About cheryl4209

Status:

Expatriate  

Gender:

Female

Currently Lives:

Citizen Of:

United States

Past Expat Posts:

Ecuador

Mexico

About cheryl4209

My US home is rented, my Pensionado Visa complete. I moved to Panama with an ESA (Emotional Support Animal), an 8# Shih Tzu. Intrepid, adventuresome, artistic, I've enjoyed a wonderful welcome and support from both locals and expats along the way. Love the journey.

Advice for New Expats

Visit the country, first. Yes, attend International Living conferences... I did two of them, in Panama, and took various tours before and after, as well as did some adventure type explorations on my own. Listen, take notes, get your paperwork done before you move. Rent before buying.

Some Forum Posts:

Panama: 2012 Honda CR-V 4WD for sale:

EX model with leather, sun roof, luggage racks, automatic shift with Econ button. Born in Panama--not an import. All service records up to date. A solid, safe vehicle, well-maintained. Help me find a home for my Trusty Baby. 54,000 km Asking $20,000 My loss, your gain.

Panama: Pedasi?:

Quaint, basically a one-street town, with one grocery. Shopping involves a day trip to larger towns, up the peninsula for medical, as well. Head around the peninsula for excellent tuna fishing and surfing.

Panama: where are all the expats in Coronado?:

Try Picasso's on Wednesday nights. Lots of expats there, and at Sukah's on Friday nights. Nov- April is considered high season, when the place will be literally over-run with expat snow-birders.

Panama: Help! We want to relocate to Panama! Suggestions?:

Whyyyyy?

Panama: Boquete Style (Woman):

Think casual, loose-fitting, naturally breathable fabrics, ie cotton or silk. Humidity here is killer, not as noticeable in Boquete as the lowlands, but still worth a couple of showers a day, minimum, for me. Florida beach wear is fun when hanging out at the pool. You are living in a country of great disparity, where expats, all expats are viewed as extremely wealthy. Out of respect (and for your personal safety) put away the jewelry and designer labels. You will appreciate good walking sandals. My Panama handbag is my go-to travel bag; one of the rip-stop, razor blade proof jobs with credit card protection fabric. Tip conservatively, but do tip every time, bring doughnuts to the staff. Those who perform those little daily tasks for us, from the bag boy at the grocery to the gardner, often go unnoticed, but they notice you. Dress quietly, show interest in their lives and they will be there when you need or want something. Central/South American cultures are collective, as opposed to individualistic, as in the states. Relationships come first. Style, which I miss, has pretty much gone out the window.

Panama: can you live off your ATM card in panama?:

Yes, you can, and I do, live in Panama without opening a bank account. Rent can be handled with cash, or paid by a number of means... I use PayPal. If the prop owner keeps utilities in their name, your property manager may add utilities to your rent, in which case you can pay with multiple monthly ATM cash withdrawals.

Panama: Trustworthy, competent lawyer in Panama:

Rainelda Mata-Kelly. Ask around. Google her website. U.S. trained, bilingual and has your back. Love this lady.

Panama: Sending Funds from Panama to US:

If you both have PayPal accounts (free), you can transfer money between account holders without any fees. Zero. Very nice number.

Panama: Rentals in Coronado:

Have you been to Panama? Do you prefer highlands, beach, city or countryside? Pacific coast or Atlantic? For a small spot on the map, this place is very diverse; wild surf and world class tuna in out lands to Trump Tower and designer shopping in the city. There are expat communities as well as price points all over the place.

Panama: Getting a Pensionado Visa:

Yes, a lawyer is required to complete the Panamanian visa process. I can only suggest that you (1) visit for 3 months and decide if Panama is what you want, then return home and begin by (2) hiring a Panamanian attorney while in the states. I can recommend Rainelda Mata-Kelly; American-trained, bilingual and scrupulously honest. She will line you out as to the type of visa, FBI criminal record, fingerprinting, when and where to send all documentation for authentication, etc. It's a process.

Date Joined:

9/6/2014

Total Posts:

88

Posts/Day:

0.09