Wherever you go, there will will be alot of smiles, music, dancing, and drinking.
In the bigger celebrations you will find:
When is Carnival? Carnival is from Feb 10 - Feb 13th. Feb 13th is also called Fat Tuesday and is the biggest day of the celebrations. The next day, Feb 14th, is Ash Wednesday and the start of Lent. (Lent is a period of fasting and devotion leading up to Easter per the Catholic Church.) This year the start of Lent is also Valentines day.
Las Tablas hosts the most extravagant carnival celebration in the country.
The parade they put on is given alot of spice because of the rivalry between two streets, Calle Arriba and Calle Abajo. Each street vies to put on a more grandiose show. Each street also has it’s own carnival queen, each one try to out shine the other.
The Las Tablas carnival is featured in the 2017 movie, Donaire y Esplendor, by Arturo Montenegro.
Santo Domingo is a little town about 5 minutes from Las Tablas. They have a good parade featuring traditional dress and dance. The parade is in the late afternoon, on Tuesday.
Most people leave Panama City for Carnival.
Read this post, which includes critical info about travel to and from Panama City during Carnival.
If you stay in Panama City, the places to go are the Cinta Costera and Avenida Balboa. A procession of floats, dancers and revelers create the city’s biggest street party of the year.
You can find plenty of food and drink at the numerous stalls along the way. There’s live music, face painting for the kids and a whole lot of dancing. (Remember, you will get wet. So don't wear anything you want to keep dry)
Arrive early in the afternoon if you want any hope of being near the parade procession. The parade gets into full swing alittle after sunset.
I'm told that the Diablico Sucios in Bocas carry real whips that they use on anyone they determine are "misbehaving. Most of the festivities occur on the main street of Bocas town on Isla Colon.
Penonome puts on a more family-friendly carnival celebration. They also have a very unique feature. Their Carnival parade is on the water. The floats, literally float.
Chitre's carnival celebrations are second only to the famed celebrations of Las Tablas. They feature the typical parades, folkloric dancing, and water fights.
We have been in Chitre for carnival. We enjoyed it. We stayed at a hotel right on the square. The hotel's balcony was an excellent place to experience the carnival, esp. once we were ready to retire from the street experience.
Pedasi, is a small town near the beach in the Los Santos province of Panama. It is not far from Chitre. It has an even more mellow carnival experienced than Penonome. The festivities are mostly in the central square. Bring a chair and a cooler and relax and enjoy the parade, music, and crowd.
For some reason, this village's carnival celebration is very popular with Panamanians from all over the country. So much so that the village lives mainly off the revenue that is generated during carnival.
It is laid-back celebration with a “moving carnival” that has people dancing with the band as it moves from house to house. It also has the usual parade and the competition for the title of the beauty queen. It is about a 50 minute bus ride from Chitre.
The Chiriqui Province is not a place to go for an exceptional carnival experience. I live in Chiriqui, so I feel I must mention it.
In Puerto Armuelles, where I live, it is mostly a family affair. Many locals tend to make a weekend of it by going out to the beach and bars out on Punta Burica. The bars will have more live music and will generally be livelier and more crowded. The waterfront bar Tisa Mar, in particular, usually has live music and charges admission.
Dolega, David, and Las Lajas, all in Chiriqui, have carnival celebrations. David has the biggest one of the three, which isn't saying much.
Until 2 years ago, David hadn’t celebrated Carnival for 16 years. Now they do celebrate Carnival, but I think it is still only during daylight hours.
Last year, I wrote a more detailed post all about Carnival.
In Boquete, where there is such a disparity of wealth, you can feel a bit privileged by attending.
To help ameliorate that privilege guilt, part of the proceeds go to help a really excellent music program for kids. One of the days, the kids come and put on a show.
With or without, feeling privileged, I really enjoy myself there. I delight in dancing to live Blues music.
If you will be in the Chiriqui Province in late February, you should consider attending.
To find out more about the Boquete Jazz and Blues Festival, click here.
Their website is greatly improved. It has a lot of easily accessible information about the events and the line ups.
The Festival runs from Feb. 22nd - Feb. 25th, 2018
This year I will have to miss the first 2 days of it.
When I said yes to speak at Live & Invest Panama conference, I didn't realize it overlapped with the Boquete event.
But I can make it to both.
By the way, if you are still in the information gathering stage about Panama, you may want to check out the Live & Invest Panama (LIOS) conference.
I would never have thought of going to such an event, but now that I have attended one, I understand its value. I wrote about the 2018 LIOS Panama event (Feb 21 - 23rd) here.
