Latest Expat Stories

We recently enjoyed a day trip to Las Lajas Beach, a lovely beach on the Pacific Ocean just two hours from Boquete. Oh yes, I fell in love with it! So the next week we got a chance to go overnight. We arrived on Wednesday morning with our wonderful next door neighbors. We checked into our rooms, which were very clean, had nice large big screen TVs, and comfortable beds; adequate in every way. We did take a coffee maker, as they do not provide those. It looks like they have about...

"Come sit next to me", said Sheyla. I followed her, wondering if it would calm my anxiety. Immediately I knew that we were going to be good friends. Our families were in countries far away, and this tropical land, its language and people was all we had. I was 12, did not speak any Spanish, but I knew this experience would change me forever.

Before arriving to Venezuela, I had studied in Jewish schools, and for the first time I was surrounded by students from all over the world. I...

In every stage of her life, it seems that Michigan’s own, Penny Barrett, always seems to be the intermediary between parties, the go-between that facilitates and makes better communications between interested entities.  Read about how Penny's skills with everyone from corporate heavy-hitters to her own dating service / magazine / 900 number company makes her the natural liaison to expedite fund raising for this expat community and help it to thrive. But first, Jet and...

I often get asked what driving is like in Panama, especially for a Brit who was used to driving on the opposite side of the road with the steering wheel on the opposite side of the car!

Driving in any part of Panama City is definitely a crazy experience! One that I now seem to have mastered, as before working for Try Panama I worked for a Secure Transport company called Panama Roadrunner.

Arriving at the airport here in Panama, after your flight, regardless of...

Before we moved to Panama, we spent 18 months to 2 years researching where in the world we wanted to relocate to, Panama was not even on our radar!

 

We, like most people who relocate, had a long list of criteria, This list included things like: The county must have a growing economy (we were coming here to work and sadly couldn't afford to retire yet!), a good infrastructure, good education (we have school age children), good healthcare, good weather, including safe...

On a sunny Sunday morning, my husband and I walked into Boquete. We live about 2 miles away, uphill from the little town of Boquete. The walk is all downhill. We pass the three-story, bright yellow Tourist Information Center as we go towards the curve that takes us down to the streets below. We pass trees that are very old, very big and many are covered in plants, flowers and vines that grow on the trunks and branches that wind upward towards the deep blue sky and warm sunshine. 

[Editor's note: When Jet Metier couldn’t conduct the interview of Robert Adams, Chuck Bolotin, the Vice President of Business Development at Best Places had to step in.  Luckily, Robert Adams (AKA, Bob Adams) saved the day.]
 
We visit with Bob as he gives us the benefit of his experiences and the very valuable and unique insights he gained from working or living in over 40 countries and talking with thousands of expats.
 
Chuck: Thank you, Bob, for agreeing to be...

Presented with permission of Bob Adams, of Retirement Wave.

 

"Strategic planning is worthless - unless there is first a strategic vision."

John Naisbitt (1929 -?) - American author of multiple books on the future and a leading analyst of global trends. Still going strong at 85.

 

Depending on when you think the “global financial crisis" began, at least five to seven years have passed possibly more. This is an on-going crisis that does not...

Across from our high rise in Coronado was once a small hostel, and its owner was a friend of ours.  But he had some quirks.  He liked animals.  Once he bought two large roosters, and they loved to crow at all times of the day.  One week I had a Colombian painter in my place doing some work, and the roosters started crowing.  I told him I wished those things would get lost.  Next morning he arrived with a box of doughnuts.  I figured that was nice of him,...