As its tourism industry expands, Panama is becoming a winter vacation and retirement hotspot for many European and North American residents. The Panama Canal is also undergoing an expansion, scheduled to be completed in 2014. The workers—about 10,000 of them—need well-developed English skills to correspond with US workers who are managing the project. Thanks to both increasing tourism and trade, the need for Panamanians to learn English is continually growing. Your students in Panama will generally range from college students to older business professionals.

Aerial views of Panama reveal a country with an extremely diverse landscape: sweeping mountain ranges, vast rainforests, and 1,500 miles (2,415 km) of coastline dotted with islands, lagoons, gulfs, and inlets. Panama’s unique diversity also includes the San Blas Archipelago, a gorgeous collection of islands off the coast. And of course, there is the country’s unique position as a bridge between the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans, which has lead to Panama’s long-time role in connecting countries around the world.

The population of nearly 3 million is concentrated mostly in larger cities and along the Panama Canal. Following the construction of the canal in 1914, people from all over the world moved to Panama leaving it with a varied mix of cultures and traditions. Panamanians are known as hard-working people who also know how to enjoy their leisure time. This includes taking trips to the beach or to country homes, as well as going to parties, nightclubs, and festivals. The largest festivals occur during Christmas and Carnival, where the streets are inundated with parades, dances, parties, and religious celebrations.