Maybe I will see you at both events.
We have written about 2 of the Boquete music festivals we have attended.
You may enjoy checking them out as well.
Our wonderfully generous guest contributor lives in the charming beach town of Puerto Armuelles, Panama.
Over the last 5 years, the cost of fresh fruits and vegetables has remained fairly stable.
Although some prices have increased. Shallots (green onions) have soared in price. Ironically, bananas, which grow here, have also gone up in price. But are still reasonable.
The price of carrots, potatoes, onions, beets, cauliflower, broccoli, cabbage, chayote and regional root vegetables (i.e. yucca) have remained the same.
I spent $7 for
Enough fruits and vegetables for the week. If I had added a papaya and a pineapple it would have boost the price to $10.
The Panama government keeps price controls over what it calls a “basic food basket". So those prices have remained steady.
[Editors note: Panama's Basic Food Basket contains 22 foods, which includes, chicken, beef sausage, rice, onions, yams, potatoes, bread, beans, lentils, canned tuna, eggs, cassava, and more.]
During recent shopping trips, I have seen the following prices:
I recently paid $4.33 for 6 leg/thighs, which is enough for a week. I use the chicken in soup and other dishes. (Not all stores pass on the Government food basket "savings". These stores charge higher prices regardless of the price controls, which is why you will see a range of prices.)
[Editor's note: it is even cheaper - and more fun - to buy fish right off the boat. Check out this video of our buying fresh fish adventure.]
My water bill has remained stable. It is the same flat rate, whether you use one drop or fill an Olympic pool with tap water.
You get a 10% discount if you pay for a full year in advance. That is the price, with or without a pensionada visa.
Electricity remains basically the same, and is based on usage.
[Editor's note: Our family's electricity is typically in the $30 - $40/mo range. If you use an air conditioner, your electric bill can be in the $100 to $300 range. For more on the cost of utilities.]
Internet service cost remains high. If you are lucky enough to be in an area Cable Onda is able to provide service, then you will see very favorable pricing ($30 -$37/mo).
Cable Onda is adding more towers to service the more remote areas of where I live, but that is a slow process.
Also fiber optic cables are currently being strung/laid. That should also improve service and pricing. Again, a work in progress.
Prescriptions vary in price depending on what you require. Generally they are cheaper here than in the States.
Rents are all over the map, just like always. Location is a huge factor in pricing.
Routine preventive maintenance of air conditioners, water pumps, cars, etc. will prevent costly & inopportune repairs due to a breakdown.
Prices for land purchases range, depending on the area, from reasonable to outrageous.
The key here is to find someone who is fair and honest in the approach to real estate transactions.
In January 2018, President Varela announced a 4.5% - 6.5% increase in salaries, depending on the area of the country.
Domestic help – maids, gardeners, etc. – are charging more per day than in the past. Expect to pay about,
Generally speaking set a realistic budget for yourself.
If you must buy organic food, then significantly increase the costs noted in this post. You will also need to travel to buy organic food. It takes 3 to 4 hours - round trip - to drive to Boquete or Volcan from Puerto Armuelles to purchase organic foods.
[Editor's note: If you don't want to drive, you can request weekly deliveries from the organic farm, Finca Santa Marta. I believe they deliver to Puerto Armuelles on Thursdays, David on Tuesdays, etc. And, yes, it will cost more than buying non-organic]
I am still able to manage comfortably with the budget I created for myself 5 years ago – not using organic foods.
Happy New Year!!!
However, a supplemental electric motor offers an extra boost for getting up to cruising speed after stopping at red lights, or providing horse power for getting up steep hills. (Seattle is a famously “steep” city.)
Watching our neighbor Henry’s business literally explode, over the past couple of years has been exciting. In addition to converting standard bikes to electrical assistance, Henry also sells a line of top quality factory built ebikes.
When we’re in Seattle, I sometimes stop by his shop to chat and to check out the latest ebike technology. The equipment is evolving fast in this new/old eco-friendly form of transportation.
So far, I have been reluctant to consider an electric bike myself.
I still see myself as a relatively “young” 56 year old. At some level, I guess we are all reluctant to admit that we’re getting old. (Luckily I have children who aren't reluctant to say, “Dad, admit it, you’re old”.)
Aside from the fact that I love to ride my human powered street bike, I worry that if I start to accept electrical assistance on my bicycle, would I soon find myself requiring assistance to do everything?
I already have an electric toothbrush. Would riding an ebike be a slippery slope to riding around everywhere. Would an electric powered wheelchair then be in my near future? Would it be a short cut to that final ebike commute?
