Swinging in the colorful hammock on our back porch, I listened to the foreign sounds of the rainforest. Monkey screeches, bird calls, and insect chirps all came from the jungle in my host family’s backyard.

This little country connects the world’s most important trade route, but it feels so disconnected from the world of Memphis. That is why we celebrate it.

Each spring, Memphis in May chooses a country to honor its cultural celebration. Elementary and middle schools students throughout Memphis study the honored country by designing projects, putting on presentations, and competing in art competitions. For high school students, a more in-depth study of the country is offered.

This year, the country is Panama.

Ten students from the Memphis area traveled to Panama for an all-expenses-paid student exchange this past March. We spent several mornings in the Metropolitan School of Panama, a local high school that sits right on the edge of the Panama Canal. From the classroom windows, I could see ships pass through the main locks of the canal—the “Crossroads of the Americas.”

The Metropolitan School is a part of a historical community called the Cuidad Del Saber  (the City of Knowledge) located on the outskirts of Panama City.  The community was once a U.S. military base that supervised the operation of the Panama Canal.

In 1977, President Jimmy Carter signed the Torrijos-Carter Treaty, granting Panama full ownership of the Canal Zone by 1999.  The military base is now mostly inhabited by schools and international NGO offices. My host family lived in a house designed for families of U.S. military personnel.

We spent most of our time exploring Panama. We rode gondolas through the rainforest, learned to surf, bargained in the markets and explored ancient ruins.

Every day brought an unpredictable experience. We lost a student in the heart of Panama City, only to find he got into a taxi and paid the driver in Cinnabon. Three of us were pulled away by the tide while snorkeling and had to be saved by a local fisherman. Several of us received second-degree burns from the tropical sun. Our chaperon lost his wallet.

Distinct cultural differences quickly stood out. The remarkable thing was, no matter how chaotic things got, no one in Panama worried. Expressed concern was always passed off with a “Don’t worry about it!”

This laid back culture was prevalent in all aspects of the Panamanian lifestyle. No one would think twice when kids showed up to school 45 minutes late. Our group was always at least an hour behind schedule.

Some found this to be the most fascinating thing about Panama; for others, it was the unique food, the endless markets, or the ancient ruins. For me, it was the wildlife. I found sloths, multiple types of monkeys, and brilliantly colored birds in the rainforest behind my host family’s house. Howler monkeys threw fruit at me when I was on a hike.

I will be returning to Panama this summer to live in the Mamoní Valley Preserve. There, I will work with Earth Train, an organization that focuses on environmental research and education. At Earth Train, I will monitor ecological conditions and teach environmental workshops in primary schools in the area. I would never have received this opportunity without my experience with Memphis in May.

Applications for the 2015 Memphis In May Student Exchange will be available next fall for juniors and seniors. For more information, visit www.memphisinmay.org.