I’m from Panama City, and between the unintentional tans and puffer jackets, these are my top five culture shocks.
- TRANSPORTATION
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Panama City is not walkable. My first shock was having to swap the four wheels of my car for the rails of the T and my size 37 feet. I had never taken public transport in my life, and even after two months of being here, I’m still (very confidently) figuring it out.
- FOOD
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It doesn’t matter what kind of food I eat or how good it is, my stomach always throws a tantrum. Chewing Tums is a part of my daily routine now. And in Boston, the situation is especially funny. It just feels so dumb to spend $30 on a tummy ache every time, you know?
- FASHION
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You can see someone wrapped in a puffer jacket and a scarf walk right past someone who looks like they’re on the way to a rave. I’ve learned to embrace the sweatpants and hoodies. In this weather and with a messed-up sleep schedule, a girl just needs some comfort.
- MANNERS
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People here apologize for everything. If two people try to walk through the same door at the same time, both say “sorry,” even if they don’t touch. It’s gotten to the point where if someone doesn’t say it, I’m like, “rude!” This is wild because in Panama, I’d never even notice.
- RESTRICTIONS
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Last but certainly not least, there’s medicine that I literally can’t buy because I’m an international student. Your girl was just trying to get some decongestant, and the pharmacy guy made me drag my American bestie to buy it for me because they can only sell it to people with US IDs. And don’t even get me started on needing to prove I’m over 18 just to buy cough syrup.
- HONORABLE MENTIONS
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How can I leave out the slang? I’ve been corrupted by “6-7,” and phrases like “my op,” “huzz,” and “type shi.” Boston isn’t just changing my accent or my vocabulary, it’s rewiring my brain.
Photo by Rachel Feinstein
Culturally shocked? Definitely.
But honestly, change is kind of the whole point, isn’t it?
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