Recently, however, I have begun to reconsider using an electric bike.
There are plenty of errands that I don’t do on my regular bike, because I am in too much of a hurry, or I have to carry too much, or I have already gotten a lot of exercise that day. Or more often, I just don’t want to get all sweaty. (See appendix for a complete list of my excuses.)
Maybe an electrically assisted bike would reduce the number of car trips that I take. Perhaps owning an electric bike would reduce the number of our car trips, and thus our environmental impact.
Maybe we would end up riding our "regular" bikes more, rather than less, and stay in better shape. Perhaps we would keep the bike riding “habit” alive, by having a way to ride, even when we don’t really feel like bike riding.
Another advantage of biking more (ebike or regular), is that when I do bike I feel more connected with the community. Definitely more than when I am hidden behind the tinted windows of my car.
In Puerto Armuelles, I notice that I ride my bike much more in the rainy season than I do in the dry season.
The 10 degree cooler temperature, plus the overcast skies makes the rainy season perfect for cycling.
I find I am more reluctant to hop on my bike in the hot dry season. I definitely don’t do it as much.
For instance, our family always seems to forget to buy some critical item at the grocery store. Which then requires someone shlep back downtown to Romero’s. And it is usually I who does that trip.
In the hot season, I usually make that 2nd trip to Romero by car.
There are other trip I could take by ebike too. As a home builder, I find myself taking frequent runs to the hardware store for small miscellaneous fasteners, adhesives, wire, blades, etc… for the construction crew.
Sometimes I take these trips by bike. If I really crank, I can probably get from our house in Las Palmas, to Casa Cheong (about 3/4 a mile, slightly downhill) in under 2 minutes. However, by the time I arrive back home, I am usually pretty sweaty.
I love to ride fast, and I love to exercise. But, sometimes I just don’t feel like getting all “pitted out”.
Observing some of the other expat in Puerto Armuelles, I notice that not too many are bike riders. There are a few, but not many.
I imagine, like me they also don't want to get over-tired or too sweaty.
Puerto Armuelles is laid out along the ocean, so generally, it is flat as a pancake. Our house in Las Palmas is up a slight hill, perhaps 10 or 12 feet above downtown.
This is an ideal topography for even a very modestly powered ebike.
Perhaps expats in Puerto Armuelles (and the tropics in general) is the ideal market for electric bikes.
The electric bike just might bring a whole new level of fun and convenience to retirement life in Puerto.
In my own case, as I get older, I anticipate that I will still enjoy feeling the breeze in my (thinning) hair. I will still enjoy the freedom and the exercise of riding a bike.
However, I can foresee a time, not too distant, when I will happily opt for the ease of an electric bike. I think that I will ride more often, if I know that I don’t have to pedal the whole time.
With an electric bike, I’ll be able to exercise, without overdoing it.
I am going to be giving electric bikes a test ride in the near future. I will report my findings.
However, in the meantime, there is lots of information available about ebikes online. You can convert a bike you already own, or buy a new or used electric bike. (Maybe we should add it to our post about "Packing for your move to Panama".)
If you would like to check out our friend Henry’s shop, visit BikeSwift.com.
If you have any information to share with our readers about electric bikes, or other alternative transportation methods, please let us know.
If you are interested in living green, I wrote about using taxis in Panama - a green and affordable alternative.
Thanks!
Reyn
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[leadplayer_vid id="59ED1F85F330D"]
Geckos are a fact of life in Panama
This video gives you a little preview of the "World of Geckos!"
I'm Betsy of Living in Panama
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This gecko was filmed in our house in Puerto Armuelles Panama.
Normally, we don’t have geckos on our cutting board but someone who will remain nameless (cough) my husband, left honey on the cutting which brought bugs, and then this gecko.
Typically you will see geckos on the ceiling and in light fixtures. I mean, you will 'em everywhere but that is where you tend to see them more often.
They have suckers on their feet so that they can stick to the walls and the ceilings.
I enjoy watching them do all sorts of things. They leap to get bugs. They fight each other, and more.
They are even tinier than this when they are born. You will find eggs like these in nooks and crannies in your house that are protected from the sun. The eggs will grow more and more translucent till you can actually see the baby gecko inside.
And if you touch the egg at the right time, it will just open up. And the baby is born. It's pretty cool
My youngest daughter loves to pet geckos. She says they have soft and smooth skin.
Now, some people don’t like geckos. Some don’t like their surprisingly loud clicking noise.
I personally don’t like the poop they leave on my bathroom sink. I leave the light on there all night long and they love to congregate there. Their poop is small, pretty dry, and does not smell.
