Looking for an expat to chat with about their experiences

I'm also looking for someone to chat with about Panama, I live in Florida but thinking about retiring to Panama

I moved her with my Husband and two young children in Sept. and would be happy to chat about our experience.  I don't know of an art supply store but could research and let you know if there is one nearby.

If anyone is still interested in chat about Panama, we are thinking of visting to checking out retirement options.

Thanks
Clyde & Christy

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 and couldn't find a website for them.  It's pretty easy to find.

I need to chat with someone. Do I rent unfurnished or bring my stuff. Do I bring my car? Want to live renting while I find something buy. How do I find out about health ins? We are comming to Panama in Jan & we are trying to find out about these things ahead of time. We will move in Sept 2013 for good.

fl keys mary,

I'd be happy to chat with you about living here in Panama if you want.

We sold everything before we moved.  Our house, two cars, furniture, years worth of art work I had been collecting, etc.  We each brought two suitcases of clothes and are renting a fully furnished home with no intention of buying anything.  It was very freeing to sell it all and move on.  The daughters took the stuff they wanted and the rest was sold.  It was a good decision for us.

We live in Boquete.  You didn't say which part of Panama you were moving too.  Every city will have its little quirks so if you can tell me where you are going to live it will help me and others on here answer your questions.

Ask away. 

Best,

Florence

We were thinking about boquete. Living in the fl keys we are use to hot weather & tired of 90 degree. Everything is flat here. Tallest thing is a bridge. We are ready for a new adventure in our lives & are simple to please. We were going to move to Costa Rica but find Panama very interesting. It was hard to part with your stuff? I look around our house and is overwhelmed. Good advice. SELL!!!!

Well then Boquete will be a very pleasant surprise.  We are at 4000 feet elevation and it is lush and green here.  We are in the middle of our summer and its very windy and dry here at the moment.  Not as hot as it gets in David, where everyone needs to live with the AC on.  I have no heat or AC here in Boquete.  We are a 30 minute drive from David.  And I have to say, it's one of the prettiest drives I've taken.  The road between the two cities is filled with scenic vistas and mountain ranges.  You will see when you come.

Actually, once we knew we were retiring to Panama it was easy to get rid of it all.  We thought about storage and realized what a huge waste of money that was.  And we looked at shipping things and realized we were talking upwards of $10,000 for moving around some stuff.  It just wasn't worth it.  Not to us.  And it was so awesome during our garage sale to tell people that everything had to go because we were moving to Panama.  So many people wanted to come with us! 

But, first, come and visit. Stay as long as you can in a short term rental and see if you really like it here.  Don't sell anything until you are sure.  There are issues with being here.  But if you can deal with those issues you should be okay. 

Come, interview lots and lots of folks.  Read as much as you can about life in Panama.  Ask all your health care questions.  Visit the local hospitals.  Let me take you to a pharmacy to see how to just buy all your prescriptions from the druggist.  Come and see every day life and then decide.

I also like Costa Rica.  We were just in San Jose for a few days.  Very nice place.  And they have great coffee!    LOL.  But we have good coffee here in Panama as well.  In fact Boquete is the coffee plantation region of Panama. 

Being here I have local connections to realtors and tour drivers, etc.  If you want to do a real estate tour, to see what is open to be rented let me know and I'll send you his contact information.

You can also look on viviun.com and boqueteforsale.com to see places to buy.  There are lots of houses open and more coming on the market daily.  People, who unlike you, didn't do their homework and are now leaving Panama after building these great big homes here in the hills.

We're in David, and I have been keeping a blog about our experiences. http://thepanamaadventure.wordpress.com/  What will work well for you? It all depends on what is important to you.

We got rid of everything. I came down with one suitcase and one carry on, and it's been fine but everything anyone would need is easily available in David. Shipping is expensive, and from what I understand bringing a car is way more expense and hassle than it's worth. We also have excellent public transportation and a million taxis here so many don't have cars at all.

We're here with my 92 yr old mother in law, and have found health care to be excellent and very affordable, dental care too. Many self insure, but again that's up to you.

