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I am very glad that she fell in love with Puerto Armuelles. That she felt that it was the perfect place for her to live.
As you see in the video, Joan is a very positive person and a delight to be around. We look forward to when Joan is living here full time.
Joan doesn't retire for another 13 months, but she is starting her new yoga business now.
She is partnering with Scott, Bonnie, Brenda, and Don of the Tsunami Inn to start a yoga retreat center.
It is called, Asana Panama. You can find out more by visiting the website, asanapanama.com.
Yoga studios and teachers can rent the Tsunami Inn as a Yoga Retreat Center for a week at a time. The yogis will have full use of the Tsunami Inn.
Amenities. There is a newly built outdoor yoga shala (seen in the video) in front of the ocean for their use.
Yogis will also be able to book massages, manicures and pedicures. There will be yoga equipment as well as bicylces available for their use.
Excursions can also be booked. Excursions include: whale watching, bike rides, fishing, surfing, river tours, and more.
Don't worry, the Tsunami Inn is open for regular hotel business whenever it is not being used as a yoga retreat center.
The Yoga Retreat Center is just being launched. So at least for the time being, you can still book a room at the Tsunami Inn in Puerto Armuelles.
I wish her, the Tsunami Inn, & all its owners, much success.
Find out more about the charming Puerto Armuelles here.
If you already love Puerto, check out our fabulous Puerto Armuelles real estate options
I added some topic headings to the transcript to make it easier to skim.
Betsy: I'm talking with Joan about why she fell in love with Puerto Armuelles and why it's the perfect location for her new yoga retreat center.
Joan: I spent 11 years traveling all through Panama, and I fell in love when I came here.
And I knew this was the place that I wanted to have my business.
And this is my retirement business. I'm so excited to retire.
This is the most gorgeous place I've ever been. And I've been all over the world.
In fact , Scott was saying, you've traveled everywhere, and this is where you're choosing to live?
Absolutely. I love the people. I love being with the Panamanian people. They are wonderful people. They're kind and respectful.
And the country: you have fresh fruit every day. And the fishing out here (gesturing to the ocean). You have fresh fish every day.
I had lunch for $2.75 for rice and beans and chicken and a coke. I don't normally drink coke, but that's what they had.
It was so inexpensive and wonderful.
But more than anything, it is just the sense of ahhh - I'm here.
And that's what I think that is what we all need. Especially coming from such a busy lifestyle that we have the States. I know I have that, I am still flying (Joan is an airline attendant). But in my world, everything is time time time time.
It's nice to just sit back here. I sit under the yoga shala (i.e., the thatched gazabo/rancho she is sitting in front of in the video) and just watch the ocean and listen to it.
I am NOT an early riser by nature; on my days off, when I'm not flying.
But I automatically wake up every day here before sunrise.
And I'm out on that beach. I come and do my yoga. And then I start the day.
And I just feel so good!
Betsy: And is that why you started the yoga business?
Joan: Actually no.
It started because I've been in the airline industry for many, many years. And unfortunately, in every industry, there's trouble and they file bankruptcy. And you lose pension.
So I had to reinvent myself.
And I thought, I have to move out of the country. No problem. Where do I go?
Research. Panama. Number one on my list.
And then I thought, I want to have a business. What would I like to do?
Well, I want to be involved in yoga. But I don't necessarily want to be an instructor, but around the people and the community
So I thought thought, a yoga retreat.
Find a place that I can have yoga retreats come to that is peaceful. That people will just be filled with joy when they leave.
And after 11 years, I came and stayed here.
Came back, and stayed again.
I got to know the owners, Scott and Bonnie. And they have new partners, that just came down here, Brenda and Don.
And I just put it out, Would you like to partner with me? This is my idea. And they said, yes.
And that's where I want to spend the rest of my life. Just helping people come down and relax.
Because when you're here, you don't have the airplanes, you don't have the noise, you don't have the news.
You have nothing but peace.
So here we are.
Just opening up and looking forward to being full with Yogi's every week.
Betsy: Thanks for watching!
