Panama: First Impressions and Stereotypes

When I had arrived in Chile, I was somewhat prepared for the culture and history of the country that awaited me.  I had studied the Pinochet dictatorship in a politics class, had read famous poet Pablo Neruda's literature, had learned some of the local Chilean slang.  

Not so with Panama.  I arrived with only a few ill-formed stereotypes and no real knowledge of the country in which I would spend the next year of my life.  I thought I was entering a humid, tropical third-world country where no one spoke English.  

To discredit a few stereotypes and give an impression of the real Panama, I offer the following general information to my readers:  

1.  Though Panama may be considered a third-world country by some, the capital itself bears more resemblance to Miami than to the typical Central American city.  In fact, for me the only major difference between Panama City and any American city was the language.  To illustrate my point, below you can see skylines of both Panama City and Miami - can you tell which is which?  

2.  Lots of folks in Panama speak English.  And not just those who were born to American families in the Canal Zone, either.  The U.S. involvement in the canal's construction and operation influenced Panama in many areas, one of which was the English language.  Even the Spanish spoken in Panama is peppered with English phrases:  "Oh my God," "cool," "pritty" (which comes from "pretty" but is closer to "cool" in meaning), "plis" (please), and "man" just to name a few.  

3.  In Panama, they don't eat tacos and burritos.  This is a common misconception that comes from our tendency to associate Mexican food with all Southern cultures.  Rather, Panamanians prefer seafood, rice and beans, patacones (fried plantains), and a variety of meats.  For more on Panama's cuisine, go here. 

4.  The Panama Canal is not the only tourist attraction in Panama.  This country boasts some of the most beautiful beaches with some of the biggest waves on the Pacific side, and actually hosted this year's Billabong ISA Surfing Games.  Panama, like Costa Rica, also offers lots of jungle for those who dare to explore, along with an extinct volcano for the hikers.  Finally, view my post (coming soon!) on San Blas for the ultimate Caribbean paradise.