Things Panamanians Like

While some facets of Panamanian life are certainly modern, there are others that are stuck cruelly and unmovably in 1980s Iowa. There is no better example of this, than Panamanians obsession with virtually any contraption that is advertised on TV. This includes (but is not limited to) the abdominal belt that shocks you and the [...]

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Ellas is a female-geared newspaper supplement in Panama that focuses on fashion, beauty tips, and other stuff that is appropriate to discuss mostly at the salon. All Panamanian women, particularly those over 25, have been in Ellas at least once in their lifetime. As a foreigner, it is important to note that it’s not worth [...]

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Before you begin hanging out with Panamanians, you will want to be intimately familiar with their love for newspapers. They like the newspaper because a) you can buy it at the stoplight, b) it offers reasons to take a stand against something, c) it shows Panamanians in the news outside of Panama, d) it can [...]

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Biologically, Panamanians probably dislike just as many things as they like. Panamanians don’t like it, for example, when you motion for them to slow down in a car or when you tell them to stop honking. They hate this. Panamanians also don’t like it when you turn down their loud music or request to walk [...]

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For many of you foreigners, this post will be confusing as you wonder who exactly Maru Galvez is. She is a young, educated Panamanian businesswoman widely known for her association to Playa Blanca (another thing Panamanians like) and various other successful projects in Panama. Panamanians universally love Maru Galvez, so if you are ever in the [...]

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If you want to understand Panamanians, you must understand their relationship with the sun which is of the love-hate variety. Sure, the sun heightens a number of experiences Panamanians like (such as the Decameron) and gives way to crops Panamanians like (such as plantains), but it is simultaneously dreaded: most simply because it is everywhere. [...]

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It wouldn’t be fair to point out that Panamanians like St. Patrick’s Day without making it clear that Panamanians like any holiday that involves drinking, no matter where it comes from or who it celebrates. If a holiday doesn’t exist, as previously mentioned, Panamanians like inventing them too. Few Panamanians are aware of what St. [...]

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The manana thing is dutifully woven into Panamanian society, but something very few foreigners know is that Panamanians do not just procrastinate with things regarding other people. They also procrastinate with themselves. Telling themselves that they’ll be on time or that they’ve got to go back to Casco Viejo is common, but perhaps the greatest [...]

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Panamanians spend a lot of time taking pictures of things like the Decameron, dogs, concerts at Figali, Roberto Duran…etc. But far and away, their most favorite photo target is themselves. Panamanians can be anywhere when taking photos of themselves, but their favorite location is their bedroom/bathroom where hours (if not days) are consumed until the [...]

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Regardless of how close some place is, Panamanians like to drive, even if this means taking more time to get there or wasting gas or having potential problems finding a parking space. If you want to make a good first impression on Panamanians, it is recommended to suggest eating somewhere down the street (within view) [...]

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