The St. Louis High School Spanish Club traveled to Panamá March 20-29, for an adventure of a lifetime– one that they won’t soon forget.

On the first day, March 20, the students and chaperones arrived in Panamá after a long day of travel. The next day, the group visited Viejo (Old Town). They also walked around local ruins and went to the Biomuseo, a museum about Panamá’s development. March 22, consisted of stopping at the Smithsonian and riding a boat to Monkey Island. Here, the SLHS Spanish Club saw sloths, sea turtles, starfish, and much more.

According to Allyssa Roberson, “The trip to Panamá completely changed my perspective on a lot and made me think about how much of the world we don’t even know about. The way that they were so happy with so little, that they had made me a lot more grateful for what I have back home. It was such a great time with so many friends, and I’m glad I had the opportunity to travel!”

On March 23, the students and parents visited the city of Chitre and a Panamanian farm to see the difference between farms back home versus there. The following day included visiting Panamá’s national dressmaker; these dresses are handmade. On March 25, they went to the Panamá Canal and got to see the ships up close. They also saw the administration building for the canal. Then, on March 26, the group went to the Pacific Ocean and shopped in Colonial Town. To close off their trip the following day, the club visited an indigenous village and a Panamánian School. Here, students got to interact with local children and form friendships. They also began getting ready to leave for the United States. Finally, on March 28, they began the journey home, getting back on the 29th.

“My favorite part of the trip was being able to see so much every day. I loved getting to try new things all day long. I was never bored,” Megan Greenup said.

Overall, visiting Panamá was a once-in-a-lifetime experience that everyone enjoyed and will cherish for years to come.