Yes, that was sort of interesting how Eugenia, who was our maid, stopped in to visit us years later in El Salvador, on her way home from Panama. What she was doing in Panama I have no idea. I used to think it would be impolite to ask personal questions if the information is not forthcoming in a voluntary way.
But of course Panama has the Canal Zone, so those people think they are so special. They have special housing and special shopping privileges. Panama is almost not like living overseas. Panama was almost like living in the U.S. by extension. We never had that sort of "special" privilege. We could not ever go shopping at the American Embassy where you can get special foods — cereals and chocolate bars and whatnot — that otherwise are not available there. We have to sort of rough it in comparison to the pampered haughty arrogant Embassy staffers. But that is OK, God takes care of us in our own way.
You would think that the embassy would be there to help the various U.S. citizens who are living there for various reasons, not make us feel like garbage because we are not running with the cool kids clique.
