China Town

Nearly every corner store in Panama is Chinese owned. Larger cities like David, Santiago, Penonome, Chitre, Panama City and its surrounding suburbs, have big supermarkets like Rey, Super 99 or Romero. But the majority of stores outside these areas are small convenience type stores that are owned and operated by Chinese entrepreneurs. My town is no exception. There are four places in my town where I can purchase a few groceries, toiletries, plumbing supplies and the like. They are all Chinese owned. Most Panamanians don’t view the Chinese in their communities as being part OF the community. In fact, most people I’ve talked to view them as wealthy foreigners who are taking advantage of the little guy, i.e., Panamanians. People tend to think they’re being “robbed” by the Chinese. I see them as hardworking business men/women who came to Panama looking for a better life, bought a store, and are just trying to make a living like everyone else. However, most people here don’t see it that way.

One of the corner "Chinas" in town

Most Peace Corps volunteers, especially at first, find it distasteful that the stores aren’t even called stores. They’re called Chinas (pronounced Cheenas). People even call the owners, workers and pretty much anyone who even looks like they’re Chinese – China. Can you imagine that being done in the states? Going into a store and saying “Hey China, where’s the shampoo?” It’s done every day here. I can’t tell you how many kids and grown adults come up to the counter while I’m checking out and say “Hey China, how much is this? – Hey China, do you have any ice-cream? – Hey China, where’s the toilet paper?” It’s annoying to me and I’m just the guy standing in line. Well, that’s another issue that I won’t make a big deal of right now, but there is no line in Panama. It doesn’t matter if you’ve been standing there waiting patiently for ten minutes, people just cut in front of you like it was nothing. VERY ANNOYING. Anyway, I made it a point to learn the names of the shop owners and call them by name rather than call everyone China. I tried to explain to a student of mine once that yes, they’re from China, but they also have names, just like you have a name. How would you like it if I called all of you “Latino” all the time instead of using your name? I bet you wouldn’t like that would you? It didn’t seem to sink in. But, then again they don’t view it the way I do. In fact a lot of people have the nickname Chino. It’s not because of any physical features or for any reason at all really. One of my students is nicknamed Chino as well as one of my neighbor’s kids. After awhile you even start saying it yourself because that’s how everyone else speaks. I’ve definitely caught myself saying “I have to go to the China to get some …...” I try to say store, but sometimes China slips out. One of the teachers I work with drops me off nearly every day at the corner store and usually asks me now if I’m going home or to the China.

Jorge and Rosa's store - I teach upstairs

On a side note, being in her car reminds me of being in high-school or college when we would cram ten people into a car to go somewhere. A car here is definitely a luxury that most people cannot afford. So everyone from school (teachers and people who work in the office and sometimes students) crams into her car, sitting on each other’s laps, making general conversation because this is a normal thing and not out of the ordinary. I on the other hand can’t help but keep a smirk on my face until I get out. But now back to the topic.

Elizabeth cooking and hiding from the camera

The day I left to go to Chorrera for a business seminar, I walked to the bus station and then headed to the store to buy something to drink. I noticed it was closed and thought “that’s weird”, but started to cross the street to another store when I noticed it was closed as well. Let me say something here. The shop owners are some of the hardest working people I have seen in Panama. Their stores are open from 7am to 9pm (some longer) and they are there every single day. No days off. And I’m sure they stay after closing to clean and get ready for the next day. The store I go to most of the time is owned by Jorge and Rosa and without fail they are there every single day, all day long, even on Christmas. Amazing. So I was completely confused when I noticed all of the stores in town were closed. I started asking around and found out that five Chinese people were killed in Chorrera (the town I was going to) by some Venezuelan guys. I still don’t know what happened exactly, but apparently they were robbed and killed because (as it was explained to me) Chinese people are seen as being wealthy. After this happened the entire Chinese community in Panama closed their stores for five days in a row as a protest for more security and a unitary sign of mourning. Wow. Now that’s organization that I haven’t seen from anyone else in Panama. They essentially shut down complete towns for five days. I never really thought about how much power they could yield if they came together like that.

Alejandro at the store

Not long ago, Rosa asked me if I might be able to help a couple of her daughters with English. She knows that I work at the high-school every day with an after school program. I told her sure and we set a time; which is another rarity here. What’s much more common is the following:

YOU:“So, what time are we leaving tomorrow?”

Panamanian:“In the afternoon.”

YOU:“Oh, what time in the afternoon?”

Panamanian:“In the afternoon.”

YOU:“Well, like 1pm or 5pm?”

Panamanian:“I don’t know. In the afternoon.”

This happens all the time and is completely frustrating to Americans. There is no such thing as punctuality or even a concept of time here. Even in the schools.

ANYWAY, we use the upstairs of their store as a classroom. I usually stay for a couple of hours teaching basic language skills or helping them with their English homework. I found out while talking to them, that all four had been living in China with their grandparents for the past two years. The two older girls know both Spanish and Chinese (more or less), as do their parents, but the two younger kids only know Chinese. Rosa and Jorge have hired them a Spanish teacher that comes in the afternoon on weekends. The teacher doesn’t come during the week because they don’t have time. They all go to school in Volcan, which is an hour and a half away. They go there, as do a couple other Panamanian kids, because the school here is seen as being so bad that they would rather pay to have their kids attend a school an hour and a half away than send them to the one in town. Among being hard working they also value education. Another trait that I wish more Panamanians would adopt…..Americans too.

Real Chinese food!! Mmm mmm good.... (you have to hum the campbell's soup theme here - that is if it doesn't violate any copyright laws against the campbell soup company - if not, hum your little heart out)

Jorge and Rosa both offered to pay me, but I told them I was a volunteer and my services were free. They argued with me, but I didn’t back down. Jorge made a point to say “We know you get paid a little, but it’s not much and you have to eat too.” (well, something like that anyway) They were both pretty persistent about wanting to pay me, so after a couple lessons I mentioned that I like Chinese food. The next time I showed up they had made me these dough like balls with meat inside – Delicious! The next time they offered me lo-mien. The last time I went they brought out two big bags of groceries. One with two cans of Spam and a 5lb. bag of rice and another full of vegetables. I told them that I really appreciated the offer, but that it was WAY too much. They persisted, so I told them I would take one bag, but I was going to leave the bag with the vegetables because I was leaving town for a few days and didn’t want them to spoil. They finally said okay, but that when I came back they would pack a new bag for me. Oh and they also gave me a piece of cake. I went again this morning and of course they gave me a big bag full of tomatoes, onions, apples and more Spam. I’m not sure why they keep giving me Spam – I’ve never bought it there. Hey, I’m not complaining – I made a Spam and egg sandwich for lunch today. Rosa even apologized for not giving me any lettuce, saying they were out. How ironic that I move to Panama and my best friends are the Chinese owners of the store I shop in. Maybe I should have done my Peace Corps service in China. Okay, I gotta run. Cheers for now. I’ll be writing again very soon. The Ngobe’s are back in town……