First thing’s first… today is not only Earth Day (Happy Birthday, Mother Nature!), but it also completes my 54th trip around the (as I like to say, it’s my B’Earthday!) Thank you for celebrating with me!
With the earth in mind, I’d like to honor both nature and the extraordinary gift of friendship. As such, I want to share a recent experience with you that highlights how rare and precious global connections can be.
In 2016 at an International Women’s Forum conference in Chicago, a chance bus ride seated me next to the warm, authentic, and beautiful, Denise Barakat. From the start, our conversation flowed easily, and I quickly learned about her family’s Canopy Family eco-lodges in Panama. With characteristic generosity, Denise extended an invitation for my family to visit—plans we regrettably had to cancel.
Eight years passed before we reconnected at the 2024 IWF conference in New York City. This time, Denise wouldn’t accept another rain check on friendship. In a beautiful gesture that epitomizes her kindness, she simply booked accommodations for my family at her Canopy Lodge for two nights.
What followed was a master class in hospitality. In the months between the conference and our week-long trip to El Valle de Antón and Panama City, Denise became our personal concierge—suggesting activities, connecting us with locals, recommending tour guides and drivers, and weaving together experiences that would make our visit unforgettable. The care she took in crafting our visit went far beyond typical host duties; it reflected a deep commitment to ensuring we experienced the best of her country.
The power of the IWF network extended beyond just Denise. Having met several Panamanian members at the conference, I arranged various meetings during our trip—breakfast with one member, lunch with others, dinner with a couple more, coffees and a museum visit with others still. The culmination of these connections came when, at Denise’s encouragement, one chapter member organized a cocktail reception and dinner party in her home attended by nearly 30 people.
My husband, son, and I were overwhelmed by this extraordinary welcome. Never before had we traveled to a country where we felt so immediately embraced, so quickly part of a community. What began as a tourism experience transformed into something much more profound—a feeling of having discovered family in Panama.
This experience exemplifies what makes the gift of genuine human connection across borders exceptional. It reminds us that the true measure of a network isn’t counted in business cards exchanged but in homes opened, meals shared, and the feeling of belonging thousands of miles from where you live.
Through this experience, I’ve learned that genuine hospitality is both an art and a gift—it’s the ability to make others feel special, valued, and loved even when they’re far from home. It’s a lesson in connection I’ll carry forward, hoping to one day offer the same warmth to friends visiting my corner of the world.
With special appreciation to Denise (and Raul and the entire Canopy Family), Ariana, Linky, Marie, Eve, Nanette, Jessy, Marnie, Susie, and all of the members of IWF Panama…
Happy Networking!