CMichael
American expat in Panama
Forum posts
77
Contacts
22
About me
American
Lives in Panama City
Speaks English...and very little Spanish
Registration: 08 September 2011
Moving to Panama! Yay by StephañaSwan
Greetings, Seeing as how this feed is world wide; to protect myself I will not be communicating anything personal! In fact I am currently seeking pen-pals of the American origin that live in Panama. My family and I are more than considering ...
Mary, thanks so much for mentioning Panama For Real. Stephaña (my daughter's name is Estefania and has been called Stephaña her whole life), I wouldn't worry too much about the negative comments. If you look through the threads you'll realize that ... Read More
Getting to know the Panama City streets
Hey everybody, I know that getting to know the Panama City streets can be very confusing, even though it's such a small city. I've been here nearly 5 years now and I still haven't completely figured it out. I posted a new video on my website at ... Read More
Panama For Real by CMichael
Hey guys, I try not to advertise my blog except at the bottom of posts I write. I just wanted to let everyone know that I've launched a new website at [moderated: no free ads] I'm traveling around Panama with my wife and putting out detailed ...
Hey guys, I just posted a new Thanksgiving Day post on "Understanding the Panama Lottery." I get emails about this all the time and have had several discussions on Facebook. Prior to the research for this article, I had no idea how to play the ... Read More
Does anyone ever get lonely living abroad? by ToddBlackburn
Just Curious because sometimes I do
Hey Johnmozz, A lot of that depends on where you base yourself. If you find a place with fellow expats, you'll be fine...and if you don't keep yourself holed up in your apartment/house. Coronado is an expat-filled beach location where there are ... Read More
Does anyone ever get lonely living abroad? by ToddBlackburn
Just Curious because sometimes I do
Hey Todd, Yeah, I'm sure it happens to us all, bro. It definitely happens to me. I have younger brothers and I always find myself wishing they were around. I have a wife and 4 kids and I can't imagine what it must feel like trying to do this on ... Read More
Panama For Real by CMichael
Hey guys, I try not to advertise my blog except at the bottom of posts I write. I just wanted to let everyone know that I've launched a new website at [moderated: no free ads] I'm traveling around Panama with my wife and putting out detailed ...
And check out our first Q&A Monday, with answers to readers' emails at: panamaforreal.com/the-new-qa-monday-reader-emails-answered-starting-today/ Read More
Panama For Real by CMichael
Hey guys, I try not to advertise my blog except at the bottom of posts I write. I just wanted to let everyone know that I've launched a new website at [moderated: no free ads] I'm traveling around Panama with my wife and putting out detailed ...
Oh and if anyone wants to check out my first video interview with the Canada-Panama Connection, check it out here: panamaforreal.com/the-pfr-mission/pfr-video-interview-with-canada-panama-connection/ Chris Read More
Panama For Real by CMichael
Hey guys, I try not to advertise my blog except at the bottom of posts I write. I just wanted to let everyone know that I've launched a new website at [moderated: no free ads] I'm traveling around Panama with my wife and putting out detailed ...
Hi Lollard, We are going to report on every place in Panama. It just might take us a little while to get it all done, lol. The plan is to complete a report every two weeks. Sora is definitely on the list though. Thanks for checking out our ... Read More
Panama For Real by CMichael
Hey guys, I try not to advertise my blog except at the bottom of posts I write. I just wanted to let everyone know that I've launched a new website at [moderated: no free ads] I'm traveling around Panama with my wife and putting out detailed ...
Hey, I just wanted to let everyone know that we posted the new written report on Cerro Azul, the closest mountain town to Panama City. It's all free info about living in or visiting each and every province, town, and neighborhood in Panama. Here's ... Read More
Panama For Real by CMichael
Hey guys, I try not to advertise my blog except at the bottom of posts I write. I just wanted to let everyone know that I've launched a new website at [moderated: no free ads] I'm traveling around Panama with my wife and putting out detailed ...
