The game was fantastic, a classic comeback and underdog story, all played out in a modern stadium with hotdogs, beer, and popcorn. The fans went wild at every strike, ball, and base, and we cheered and yelled like everyone else. I’d bet that we were the only foreigners there, but that didn’t matter because we all shared a love of baseball, even if the addition of a pitch clock hadn’t made its way to Panama.
I loved our week in Panama. Getting to learn about the country from Panamanians instead of simply academic articles, drinking geisha coffee, eating fish at an Emberá native village, staying in dorms on a converted U.S. military base, and making new friendships with other Davidson students and Panamanians was an incredible experience that I’ll remember long after I graduate.
On the plane back to the United States, I thought about the friends I made and the lessons I’ll take with me in my final semester at Davidson, and how I can be a better, empathetic person after I graduate and begin working. After all, a liberal arts education forms a well-rounded and complete individual, and I’m so grateful to Davidson College and our professor, Britta Crandall, for making this trip possible.