Colombia is the world’s No. 2 producer of panela — a sweetener that tastes like a cross between molasses and brown sugar.

BOGOTA, Colombia — If not quite demolition derby, riding the bus in Colombia can resemble a nerve-fraying lap around the race track. Anxious to collect as many fares as possible, bus drivers ply their routes at breakneck speed, often ignoring details like red lights, no-passing zones, and the law that bans passengers from standing in the aisles. If pedestrians flag them down at the last instant, drivers will hit the brakes even if they’re on the wrong side of the road.

VISTA HERMOSA, Colombia — The rows of white containers on the edge of this Colombian farm town bring to mind FEMA housing in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. But rather than a botched response to disaster, these trailers signal Colombia’s commitment to an experiment in nation building that is providing insight for American planners in Afghanistan.