What would my neighbors be like in Volcan and Cerro Punta, Chiriqui Province, Panama?

Cerro Punta and Volcan are both in the higher altitude so the climate is very comfortable.  Perhaps that is why the people seem so nice. They are somewhat shy but if you smile and greet them most likely they will return a smile and greet you as well.

 

Volcan is a nice little village with some of the comforts you desire. There is a grocery stores, banks, a doctor also a dentist, police department and city offices. You find hotels and hostels, cafes and...

Cerro Punta and Volcan are both in the higher altitude so the climate is very comfortable.  Perhaps that is why the people seem so nice. They are somewhat shy but if you smile and greet them most likely they will return a smile and greet you as well.

 

Volcan is a nice little village with some of the comforts you desire. There is a grocery stores, banks, a doctor also a dentist, police department and city offices. You find hotels and hostels, cafes and restaurants. There are places to purchase local produce and plants.  The village is easier to get a round in as it is located on flat area surrounded by mountains. The views are beautiful.

 

Your neighbors will be mostly indigenous people and descendants of European settlers. Business owners, farmers, working class people of all types. However there are fewer gringos and expats here. Because there is less of those with disposable incomes the rental and real estate is a bit cheaper in Volcan than in Boquete.

 

It is about a 45 minute drive from Volcan to David ( pronounced Da veed) which is the third largest city in Panama.

 

Volcan is home to a lovely restaurant called Kids World. It has activities and games for kids of all ages. Indoor and outdoor play areas. The ambience is a very European feel, food is not too high-priced but by local standards it is quite high. Very delicious. Beautiful gardens and dining rooms and an extensive menu.

 

Cerro Punta is a beautiful agricultural area. Fields of produce cling to the steep mountainsides. Crops are irrigated and very reminiscent of Alpine farming in Europe. There are big farms and small gardens all along the highways. You want to take a lot of pictures. Beautiful horse farms and small hostels can be found here as well. Neighbors are mostly farmers and farm workers. Roadside vendors and trucking companies. Not too many expats here either so some real estate deals are still worthy of investing in.

 

What will your neighbors be like in this region? People are individuals here in the Volcán and Cerro Punta region as they are anywhere. Still, there are some general cultural proclivities.

 

I have lived in two homes in the little village of Paso Ancho (between Volcán and Cerro Punta), and all of my neighbors have been extremely friendly and helpful, and look out for my best interests. If there are any neighbors I don't  trust or don´t like,...

What will your neighbors be like in this region? People are individuals here in the Volcán and Cerro Punta region as they are anywhere. Still, there are some general cultural proclivities.

 

I have lived in two homes in the little village of Paso Ancho (between Volcán and Cerro Punta), and all of my neighbors have been extremely friendly and helpful, and look out for my best interests. If there are any neighbors I don't  trust or don´t like, they are almost always gringos. Sadly, some gringos have an "attitude" when they come here, expecting the "dark natives" to bow down and just about worship them. (And, of course, some gringos here are incredibly fine human beings; as I said, people are individuals.)

 

There are a few pointers that, if you follow them, will help you make fine neighbors - first, wave and smile and say ¡Buenos días! to people, including strangers. As you get on the bus, say the same thing to everyone aboard. Talk to the person sitting next to you on the bus. Speak Spanish as much as you can, and don´t expect Panamanians to speak English - do you think new residents from other countries, back in the States, should expect YOU to speak German or Japanese or Arabic?

 

From time to time, do something nice for your neighbors: bring over a plate of food and hand it to them with a smile. Or give them a bag of onions or potatoes you bought at a farm stand. I guarantee they will do the same thing - this is common practice among Panamanians here, and it is a wonderful way to build strong relationships of friendship.

 

I have been living for two and a half years in this village. All of the neighbors around here know me - and, what is more, they like me. They help me out. When we go on a trip somewhere they keep an eye on our house to make sure everything is all right. They bring over food now and then. They stop what they are doing to chat with me. This is the kind of neighborliness that I have not experienced since the 1950s and early 1960s in a little village in rural northern New York state - it is wonderful to experience it again!