By this man’s reckoning, if he is really lucky, and the traffic cop who pulls him over is just looking for a free lunch, he might get away with paying as little as $5 to the patrolman.
He prefers this to waiting for the cop to write out a ticket.
And getting a ticket means my neighbor will then have to drive to the Chiriqui Mall in David to pay the ticket, waiting in what could be a long line, and then shelling out the $58 fine.
Learn how to pay a traffic ticket in David by clicking here
Paying this little “mordida” ( “Bribe” in English) to a cop might seem like a little thing.
After all, the whole #@!^%#!! country is corrupt anyway, right?
However, when we participate in corruption, at any level, we are not doing ourselves or others any favors.
1st of all, we are not being honest.
It is interesting, but being honest really is a means, as well as an end.
Paying your traffic ticket is its own gift. Life is simplified. You can relax and breathe easier.
The whole world feels like a safer, saner place. Panama is definitely more beautiful, when don't play the bribe game.
When you move down to Panama, you are likely to run into fellow expats who have lived here for awhile, and want to “teach you the ropes” before you are "taken advantage of" by some "corrupt Panamanian."
There is lots of great advice out there, including learning ways not to be fooled as a “newbie”.
However, if some seasoned expat explains to you that “you are in a corrupt society, and you need to protect yourself by playing the game yourself”, you should take a moment. Pause… Breathe.
Ask yourself if you are interested in keeping the cycle of corruption going, merely to save a few bucks.
In the long run, if you are a dishonest expat, you will wind up in far more trouble with the law, and with the society here, than if you are a dishonest Panamanian.
Panama has massive corruption, but mostly at the political/legal level.
You can see evidence of this every day in the newspapers here. For instance, ex-president Ricardo Martinelli trying to defend the vast corruption that permeated every fibre of his recent administration.
Meanwhile, in one’s personal dealings with “regular” Panamanians, there appears not to be too much corruption.
When you talk to your neighbor, he will tell you the truth, well at least as often as your neighbors "back home". During the course of your normal and routine activities you will be untouched by corruption.
Also beware a few fellow expats.
It is not only corruption by politicos you have to look out for, but by expat businessmen.
A few expats come to Panama to take advantage of its bureaucratic and judicial corruption. They use it as one of their business tools.
Let me emphasis, this is not the case for most expat business people, only for a few.
In many cases, these folks are pulling out of a failed investments "back home", and transferring their remaining funds to Panama in hopes of recovering their lost assets.
In our life, it had been these "corrupt" expat businessmen who purposely manipulate Panama's already corrupt legal and administrative system that have caused us grief.
Don't pay bribes. To cops or others.
If you are stopped by a policeman, just take the ticket.
If you give the cop $10 so you can move on with your day, that cop is much more likely to stop more people in the hopes of scoring $10 or more from each one.
Don't try to manipulate the system.
Of course, you have to acknowledge that others may, you should protect yourself from that. But by participating you are not helping yourself in the long run.
Once you start paying bribes, people start to know you will pay a bribe.
You are then a mark. There will be start to be all sorts of "problems" in your life that you are told can be solved with a little monetary lubrication.
By moving to Panama, you find that you have much more free time. And also much more influence upon others.
Historically, Panamanians have respected and trusted North Americans. Despite the brief, yet rough period of the “upheaval” years, and the burning of the American flag, as well as the coining of the expression “Gringo” to refer to north Americans soldiers, by extension, all US citizens. By and large, Panamanians admire North Americans.
It is a little hard to handle just how much we are admired here. It’s a bit like being a movie star. They respect our supposedly higher level of culture, education, experiences, and yes, our income. It could be mostly our higher incomes. This is particularly true in our town of Puerto Armuelles; since for most of its history it was an American-created company town.
Due to this intrinsic respect, Panamanians, particularly poor Panamanians, often look to us to lead, and to help them solve their problems. Rather than let our new status here go to our heads, and ruin us, we can do something useful with our influence.
Panama is a tiny country, with a population of about 3 million. With the influence that the average expat here is capable of commanding, we can participate in shaping the future of this tiny, precious nation. This means participating with Panamanians on a positive, daily basis. Above all, this demands that we not participate in, and thus contribute to, corruption in this young democracy.
