A Bit About Us

Having a desire to move to Central America for several years, we have finally decided to make our dream a reality. After much research and taking a tour, we fell in love and wanted more.

We were finally ready to make our dream come true. We are purging all our “stuff” and our house in Pennsylvania is under contract. After having been a graphic designer for over 30 years, I am now readying things for our move. My husband, an Estimator/Project Manager in the commercial glass business, is still working (reluctantly), and we are so ready to start our new lives in Panama.

We started this blog to share our stories and share our experiences with other people who are thinking of making the move. We are new to blog-writing but we are excited to share our journey with you.

Remember, if you are considering making such a move, these are only our experiences. This doesn’t work for everybody. Do your own homework. What’s right for one person may not be right for the other.

Nancy and Craig

Dream of Living Abroad in Panama

Panama-Expat_3debookHave you ever dreamed of going to an exotic location, start a new life, have a new adventure? It’s really scary. We tend to be comfortable in what we know. How many of us actually take that kind of plunge into the unknown? We’ve been talking about this subject for years. Watching International House Hunters shows, dreaming of that kind of life, beaches, laid back living, discovering a new culture. But family obligations, work, friendships, they all keep us grounded to what we know, what is safe. Being part of the “sandwich generation”, my husband and I were taking care of elderly parents. Children and grandchildren, jobs that we needed to continue growing our nest egg, and health insurance, a biggie for us. We have finally pulled the plug…we are finally ready to go for it, and I believe we have found it in Panama.

After a cruise stop at the port of Colon in Panama about 5 years ago, we took an excursion through the Panama Canal. Our tour guide on this excursion told us about all the benefits available to expats. The people were friendly, they used US dollars, the country is stable, there is so much beauty. Something about that trip stayed with me…there was always something pulling me to go back again and tour the country.

Last year, we had our opportunity to go back again when we took a Panama Relocation Tour, hosted by Jackie Lange. I highly recommend it if you want to learn all the ins and outs, the good and the bad. We met with other expats, talked to an attorney, visited areas between Panama City and Boquete in the mountains, beaches and cities. The beauty surrounding us was breathtaking.

We have received our temporary residency visas. We felt the best option for us was the Friendly Nations Visa. There are numerous visa options, but we felt this was the best fit for us. More on this subject at a later date