Janine Villot: Panama Day 7

Our last day in Pamama was filled with interesting tours. We visited the Ciudad de Saber (City of Knowledge) and learned about its functions. Combining academics, international business, and non-governmental organizations like UNICEF, this former military base is well-suited advance education and programs in Panama. They also incorporate international opportunities for people abroad, though the law exempting them from keeping 90% of their staff Panamanian seems a little hypocritical--perhaps they need to increase training in Panama to rectify this. All in all, it seems like a great program that's recently taken off, and I was pleased to hear they're now including the Arts and Humanities in their programs. I feel the Arts and Humanities are every bit as important as any Science, as they give insight into the very nature of humanity, and too many foreign countries ignore or marginalize them in favor of the more lucrative science and technology. It's even become a problem in technology-obsessed America. If you do not understand the nature of humanity, its culture, and the "why" behind the actions, you don't know much, in my opinion. The City of Knowledge is growing up and realizing how important the study of humanity and its products really is.

The trip to the embassy, where we got to meet the US Ambassador to Panama, the honorable Barbara Stephenson, was a turning point for me. I had been strongly considering foreign service, but now more than ever, I am committed to seeking a career in it. I love traveling and learning about culture, and the position of the Public Affairs officer really attracts me, as he introduces American culture to other countries, as well as explaining governmental policies. Exchanging culture and communication are my passion, and I will definitely be looking into a career there. Listening to the ambassodor and her staff was interesting, as their perspective seemed to tie together a lot of things we saw. Though they danced a little around certain subjects, such as which Panamanian presidential candidate the US supports, I expected them to--some information is sensitive. They had a good grasp of the situation in Panama, a strong idea of what they were doing, and a desire to not only benefit the US, but Panama as well. Listening to the ambassador's speech on how most Panamanians feel favorable to the US and how they feel unsafe made a lot of sense. America offers a lot of security and opportunities not always found in Panama, and observing the problems facing the children at Nutre-Hogar and Casa Esperanza (especially Casa Esperanza) drives home how unsafe certain parts of Panama are. If so many children can wind up on the streets, unprotected, and so many babies be neglected to the point of malnourishment, then there must be a larger societal problem leading to this. The ambassador seemed committed to removing corruption in Panama, and while I'm not sure if the free trade agreement will accomplish this, her commitment seemed sincere.

Following another delicious lunch at Penca's restaurant, we visited the Miraflores Locks. Watching the huge ships move through the canal as water drained and filled in each lock was fascinating, and I enjoyed the impressive sights. The movie only repeated information we had learned in the course prior to our arrival, but I was happy to have seen the locks and the ships with my own eyes. The amount of ships Panama passing through is truly amazing, and despite the ships' huge sizes, not very time-consuming--perhaps fifteen minutes at most. As the ambassador pointed out, the Panamanians seem to be doing a fine job running their canal, and hopefully the expansion will benefit their economy and trickle down to the needy instead of merely benefitting the rich. This may be overly optimistic, given Panama's prevalent corruption, but one can hope.

We ended our day shopping at an Artisan's market, buying molas and other unique Panamanian souvenirs for what we hope were good prices. This trip to Panama has been amazing, and I feel I have learned a lot. Experiencing the sights, observing, and even interacting as much as my limited Spanish allows has made me feel more experienced and complete as a person. I will never forget my time here and what I have seen. I look forward to disseminating the information amongst my friends and family upon my return.