Need some help. Going to Panama

[t-bob]

A reconnaissance trip for possible relocation there - for a few weeks with my son. Anyone here know anyone in Panama, or someone who's lived there for an extended time in the past that I could connect with for first hand information on living there? May also check out another country as well, but I'm starting with Panama - seems like the most stable of the Central American destinations. Ecuador is also appealing to me, but probably don't have enough money to do more than one at this time. I'll get us there and back using reward miles. I know some people in Nicaragua, but that country kinda scares me. Perhaps I could swing a trip to a bordering country, Costa Rica or Colombia.

[dickt]

A co-worker retired in November and bought land in Ecuador where she plans to build a house. I did some reading on some of the "best places to retire" websites and you'll find stuff there about Panama, Costa Rica, Ecuador, etc. Interesting, but not for me. These destinations are increasingly popular with retired feds whose pensions make things pretty comfortable financially in these economies. And there are plenty of ex-pat communities, but I don't like the idea of being so cut off from family and friends here.

[t-bob]

I'm looking for a spot amongst locals and expats, not just expats, and I know that there are some areas like that in Panama - David near Costa Rica border has some, probably more in other countries as well. The scouting trip will hopefully yield some good information. Looking mostly for some human contacts there.

[dickt]

Why are the words to Jimmy Buffet's Banana Republic running through my head?

[billhammond]

We are running a big wire piece this weekend in the Travel section -- mostly about the canal and its evolution but once it gets posted online I will let you know. One thing that did surprise me was how huge and skyscrapy Panama City is.

[t-bob]

Thanks, Bill. I'll be looking forward to it. Aren't they adding another "lane" to the canal right now?
I don't think I'll look at P City. I prefer "colonial" cities. Ideally, would love to rent/buy an internal "courtyard" house.
Also, I'm going to improve my pitifully weak Spanish right now. Probably use Pimsleur.

[billhammond]

Feb 23, 2012 10:21:45 GMT -5 t-bob said:

Thanks, Bill. I'll be looking forward to it. Aren't they adding another "lane" to the canal right now?

Yes, and I think the project is sposed to be done in 2014.

[Dub]

I used to read a lot of stuff about Panama and Costa Rica as retirement havens for 'Merkins and I've corresponded a little with a musician from MN who retired in Mexico.

Costa Rica always sounded best to me but the Central American situation is always changing and you never know where the drug cartels will suddenly make an area unsafe.

The idea of cheap living is attractive and if you can live cheaply enough you can still have plenty of money left over for frequent flights back to visit family and friends. And the climate is much better in Central America. You can live up in the mountains and have a very comfortable climate all year round and still be near enough to major cities at sea level.

I remember being offended by the way many Americans live in Mexico City. They live together, print and read English newspapers, speak English and basically ignore the Mexican people. Were I to relocate, I'd want to be as much a part of the local culture as possible. But there is so much of what I do that depends on being in American culture that I'm afraid I'd be unhappy in the long haul. Even though I'm fond of Mariachi music, I don't think I want to join a Mariachi band and Salsa and Latin Jazz aren't really my thing.

The Central America thing stays in the back of my mind but it doesn't really get out front any more.

[dickt]

Yeah, I dig mariachi, but it gets old pretty quick. Same with salsa and latin jazz. But conjunto might be another story.

[Dub]

Mariachi music is more interesting when you're standing in Garibaldi Plaza listening to all the bands compete with each other.

[Cornflake]

A friend retired in Costa Rica and likes it. Daughter visited and loved it. I've never been, but that's the place you hear positive things about these days.

[RickW]

I'm with Dub. 10 years from now, any of those countries could be flaming hells. As to moving there, I dunno, I think I'd like to be nearer my own downtown, where there are interesting things to do. I think I'd go nuts in a hacienda in the mountains. All these places sound great when you are stressed and working too hard. But I'm not sure in the long run, it's the right thing to do.

Then again, a friend's parents, who are Portugese, moved back to Portugal to retire, and bought a small hobby farm in a rural area. They have grapvines, olive trees, and a nice little veggie plot. Does kind of sound like heaven, doesn't it?

[Cornflake]

I lived in Thailand for three months. I learned that I was an American and I never wanted to live abroad again. But we're not all alike.

[Rob Hanesworth]

Here in Indiana I can often feel like a stranger in a strange (very strange) land just by picking up the Indianapolis Star and reading about the latest antic from one of our legislators.

Just this year we have had legislators interested in bashing Girl Scouts, dictating the proper way to sing the Star Spangled Banner, requiring the teaching of cursive in schools, returning the state to a one-class basketball tournament, starting school after Labor Day, and others I'm sure I forgot. And this is the every other year "short" session.

[j]

I think you'd be much better off moving to a nice little Greek island, but that's just me.

[Rob Hanesworth]

Feb 23, 2012 15:31:36 GMT -5 j said:

I think you'd be much better off moving to a nice little Greek island, but that's just me.

Greek, as in impoverished, rioting, bankrupt Greece? Hmmm?

[j]

Greek, as in impoverished, rioting, bankrupt Greece? Hmmm?

The islands are fine and totally sleepy. I'd still take my mid-long term chances there rather than in Central America. YMMV.

[Rob Hanesworth]

My main fear of living in most of the inexpensive Central or South American locales is health care. It is spotty in a lot of those places. In some of those places I might have the resources to buy my way to the front of the line, if the care I might need is available at all, but that does not feel like the right thing to do.

I've been to Ecuador twice and it was pleasant to visit, but the purpose of our visits was to assist in providing health care that was sorely lacking. They don't need to add me to their patient rolls.

[majorminor]

Oh man - get outside of San Jose and Costa Rica is heaven on earth on the Pacific side anyway. The retiring gringo thing was just starting to get rolling when we were down there...I think 7 years or so ago. Interesting thing about Costa Rica is you need to be living in your residence a lot or have on an site caretaker. If you are away for a few months and someone moves in and squats it's a big problem. I'd love to own a charter boat and live in a little shack on the Matapalo Coast.

Actually Rob has a point. The right way to do it is live down there until you are 65 then retire to the U.S.

[RickW]

Feb 23, 2012 15:31:36 GMT -5 j said:

I think you'd be much better off moving to a nice little Greek island, but that's just me.

I went many years ago as a young fella. Spent time on Santorini, time on Rhodes, time on Crete. Santorini was fun, but way to small. I think I'd go crazy. Rhodes was pretty neat. But Crete now, lots of nice little corners of Crete I could do.