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Ecuador: Moving to Quito:
29 April
Hi, jonniej- Hostels r always good buys, especially if on budget. Also, can possibly arrange accommodation w/native family & rent room w/meals
& laundry, if desired. Then, you'd be helping to contribute to family income &, perhaps teaching them English, if
they wished. While living/
doing TEFL(teach English as foreign language)in Costa Rica, lived only w/native families w/meals & laundry provided. We enjoyed interactions of all sorts & helped w/learning
each other's language.
Wish u best in your endeavors/travels, jonniej.
Pura vida, beacon
Panama: Not looking for gated community:
28 April 2008
Hola, Kari- Thanks for email. Am age 69 & considering Panama residency asap. 1st visit there was May 2006. Plan next visit end July thru end Aug 2008. Lived in/taught TEFL(teach English as foreign language)Costa Rica 1996-7. Also lived there several months 2002. There again April 2005 for ARCR
(Association of Residents of CR)2-day Investment &
Retirement Seminar. During 1996-7 in CR, lived only w/native, non-English speaking families..& loved it. Rented rm in family home w/meals & laundry.
Looking for same accommodation in Panama,
if possible. Also, considering Mexico for my retirement. With such an arrangement, am able to provide 2 valuable services to native families: contribute to their income/
help learn English(if they wish)&, they in turn help me improve Spanish. Greatly appreciate any help you can give.
Thank you,
Mia
scarletefl@yahoo.com
Panama: Hiring of Nanny/Housekeeper:
19 Feb 2008
Hi, Jessica- I visited Panama for 2 weeks May
2006. Wonderful country & great people. Strongly recommend u carefully read Christopher Howard's
new book(also found in most USA public libraries),
LIVING AND INVESTING IN PANAMA, 1st Edition,
2004-2006. Lots of useful info. With $1900 pension,
depending upon your lifestyle, u should be able to live very well in Panama.
Hope you've already visited Panama to explore living possibilities before deciding to permanently reside there. Hence u know that Panama City's
insufferably humid most of the year & outer communities & highlands r
cool nites & warm days.
Always good idea to talk with neighbors about recommendations for nannys/housekeepers &
what the general area is like of the place u may want to live. Discuss your needs with other Panama expats. Their suggestions may be invaluable.
Buena suerte,
beacon
Panama: LOOKING FOR INFORMATION:
13 Nov 2007
Hi, bluedvr- I, too, am very interested in Panama retirement info. Visited Pan-
ama City May 2006 2 weeks. Booked
at cheap hostel in Pan City for $8/nite-
providing u stay several days & pay in
advance, Hostel El Voyeur near Via
Espana. Huge housing construction
going up in Pan City catering to expats.
Pre-construction prices r cheaper but,
riskier as unable to determine final re-
sult of your agreed upon structure is
really what u get at completion. There-fore, best to supervise ongoing building of your home where u paid pre-con-
struct downpayment & were sup-
posedly guaranteed agreed upon final results. This requires u be constantly
present in Pan City to daily observe the
development of your home as agreed
upon. Expat blogs suggest if your pri-
mary concern is safety/security, your
best bet is highrise apt living with 24/7
security. Single, stand-alone homes r
more subject to burglarly, same as in
any country, especially USA. If want
stand-alone home, best employ trusted
daily housesitter, & then employ trusted
person to secretly supervise house-
sitter. This, of course, done during your absence from your property for
any length of time beyond several days. Unfortunately, according to expats living Panama long time, this is
true situation. Also, when buying foreign property, always have trusted lawyer(English speak fluent)do thoro
title search to determine any liens/prior
ownership unresolved problems still
pending which could possibly cause
headache of delays/time/money. That
said, good luck w/your info search.
Please share w/this group your findings,
as many expats interested in Panama.
Thank you for taking time to read this,
& any future help you can share.
Cheers, Beacon
Panama: COST OF TRANSPORTATION:
13 Nov 2007
Hi, Karicom- Am USA citizen doing ex-
ploratory self retirement research in
Latin America. Lived in Costa Rica(CR)
total 17 months. Local buses r very
cheap..0.25 around town & also from
Tocumen Airport, about 35-40, de-
pending on road/weather/traffic. Taxi
to/from Tocumen Airport about $20.
Beware!! Local buses r interesting ex-
perience!! Very noisy/fast/crowdy!!
Definitely wear earplugs! Of course,
currency is USD, also used w/local
prior coin currency of Balboa. Before
leaving Panama, be sure u use all Bal-
boas, unless plan another visit. Be especially vigilant of thieves every-
where, mostly in high tourist places &
public transport locales..hand is much
quicker than eye! Poor & poorly edu-
cated persons may assume because u r
from USA, they r more entitled to your
stuff than u & therefore have perfect
right to take it. In busy/crowdy places,
carry backpacks in front of u. Not good
idea give to beggars as others see &
target u. Suggest u check out expat
blogs on Internet about Panama. Just
type in Panama, click & follow links.
