Boquete Melting Pot; Add Gringo's, Stir in Climate, Lots of Beautiful Panama = Love
As we arrived early to our appointed visit at the third floor dermatologist office we encountered a lone, smiling face and asked him if the receptionist had already arrived.
"No, she doesn't get here until 9:30" he tells us.
We thanked him and then he asked if we were from the USA. Of course he was too!
This is so typical of Panama. You say something to each other and a person overhears the English or the poor Spanish and they ask where you are from. It is usually a good five or ten minute conversation regardless of where you are. We visited with this charming man for about 20 minutes.
He has lived in the Boquete area for two years. He said he sold home, land, cars, toys, collections, all of their stuff and came to this area for the climate. He is also honest, saying it was also about leaving the high taxes, fees, growing regulations, Obamacare, NSA, high cost of living and on and on of the USA.
What is remarkable about this gentleman is the fact he was born and raised in the same small town all his life. His wife, daughter and grandson came with him for this new lifestyle in Panama. The man said he had only been in the Boquete area briefly some years ago. He had no idea Boquete was so desirable and once he started doing the research he became sold on Boquete's awesome climate and low cost of living.
I asked him if he regrets it. He looked so happy I knew the answer before he commented. He told us they love it. He said his daughter and grandson love it. The youngster attends school here and is doing well and happy. He said they feel less stressed; they breathe fresh clean air, and they have made many new friends and enjoy their lives here.
I asked, "do you think about returning to the USA?"
He replied, "oh, no, not ever!"
I wonder how many people who have lived in a small rural community in the US all their lives have the courage, and I might ad, the brains to leave it all. Give up the nice home, fancy furniture, nice cars, land, a lifetime of accumulated things and relationships to start over in a country with a population smaller than many cities in the USA.
This man told us that he could not imagine how fast all his things sold. His home, his cars, his furniture and some of the land. He said he felt God was working with him to get him to his new home in Panama.
Here in the melting pot of Boquete you will find an eclectic mix of Americans. Brits, Germans, Danes, Italians and others. This is a special place. A beautiful, restful, different place where our souls can rest and we can enjoy a more natural lifestyle among people who also find it a haven from the world's fast paced, expensive, harmful lifestyles.
We see most of the same TV as people in the USA. We have cell phones, high speed Internet. There is ample shopping and always online shopping. Good food, nice restaurants, hotels of all kinds. Beaches, mountains, farms and ranches are all nearby. With all we had in the USA it is just as good here but a whole lot less stressful. Panama has riches: rich culture, a colorful history. We find that even the poorest Indians and indigenous people are happy for the most part. We see families who have yet to become as distracted and unattached as those in the USA. Families still pay for schools, they strive to give children more opportunity, they enroll them in athletics and other activities. Panama has caring parents, evident in all types of family situations.
We have been here eighteen months and do not regret it at all. Our days are almost enchanted. We never tire of the serene, majestic beauty of the mountains, We love the flowers, colorful birds, the fresh clean air. Our patio area seldom has a mosquito buzz around.
If we want something, we can find it here, in Boquete or in David (the closest larger city). Sometimes, rarely, we do not get what we want but always find what we need.
We drink in the fresh, cool fragrance of the rain showers that bless us almost every day. It feels like a personal message from God when we see those beautiful rainbows above the town and mountains. We hope you will take the time to read this site. Do your own research. We did our research and it led us to Boquete!