At first, I was nervous about studying abroad. Not because of what one would normally have doubts about - the new country, language barriers, or cultural differences; I was nervous about doing all of that with nine people I hadn’t really met before. I wouldn’t have believed you if you told me that a week later, it would feel like we had known each other for years. I guess waiting for an hour at the Panama customs line really gives you the chance to get to know others.

In the past, I’ve considered different study abroad programs over the summer but was never able to find one that fully lined up with my schedule as they tend to be longer time frames. One of the main reasons I considered this particular program was because it took place over spring break. Still, by the last day, the entire group wished we had more time. Looking back now, I can honestly say it was one of the best experiences of my life. Over the course of seven days, we visited countless sites ranging from cultural visits to deepen our awareness of the country to places with high security clearance that helped expand our knowledge of supply chain and the importance of the Panama Canal. Even small things like walking through the local markets felt different from the United States as every item we saw had a unique connection to Latin America, things like intricate glassware or hats that had a different meaning based on the way you wore them. Becoming fully immersed in a culture might seem scary, especially when you don’t know the language all that well. However, doing this program through Michigan State gave our group the benefit of having amazing guides to help us communicate with anyone who didn’t speak English as well as being provided translators to assist on any site visits when needed.

You always hear that studying abroad is a “once in a lifetime experience.” I can confirm this statement as this program showed me exactly that. From trying traditional Panamanian foods to fitting 10 people in an elevator and going almost 70 floors up to see the sunset over the city, the country beat my expectations almost immediately after leaving the airport. One comment I heard from some friends before going was “you’re studying… on spring break?” However, I’m not joking when I say that every visit gave us the chance to learn new things without even feeling like we were learning. Whether it was getting “VIP seats” to learning about how the canal works, seeing the differences in university life in Latin America, or walking into a free trade zone, studying abroad in Panama provides a vast amount of knowledge that you wouldn’t be able to experience in any other program.

Name: Monique Zak
Status: Senior
Major: Supply Chain Management
Hometown: Novi, Michigan
Program: Global Supply Chains and the Panama Canal