In the end, it will help each of our lives down here in this “tropical paradise” be happier. Isn't that one of the reasons we are here, to be happy?
Updated March 2017
Getting A Friendly Nation Visa Makes Getting A Work Permit Much Easier
Keep in mind you can legally work in Panama, and not get a work permit, if your income comes from outside Panama.
For more info, go to how to make money in Panama.
You should consult an attorney to ensure you know about any new or modified work permit options.
I used a number of sources for this information. The 2 main sources are listed at the bottom of this page.
If that is the case, you (the foreigner) can be hired, since the company is under the maximum threshold (10%) for foreign employees. But they must pay you at least $850 per month. You can work for them for a maximum of 6 years. However, you still have to apply for a work permit. Your permit cannot be used at a different company.
The City of Knowledge is located inside the former U.S. Army Base of Fort Clayton in Panama City. Foreign investors owning a company located within Panama’s City of Knowledge can have 5 special work permits for their foreign employees. This work permit is for up to 6 years for foreign businessmen, researchers, professors, students, and technicians. For the City of Knowledge website & its list of job opportunities, go here.
After you marry a Panamanian you can apply for a work permit.
This visa was created to help ease the lack of skilled workers in Panama, and therefore, friendly nations visa holders had a fast track to a work permit. However, that all changed in early 2017. Now Friendly Nations visa holders can only get a work permit if they are hired by a qualified Panamanian employer.
Read more about updated information on work permits for Friendly Nations Visa holders.
Under this new work permit category, which is exempt from quotas and local sponsorship requirements, there is no minimum level of professional experience that the applicant must possess. Applicants must hold a bachelor's or post-graduate degree. The Highly-Skilled Worker Permit can be renewed annually. After two years, the work permit holder can apply for permanent residence.
Based on a treaty between Panama and Italy, work permits are now available to Italian nationals. The Italian National Work Permit is exempt from quota and local sponsorship requirements and will be issued with indefinite validity.
Parents of children, who were born in Panama and are at least five years old, are eligible to apply under this new work permit category. The work permit can be renewed annually, and after two years, the permit holder may apply for permanent residence. This work permit is also exempt from quotas and local sponsorship requirements.
A company must apply for special treatment/exemption above the 10% maximum quota. Again, they must pay you at least $850 a month with a maximum stay of 6 years.
This is a relatively new visa that comes with a work permit for a maximum of 9 months. The National Service of Immigration will create a registration of businesses dedicated to activities of specialists inside the Republic of Panama. No one knows what a “Specialist” is until the immigration department issues rules and regulations defining what type of job titles or functions qualify as being “special”. Due to the 9 month maximum stay; this is intended as a temporary specialist position.
Immigration law allows companies to hire a foreigner to work for a single occasion carrying out cultural, technical, musical or artistic, sports, educational field, professional, or scientific work. This visa is for a maximum of 3 months.
This is a new immigration law allowing a Panamanian citizen, or a permanent or temporary resident, to hire a foreigner to work as a domestic worker. This includes maids, cooks, chauffeurs, gardeners, nannies and butlers. The employee can then apply for this Panama Foreign Domestic Workers Visa. It is good for one year and can be renewable four times.
These visas are also new and allow for up to a 9 month stay. This visa/work permit applies to foreigners who want to establish business subsidiaries; investigators and scientists conducting research for embassies or governments or foreign businesses; investors or businessmen entering Panama to analyze investment possibilities or to perform transactions in the Food Processors Zone for Export, Call Center, or special areas appointed for the development of the Audiovisual and Film Industry.
treaty is for temporary workers intending to live in Panama for a maximum of 5 years. This visa is only available to companies employing between 3 to 10 employees earning at least the minimum wage. Only one foreigner is allowed to be employed and they must be paid at least a $1,000 a month.
This permit is another new immigration law allowing a foreigner to live and work here for 6 years. It applies to an employee of the government, semi-autonomous companies, small business contracting with the government, executives or management for a Colon Free Zone company, non-diplomats working for a foreign government or international agency or news media correspondents.
