21/04/2024
Hello my dear friends. I promised to post Why I Believe Living in Panama' isn't for Everyone!
Please come and visit, it's a Beautiful Place! I LOVE living here. I am happy here.
It is located close to Florida.
However, this is a tough place to live. This country is NOT as developed as Mexico, Colombia, Chile, or Argentina.
Many people seem to just MOVE HERE without doing Research and bringing Unrealistic Expectations.
Every Country in Latin America & the Caribbean is COMPLETELY DIFFERENT Cuturally, Economically, & Politically from each other. Many are not even Spanish speaking.
Expecting to live in Panamá with the SAME STANDARD OF LIVING as in the Developed Western World is COMPLETELY UNREALISTIC!!!
The aforementioned countries can offer you this in Urban Areas. IF you can afford it, Costa Rica & PANAMÁ CITY may afford you this. It will cost the same as LA, NYC, San Fransisco, Chicago, Dallas-Fort Worth. I have heard very good reports of Eastern Colombia, Medellin & the Caribbean Resort Cities.
I live in the POOREST Province (State) in Panamá. VERAGUAS with 40% unemployment. Very limited Medical locally..I drive 1-1/2 hours on a paved rural road to Santiago in order to see my Excellent Dr. , do my Grocery shopping, get tires- oil change- parts for my car.
Electricity has brown & black outs. Surges ALL the time.The large township my water is connected to had a 5 day outage this year. Other years this has happened repeatedly.
Schools: Mariato District (County) has 1 high school and a few elementary schools ALL are Government funded in Spanish and not on a US track style.
Private Schools are available in Panama City, David, & we have one in Santiago, our local city.The local Expat & Alternative population has started an informal Alternative School 3 days per week for the little ones and 2 days per week for older kids. Non-affiliated, parents directed democratically. They Do Not study the 3 Rs nor is that what the parents want. There are Private Affiliated Schools in Panamá City & other wealthier Provinces. LYCEE FRANÇAIS, OXFORD SCHOOL, British Etc.
Most roads in the area are well kept & unpaved. Our main rural highway is paved.
If you Do Not have an outside of the Area Income ie.; Internet, can fly to work periodically & work via Internet, Very good Pensión of over $36,000 to $40,000 annually, or are Independently Wealthy you will NOT be able to live with the amenities you had in a developed country.
The language is Panamanian Spanish. If you speak Iberian Spanish you will be understood. You will need to learn local vernacular and ask people to slow their speech. It's very fast like Caribbean.
Local produce is limited to wonderful fruits, vegetables are expensive also not much choice. Beef is tough, Chicken, eggs, & pork is tasty, Tofu dificult to come by, Fish is delicious & overfished. In Santiago there are Chinese vegetables! Every middle-eastern store in Santiago I frequented just seem to come and go. Looking to see if there's any new one now.
The Temple and Mosque are in Santiago. There are Catholic services and Panamenian Style Evangelical Services available. My area has Meditation groups.
All other Religious Practices are in Panamá City. 5 hours away.
If you are tough and self sufficient and don't care about all the Stuff you are used to in a Developed Country. If you love Nature and don't need all the other stuff, there are a lot of Happy Expats. Yes mosquitos. I got used to it sort of.
Hiking, Surfing, Skate Park soon, Art, Nature Conservation are the main activities here. Also Socializing at the Expat Cafes & Restaurant which are offering Expat Musicians & alcoholic drinks.
Personally, I am more involved in the Panamanian Community than the Expat Community.
Other Provinces.offer a better lifestyle for Expats who are not so Back To Nature inclined.
That would be 2 bordering on Costa Rica: Caribbean Bocas del Toro & Pacific Chiriqui.
Also, Panamá City itself & "Panamá Oeste' beaches. These are more developed areas. Have many services & less frustration.
EVERYTHING in Panamá is Imported except food. Expect high prices.
Land Speculation has raised prices beyond farmer's abilities. Prices are outrageous!
It is easy to buy high in Panama' and very, very dificult to sell !!!!
Many, many Panamanians STILL believe that Expats from developed countries are RICH!
Obviously not educated middle class Panamanians. Most rural residents though. It's totally messed with Real Estate. There are a lot of Lawyers and Real Estate Agents who are unfortunately corrupt & take advantage. It's best to get recommendations from friends as we did.
The country is run by 4 very wealthy families and their buddies. They live in their own world. Their Country Clubs & Sailing Clubs & Horse Clubs. Unless you're Connected don't expect any help from the government.
THIS COUNTRY IS GORGEOUS, Mostly safe!! GREAT for Exploration!! Lots of surfing on both coasts! Indigenous Tourism. Less expensive than Costa Rica. Interesting Small Museums. Amazing diversity of species!
No Racism.
People here are a mixture of All who have come here Indigenous, African, Chinese, Arab, Europeans for the most part. There was no African slavery in this country ever. Indigenous slavery was Outlawed and made illegal before ANY SLAVERY in the Americas! Indigenous peoples own almost ALL of the Caribbean Coastline.
They are active.politically when it comes to protecting their forests and their Rights.
Even going to the UN.
Also, even if people may appear POOR to you, that doesn't make them STUPID. They know MORE THAN YOU about surviving in their Tropical Environment than you do.
DO NOT VENTURE East of Panamá City towards the Darien Region without a guide. On the Pacific there is a good fishing, hiking hotel. I wouldn't go anywhere else.
On the Eastern Caribbean there are Indigenous Tourist destinations, Islands, and hotels. AVOID the City of Colon...dangerous Port. Go further east or catch a Cruise / Ferry to visit Colombia.
O!!!! Panamá runs WEST from Costa Rica, EAST to Colombia.
NOT north - south. Also, close to Equator. Hot & Humid like Costa Rica. & very close to Florida.
Lastly, YES, there are BUGS!
Some absolutely fascinating! Some gorgeous Butterflys. There is a Butterfly park in Valle de Anton.
Spiders, scorpions, lizards, Iguanas, snakes...some poisonous. Best to hike with closed shoes, pants tucked in AND with a guide. Every Ocean Turtle species lives here. Birds are AMAZING!
Pine mountain tops that are cool, Coffee plantations...Panamá produces the most expensive coffee available for conosieurs...lucky for us the many coffee available to regular people is exquisite!!
Rain/Cloud forests, Tropical and Dry Tropical, NO Sub-Tropical.
PLEASE COME VISIT!!!
Living here is NOT FOR SISSIES....you really don't want to live in Veraguas Province unless you're willing to speak Spanish, Help & work with your neighbors of Both cultures, and /or want & are wealthy enough to fight for Mother Earth.
