This just came in from Washington D.C. Roberto
Is there anything that an expat might miss in terms of everyday living in Panama? Such as food, entertainment or other creature comforts.
Ron
That is a good question, and the answer may sound strange...
I miss the snow during Christmas. It is harder to get into the spirit when you are sweating, and "I'm Dreaming of a White Christmas" just sounds silly coming out of speaker placed between two palm trees.
Sometimes, when I am tired, I miss just bring able to walk into a store, ask for what I want, and get it - learning Spanish and struggling every single time can get tiresome - but mostly I enjoy the challenge of learning a new culture and language. I guess that is why gringo bars do so well - sometimes you just don't have the energy to translate and struggle to communicate.
Culture is something you have to seek out here - and tickets to the opera for example can be expensive ($300). The symphony, live theatre, and ballet all exist - but everything is in Panama City, which usually requires us to get a hotel room, and then dinner out. We could drive home, but we live 113 km from the city, over the mountains.
Recently the town of El Valle has started a Jazz Festival, and hotels there have done some opera and classical music concerts. However El Valle is 28 km up a mountain road that would be foolhardy to drive at night - so again, it means a hotel room and dinner out.
I love going out, but with the Film Festival, Henk Van Der Kolk and I are making 2 - 3 overnight trips to Panama City a week - hotels get old.
Other than that - I don't miss much. I have talked enough friends into moving here that we have a bit of a community, some of my family (not enough) have moved here - and more of them are moving here this year, so that works out, along with the occasional trip home.
There is a new expat group that just formed In Panama City: Canada Plus. www.newsroompanama.com/entertainment-guide.html They are attracting around 150 English-speaking members to their get-togethers.
The 'Plus' means just that - Canadians, plus any other English-speakers; Panamanians, Brits, Auzzies - we even allow people from the USA - LOL. (Don't call them Americans - Panamanians feel very strongly they are Americans too - Central Americans).
I am considering starting a chapter here in the interior. I have had some meetings with other Canadians out here, and there seems to be a lot of interest.
Mostly I am kept busy with the International Film Festival of Panama. We are hoping to have some exciting news this week as a matter of fact.
It constantly amazes me the opportunities down here in Panama - in some ways it is like the Wild Wild West - and everything is possible.
I have friends that have built small hotels, two that have built B + B's, another that is opening a storage locker business and another that has opened an auto repair garage. Another friend is thinking opening a foot clinic here, and Jean Marc and Claudette just opened a mini-golf nearby in Farallon. Ty is doing well with his Ty's Sports Bar in El Valle - and thinking of franchising. It is the easiest place to start and run a business I have ever experienced. The government actually does want to help and offers all kinds of incentives, tax breaks and help with immigration for certain types of business's (hospitality, tourism, etc)
Did you know that if you invest $150,000 in a film in Panama you get instant residency? Amazing. You could invest - and the film did well - you could even make a profit - and still get your residency. (check out the website of the Panama Film Commission at: pfc.mici.gob.pa/).
I guess in a way I do miss the changing seasons, but the ability to gloat and send "keep warm whitey" e-mails to freezing friends is worth not seeing dead leaves.
I can't see us ever moving back to the ice, snow, freezing, bone-chilling north - I don't even want to VISIT snow again. I will put up with no see-ums, thank you very much.
Roberto
PS: I have solved the tough meat problem here in Panama - slow cook thier 'filet de rey' or rib-eyes as stewing meat, and for BBQ steaks; Meats Gourmet located at the very beginning of Calle 50 sells USDA Prime and Black Angus frozen meats, and Neils Pederson at the other end of Calle 50 (near ATLAPA) sells imported Argentinian flap meat (skirt steak) to die for - rub with Montreal Steak Spice and grill - awesome. (Neils also sells Danish salmon sides - the best in Panama)
