I often meet expats who made the move and are n
I often meet expats who made the move and are now finding it is not working for them. Some of the most common reasons are the following:
- They thought their family would visit and that did not happen, so they are moving back to be closer to kids, parents, grandkids...etc.
- Language and cultural challenges. This is a Spanish-speaking country that is slowly becoming bilingual. I find that the Panamanians do try to communicate with us whenever they can and we should always try and do the same. If you do not at least make an effort you will find that you are becoming frustrated on a daily basis. It is the same as an expat moving to the States or Canada. We are not going to start learning Japanese or Punjabi etc. to accommodate the expats in our country so we should not expect our adopted country to do the same for us.
- It is a slower pace of life and with that said many processes and procedures are slower and are done differently. Remember your decision to move to Panama was to slow down, now is the time to put that into practice. Patience and tolerance is essential and without it you will not survive.
- It is hot 365 days for the year in the lowlands. The temperature does not change, the rains and the winds do. From May to November is the rainy season which is like a Toronto summer and from December to April is the dry season where we have guaranteed weather...no rain not a drop. Consider this before making the move. If humidity is not your cup of tea reconsider.
If you are looking for new adventures and a totally new way of life then the tropics will work for you. If you can adapt and go with it you will find you feel younger and more alive. If you are going to fight the system and try to change it you will not enjoy Panama and you may want to consider a country with more a more North American lifestyle but that always comes at a higher price tag.
xxx