This is a new immigration visa providing temporary residency for 6 years for all employees in the film or audiovisual industry, including producers, directors, actors, and technical support; Panama Canal workers; Panama-Pacifico Special Economic Area workers (like the former Howard U.S. air force base); Foreigners hired by businesses inside the Food Processors for Export Zone; Foreigners employed by Call Centers for commercial purposes; Foreigners hired as executives for an international business with a subsidiary in Panama.
Click here for how to find a job in Panama.
If you get a Pensionado visa, you are not permitted to work. By getting that visa, you are declaring to Panama that you are retired. For more information on the Pensionado visa, go here.
If you want to legally work, you should not a get a pensionado visa. I have written about the 4 most common types of Panama visas.
Don't worry, once you are 60, if you are a man, or 55 and a woman, you will get all the benefits of a pensionado visa, regardless of what type of visa you have.
Sources:
11 of these ways are listed on Panama-Off shore Services website.
3 more ways were list on faegrbd.com.
It is rumored that President Obama has 24 cars in his entourage. And he is only 1 of the 35 world leaders here for the Summit.
For information about the road closures, see this US Embassy page.
For those that don't know.
The Summit is a venue for leaders of the western hemisphere to "discuss common policy issues, affirm shared values and commit to concerted actions at the national and regional level to address continuing and new challenges faced in the Americas."
US President Bill Clinton created the 1st summit in 1994. It was held in Miami Florida.
The 7th Summit of the Americas will be hosted by Panama in Panama City. It officially goes from April 10-12th, but there are a number of adjunct events that occur from April 9-15th.
This year's Summit will be the 1st at which all 35 countries in the Western Hemisphere will attend.
There will be even more people attending the Summit's adjunct meetings, for instance today's business forum. US President Obama will attend that as well as former US President Bill Clinton, 2nd richest man in the world Carlos Slim from Mexico, senior officials from Coca Cola, Copa Airlines, Walmart, and many others.
To find out more about the Summits of the Americas and if they really matter, go to this site about the Summits.
Panama City's International film festival is also opening today.
Click for more about Panama 's film festival.
A busy time in Panama City.
Worth being there for the film festival.
But if you aren't going to that, I'd avoid Panama City right now.
Want to visit a quieter place, learn more about our beach town, Puerto Armuelles, Panama.
AA Meetings Are Growing In Panama. You will find one to go to, if you are looking for one..To some that are overtly vulgar, (and hilarious): ….
Well, there should be an apt expression of what life is like for semi-problem drinkers, or even moderate drinkers, from mainstream north american society, when they suddenly find themselves retired, living in a relaxed, tropical culture, with no schedule, no work, enough money to do pretty much whatever they want, and lots of time to drink.
Surely some AA sage has said something like:
“If you don’t have a drinking problem yet, just wait until you retire to Panama.”
Many find, whether they retire in the US, Canada, or Panama, the transition from working life, which was hopefully meaningful, and satisfying, as well as being very busy, to a life of ease and comfort, with no fixed schedule, and very possibly a little boredom, can be a tough one.
Added to this abrupt structural change to the status quo, a move to Panama means that one will be living in a society with a much higher tolerance of excessive drinking, for public drunkenness. And for what we would consider socially unacceptable behavior while under the influence of alcohol. No one would look twice if you whistle at a cute girl passing on a bicycle.
In short, primarily for men, it is not really frowned upon to drink pretty hard every day.
While any day of the week is an acceptable day to drink, Sundays are really a day that is dedicated to drinking. Panamain men drink hard either at a family picnic, a softball game, a fishing trip, or just hanging out on the patio with friends.
In short, drinking, and drinking to excess is accepted in Panama.
Unfortunately, you will run into more than the occasional expat who appears to have chosen drinking as his “second career”. Ex-pat drinkers have favorite beer cozies in Panama the way dog mushers have favorite mittens in Alaska.
Drinking apparatus can be like “tools of the trade” here.
In spite of this widespread acceptance of heavy drinking, or perhaps because of it, there is a well developed, and growing AA community in Panama.
