Eunice Chukwunyere
UMBC Faculty-Led: The Practice of Management: Global Perspectives in Panama
Major: Public Health
Study Abroad Blog #1 (Pre-departure)
Hi everyone,
I am so excited to be participating in this program and to serve as a Center for Global Engagement Ambassador! My name is Eunice, and I will be participating in the UMBC faculty-led program (The Practice of Management: Global Perspectives in Panama during this Winter 2026). I am a Public Health major, and I am taking this class in preparation for PBHL 497 (Health planning and administration). This will be my first study abroad trip with UMBC, but it is not my first time traveling abroad. I have previously visited the Dominican Republic through a study abroad program at my former college. I am also a native of Nigeria, so experiencing different cultures has always been a part of my life. With my cultural background, I know that every country offers something new to learn and I am especially excited to see what Panama has to teach me both academically and personally. I wouldn’t say I’m nervous entirely, but there is a part of me that riddles with anxiety especially when going somewhere new. There’s always this question of what if I do or say something that might potentially offend someone.
As the trip gets closer, I’ve started preparing in small ways, including brushing up on my Spanish (you’d think I would’ve picked it up at the DR). Unfortunately, I am not even remotely fluent, but I’ve been practicing basic phrases like lo siento (I’m sorry) Como? por favor (please), cuanto es? (how much is it?) so I can feel more comfortable when I communicate with people while I’m there. Learning Spanish has made me even more excited for the trip because it reminds me that study abroad is about connection and I’m looking forward to practicing what I know and continuing to learn more Spanish while I’m in Panama. In addition to brushing up my Spanish (or lack thereof), I have also been researching Panama’s culture in preparation for the trip. I’ve been learning about Panamanian traditions, food, history, and everyday life to better understand the country beyond what we will see as visitors. I want to be intentional about being respectful, open-minded, and engaged while in Panama, and learning about the culture ahead of time makes me even more excited to experience it firsthand.
One of the things I’m most excited about is learning how management is practiced in a global setting. As a Public Health major, understanding management and leadership is very important, especially when it comes to running health organizations, programs, and systems. Learning about management and leadership in Panama will help me develop the skills I need to become an effective leader in health administration and policy. Panama’s unique position as a global hub for trade and business makes it the perfect place to explore how leadership, decision-making, and organization work in an international context. From class, I’ve learned about situations that influence decisions as a manager, so I am on the right track 😉
School and career aside, I am also excited to be a tourist! I want to take pictures, eat delicious foods, meet new people, visit new places and experience the heat! I am very excited for the heat hahaha. Everything I’ve heard about the Panama weather sounds just like South-Eastern Nigeria, hot, kind of humid, and very rainy. Sounds weird but I am ready to embrace it all (with sunscreen and my very trusted poncho).
I hope you all enjoyed my first blog post, and I will see you next in Panama. ¡Adiós, amigos!
In-Country Post #2
Buenas everyone,
It’s me again. It has officially been 3 days since we got to Panama, and I’ve been loving every moment here. We kind of started the journey rough because our flight was delayed 2 hours from Dulles, and we ended up getting to Panama around 12 am, checking in at our hotel around 1 am, and had to be ready to go out at 6 am on Saturday. But after that, everything has been great! We started our trip off strong on our first day by visiting Ancon Hill, doing a tour of Casco Viejo, and visiting the Gamboa Rainforest (it was a lot of walking). In Panama, Ancon Hill is considered the highest point of the city. There is a trek from the bottom of the hill, which we did all the way to the top. Even though the hill was quite steep and it was very hot that morning, the view was definitely worth it. On one side of Ancon Hill, we saw the outlines of Panama City, the Pacific Ocean, a lot of mountains and islands, and one of the major bridges of Panama. On the other side of the hill, we saw the second major bridge, a local airport, and the Panama Canal.
Our next stop after Ancon Hill was the old town of Casco Viejo. Casco Viejo holds the building that was the first bank (now a hotel) and convention center in Panama. It has beautiful buildings that showcase the influence of colonialism, and it is home to a statue dedicated to General Tomas Herrera. We learned about the history of Panama through our wonderful guide, and we visited the Mola museum to learn about the Mola and Guna people. After the tour, we visited the Gamboa Rainforest, which is home to three different species of monkeys, and we got to see them all. We also had a welcome dinner at Las Tinajas and watched a performance that showed Panama’s culture and history through dance and music.
On our second day, we visited Isla Taboga, which is about 40 minutes from the city by ferry, and spent the day there trying out foods and drinks on the island while interacting with the locals (language barrier had nothing on us!). Isla Taboga is located in the Pacific Ocean, so the water was cold! But the weather was nice, so it didn’t matter too much. Remember when I said I looked forward to the weather? I was so right. The weather in Panama is amazing. It’s warm, hot, breezy, and the air is so fresh. Fun fact, Panama is 70% trees, 30% population, so it is carbon negative, which means that it absorbs more carbon dioxide than it produces. Very eco-friendly.
On our third day, we began scouting for our organization visits. This involved navigating the streets of Panama City and looking for the organizations we would be visiting later in the week. Another fun fact: Panama does not have street signs. The lack of street signs did not really set us back, but it did make it very confusing to figure out roads and streets. Despite all shortcomings, my entire cohort found all their organizations. Talk about exceptional planning!
I’ve been exploring Panama during my free time outside school by visiting restaurants, trying new foods, and trying my best to interact in Spanish (not really the best option). The food here is amazing. Some dishes I have tried are the authentic Panamanian dish Sancocho de Gallina, hojaldra bofe, and my favorite Pastelón de Plátano Maduro (plantain lasagna)! For the rest of the week, we will be visiting some organizations and the Panama Canal. Please stay tuned, and I’ll send my update next week.
Until next time, Ciao!!!!