Asia Wesley is a brilliant academic, futbolista, editor, and all around great friend, who is always up for an adventure and makes sure I add my Oxford commas.

We met while both working in Spain and have traveled as far as Morocco and close as Denver together. In this interview, she tells us how she got a job leading students in Panama and why Panama should be on your travel radar.

Can you tell me a little bit about your background?

I grew up in Colorado and lived here pretty much my whole life, but I went out of the country for the first time when I studied abroad in Spain. It was something I always wanted to do, especially after learning Spanish for the first time when I was 13. I was motivated to travel for language learning, and after that I went back to Spain to live and work there, but I also wanted to travel to other Spanish speaking countries including Panama. 

What made you want to go to Panama?

After I realized I loved learning languages, I majored in English and Spanish literature at the University of Denver. Even though English was my primary major, it allowed me to work with other languages, including Old English and Portuguese. 

After graduating with my degrees, I was looking for ways to still learn and improve my Spanish before applying to graduate schools. One job I found is called Global Works. It’s an organization where I got to be a trip leader and took high schoolers abroad to do community service, learn a language and learn about other cultures. I worked for them the summer after I graduated. That’s when I went to Panama for the first time. Since then I’ve been able to travel back a couple times.

What was the most exciting part of visiting Panama?

For me, it was the language aspect. Obviously they speak Spanish there, but it’s also home to the Guna (Kuna) Yala Indigenous culture. They are one of the only Indigenous groups in Panama to get their land back from the Spanish and completely reclaim their islands. Their islands are basically a different country when you go there, even though it’s technically “in” Panama. 

To get there, you have to go in these special jeeps that are run by people from the community. You have to show your passport as if you are entering a new territory, then you take a boat to go to the islands. They speak in Dulegaya, their language. Everything is run in their language, the government, etc. It’s a completely different culture from Panama.

What did you do on the Islands?

We stayed there for four days, and it was really cool because on the island, they have different structures and houses that are interesting. They don’t have electricity, running water or floors. We lived with a host family on one of the Islands. We got to learn about their culture, how they defeated the Spanish, and some of the traditions they have. We also got to do volunteer work with some of the schools there. 

How was it leading a group of high schoolers in another country?

It was fun. It was interesting to remind them even though we’re here to do community service, we have to remember that we’re entering a new place and a new culture, and we’re not here to have any white savior complexes. We’re here to listen to different communities and ask them what they need from us, rather than assuming what their needs are based on how we live in the United States.

What kind of foods did you eat?

In Panama, one of their staple foods is coconut rice which I thought was delicious. That’s eaten with almost every meal. There’s also a lot of fish, especially on the islands. They also had ceviche. I loved their juices which are like aguas frescas in other Latin American countries. 

What surprised you about Panama?

It was surprising because Panama is a country that looks completely different in every area of the country you’re in. The first time we were there, we got to see all the parts of Panama. We were in Panama City, which looks like the U.S. I could’ve sworn we were in Florida. The mall was like any mall in the U.S. Other parts of the city looked like the squares and neighborhoods in Spain. 

We also stayed with hosts in a mountain town, and you could walk the whole town in five minutes, and everyone knew each other. You could go from house to house, and the school was the center of the town.

Then we went to a place like Guna Yala which is completely different. What’s cool about Panama is on one side is the Atlantic and on the other side is the Pacific Ocean, and so you’re able to see both oceans. On the last part of the trip, we were able to go to Santa Catalina and take surf lessons and do community service in a beach town. It was a tourist area so there was a lot of trash everywhere so we were able to clean the beaches.

How did you get around?

My trip partner and I were able to rent a car to travel around, and later we had a driver with a bus when we had the kids. It was pretty easy to rent a car. Panama depends on American tourism so their tourism industry was easy to work with. We could walk most everywhere else. 

What advice would you give people who want to go to Panama?

Really to go into it, and don’t think of it as this monolithic country, or as just another Spanish speaking country or only a place with cities that are similar to the U.S.

Even its geography is diverse. We were asking about some of the houses and about what happens when storms or hurricanes come, and they said because of the way Panama is situated, it’s perfectly aligned out of the way of hurricanes. 

There are all these different landscapes, languages and cultures that are there. It’s a good mix of everything.

What recommendations do you have to see and do in Panama?

I recommend going to the islands and visiting the beautiful sites. I also recommend surfing in the Pacific Ocean or going on a boat ride to see dolphins. I especially recommend visiting a mountain town. They’re beautiful and a place you wouldn’t expect when you think of Panama.

• 

• 

• 

Where can we find your work?

I have a personal travel blog, and I’ve written a few articles about my academic work with Chicano and African literature.