Please share your info w/this group.
Good luck,
Beacon
Panama: Retirement In Panama:
28 April 2008
Hi, Annie- Just read your post about participation in documentary. Am senior woman on social security &
considering Panama residency/retirement asap.
1st visit Panama was May 2006. Next is end July to
end Aug 2008. Am inter-
national traveler since 1996. Lived in Costa Rica/
Japan/Slovakia/Italy & visited several European countries. Also visited India 2001. Love inter-
national travel & plan doing
so forever. Hoping spend
retirement between USA & Latin America. Please feel free contact me thru
expatexchange.net
As in Costa Rica, I plan to
rent room in native family
home w/meals & laundry,
if possible. This way, can help contribute to family
income/help learn English(if they wish)/they help me improve Spanish. Hop-
ing hear from u soon,
Annie.
Thank you,
Mia
Spain: Moving to Barcelona, need advice please.:
Hi, Adventuregirl- Made very good living doing TEFl(teach English as a
foreign language)worldwide: Costa Rica/
Japan/Slovakia. However, as Australia is English-speaking country, u might consider TESL(teach English as second
language). Check out all possibilities on
Internet b-4 u go Australia: language
schools/public & private schools/private-
student teaching(your place/theirs--
can be VERY lucrative)/traveling ET
(English teacher)with family with children(should be all expenses paid &
also personal supportive wage). For
TEFL training programs, check out In-
ternet. Type: tefl programs..click. LOTS info comes up. I had loads of fun
& adventure doing TEFL &, made very
good living. Highly recommend u con-
tact various TEFL programs in London
which offer the RSA(Royal Society of
ARTS)certification for various levels of
TEFL. London's much cheaper than
USA TEFl programs &, in London, you're
already in Europe where zillions of TEFL
jobs await! Crucial u scrutinize EU
(European Union)requirements for non-
EU persons requesting work permits.
Undoubtedly, non-EU permit require-
ments have changed since I began TEFL in 1995. More countries have since joined EU. If u enter Australia b-4
earning TEFL certification & w/out a
work permit priorly arranged, take your
chances finding TEFl work by hitting the streets & TEFL search daily. Nothing worthwhile comes easy..do the
necessary work to get yourself started.
You may then be quite pleased at re-
sults. As an ET, endless possibilities of
making wonderful, lifelong friends whereever u go. I speak from terrific
experience. Good hunting/luck!
Cheers, beacon from California retiring in
Latin America.
Panama: Locate a builder in Boquete:
06 May 07
Hi, WSCook- Suggest following sites
for Panama infl:
www.panamanuggets,com
www.retirementwave.com
www.whypanama.com
www.cpanama.com
www.clubpanama.com
www.listapanama.com
www.thevisitorpanama.com(tourist newspaper)
I found these by surfing & following links. Retirement Wave is interesting & informative for foreign investors/retirees to Panama. Hope this is helpful.
Cheers, beacon
Panama: Migrating to panama:
19 March 2007
Hi, Antoiy- In reply to your ? about a hotel in Panama City during my stay there May 2006, please read my info
to Kathy in Panama forum. I stayed @
THE VOYAGER INTERNATIONAL..a
hostel(hostal en Espanol). I only stay in hostels. Are u willing to tolerate the
insufferable humidity of Panama City?
Please share your Panama experiences
with us on this site.
Thank you,
Beacon
Panama: Need Real Estate Agent reference:
28 Feb
Hi, Piersonjk- I 1st visited Panama May
2006 for 2 weeks. Stayed in Hostel
Voyager www.voyagerhostelpanama.com
hostelpm@cableonda.net
Tel. (507)260-5913
Cell: 6487-7682
Street Address: Edificio Di-Lido Apt. 8
Calle Manuel Maria Icaza. Close to
Jimmy's Restaurant, Via Espana &
Hotel Continental.
Reasonable fees/person about $8.25
if not raised since May 2006. If you
pay several days in advance, you get 1
nite free. From Tocumen Airport to
Panama City, taxi may be +/- $20. The
35-40 min city bus ride was 0.25!
Since 1904, P-ma currency is USA $.
Good info real estate site is by Bob
Adams from USA:
www.retirementwave.com
In my opinion, shared by many other
expats, Panama is very affordable
living w/xlnt & very attractive pensio-
nado(retiree)benefits. I plan Latin
American retirement by 2009 but, have
not yet selected my country. Still do-
ing retirement research. Sure hope
you enjoy your visit. I'd be pleased if
you'd write your Panama experiences
here on expatexchange for benefit of
us all who frequent this site. Thank
you for anything that you'd care to
share w/me. How's your Spanish? I
taught TEFL(teach English as foreign
language)Costa Rica 1996-97. Best way
learn foreign language is to immerse
self into culture & live w/native families.
I enjoyed such immensely.
Hasta luego,
Beacon
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