Hi JadeB, Well it's great to meet a fellow Okie! I still have a lot of family in Tulsa and in Coweta (not sure if I spelled that correctly). There's a lot of info to give on Panama and it's hard to give you the real lowdown here in this forum. I've ... Read More
Panama For Real by CMichael
Hey guys, I try not to advertise my blog except at the bottom of posts I write. I just wanted to let everyone know that I've launched a new website at [moderated: no free ads] I'm traveling around Panama with my wife and putting out detailed ...
Thanks Kris and Hugo&Cyd. I appreciate the support. I'm really trying to push this thing. It's amazing how hard it is to get your youtube videos to show up in the search. I'm really excited about the site and have been working nonstop. We're headed ... Read More
Panama For Real
Hey guys, I try not to advertise my blog except at the bottom of posts I write. I just wanted to let everyone know that I've launched a new website at [moderated: no free ads] I'm traveling around Panama with my wife and putting out detailed ... Read More
Recently returned from visiting Panama -- my thoughts & impressions by MizzouFan
I recently returned from my first visit to Panama and I thought I would post some thoughts and impressions from that visit. My intentions were to try and determine if Panama was a suitable country to live in with my 2 young children. Hopefully, some ...
Ok, so just an update. I mentioned my blog in my post yesterday, which I try to always do, but after writing the post here, about schools in Panama, I got inspired to finally write that blog post about it. So if you want to check out my blog at ... Read More
Recently returned from visiting Panama -- my thoughts & impressions by MizzouFan
I recently returned from my first visit to Panama and I thought I would post some thoughts and impressions from that visit. My intentions were to try and determine if Panama was a suitable country to live in with my 2 young children. Hopefully, some ...
BTW, I appologize for all of my punctuation and grammatical errors in the last post. Didn't get much sleep last night. I just wanted to answer your post before I forgot about it. Reading over it again, it's kind of a mess. :) Read More
Recently returned from visiting Panama -- my thoughts & impressions by MizzouFan
I recently returned from my first visit to Panama and I thought I would post some thoughts and impressions from that visit. My intentions were to try and determine if Panama was a suitable country to live in with my 2 young children. Hopefully, some ...
Hi Kerley5, My name's Chris. I used to be much more active in these forums, but I haven't been visiting as often as I used to. I'm an expat living in Panama, working here, and I have 4 kids. You're absolutely right. Schooling here is not cheap. In ... Read More
Job opportunity in Panama City- need your help! by lisagpatino
My husband has been offered a job in Panama City. I don't know too much about Panama City but looking for a great area to raise our pre-teen son. Maybe a private school? Can anyone suggest neighborhoods or locations not too far from Panama City that ...
I'm sure you'll get plenty of answers on this one, but I'd like to take a stab at it since I live in Panama City and know many of the areas. A lot of this will really depend on the quality of life you're used to, and the size of your monthly budget. ... Read More
visit to Panama by awesley
Hello, It is nice to join the forum on Panama with active discussions. I am currently working in Ottawa, Canada. Since I have four more years before retirement, I would like to visit Panama with my husband and teenage daughter, maninly as tourists ...
Hi Annie, This is a hard one to answer without knowing more about your intentions when visiting/moving here. What's your monthly budget going to look like? Are you more interested in being near the beach, in the mountains, on a farm, in the city? ... Read More
Considering moving to Panama with 2 small children by jessgou
Hello, my name is Jess. My husband is currently medically retiring from the US army and we are very strongly considering moving to Panama in about 6-9 months. We have two small children (would be around 1.5 & 3 at that time). We are also looking ...
Hey Jess, Sorry I didn't see this sooner. Hopefully you'll read this. Let me start by saying that your family will easily live on $3-$4k per month, without having to work, especially if you live outside of the city. From what you've described, I ... Read More
How do you get retirement account/ monthly to Panama by Tgrothjan
Hi, Have been down to Panama this year and have plans to return next. Want to know how the money transfer works?
