Cross-Culture: A Dutchman born in Columbia marvels about–and explains–the ethnic melding pot that is now Panama.

I’ve been to Panama only twice. Once spending a week there I was amazed by its legions of banks, range of going businesses, contrasts, frustrations of working there, finding decent local lawyers to work with and daunting blend of human tribes from all over the world throughout its strange history. It is still a post-colonial ethnic salad bowl. At R.D. Lewis’s fascinating Cross-Culture Maarten Stal writes this week on “Panama: A Country in Transition“. In particular, note what consultant Stal has to say about Panama’s history, the primacy Canal Zone and the joys and challenges for the many ex-pats now working in a country with its human origins in “native Indians, conquistadores, blacks, Chinese, French, Americans, Arabs, Jews and a variety of other (mostly European) nationalities”.