Describing the World I Come From

As a student living a transient military lifestyle, I've had the good fortune to experience life in a variety of cultures. The experience I have gained by growing up abroad in such places as England and Germany has had significant effects on my dreams and aspirations. Yet, one place my family has lived stands out in my mind as having the greatest impact: Panama.
The Isthmus of Panama extends as a land bridge connecting the two Americas. Its urban center is Panama City, where we would join half the nation's inhabitants in making our home. …