Family Visits and Life in Florida

We have been back in Florida for just about the past two months. Last week we drove up to Pennsylvania to visit family, staying in hotels, eating in restaurants, staying in an Airbnb, and generally doing all the things that we were unable to do in Panamá. Its interesting to see the difference in attitudes and approaches to the pandemic in different parts of the United States. Where we are staying in Florida, its like there is no virus at all, except for some people (including us) who wear masks and try to social distance with some consistency. In the Carolinas where we spent a couple of nights in hotels during our travels, there seemed to be even less care and attention given to the fact that there is still a highly contagious virus about. In Pennsylvania there was mandatory mask wearing and no seating at bars with limited indoor seating at restaurants.

This is all very different from the approach Panamá is taking.  In our home province of Chiriquí there is a total quarantine this weekend once again, and many businesses are still closed, although that is supposed to start changing as of tomorrow.  Hotels, lodging services, pools at limited capacity, transportation services, cultural institutions, and gambling, are among the sectors of the economy that will be allowed to open with varying degrees of occupancy.  Most retail businesses and restaurants opened a couple of weeks ago.  Schools, gyms, bars, and the beaches are some of the sectors that are still closed.  The airports and the borders will also open tomorrow and tourists will be able to visit the country, which is good news for all.  To enter Panamá, a negative Covid test taken within 48 hours of arrival will be required (PCR or antigen test). If you do not have that, you must get the test at Tocumen Airport for a charge of $50, however most airlines will not allow you to board unless you present a negative test result.

We know there is still hardship and need amongst many Panamanians and residents.  We our still helping friends of ours buy food.  It is distressing that some people have virtually nothing, and that the economic impact to their lives is still ongoing with no end in sight.  It seems there should be more of a balance between fighting the virus and allowing people to work and to feed and take care of themselves.  We are not sure what the answers are, but we help where we can.

We are still in Fort Pierce, Florida, going to the beach, going out to eat, going to the gym, going for walks, and living our lives (while taking all the precautions we can).  We miss Panamá and we miss our friends there.  Maybe it has something to do with the pending election here, but people in Panamá are friendlier, seem to get along better, and seem to care for each other more so than here in South Florida. 

We are hoping to return to Panamá early next year and pray that things will continue to improve there.  It has certainly been a long and excruciating ordeal for everyone. Let’s hope 2021 brings us some light at the end of the tunnel.

Meanwhile, we will continue to post to our blog, and we certainly welcome all comments and questions.

Saludos, Craig