I bank with Banco General, and as Kris mentioned, it was kind of a pain setting up that account, and I did it a couple of years ago, so it may be more difficult now. A friend of mine set up an account with Scotiabank and said it was a breeze. I ... Read More
IT Jobs in Panama City
Hey Joris, Being an expat and finding a job here in Panama can be a real pain. I know because I'm doing it myself. Encuentra24 is a good site. I'd also recommend using konzerta.com. That's the main job site here in Panama. With konzerta, you can ... Read More
Need some ideas by Janob
My husband will be retiring in about six months. We have never been to Panama but have been reading wonderful things about the country, great place to retire. Writing to ask for ideas of best beach location for a retiree. Want to come explore the ...
Hey guys, It's been awhile since I last participated here. I quickly scrolled through the arguments up top, and I'll address them after I try to help a little with the question at hand. Panama has many beaches, all with different pros and cons. ... Read More
elderly care in Panama by John & Amira
We are thinking of moving to Panama from Canada and retiring with my elderly dad who is currently in a nursing home. We understand that it's possible to have a live in nanny but we were wondering if there were any places for respite care to have dad ...
Thanks guys, and Kris, you're pretty nifty yourself. Chris Read More
elderly care in Panama by John & Amira
We are thinking of moving to Panama from Canada and retiring with my elderly dad who is currently in a nursing home. We understand that it's possible to have a live in nanny but we were wondering if there were any places for respite care to have dad ...
Oh, yeah, I'm not sure I put this in the post. If you're going to send important documents, I've been told by the mailing facilities that it's a good idea to put them in a box, like a package. It's easier for them to trace packages than it is to ... Read More
elderly care in Panama by John & Amira
We are thinking of moving to Panama from Canada and retiring with my elderly dad who is currently in a nursing home. We understand that it's possible to have a live in nanny but we were wondering if there were any places for respite care to have dad ...
Hey guys, Getting mail here isn't difficult at all, with the use of PO Box/Mail forwarding companies. I was going to write all about it here, but I already wrote a blog post, a long time ago, that covers all this. It also covers keeping in touch by ... Read More
Why we really left Boquete... by AuntieFlo
It's my turn to write about what happened. It is helping me to deal with the anger and the loss. We had such high hopes when we came to Panama. We wanted to live simpler, lower-cost lives. We also hoped to build something here, something that would ...
Wow, Flo, you are living the life. I've always wanted to go to Scotland. I wish you the best of luck in your adventures. Man...you're gonna have a blast. Read More
elderly care in Panama by John & Amira
We are thinking of moving to Panama from Canada and retiring with my elderly dad who is currently in a nursing home. We understand that it's possible to have a live in nanny but we were wondering if there were any places for respite care to have dad ...
Thanks. I really appreciate your kind words and I'm glad you like the blog. Read More
elderly care in Panama by John & Amira
We are thinking of moving to Panama from Canada and retiring with my elderly dad who is currently in a nursing home. We understand that it's possible to have a live in nanny but we were wondering if there were any places for respite care to have dad ...
Hi John & Amira, You just asked a great question that really needs to be addressed here in Panama. I'd never really put a lot of thought into it since I'm not in your situation, but wow, with so many expats moving here, at retirement age, you'd ... Read More
Living in Panama on a decent pension by El Cid
All Contributors Enjoy the way many local and expats help new arrivals with advice and assistance. My wife and I currently live in Los Angeles, CA (no kids) and expect to retire in a few years with a couple of pensions allowing for 5k (maybe more) ...
Hey El Cid, $5,000 per month would give you an easy life in Panama (well most of Panama anyway). You can easily find a penthouse suite overlooking the Cinta Costera, or one of the large seaside homes in Coronado, and see that money dwindle away ... Read More
Leaving in Pedasi by boggie
Does anyone know something about leaving in Pelosi? I'm Canadian and we, my wife and me, would like to spent 3 to 4 month from January trough April in Panama, more precisely in Pelosi.
