Now that I am back from my lovely get away to Panama, I have had time to reflect on my experiences. Coming back was already challenging enough considering I did not want to return, but once I made it back to the airport here in the states, everything felt different; the high I was holding onto went away instantly. I miss Panama like I was raised there and just decided to up and move. A few things running through my mind include the people I have had the pleasure of meeting and how they became successful. I saw hard work at its finest; I realized how hard it is to start a business and make sure it runs with purpose. The locals also had an impact on my thinking as well. I realized how easy we have it compared to them. Even though taxes are not really as much as it is here, they still have it worse than us because minimum wage is lower than ours, which means they have to work twice as hard just to pay the bills. You really wouldn’t notice the struggle because they are so happy about their life, or at least portray that. This changed me because it allowed me to appreciate hard work a little more than I already did. I feel like I’ve had the time to grow as a person, which dresses up my personality some more. I am also learning Spanish now because it is such a beautiful language. I was a little culture shock when it finally hit me that no one really uses English that much. It was a challenge at first, but then I picked up on some phases and realized what was said, which made thing easier. I was living on cloud nine for the entire time I was there and didn’t really experience home sickness because I was there for such a such period. I didn’t want to return, which made leaving way harder. When I returned, I still say “mucho gracias” out of habit and other small phases, which entertain some of the people around me, especially family members. A piece of advice for future abroaders, is to try something you really wouldn’t do in the states, nothing illegal of course. Trying different food, conversating with the locals, in a safe way, and to make sure to take time to just enjoy the abroad experience.
