Getting Directions In Panama
(costaricapages.com) Getting Around In Panama Can Be Tricky
One of the many things I love about Panama are people. In specific areas of the country you will find locals have their own idiosyncrasies. One of the most endearing is how many Panamanians in the interior provinces give directions.
You’d be hard pressed to come to Panama and not have to ask for directions at some point. Many streets don’t have names posted, most houses aren’t numbered, and it’s very hard to find a decent map of the country or even Panama City.
Having at least some knowledge of Spanish is necessary for you to be able to ask someone how to get to your destination. However, you don’t really need to understand Spanish to grasp the directions given. The most common way a Panamanian from the interior will give directions is with head gestures.
Ask someone where a certain cantina is and they will tell you, “p’ya (head or chin tilts to the left), p’ya (head or chin points to the right), y p’ya (chin juts straight)”. It’s such a refreshing way to receive directions! They are not going to waste your time by saying, “turn to the southwest when you reach the park, and then north east at the gas station, and then about 50 meters ahead you will find the cantina”.
Sure, more descriptive directions are a bit more accurate, but part of the fun is trying to figure out exactly where you are supposed to turn left and then right. It’s one of those things about Panama that seems strange to foreigners but is completely normal to the locals.
Written by: Rebeca Tyre
