The Panama Skyline

Eric loved the slogan for Balboa beer – “Balboa es para hombres.” Balboa is for men. It’s the darkest of the Panamanian beers – about the color of a regular Budweiser. Super intense.

We never would have made it to all of our meetings without Jorge, our amazing cab driver and new friend (on Eric’s left).

This building is affectionately referred to as “El Tornillo,” meaning “the Screw,” due to its shape.

We spent most of the week meeting folks I had contacted prior to our trip.  The most interesting was a UNC alumna and her mother.  The mother was an art restorer who used to live two blocks from our house in downtown Raleigh!  They picked us up at the hotel, then took us way out to the Amador Causeway.  The Causeway is a skinny stretch of land that extends out into the water and takes you to a set of islands.  From there we had a beautiful view of the Panama skyline as we ate lunch, bonded over the Tar Heels and Raleigh roots, and asked questions about life in Panama.

We couldn’t have gotten through the week without our amazing cab driver, Jorge, pictured above to the left of Eric.  He didn’t speak much English at all, which was great for me.  He was patient with me, and I was surprised at how quickly my Spanish came back after years of not using it regularly.

Eric was incredible after only one semester of Spanish.  He understood FAR more than I would have imagined.  Either that, or he’s really good at reading people and knowing the appropriate times to laugh or smile.  He asked a lot of questions, engaged with folks in Spanish, and used his considerable set of vocabulary.  I know he would have no interest in learning Spanish or going to Panama for a year if it weren’t for me, so I am continually blown away by his demonstration of love through his commitment to our adventure.