If you are familiar with AA from your personal experience in a major north american city, obviously, you will find that the choice of meeting groups and times is somewhat limited. However, due to the large number of expat retirees in Panama, very likely, the number of meetings will grow quickly.
In fact this website, mentions several in Boquete as well as one in Volcan.
We know of a few AA members from north america who live in Puerto Armuelles.
So far, there is not an English speaking meeting in Puerto.
One of the AA members drives to Boquete to a meeting there, saying that they prefer it to the meeting in David.
There is a Spanish-speaking meeting in Puerto Armuelles. It is next to the Boy Scout office downtown. So far, we have no other information about it.
Alcoholics Anonymous is alive and well in Panama.
If you are looking for a meeting, you will certainly be able to meet other grateful alcoholics, and to share the practical, and spiritual program with them.
If you know about the meetings in Chiriqui, please comment below.
That info would be of interest to those in Puerto Armuelles.
Thank You.
We Took The Metro From the Iglesia de Carmen station. You can see the church (Iglesia) in this photoYou can see what the station looks like from the street in the photo to the left.
It was clean, cool, easy, and enjoyable.
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A metro employee helped us figure out how to get money on our Rapi>Pass card for the metro
The Rapi>Pass card is a 3 in one public transportation card.
You use it in Panama City for
The card itself costs $2 and afterwards you recharge it with money and tap it to enter a bus or metro system. You can recharge it at many locations, including each metro station.
You can add money to your card using the machine seen in one of the photos below. Then you tap it at turnstile in order to both enter or exit each station.
I have information on where the metro goes after the photos below.
In a small world moment, when exiting at the Albrook station I ran into someone from Puerto Armuelles. She didn't know how to use the card to exit and I helped her.
We spoke Spanish to each other for awhile and then realized we were both English speakers. She is originally from England. Her name is Jackie, or Miss Jackie, as many people call her since she worked for years at the Las Palmas school in Puerto Armuelles. I had heard of her, but never met her before.
She was on her way to England and taking her grand daughter with her. It was a fun meeting someone from Puerto like that.
Panama plans to have 4 metro lines. Right now it just has 1, Line 1.
The map of line 1 is on the left, and in the slideshow above.
Currently, Line 1 runs from Albrook Bus Terminal to Los Andes Commercial Center. In the future it will be extended from Los Andes to San Isidro.
Line 1 is 13.7km long with 12 stations, including seven underground stations and five elevated stations.
Line 2 will also be built in two phases. The first phase will go from San Migulieto to La Dorba and Phase 2 will include the route from Albrook to San Migulieto.
Line 3 will be 21km long, running from Albrook to La Chorrera. It will pass through a new bridge constructed on the Pacific side of the Panama Canal.
Line 4 will run from Albrook to Rana de Oro.
Panama City is growing by leaps and bounds. It is becoming both nicer and bigger.
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If you are looking for a slower paced small town, you many want to check out our town of Puerto Armuelles.
Puerto Armuelles is the only true beach town in Panama.
Find out more about Puerto Armuelles here.
Source:
Railway-Technology.com
Its not drinking, but connecting with others that leads to happinessHowever, to find true happiness in a sunny, warm, relaxing environment requires the exact same skill set that is required to be happy while shoveling snow in Toronto in January, or sitting in bumper-to-bumper traffic in L.A. during rush hour.
Here in Panama, you will find countless examples of this fact.
In short, the people who were happy and content in their lives in the north, are the same ones who tend to find happiness and peace here in Panama.
This is not meant to dash the hopes of those who are looking forward to a positive up-tic in their well-being, by quitting the rat race, letting go of their emotionally, or physically punishing work life, and moving south to practice a slower, simpler way of life.
Believe me, there are definite benefits of moving to the tropics.
But, the old adage “wherever you go…there you are” clearly applies to retirement in the tropics.
If you were the kind of person who got into fits of "road rage” on your way to work in the morning, every time some “idiot” on the cell phone cut you off, then you will certainly find something to get upset about in Panama.
