Thread: Biggest Misconception/Surprise about Panama

What was your biggest misconception about Panama and/or what surprised you the most?

The amount of $$$ in Panama City really suprised me.

Originally Posted by fxtrader

The amount of $$$ in Panama City really suprised me.

If by "$$$" you mean the amount of dollars/money in Panama City, please be explicit. Thanks.

Originally Posted by Panamax

If by "$$$" you mean the amount of dollars/money in Panama City, please be explicit. Thanks.

The amount of money in Panama City was what was most suprising to me.

Originally Posted by fxtrader

The amount of money in Panama City was what was most suprising to me.

The amount of money where in Panama City? Are you referring to personal wealth, the flow of money as a result of commerce, the number of foreign and domestic banks, the state of the economy? To just say "the amount of money" is rather vague...

Originally Posted by Panamax

The amount of money where in Panama City? Are you referring to personal wealth, the flow of money as a result of commerce, the number of foreign and domestic banks, the state of the economy? To just say "the amount of money" is rather vague...

To answer your questions, yes, yes, yes, and no.

Originally Posted by Panamax

What was your biggest misconception about Panama and/or what surprised you the most?

I was expecting a third world hellhole but I found a pretty nice city, and people who could actually speak a fair amount of English (as opposed to other Latin American countries). That was ten years ago, and the degree of development since then has been nothing short of amazing.

I was also surprised by the climate which is way too hot for my taste. It's alright for a week or so but I couldn't live there permanently. If global cooling becomes a reality then Panama will certainly be one of the countries to benefit most.

But what if Global WARMING becomes a reality?

Originally Posted by miracle

I was expecting a third world hellhole but I found a pretty nice city, and people who could actually speak a fair amount of English (as opposed to other Latin American countries). That was ten years ago, and the degree of development since then has been nothing short of amazing.

I was also surprised by the climate which is way too hot for my taste. It's alright for a week or so but I couldn't live there permanently. If global cooling becomes a reality then Panama will certainly be one of the countries to benefit most.

Originally Posted by miracle

I was also surprised by the climate which is way too hot for my taste. It's alright for a week or so but I couldn't live there permanently.

I suppose I was lucky in the sense that I moved from a hot, humid climate (Houston, TX) to another hot, humid climate in Panama City. In a lot of respects it's better here.

I am glad I lived in Florida for 13 years before moving down here. Not that big of a difference in temperature and humidity.

Originally Posted by MRWOOHOO

I am glad I lived in Florida for 13 years before moving down here. Not that big of a difference in temperature and humidity.

In addition to climate, some might argue that in culture and atmosphere there are striking similarities between Panama City and Miami's Little Havana... That in "night life" there are similarities between Calle Uruguay and, say, South Beach...

Maybe for People from NORTH of America (NY or Pittsburgh or Philadelphia) the climate in Panama is disturbing? For People coming down from Mexico or Texas > it doesn`t matter?

Originally Posted by Panamax

In addition to climate, some might argue that in culture and atmosphere there are striking similarities between Panama City and Miami's Little Havana... That in "night life" there are similarities between Calle Uruguay and, say, South Beach...

That's hilarious! I had the same conversation with 2 guys from Florida about a week and a half ago in front of a club on Calle Uruguay. They agreed.

Most of my co-workers were under the impression that Panama's urban environment is a reflection of the rest of Cental America... One in particular who took the Panama Canal cruise was stunned by the visual impact of Panama City's skyline at the Pacific end.

In many ways I feel that Panama City is truly a reflection of Miami. I mention frequently to the locals that Panama City feels like Miami only more people in Panama City speak and understand English.

I was surprised how MOST Panamanians don't want to work.
They don't like working... and it's one of the lowest things
on their priority list.

One guy once told me, "If a Panamanian has $100 in his pockets..
He's not working today." LOL...

N.N.S. Matt

I think it takes a while to get used to the laid back spirit of Latin people. When we lived in Spain we thought they were the laziest people on the face of earth but that's not exactly true. We believe more in getting up and "go, go, go" while they like siestas and fiestas
You would eventually see that they put in the same amount of work... just at a different pace.
And then again, who likes to work?
OK, I do, but that's only cos I love what I do lol

What surprises me are how big the city is! I thought when I heard panama city it is just a small city with small buildings and don't have skyscraper building, but WOW, I'm totally wrong

I was surprised to find that Panama had a lot in common with the Caribbean countries compared to most other Latin American nations. Don't know the reason, but Caribbean culture is especially prevalent along the Canal Zone and the Atlantic Coast.

To the person who said that people were lazy, I think it's just that in their culture they live in a more laid back atmosphere. People here in America for instance, typically work hard but just out of pure necessity. If you have a low income family you might have to have a side job or work overtime just to pay the bills whereas the cost of living of there, even for their wage, might be suffice for them to relax.