Hi Bogdan, I'm also a big fan of Pedasi. It's my favorite place in Panama. It's one of the friendliest towns here. And when I say friendly, I mean the local Panamanians living there and the foreigners. What I found to be so cool about Pedasi is ... Read More
Recommendations On Where to Visit/Live by MizzouFan
Hi all, New member here, thanks in advance for reading this and for any help you can provide :). I am looking for recommendations on where to live in Panama. In order to (hopefully) narrow it down, here are some of my qualifications: 1) Has to be ...
Well, it came out that time. Dennis@waypoint.com.pa Read More
Recommendations On Where to Visit/Live by MizzouFan
Hi all, New member here, thanks in advance for reading this and for any help you can provide :). I am looking for recommendations on where to live in Panama. In order to (hopefully) narrow it down, here are some of my qualifications: 1) Has to be ...
For some reason the @ sign is not coming out when I write it. Read More
Recommendations On Where to Visit/Live by MizzouFan
Hi all, New member here, thanks in advance for reading this and for any help you can provide :). I am looking for recommendations on where to live in Panama. In order to (hopefully) narrow it down, here are some of my qualifications: 1) Has to be ...
Hi Krystal, Dennis' email should work. Try Dennis@waypoint.com.pa Chris Read More
Just returned from Panama by bpcahoon
My husband and I just returned from a week in Panama. We stayed at the Country Inn on the canal for 2 nights (wonderful!), went to David for the weekend and then back to the Country Inn for the remainder of the stay. We concluded on our first night ...
bpcahoon, I'm sorry your trip didn't turn out like you expected. I remember the first time I visited (my wife is Panamanian) and I thought, "There's no way I can live here." Here I am several years later. To get a good view of what Panama can ... Read More
Just got back and am more confused by littlejon
Just got back from my first trip to Panama to see what "places" I might like to think about retiring to. I stayed in Casco Viejo and found it comfortable. However, it seems it's also the most expensive place to buy in Panama, but also the best ...
Hey Jon, I'm sorry to hear it wasn't what you expected. I was actually talking to my wife about you today on the drive home (after picking her up from work). I was telling her that I wasn't surprised by your findings. Although Panama City has ... Read More
New member traveling to Panama in June 2013 by The iz monsta
Hello, My great dane puppy is izzie hence the the name the "iz monsta" right now she is a little monsta. My wife and I are flying into Panama in June to look at possible retiring there. We live near the beach in Charleston, South Carolina. It's ...
The great thing about Coronado is that there are plenty of towns around it, some are a lot more reasonable as far as rent/purchase of a home is concerned. You can also check out Chame and Punta Chame, both very close to Coronado, definitely close ... Read More
coming to Panama by littlejon
Hi All, My name is Jonathan, and my partner and I are coming to Panama this Thursday. As this is our first time in the Country, I have some questions I hope can be answered to the best of anyone's ability. I have been following the posts on the ...
Hey Jon, Casco Viejo is a really cool place. Most of the architecture is either Spanish Colnial or French (both attempted to build the canal at one point). It's like the Soho of Panama. It's full of hip cafes, jazz bars, nice restaurants. At night ... Read More
Panama by cccoger
I am getting so confused while doing research about retiring in Panama. I read that it is a wonderful place to retire and then I read about negative things such as homes being broken into etc. My husband and I have been researching places to retire ...
As far as being receptive to Americans, you almost don't get much better than Panama. A few other places are great too, but Panama is one of the few countries making it easier for Americans to move here. Opening a bank account here isn't as easy as ... Read More
coming to Panama by littlejon
Hi All, My name is Jonathan, and my partner and I are coming to Panama this Thursday. As this is our first time in the Country, I have some questions I hope can be answered to the best of anyone's ability. I have been following the posts on the ...