Most likely, that tense, angry disposition will find an easy target in the glacial bureaucracy in Panama, or the “relaxed” punctuality of your domestic worker. Rather than “flipping off” some absent-minded motorist in rush hour traffic, you might find yourself muttering under your breath about the “inconsideration, or ignorance of ‘these people’ here in Panama.
There is plenty to get upset about here, if you are looking to get upset.
The secret to true happiness in Paradise is having a willingness to let go of old mental habits.
If you are angry, you need to let that go. If you are selfish, let that go too.
One of the greatest benefits of life in the tropics, and in a slow-paced culture such as in Panama, is that one has so much more time. This means that there is a lot more time to practice the healthy life habits that nurture a happy mental state.
If you are in a happy mental state, you are more likely to practice acts of kindness, and to smile at the people you meet. These acts will serve to reinforce your happy, peaceful state of mind. Thus, the happiness that you feel in each moment can build on the happiness of the moment before. "Brick-by-brick", you can create a happy life.
One of the surest ways to feel happy is by doing something nice for someone else. Ex-pats, upon moving to Panama, will notice that with the drop in their living costs, they are, in essence, elevated from the middle class that they once occupied in the north, to that of the “elite” here in Panama.
Now, some might see this as an opportunity to buy more “stuff”. You could own a bigger house, buy boats and cars. You could eat more, or drink more. However, by this time in our lives, hopefully, most of us have already figured out that having more “stuff” isn’t going to bring us any real happiness (Unless, of course, one was barely getting by, or really over-extended, during one’s work life).
In effect, a move to Panama, is a lot like winning the lottery. You are suddenly richer, with more free time on your hands, and you are completely free of your old routine.
Numerous studies of lottery winners show, overwhelmingly, that lottery winners, six months after winning that huge payout, are actually “less happy” than they were before they won. They have everything material that they want, but they still don’t have that elusive prize; They don’t have happiness. In fact, studies show that the only lottery winners who consistently end up happier than they were before, are those who give their winnings away to someone else.
So, if coming to Panama can be equated to winning the lottery, and if “giving it all away” is the surest way to be a happy lottery winner, how can we be happy "lottery winners” in Panama?
I would suggest that we use our new-found "wealth" and influence to be of maximum benefit to other people in our new community in Panama.
We might figure out a way to help those around us.
There are those who move to Panama, to take advantage of the ignorance of Panamanians regarding the economics of the world “outside”. B ut, nothing will lead more certainly to unhappiness, than to come to Panama and to take advantage of the local people. You will see ex-pats who buy the homes of Panamanians, without any regard to where these people are going to live after they sell. You will see ex-pats who have Panamanian employees, working for the same wages for 10 years ago. These types actually get upset at other expats who pay their employees a living wage. This kind of behavior will certainly not lead to happiness. In fact, it will most likely lead to unhappiness.
Why is it that sociologists’ studies always show that woman are much happier than men? Its because most women are much more involved in both the family, and in the community. In short, they have more meaningful relationships.
For expats, particularly men, moving to Panama, we have to work very hard to replace those social connections that we formed at work, and in the community, with relationships of equal value.
Try to help someone else to be happy. This is the best way to be happy yourself.
Can you be happy in Panama?
Take our "Should you move to Panama" Quiz
Official Poster Of The 4th IFF Panama. The image was chosen to invite us to "see beyond what we are used to seeing."It sounds like fun. I wish I could go. But I have other obligations in Puerto that week.
The 2015 IFF Panama will show more than 60 films from around the world.
Films that have won awards at prestigious festivals such as Cannes, Toronto, Sundance and San Sebastian.
The Festival has one award. Audience award for best 1st time director.
The line up looks good.
There are a few films that are in English as well as other non-Spanish languages.
To get a pdf of the program guide, go here.
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At the same time, Panama City is also hosting the Summit of the Americas.
US President Barack Obama and 34 other heads of state will be there, so security will be tight.
This means from April 9 - 12th, Panama City will be a traffic snarl due to many road closures. The closures will occur near the Altlapa Convention Center, as well as near Calle 50, Panama Viejo, and Corredor Sur.