So overall, personally, I think geckos are cool. They eat bugs and are entertaining.
Love or hate them, you will not be able to avoid them in most of Panama.
For more information on living in Panama, click the link below.
Visit our site, LivinginPanama.com. We have lots of information about moving to and living in Panama.
Thanks for watching and don’t forget to subscribe.
I bought my property long before I retired and moved here, but I made frequent trips to “window shop”, as they say.
I selected the delightful beach community of Puerto Armuelles as my retirement haven. I have never looked back.
I retired from my real job to my hobbies – and there are many. I am well suited to entertaining myself. And that is fortunate as Puerto Armuelles is almost completely void of entertainment.
I do not consider eating out a pleasant pastime. There are several excellent restaurants in our community, but since cooking is one of my hobbies, I prefer to prepare my own.
There are no movie theaters (rely on your DVD collection or Netflix) and the closest “mall shopping” is a 30 to 40 minute drive from Puerto Armuelles. Although, with our new 4-lane road the drive is much more pleasant (it used to be only 2-lanes).
There are movie theaters in David, but mostly in Spanish and reportedly the sound system is awful. I would not know as I do not care to drive 1 ½ hours to watch a movie when I can sit in the comfort of my home with Netflix!
Panama cable television is primarily in Spanish with a few English channels – I tried it for a while, but just did not derive enough benefit. Reruns of programs that I had no interest in the first time around!
Cell phones are the primary means of communication. Almost the entire country relies on Whatsapp. Whatsapp is a free application that allows people to talk and text, send photos or videos, etc.
Best of all if you are outside the country and have your phone, your WhatsApp will continue to work as it does in Panama. At least it does in Canada, the United States and Colombia – that I can attest to. I have no reason to doubt that it works the same elsewhere.
Panama is not a country of seasons – it is always hot! While it does cool off pretty quickly at night – if you are outside a major city – because there is little concrete – including paved roads, it will always be warm during the day.
In the mountains it is cooler, but it is also rainier.
The beaches are delightful here in Puerto Armuelles. And there is always some shell collecting to be done.
The tide drop is huge and I generally take advantage of this to walk on the firmer wet sand for exercise. Slogging through dry sand is its own special type of intense workout.
Find out what is and isn’t available to you in Panama.
Not everything you are accustomed to finding easily in your “home” location is readily available in Panama.
If you have items and/or services (reliable high speed internet springs to mind) you “cannot live without” then you may possibly want to reconsider your decision to move here, learn to live without some of those luxuries, or adapt to what is available here.
Fruits and vegetables are readily available from truck vendors in our town. Many of them drive through the neighborhoods, which I find extremely convenient!
Fish
There is a fish market is in town. But again, there are also neighborhood vendors. The fish you buy was generally caught last night. The boats go out at night and return in the mornings.
Do not let them convince you that a rooster fish is good to eat – it is not. I am not sure I would even want to make a soup with it!
Red fish, tilapia, shrimp in season, lobster in season, tuna, mackerel are some of the more readily available varieties.
Small stores
The small grocery stores, called tiendas, are generally well stocked, albeit in the small size. They are a handy source for staples – chicken, rice, sugar, milk, onions, carrots, green peppers, etc. None of the tiendas near my house sell beer, but they may in other areas.
Goods from USA
PriceSmart (like Costco), and supermarkets such as El Rey/Romeros, Super 99, Extra (I am told), Dorado (I am told) and several other stores seem to be adding more and more U. S. items to their shelves.
That being said, you must remember that just because you find it one day does not mean you will find it again at a later date. Sometimes it is really hit or miss. If you find it, buy it is a good rule of thumb.
If internet is important to you, be sure there is availability in the area you are considering.
Not much has changed in the last several years in the way of improved service, if you are considering living outside a major city. While there have been some improvements, a lot must still be done to improve the standard of Internet service in the outlying areas of Panama.
The dogs roam freely here as many are compelled to forage for their food.
The dogs are sometimes a noise issue. Learn to sleep with ear plugs or put a pillow over your head!
Panamanians like their music loud!
There is a law in our town and you can call the police who may or may not come to your aide. The police are required to take down the name, address and identification number of the person in violation and report that to the local Corregiduria for further action. Eventually, the neighborhood will be quieter, but it does take some effort. I just learned to basically tune it out.
Panamanians love to celebrate their independence from both Spain and Colombia (both events occur in November). The school bands start practicing well in advance!
I love the enthusiasm and the parades. It reminds me of the 1950s when people weren’t so consumed with their lives and had time for family activities and major celebrations.
