Guess what??

I saw your note asking about Panama, and hoping to meet or communicate with people who live there.. I have spent much of the last 8 years in Panama. I had lived in Costa Rica for 2.5 years prior to moving to Panama. While I enjoyed CR, there were a many advantages in moving and leaving Costa Rica.

I have been in Chiriqui Province for the majority of my time in panama - in the Boquete area. I did have a condominium in Panama City as well,  but have sold it.

  Boquete has a relatively large and friendly ex-pat community and is at an elevation that makes the weather comfortable. The closest city is David (Panama's 2nd largest city) and it is very convenient to have the amenities of this city available and close by.  If you travel yo Panama, be sure to check out Boquete. There are Europeans living there (Boquete and David), and it's not over developed.  Overall, it is a nice place to live, as long as you realize that Panama has a rainy season. The people are friendly, and you can meet people failry easily, because there are many activities (for example there is local theatre group, and fairly regular meetings for "foreiegn residents" where various presentations are put on, etc).

Don't give up - there are blogs focuses on Boquete out there as well....Good luck, and best regards  tim - from Boquete & Providence, RI USA