Hey Jon, All great questions. El Cangrejo (the crab) is one of the most up and coming, hip and trendy areas in the city. A friend of mine lives in that area and she and her husband are very happy. It's a safe area to walk around. I've walked most ... Read More
Connecting with HORSE FOLKS. by CR46
Am retiring next year and would like to connect with 'horse folks' already living in Panama to learn more about importing, horse friendly areas, boarding,etc. Can you help, or do you know someone who could? Thanks!
Hi finessble, As Harmonie pointed out, this is a really old topic on here, but I just stumbled upon it. I don't know anything about owning a horse here in Panama, but I was in Coronado recently, which is a very expat friendly beach town here and ... Read More
Condo rentals in or near Panama City by Nodyesdog
I just posted a thread in my blog. I'm looking to retired in Panama as a tourist or whatever status is easier. I'm not real sure how this Works and maybe some suggestions would help me. I'm single and will be coming alone. I'm looking to renting ...
Hey Nodyesdog, I quickly glanced over the responses so far, and I think you've probably gotten most of the info you need. I'd just add that if you want to get a feel for what rental prices are right now in any of the areas you might consider ... Read More
Driving a motorhome to Panama from Los Angeles by HS principal
I am thinking of driving my motor-home to Panama. Has anyone done this? I enjoy meeting people and visiting areas not normally seen by visitors. If I could find someone driving down in a motor-home I would like to caravan with them. The more ...
Hey HS Principal, Good to see you here in the forum. Like AuntieFlo said, flying down might be best the first time around, just because making the trip by motor home is risky business. That's a serious commitment. However, if has definitely been ... Read More
Actual Cost of Living Thoughts? by Joel1949
We know that the cost of living in Panama is a lot less than in the U.S. but we'd like to be able to have an idea of what real, actual people pay for things like electricity, water, TV, Internet etc....does anyone have info on that or are they those ...
I think AuntieFlo is right. It also depends on where you want to live. If you plan to live in Panama City or in one of the other popular expat haunts, like Boquete, you can expect to pay quite a bit. If you're willing to go a little more local and ... Read More
best bank in Panama for expats? by bobkay
Can someone recommend which is the best bank in Panama to do business with?HSBC,BBVA,or other?I understand that the account opening process is not a piece of cake,just which has the most favorable customer service and is sufficiently ...
Unibank seems to be expat-friendly. It was started by big wigs from other banks here in the area. They have a branch on Avenida Balboa, one in El Dorado, and one in Albrook Mall, so they're not all over the place, which sucks for convenience, but ... Read More
Panama trip by AlliG
My husband and I finally made it to Panama! We were in Coronado for five nights and then stayed outside of PC for one night. We were there to see where we would like to retire to in two years, and we realized that we really do like El Valle as much ...
Hey Kurt, Thanks, man. I appreciate that you're reading my posts and getting something out of it. Yeah, I'd love to get together with you guys when you get here. Let me know when you'll be in town. I'll send you a friend request or whatever they ... Read More
Trip November 2012 by rpurr49
My wife and I are coming to Panama for one week on November 19,next month. We are staying at the Balboa Resort. We would like to meet any Expats in that area and possibly get some tips of where to go and what to see. We have our own ideas of what we ...
Hey, no problem. I'm always glad to provide as much info as possible. I'm lucky enough to have a Panamanian wife, so moving here was a lot easier for me than it is for most other people. Plus, even though Panama is growing at such a surprising rate, ... Read More
Possibly moving to Panama, many questions??? by pennymc
Hello everyone. I am seriously considering moving to Panama by the end of this year and have a few questions. I am in my late 40's retired early and divorced, are their many American's there my age? I have a 16 year old son that would need to be ...
