One of the quieter streets of Casco Viejo, Panama City, February 2020

It is hot here in Panama City, hot and dry! This is however normal here, as we are still at the dry season, at least until the end of March.

Panamanians seem to enjoy their summer, even if it can be blazing hot. I enjoy observing the city in the summer, and I especially like the evening, but I do find it too hot, and I secretly miss the rain!

This summer is a bit odd here, but I guess it is not just here… it appears that the whole world is in panic mode over Coronavirus. In Panama, we are still unaffected with the virus itself, but there are signs of people and institutions being worried. Friends cancel their travel plans, worry if they actually need to travel, many stock up on goods and food. It is a wired feeling.

For me personally, I am more worried of that I will be forced to postpone some of my trips, as they may cancel flights, or introduce some restrictions on where you are allowed or not allowed to move. My trip to Cartagena (for work) is still on, and so is the trip to Poland, but as things are very fluid, there may be some last minute changes (which, I hope will not materialise at the end of the day).

As the world is getting winded up on Coronavirus, I am much more concerned and appalled with the refugee situation on the border between Turkey and Greece. Once again, the politicians use humans for their own games, and wherever you look at, they [politicians] are only too keen to spark fear and rather than sit and offer tangible solutions for the refugees and the communities that could care for them. It is possible to do it in a manner that is safe and beneficial to everyone. It really hurts to see that we are not ready to do it, and that many of us are actually proud to dismiss the problems, and show off how much 'we care about our own societies'. I have written it many times before, and I will do it again. Shame on us, shame on us all!