I've been in Panama this week with Suzy Steen, USM Director, International Programs and Tulio Sulbaran, Director, USM Center for Logistics, Trade and Transportation, working on agreements with several Panamanian universities. We travelled with a lively delegation from the Gulfport Airport, including Bruce Frallic, Executive Director; Frank Genzer, Airport Commissioner; and Kristi Bennett, Manager of Marketing and Business Communication (and a Southern Miss grad).
Panama, Day 1:
After a long delay getting off the ground in the U.S., my companions and I arrived in time for a late dinner and quick planning session for the week's events.
Panama, Day 2:
We left bright and early for our meetings. The bids for the Panama Canal expansion were being opened that day so the air was charged with anticipation. A noteworthy group of global representatives were hanging around the Canal as we made our way to our appointments.
Our first stop was the International Maritime University of Panama where we met with the President, Victor Luna and some of his staff. President Luna and I signed a Memorandum of Understanding for collaborative maritime projects. We saw a demonstration of the sophisticated simulation labs used by the cadets as they learn every aspect of running a ship.
Next on the agenda was a briefing on the Panama Canal by Oscar Bazan V., marketing manager. The expansion of the canal is a huge undertaking for the people of Panama, and we learned a great deal about the detailed analyses applied to make decisions throughout the process.
The SIDMAR Simulator demonstration offered a unique thrill as I was invited to "operate" a large freighter making its way through the canal.
Next up, a meeting with Acting President, Luis Barahona and his cabinet at the Technical University of Panama, the country's designated engineering school enabled us to plan for another MOU to be signed in Mississippi in September.
Dinner at Mira Flores Locks where humongous ships are ushered from the Atlantic to the Pacific and vice versa.
Panama, Day 3:
The University of Panama (all sites) has an enrollment of 70,000! Our visit there made me appreciate the more manageable 16,000 back home. Interestingly, the Panamanian government funds almost all the costs of the University. Students pay no tuition - only one annual fee of $27.50.
The City of Knowledge occupies the installations of a former military base on the banks of the Panama Canal. It is a government-sponsored project which seeks to create a cluster of academic organizations, technology companies and NGOs. It provides a "platform" for universities to reach students in the Latin American region. In light of the City of Knowledge's current partnerships with such prestigious organizations as Organization of American States, Pan American Health Organization, UNICEF and International Center for Sustainable Development, we should have plenty of opportunity to form important collaborations.
A quick tour of the nearby Hospitality, Hotel and Restaurant Management yielded a wonderful tour of a new model for the service industry in Panama and a nice lunch in its dining room overlooking the Panama Canal.
Panama, Day 4:
Our host treated us to a day at the astonishingly beautiful Gamboa (rain forest) where we saw capuchin monkeys "up close and person" and climbed to the top of Gamboa's uppermost tower for a breathtaking view of the forest, the Chagre River, Lake Gatun, and the Panama Canal.
We managed to disturb a nest of the neighborhood snakes who gave us quite a start...but I'll save that story for another time.
Panama, Day 5:
Coming Home.