Toddlewis, Yes, Pedasi is definitely growing. The trip to the city can be a bit tedious, but it's possible by bus, so that makes it easier. It's only about $2.40 to Las Tablas. Then, from there you pay $9.70 to get to Panama City. So for about $12 ... Read More
5 good reasons for living in Panama by Julien
Hi, if someone asks you the best reasons for making the choice to live and stay in Panama, what would be your top 5? Thanks in advance for participating, Julien
Yes, great question: 1. The scenery - Panama is so beautiful and you have so many options. I just visited a beach town, right on the ocean, yet, right across the street the road climbs upwards, and you find yourself in a mountain/hillside community ... Read More
Panama trip by AlliG
My husband and I finally made it to Panama! We were in Coronado for five nights and then stayed outside of PC for one night. We were there to see where we would like to retire to in two years, and we realized that we really do like El Valle as much ...
Hey Ali, I'm glad you finally made it. I'm headed to El Valle in a couple of weeks. I've always wanted to visit there and I've heard it's stunning. Like you, I'm not really into the beach life. I grew up in Fort Lauderdale and just got tired of it ... Read More
Possibly moving to Panama, many questions??? by pennymc
Hello everyone. I am seriously considering moving to Panama by the end of this year and have a few questions. I am in my late 40's retired early and divorced, are their many American's there my age? I have a 16 year old son that would need to be ...
Hey everybody, I'm 33 years old and live here with my wife and family (my wife is Panamanian). I know some people living here hate it here or have had problems here (like PanamaDan above) and I'm sorry these people feel this way. I love this ... Read More
Trip November 2012 by rpurr49
My wife and I are coming to Panama for one week on November 19,next month. We are staying at the Balboa Resort. We would like to meet any Expats in that area and possibly get some tips of where to go and what to see. We have our own ideas of what we ...
Hey guys, Sorry no one has answered you so far. By the way, I just saw the movie Pontypool the other day. Freaky movie. Anyway, there are tons of places worth checking out in Panama. I guess, to really answer your question, me and any other person ... Read More
New To expat
Hey Frank, just curious, how much are you selling your home for? My wife and I live in the city and we've been considering moving out there, but I'm a working man here, not a retired one, so I can't afford any of these crazy-high gringo inflation ... Read More
Recommendations On Where to Visit/Live by MizzouFan
Hi all, New member here, thanks in advance for reading this and for any help you can provide :). I am looking for recommendations on where to live in Panama. In order to (hopefully) narrow it down, here are some of my qualifications: 1) Has to be ...
Hey, Annasilvia, I just came across this property at a real estate website I use a lot. It's kinda pricey. I'm not sure what you're wanting to spend, but the place is turn-key and I think already has a client base. I know you mentioned wanting to ... Read More
Recommendations On Where to Visit/Live by MizzouFan
Hi all, New member here, thanks in advance for reading this and for any help you can provide :). I am looking for recommendations on where to live in Panama. In order to (hopefully) narrow it down, here are some of my qualifications: 1) Has to be ...
More towards Annasilvia's situation. Pedasi would work for you too. However, finding a spot right on the beach might be difficult as there's a lot of development going on at the beaches. You can check with Dennis at the email I listed above. He'd ... Read More
Recommendations On Where to Visit/Live by MizzouFan
Hi all, New member here, thanks in advance for reading this and for any help you can provide :). I am looking for recommendations on where to live in Panama. In order to (hopefully) narrow it down, here are some of my qualifications: 1) Has to be ...
Hi Mizzoufan...Annasilvia, I'll try to address Mizzoufan's situation first, which might also address Annasilvia's. I've been a big fan of Pedasi lately, since I visited and fell in love with the place. As far as security goes, most places outside ... Read More
Best Website for Panama Real Estate? by RogueResider
Can anyone tell me what websites they used to search for properties in Panama City? I'm having a difficult time getting an accurate picture of prices because I have to keep going to individual brokers.... Thanks! Brian
I recommend the following site: compreoalquile.com/ It's all in Spanish though so you may need to use google translator something if you don't understand the listings. In the search field at the top, just type in the area you're looking for, like ... Read More
playa coronado by casadepaz
Hello everyone! My husband and I will be going to playa coronado on Sept.13th for two weeks. We are looking for any info on interesting places to go, good places to eat...etc. Thank you in advance for your info!
