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opinionAlso in this section:
Bernal, Martín's "Fifth Bench" throne room Syracuse, High profile political murders in Guatemala Jackson, Mitt Romney leads GOP candidate fundraising Sirias, A painful plunge back into English
What I dislike about living in Panama by Casey Halloran Hate is too strong a word and one I reserve only in association with things I truly despise, like movies with Ed Norton and mayonnaise. Heck, I’ll even sometimes say I hate Bon Jovi, but I don’t really mean it. So while I don’t “hate” anything about being an expat living in Panama, there sure are some things here that get my goat: Constant Tardiness --- Show up on time, dammit! Cell Phones Everywhere --- Hey amigo, I realize you must be an important surgeon, but could you turn off your cell phone in the friggin’ movie theater? Would it kill you to maybe turn it off during interviews and meetings too!? Cell Phone Courtesy --- If you answer your cell phone while in mid conversation with me again, I’ll stab you with my pencil. Lazy Spanish Pronunciation --- Do you really think I can understand your Spanish if you pronounce half the consonants in the alphabet? Proximity Issues --- I don’t mean to be rude, but when waiting in line, is it really necessary to get within a half an inch of me? Noise Pollution --- Why on earth would you blast music in a cafe at 4 pm? Terrible Service --- If you’re my waitress and expect a tip, don’t sneer at me... please. Blabbermouth Syndrome --- Please talk less and use your “inside voice” more, my ears hurt. Freezing A/C Temp --- Is there really any good reason for having the temperature in a restaurant at zero degrees Kelvin when it’s 95 and humid outside? What is this, an aircraft testing facility? Give a Hoot! Don’t Pollute! --- Modern countries of Europe and the Western world sometimes forget that we too were litterbugs not so long ago. However, that's no excuse for the littering that goes on with regularity in Panama. It’s easy to find trash thrown in public places and polluted rivers in Panama, or to spy an educated person throwing trash from their car window. Now I know that nowhere is perfect, and Panama certainly makes no claims at being Xanadu. However, I am reminded of the immortal words of Bruce Spingsteen, who said, “You ain’t a beauty but hey, you’re alright.” While ugly on some days, Panama IS pretty darn good looking overall. It has plenty of positive things going for it that compensate for these third world quirks. And I confess, I secretly enjoy more than a few of these quirks. So for now Panama… you’re alright for this gringo.
The author has lived and worked in Costa Rica for nearly a decade and now resides in Panama. He operates a travel and real estate agency, http://www.panamarealestatepros.com.
Also in this section:
Bernal, Martín's "Fifth Bench" throne room Syracuse, High profile political murders in Guatemala Jackson, Mitt Romney leads GOP candidate fundraising Sirias, A painful plunge back into English
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