Of course, this means the metro will also be more crowded, but at least it will be moving.
Click to read my post on using Panama City's Metro.
Prices are $4.50 to $50 depending upon event and location
Mastercard or cash purchases only.
10% discount if you buy with a master card
- For more ticket info, go here.
To find out the what, where, and whens, go here.
Panama is fully embracing the film industry.
It has come a long way.
Panama even has a film commissioner, Arianne Benedetti. She is a film industry director too.
Ms. Benedetti actively markets to international production companies.
She tries to entice them to come make films in Panama. Given all the dramatically different settings only a short difference apart must make it an easy sell.
I hope to make it to the Festival next year.
If you go, please comment on how it was.
Thanks.
March 4, 2015
Puerto Armuelles Hospital Is Near The Town CenterTotal cost: 50 cents.
Until last month, we haven't needed to go to the hospital in Puerto Armuelles.
Last month, February 2015, I went twice to Puerto Armuelles' small regional hospital (Dionisio Arrocha).
The first visit was for a minor dog bite .
Getting bit was my fault.
I absent-mindedly walked through a neighbor’s yard out near the beach and I startled her dogs. They enthusiastically protected their territory.
I wished I had done my usual of hollering out a greeting, wait to be invited in, before entering someone’s property - esp someone who has a owns 5 free-roaming dogs.
My injury was slight, really just one puncture wound of any consequence.
But my tetanus shot was well out of date, so I decided to go to the hospital to have the wound cleaned up, and to get a tetanus shot.
It was a Sunday, so there were very few patients with medical issues covered by Social Security system. Those folks visit the hospital during the work week.
I signed in at the emergency room.
I was admitted in about fifteen minutes.
I would say that I was in and out of the hospital in 45 minutes to an hour.
The bite wound healed quickly, and I am fine.
I was charged 50 cents.
The same amount we were charged for our daughter’s emergency room visit 3-4 years ago.
Last week, I finally decided to go get x-rays of an ankle sprain that I suffered about eight months ago,.
It has been very slow in healing fully.
I had visited an orthopedist in David the week before. He thought that there was nothing indicating a bone break, but he suggested that a comparative x-ray of both ankles could show the relative gap in a couple of small ankle bones, and might give a clue as to the extent of the ankle sprain.
The doctor explained that starting with an x-ray, one might avoid the necessity of the far more costly MRI exam.
I went to our local regional hospital in Puerto Armuelles.
I was directed to the x-ray lab. I was pleased to find that the woman who was on duty at the time was my tenant, in a house that we own in San Vicente.
There was no line, so she led me immediately into the x-ray room, took X-rays of both right and left ankles. She said that it would be a couple hours before the doctor would be available to read the xray results. It was close to dinner time, so I didn’t call until the following day.
I went back to the hospital, where the doctor explained my x-ray images to me.
No breaks, just what appeared to be the bone joint separation that is considered “normal” in a sprained ankle.
My tenant, the x-ray tech, gave me a DVD of my X-rays, in case I wanted to take them to another doctor (the results are also available online for any doctor in Panama with access to the social security hospital web site).
When I asked the tech how much I owed, she responded that their was “no charge”.
She said that I was a great land lord (she and her family pay no rent; They are merely taking care of a property for us).
She didn’t want to charge me. I said that I really wanted to pay.
I could afford to pay the $20 or $30 that X-rays cost, and I didn’t feel comfortable taking advantage of the social security system that was designed to keep costs down for poor Panamanian medical patients. The tech, Ana, said that it was too late.
If I paid at that point, it would get her into trouble. So I got me X-rays for free.
I told her that I would make a donation to the hospital, which I intend to do.
So, these are two recent experiences at our local hospital in Puerto Armuelles.
Actually, I was forced to do something with the quiz.
As many of you let me know, since the move to the new URL, the quiz stopped working.
It is a long story, but I could not make the program work anymore.
Since I had to recreate it, I decided to improve and revise it.
It is not radically changed. I hope it is improved.
Please let me know what you think of the changes.
Click here to take the improved, Should I Live In Panama Quiz.
Thanks.
