is a bad thing, however I would not have wanted it any other way. My time in Panama is something that I will never forget. While working in the communities I felt as if I was a part of our client’s family or another member of the community. All the clients were so sweet and welcoming after they got to know us. Even though I do not speak Spanish, that didn’t stop me from creating a bond with our clients. My perspective on life and business has changed for the better. I realized that you might think something is a small change, however, it can have a huge impact. During the trip, even though we were a small group of business students we were able to create a huge impact on our client’s lives.
My perspective on life in general has also changed. Our clients lived in rural Panama. They all lived what most of us would categorize as simple lives, however, that didn’t matter to them. They lived life to the fullest like everyone else and they welcomed and treated us as if we were part of their own family. I have learned to not only be grateful for everything that I have in life but also be more inclined to help even if I believe it is something small because it can make all the difference to somebody else.
When I first signed up for this trip to go to Panama I didn’t know any of my classmates beforehand. This can be very intimidating when you are going to be working with them in another country. By the end of the trip, I felt as if our whole group was connected somehow. Everybody seemed to mesh together, even the staff who stayed with our group seemed connected to us.
Overall, It was hard to leave the airport knowing that my time in Panama was over. I created so many memories, made new friends, gained new perspectives, and learned so much. I am going to miss my time in Panama.
