The community of foreigners living in the country is huge. For work, for retirement, as an operations center. There are so many people who have decided to live in the country that we ventured to talk with some to learn a little more about their vision of the country.
For example, Greg Kitzmiller, an American retiree who even wrote a book (available on Amazon) called “2 Retire In Panama?: Adventures of a Young Retired Couple”, gave us a brief summary of his story.
“We come from Michigan in the United States. My wife and I had been lucky enough to retire young, and the weather was the big determining factor in moving south. When we started researching we didn’t know exactly where we were going, maybe an island in the Caribbean, Costa Rica or Colombia.”
Research was key in the process. We did a lot of research and Panama kept coming to the top of the list. We did a couple of exploratory trips and the last one we stayed for 9 weeks. We rented a condo in Coronado and used it as an anchor to explore the entire country,” he noted.
Some of the most important things that weighed in the decision making were the cost of living and the climate. “It was going to be a benefit for us in our retirement, plus we knew we would have an endless summer, which was at the top of my list. I wanted to get away from the snow. The easy residency requirements were good for us. We obtained our pensioner visa and enjoyed the benefits it offers.”
Kara Patrick, a Canadian resident who also lives in the coastal sector of Coronado, points out that there are many things she enjoys about the country. “I think the first thing I like about Panama is the life it allows us to have. There is much less monotony. I can get up and surf if there are waves, I can walk on the beach or play with the children in the garden. This freedom is priceless.
Another thing I love about this country is that there are still so many authentic experiences out there. There are empty beaches, trails to discover, waterfalls and rural towns. If you are paying attention, on every corner there is a new experience that is not being sold or marketed to you. Where else can you find that?
One of the important aspects that put Panama above other destinations may be the ease of visa issuance. How María Victoria Vásquez explains it, a Colombian resident who decided to settle in the community of Buenaventura. At the end of her process, the choice was between the United States and Panama.
“In the end it was South Florida or Panama, like the last candidates and, definitely, this country wins above all things. Because the migration process to the United States is quite long, quite complex. It does not give you residence. We were analyzing the E2 visa option and this is an option that does not give you residence and what it does give you is tax residence. That is, you are going to start paying taxes to the United States, but they do not give you much in return. On the contrary, Panama welcomes you with open arms in a fairly expeditious process that immediately gives you residence and gives you the possibility of even acquiring citizenship, ”she pointed out.
Simplicity is always an important point to evaluate when making a decision. And of course the economic context in which you live. As Héctor Rodriguez points out, today General Manager of the Hotel Santa María, who after doing an investigation of the country decided to accept the challenge.
Among its conclusions, it stands out that “Panama has always been an international business center, and more so in the last decade with the introduction of new laws that facilitate the establishment of large companies in the country. The result is that there is a general feeling of welcome and the people are overwhelmingly warm and friendly towards foreigners. English is commonly spoken and our group of friends includes Panamanians and many other nationalities which makes it an enriching experience for both adults and children. Being a transitory destination, you may lose a few friends along the way due to relocation, but you’ll quickly make new connections with like-minded people. One thing we value about Panama compared to previous destinations is that,
And finally there is the lifestyle. As Adal Baires, a Central American resident in the country, told us. “I really like the diversity of experiences that the country offers you, there are many experiences concentrated in a country and a city that are small. It is a cliché, but it is true, in Panama you can have breakfast in the Pacific and lunch in the Atlantic, it really is true. Another thing that I rescue is the thousand and one stories that Panama can tell through its geography, not only because of the melting pot that has been created with the large number of ethnic groups and nationalities; only the geography and biodiversity that exists in Panama tell you many stories”.
These are some of the thousands of stories told by expats living in the country.