And there's a great number of truly lazy people living in every country, there's some people here in the US who live off welfare when they could easily get a job..

Originally Posted by ford007

I was surprised to find that Panama had a lot in common with the Caribbean countries compared to most other Latin American nations. Don't know the reason, but Caribbean culture is especially prevalent along the Canal Zone and the Atlantic Coast.

First of all, from a regional standpoint, Panama's Atlantic coast is lapped by the Caribbean sea. In addition, many people from the Lesser Antilles came over to Panama for the construction of the canal, stayed and raised families here. Most of the blacks (Afro-Panamanians, if you wish) are from the caribbean, hence the cultural mix.

I didn't say they were "lazy". They just don't WANT to work.
LOL...

In fact, most people that are like that will tell you directly
"There's a lot of work but I just don't want to do it."

And I'm certainly not judging them either. I would pick
that lifestyle any day over the Japanese 80 hour work week.

That being said, there are a few hard working Panamanians.
You just have to look HARD and DEEP to find them.

N.N.S. Matt

Originally Posted by JustWow

To the person who said that people were lazy, I think it's just that in their culture they live in a more laid back atmosphere. People here in America for instance, typically work hard but just out of pure necessity. If you have a low income family you might have to have a side job or work overtime just to pay the bills whereas the cost of living of there, even for their wage, might be suffice for them to relax.

And there's a great number of truly lazy people living in every country, there's some people here in the US who live off welfare when they could easily get a job..

Originally Posted by No-Non-Sense-Matt

I was surprised how MOST Panamanians don't want to work.
They don't like working... and it's one of the lowest things
on their priority list.

One guy once told me, "If a Panamanian has $100 in his pockets..
He's not working today." LOL...

N.N.S. Matt

Sounds just like Florida

Well in that sense then yes, sounds more reasonable. And I don't blame them either, I don't like to work and I don't think anyone else does either, but making money is necessary to keep living in this world so we do it.

Sorry, I misunderstood your post and thought you were saying they were lazy. Anyway, I think hard working people are rare throughout the world along with truly good people. Twisted world we live in eh?

Originally Posted by Panamax

First of all, from a regional standpoint, Panama's Atlantic coast is lapped by the Caribbean sea. In addition, many people from the Lesser Antilles came over to Panama for the construction of the canal, stayed and raised families here. Most of the blacks (Afro-Panamanians, if you wish) are from the caribbean, hence the cultural mix.

Hmm.. that may be the reason. Still I haven't heard much English spoken in Panama. May be I haven't travelled to the most Antillean areas of Panama. I should say that Panama is culturally very diverse. (At least compared to the neighbouring nations).

Originally Posted by ford007

Hmm.. that may be the reason. Still I haven't heard much English spoken in Panama. May be I haven't travelled to the most Antillean areas of Panama. I should say that Panama is culturally very diverse. (At least compared to the neighbouring nations).

Maybe you should evesdrop on a few conversations. Seriously though, the larger percentage of English spoken in Panama occurs on the Caribbean coast in the provinces of Bocas del Toro and Colon. If you keep your ear open you're bound to hear English spoken in Panama City too, particularly among blacks and U. S. expats.

Originally Posted by No-Non-Sense-Matt

I was surprised how MOST Panamanians don't want to work.
They don't like working... and it's one of the lowest things
on their priority list.

One guy once told me, "If a Panamanian has $100 in his pockets..
He's not working today." LOL...

N.N.S. Matt

It is not only Panamenian Culture...
it ist LATIN Culture :-)

Maybe they have the right "philosophy" :-)

Cheers

Mike

well, i was born in panama but i left at age 6 so i didnt really remember too much. i went back this year for the first time (im 20 now, imagine..) anyways what suprised me was the HORRIBLE driving. i live in florida and we have our fair share of bad drivers but nothing like Panama City. Wow. not even my mother could prepare me for that. LOL its scary

I was mostly surprised by the way people opened up to me and let me part of their lives. I've lived an cultural exchange year in Panama, and it was great!

For me the the biggest impact is the cultural mix and all the colonies of expatriates living in a peaceful way. People from all over the world just doing hs business, trying to raise their children in his own culture and in the best way they can, while trying to maintain the contact with thier country and family.

By the way I think that one of the biggest misconceptions of the US people is to suposse that the culture in all the countries of L.A. is homogeneus. We share the language and that is really important and is useful in the sense that we feel we have a common heritage. But apart from the language the differences between countries and sometimes between regions of the same country are enormous, and sometimes latinamerican is a very difusse term (and externally impossed).

It is also a misconception to suposse that al the Latinamericans share the same work ethic. For example brasilians, argentinians, mexicans are considered really hardworkers. Sometimes I consider it as a result of the size of the country. The bigger the country, the bigger the competition, the bigger the amount of work needed to stand out from other people. And with the massive migration that Panama is receiving right now I think they are changing their mind about the work.