Ha, I was gonna mention Cholos. That's my favorite Mexican restaurant in Panama. They make their own sauces too, which are amazing. My advice to you, especially if you're planning to move to the area, is to contact Mike Vuytowecz at Inside Panama ... Read More
health care in Panama by redoaklady
hi, all - we're planning on moving to Panama, the time factor possibly being who wins the presidential election. i've read and/or scanned several forums and haven't found an answer to my specific concern. my husband is almost 71, i am 64. we have ...
As BRR mentioned, shopping around is very important here in Panama. A doctor I visit in the city (Panama City) only charges $4 per visit. However, with chronic illnesses, even though you may get by on cheap doctor visits, you'll probably feel more ... Read More
Driving license in Panama by Armand
Hi all, Can a foreigner take the driving test in Panama? What are the formalities to get a drivers licence in Panama? Do you need special or extra documents being an expatriate? How much does it cost? Thank you for participating ...
Oh and Armand, to answer question, I'm not sure if you're from the U.S., I believe the process is the same, but you'd need to go to your country's embassy to complete the first step if you're not from the States. It gets a little more complicated if ... Read More
Driving license in Panama by Armand
Hi all, Can a foreigner take the driving test in Panama? What are the formalities to get a drivers licence in Panama? Do you need special or extra documents being an expatriate? How much does it cost? Thank you for participating ...
Getting a driver's license here is not the complicated, just time consuming. Plus you need to be going through the immigration/residency process. If you're a pensionado, or married to a Panamanian, whatever your case, your Panamanian driver's ... Read More
I want to live in the mountain area of Panama by greatwhite777
Hi, I just retired on about 1300 a month.I want to live in the mountain area of Panama.Im looking for a nice 1 bedroom 1 bath apartment.Also will I need transportation? I have been trying to find out about Boquete.I hear its really beautiful and not ...
Hey everybody, I started out planning to respond to certain posters on here with specific information, but it looks like some of our more seasoned bloggers have answered most of your questions. I simply wanted to mention a few areas of Panama that ... Read More
Attorney to Handle Pensionada or Friendly Countries Visa by joanastarr
Can someone recommend an attorney in Panama who handled their own visa satisfactorily? Also can you share the cost for the pensionada visa? I am coming mid-late October and would like to speak with someone while I'm there. Thanks! Jo Ana
Hi Joanastarr, I haven't gone through the pensionado process myself, but I know an attorney who handles that and all other immigration issues (getting a driver's license, getting married here, etc). She's a really nice lady and the company I work ... Read More
Advice on areas to live please by sarajane
Hello, I'n new to the forum so a little intro ... my family and I (my husband and little boy) are moving to Panama in February with his work and I'm going to be leaving my job and becoming full time mum/home mover/chief organiser (eek!) We'd ...
Hi Rebshalom, Yes, Costa del Este is pricey. First off...I would recommend renting first no matter where you're looking in Panama. I can't tell you how much I learned about Panama in the first year of living here. Brisas is a good option, but as ... Read More
Two girls looking for two rooms in Panama City. Help!!
You may have already heard of these sites, but try compreoalquile.com. At that site, at the top left, click on Aquiler de bienes raices. If that doesn't help you can always check out encuentra24.com/panama-en/real-estate (if it's in spanish just ... Read More
Hello From Panama! by TheGasman
Just wanted to give a little info and say howdy to everybody. I've been married to a Panamanian lady for 20 years now and we've been living in the states but I've recently went through all the disability stuff in the states. So after a year and a ...
Hey welcome to Panama. I'm glad to hear that the disability thing worked out for you. Hopefully that will help you have a much better life here. Chris Read More
air line ticket by micky123
Is there a way of moving to Panama an arriving with a one way ticket. Thanks Ron
I guess I'm a little late on this post, but be careful. A co-worker of mine had problems when we flew from Panama to Orlando recently for a work related trip. She left Panama with a roundtrip ticket to Orlando and back to Panama. When we were trying ... Read More
Christmas events in Panama?
