My husband and I are building an inn in Santa Fe, Veraguas, Panama.   http://coffeemou

ntaininn.com/about-us/

I have been the lucky one of us who will be blogging about our experiences.  So far, this is what we’ve learned:

1) People in Panama love rules and enforcing them

2) People in Panama love avoiding rules

This forms a dance to see who is the most beyaco, which for its tamer meaning, is the person who is able to throw themselves into an activity, manipulate, and get the upper hand.  They are the ones where you say, hmmm, I wish I would have thought of that, but wonder if you would have really done the same thing because it is kind of creepy.   

I am reminded of what the cacique of the Ngabe-Bugle said, after legislators passed a law whereby mining companies and hydroelectric companies could pursue operations on autonomous Ngobe-Bugle land without the indigenous consent,  “Panama should not just be for the beyacos“.

I agree and nothing calls this home more than the process of setting up and starting a small business in Panama.