35. 5 Reasons It's SO Important for Panama Expats to Know Spanish

the operation expat blog

5 Reasons It's So Important for Panama Expats to Know Spanish

I told myself "basic" Spanish would be enough. Three years in, I can say without hesitation: I was wrong. Here's why fluency matters more than you think.

When I moved to Panama, I expected there to be many adjustments...one of the biggest being learning Spanish.

The extent of my Spanish knowledge at the time I decided to be a Panama expat was a total of two years of study in high school (suffice it to say, that was MANY years ago!).

At first, I was enthusiastic and optimistic, especially after finding a fabulous program to learn Spanish (click here to learn more). But, it didn't take me long to realize I had a horrible case of overconfidence. Learning Spanish when your brain is old is no joke! 😆

So, I ended up rationalizing that a basic understanding of the language would be enough.

After three years here, I can unequivocally say this: I was wrong. Living here without being fluent has had a much greater negative impact on me than I expected.

Hence, this blog post.

5 Reasons It's Important to Learn Spanish

To make your life easier

It's just practical to learn the language that is spoken everywhere around you. Daily life becomes exponentially easier when you can fully communicate.

Banking, medical visits, even simple errands become smoother, and people respond differently to you when they see you making the effort to speak their language.

If you aren't fluent in Spanish, you'll be in a position where you have to constantly hire a translator. While I love my translator, I don't like relying on anyone for basic stuff!

Avoid feeling isolated

One of the biggest challenges for me over two of the last three years (it took a year to kick in) has been feeling significantly isolated. A large part of this is a direct result of not being fluent in Spanish.

Connecting with people is huge for me. When you don't speak the local language, it's like you're here, but you're not really part of the conversation. Everyday connections—like chatting with locals in stores, restaurants, or even exchanging a quick laugh with a stranger—are severely limited when you aren't fluent.

And, many locals will place you in a particular gringo/gringa box if you don't bother to learn their language. Totally understandable, but I don't like being in that box!

It's not just about missing out on interactions; it's about the psychological sense of belonging in the community that comes from connecting with the people who live there.

To avoid feeling embarrassed or humiliated

Being a very capable person, I have prided myself on doing most things really well for most of my life.

I underestimated the level of discomfort that comes from not being able to conduct basic business on my own. When I see impatience or frustration on the face of the person trying to help me as I struggle to communicate effectively, it's beyond humbling...it's downright embarrassing.

This accumulates over time so that I really miss the level of capability I had back home.

To connect deeper with locals

Being a hardcore introvert, this one hasn't impacted me as much as it might others. If you're an extrovert, knowing Spanish will enable you to connect with locals in a way that goes beyond brief connections, opening up genuine friendships and making you feel part of the community in a way that's impossible without it.

To respect the people & culture of Panamá

Beyond all of these personal reasons, I believe that expats owe the Panamanian people respect and gratitude for welcoming us to their country. Learning the language is a crucial aspect of this!

A reality check...

I got smacked hard by reality when I realized how much time and effort it was actually going to take me to learn Spanish to a level where I could both speak it fluently and understand someone speaking it fluently at warp speed.

It was going to require hours of daily study for an indefinitely long period of time.

Until February of this year, I was working full-time, and with all the demands of my job, there simply weren't enough hours in the day to study this much.

Now, while I have a bit more time, my 57-year-old body and spirit need down time after decades of hard work and stress. Self-care has to take priority and I have to accept the impact this has on my expat journey.

If you're considering making the move to Panamá, I urge you to take the language aspect of your journey seriously. Knowing Spanish will contribute significantly to its success and your sense of well-being!

— Operation Expat

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