The main expense so far - I fell in love with an unfurnished house so I had to buy everything, including the stove and fridge. You can't count on buying anything used, so if you outfit a house you have to be prepared to pay retail for everything, very similar to US prices. Still though, it was far cheaper than shipping things. And, once you are set up I think you will find living much much cheaper than the US (especially if you buy local food and live a simple life).

Hello,

I am needing advice, on all aspects:

I am wanting to move to either Panama, or Costa Rica. At this point, it’s looking like Panama is the better option.

*How do i move all my things there? (I am a

  stained glass Artist/Teacher, & can’t leave

  my craft behind.)

*I’d like to bring my vehicles…is it possible?

*Where are the better areas to live?

*Would it be safe for a single woman to live 

  outside of a town or city?

*There are more questions, but this is a start.

Thanx!, in advance!☺️

      Rhonda C.

We are interested in visiting Panama to get a feeling if we would like to move there.  My wife and I are interested in golf, fishing, and friends.  Thinking  of visiting for 3 weeks in August and trying to decide where to start.  Is their a area that I should stay and do we need to rent a car and just wing it.  We plan on golfing, fishing and checking out the areas.  Any suggestions would be helpful.

Wayne L

Wow, this thread is 12 years old!

Stained glass? You would need a moving company and it probably won't be cheap. Glass is fragile and heavy. It will also be a challenge to buy new glass and supplies which would also have to be shipped in, as far as I know.

It is possible but not recommended to bring your vehicle. Again, costly, complicated, and then you have a vehicle that may have different parts than what are available here, even if it's the same brand. There are plenty of good cars here. 

We live in Chiriqui (David) and love it, but where you go is up to you, your preferences, and your budget.

We know many single women here who are perfectly safe and very happy. 

I'm sorry but I don't know the first thing about golf or fishing.

Maybe pick three places and stay a week in each, renting a car as needed. I wouldn't recommend driving in Panama City if you can avoid it.

@kristc99,

Thanx, so much, for the reply!

It sounds like I should probably sell my vehicles, and purchase something there…is that difficult?

Also, any suggestions on what kind of moving company I should i check into for my household items?

Also, I am fully aware that moving my stained glass studio will be costly…(but, there’s oxygen, and then there’s stained glass.😉)  I can’t live without it, and i have ALOT of it…I used to have my own shoppe, for over 10 years.

Not ever having been to either country, the hardest part is knowing where to look, to finally call somewhere home…be safe…make friends…make a life.

Again, i really appreciate your response, and advice.

    Rhonda

@ralphp652

Ask me anything. I moved to Panamá in 2012 and know most of the country as these days I travel full time via house sitting

Best of luck with your own journey

Janet

Hello.  My husband  and I are considering moving to Panama.  We will be visiting in October.  I would like to live on the Caribbean side of the country however not in the thick of the tourists.  What places would you recommend we visit.  Boccas sounds beautiful but just a lot of partying, etc.  My dream would be on one of the San Blas islands but I know that is not possible.  I like remote while my husband doesn't mind it but does not want to be too far from some life (food and people).

Another concern is work.  We are in our 50 (so we will have to work).  I am a social worker and taught English in Vietnam and my husband is fluent in Spanish and has been in the medical field most of his career (EMT, and operations).  Do you have any ideas or suggestions for possible employment or where to look? 

Thank you so much in advance.

@ralphp652  I was hoping someone would provide a reply to your post.  We too, are interested in hearing about actual life/relocation experiences--including those that pertain to cost of living.

@truth_813 I suspect the primary concern for most of us--or at least point of inquiry---would pertain to actual living cost  as well as the real estate purchase price/experience.  We had planned to do an exploratory trip to El Salvador in Nov., but some suggest that Panama is the better choice--particularly in light of what seems to be a perhaps underserved property appreciation there. 

@scubacher

Hello. My name is Rocco. I live in Georgia and I’m thinking of moving my family to Panama. I’m 54. My kids are 25 and 17. My daughter is almost out of H.S.   I’m an electrician and will need to work. Was wondering how the availability of work is? How do you like living in Panama? I was actually looking at Boquete area or David. Thank you.