Hey everybody, I'm always looking for new things to do for the holidays. Last year we just stayed home. So...this year I'm wondering what others are doing for the holidays here in Panama. I know that in Casco Viejo they're having a new ... Read More
Public transportation in Panama by Armand
Hi all, What do you think about the means of transportation in Panama ? Is the network of means of transportation well developed? What modes of transport are available? Do you use them? How much is a fare? Are they relatively ...
Thank you Rouma. I just wanted to add to what oldsalt said. The buses in the interior are great. They're very dependable (easy to find one traveling down the highway looking for passengers) and they have a set "cheap" fare. I traveled from Panama ... Read More
Public transportation in Panama by Armand
Hi all, What do you think about the means of transportation in Panama ? Is the network of means of transportation well developed? What modes of transport are available? Do you use them? How much is a fare? Are they relatively ...
I actually like what they call Diablo Rojos, which are basically old school buses painted in a variety of colors. It's only 25 cents to hop on a bus, and even though they're usually overcrowded, you know there's always another bus around the corner. ... Read More
Where to live in Panama. by Vincep34
Hello, I have been looking into moving out of the States and live somewhere in South or Central America. The best I came up with is Panama next to Costa Rica and Belize. Thinking of renting an apartment by next fall and becoming an Xpat. I cant ...
Wow, I want to answer everyone's questions, but so many people are interested in moving to Panama. Ok, so if you're planning to live in the city, the areas with the most expats are going to be Costa del Este, San Francisco, El Cangrejo, and Punta ... Read More
Successful job interview in Panama by Julie
Hi, passing a job interview in Panama can be a stressful moment, especially you are not familiar with the cultural and professional codes of the country. How to successfully pass a job interview in Panama ? What happens during the interview ...
Hey everybody, Great question. I've been on a few job interviews here in Panama. I guess it really depends on the type of job you're applying for. When I went in for a call center job, I walked in the door, got an interview right away, did a voice ... Read More
Looking for an expat to chat with about their experiences by ralphp652
My wife and I are considering relocating to Panama. We would like to chat with some expats to hear their experiences. Also looking for an art supply store in Albrook or Panama city that is not too hard to find.
There's a small art supply store called Artec (I think that's the way they spell it). It's in an area called San Miguelito. It's the only art store I've seen around. I stopped in there once to buy my wife an easel. I just tried to find them online ... Read More
Looking for Moms in Panama by scubacher
I live in Costa Del Este and am looking for moms with small children to meet. I have a 3 1/2 and an 18 month old. Are there places to go to meet others with small children? What is there to do here? The closest beach is 1.5 hrs. away. The malls ...
Also...I've heard, but I've never really had the chance to go check it out, that Summit Park has a small zoo that's very cheap. I don't think there are a lot of animals, but for young children it could be fun. I need to go check that out myself. ... Read More
Looking for Moms in Panama by scubacher
I live in Costa Del Este and am looking for moms with small children to meet. I have a 3 1/2 and an 18 month old. Are there places to go to meet others with small children? What is there to do here? The closest beach is 1.5 hrs. away. The malls ...
Hey schubacher, have you tried gamebox in the multicentro mall? I'm asking because I have twin three year olds and they love it there. There's a huge bounce castle thing in an area just for little kids to run around in. I think its on the third ... Read More
Thinking to move to panama with the wife and two kids by Marco64
Hello everybody . Just starting the process of getting the information about life in panama. it could be one of the countries where i would like to move. How safe is it ?
Hey Pitxi, Scubacher had a lot of good information for you. I'm an American living in Panama, with 4 kids, but I have a lot of help from my wife's Panamanian family. My brother in law lives in Costa Del Este and his family loves it. It's a pricey ... Read More