The Spanish verb Esperar means 'to wait' and also 'to hope.' Waiting is hoping. Hoping is waiting. Not only do you wait for the bus to come, you hope it comes. Thus the virtues of hope and patience are infinitely bound in Latin America.

The subjunctive tense defines the lives of many people in rural Panama, even if they don't use it in their speech. Entire lives happen in the subjunctive tense. Possibility, waiting, hoping, when and if . . .