Before I had come to Panama, i had never traveled outside the US so I honestly didnt know what to expect the country to be like. I was first struck by how small the airport seemed and how much construction was going on at the airport and in the city. the landscape in panama is very beautiful. I look forward to being able to see the beach this weekend. So far all of the people I've met are very friendly and welcoming, and I feel pretty safe everywhere we've gone.
When we went to old panama city, it was very eye-opening to see the places they live and how simple life is for panamanians. I realized how unnecessary some things are in the US that people worry about. I thought it was neat seeing everyone's laundry hanging on lines because that's not something you see in Tampa. We also got to witness the signs of protest against the construction of a highway around the old city.
I was expecting Chitre to be a lot more primitive than it is. There are a lot of people that live here and the houses look small but cozy. The hotel is a little better than i was expecting, at least we have AC and a hot shower. It has the bare essentials. The man who works at the front desk, Celestimo (spelling?), is very friendly and gives the place a warm vibe to come home to. Chitre is different from the city because it's so small, the buildings are small, most families live in small houses rather than the apartment like living quarters in the city. The community has access to all the things they need.
The university of Panama in Chitre is very small; it seems just as small, or smaller than an average high school in Florida. I'm glad we got to spend time at the University when we did because right now they have elections for the new president of the University going on. I noticed that they put a lot of effort in the campaigning; there are banners and posters covering the school. I look forward to being able to spend more time with the UP nursing students.
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