Panamanians typically view Gringos as ATMs. They think that all Gringos are rich.
I have been told that the preachers in some churches have told their congregations, if a Gringo has it and you want it, just take it. I cannot personally vouch for that, because my Spanish is not that developed and I do not attend the “local” (read that, neighborhood) churches.
Panamanians also have little regard for borrowed property. If you loan something, you will have to ask for it back. And it will not always come back in the same condition. There will be no offer of repair, replace or reimbursement.
/panama/frustration-employees-appointments-electricity-internet/Best rule of thumb – if you don’t want to be without it, don’t lend it.
We welcome your contributions. We are looking for points of view and experiences that would be beneficial to our readers. We can name you as the author or give you some anonymity by using the "guest contributor" byline. There will be mild editing of all contributions to help readability.
Please let me know if you would like to write something - or do a video - on a topic that would benefit other readers of this site. Thank you.
You may also want to check out a post I wrote recently about other not-great-parts of life in Panama.
We knew, in our hearts, that if only we lived in Paradise, we would automatically be happy 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.
Even our dreams would be perfect
(And best of all, we would remember them!).
For our part, Betsy and I try to do everything we can to encourage people to take a deep breath, slow down, and not to rush the process.
We want to help potential Panama expats to make sure that theirs is not a rash, emotional reaction to just having finished a whirlwind tour of sandy beaches, luxury hotels, and afternoon cocktails all over Panama. Then climaxing in an impulsive decision to sign a purchase contract. And then find themselves suddenly living in Central America for the rest of their lives. Perhaps wishing that they had never left Cleveland, or Indianapolis, or Toronto.
There is nothing wrong with Central America, per se. In fact, there is a lot of good to be found in
However, none of these “little perks” should be confused with HAPPINESS.
After all, we are not actually moving to the tropics for birdsongs, warm sands, and beautiful sunsets. Most of us, if only in our secret hearts, are moving here because we want to be HAPPY. Because without happiness, we have nothing.
For some people, what they find in Panama is the perfect recipe for them to pursue their ongoing happiness.
For others, a move to the tropics will prove to be isolating, disorienting, alienating, and ultimately tragic move.
However, in all fairness to the tropics, for some of these unhappy people, their own personal life trajectory was inclined toward unhappiness before they arrived in Panama. So tropical living cannot really be blamed. For people in that situation, finding themselves retired and living in an unfamiliar environment, only contributes to their isolation and negative mindset. Also, some expats’ loose interpretation of when the "cocktail hour” begins can greatly contribute to their ultimate state of unhappiness, all while living in Paradise.
Happiness is something that every person on earth is interested in. However, happiness comes more easily for some, than for others.
I have generally been a pretty happy person. However, I have to admit, that I have always found it easier to be happy when things are running smoothly. I guess I am like a lot of other people in that I prefer to have things go my way. When that happen, it is easier for me to feel gratitude. I definitely notice that I get a “jolt” of happiness when I am grateful for something.
Gratitude is a sense that there is abundance, and that all is well with the world. It means that I am being taken care of, or at least regarded as being worthy of consideration.
A very simple example is seen in the following instance. I go to eat in a restaurant where the service and the food are excellent. I am very appreciative, so I feel inclined to leave a big tip for the waiter. I might even thank the owner of the restaurant personally. Asking them to thank the chef for a wonderful meal. I thoroughly enjoy the event. I feel HAPPY.
It seems pretty obvious to me that my state of happiness derives from my having received something I wanted, a good meal.
I think that most of us can relate with the notion of happiness deriving from our having received something that we wanted. We want something, We get it, We feel happy. And we are therefore grateful for our good fortune. This seems obvious.
However, there is a whole school of psychology which declares that we have it all backwards.
Positive Psychology posits that our happiness derives, in fact, not from having gotten something we wanted, but from the feeling of GRATITUDE that infuses our entire being for having gotten that “something” that we wanted.
Positive Psychology suggests that I don’t actually need to get anything that I want, in order to feel that magical “buzz”of gratitude. I can manufacture gratitude, right here at home, in my very own mind, and in my heart. Best of all, I can do this all the time.
According to positive psychology theory, the gratitude that I produce in my mind, artificially without the stimulus of having actually received anything tangible, is just as potent in triggering the happiness as the gratitude that arises from having received something tangible, and desirable. It can just be produced in our minds, by our own willpower. Of course, this willpower can be greatly enhanced, if we practice feeling grateful every day.
To see proof for this theory, we need only look around us. You see many people who appear to have everything that a human being could possibly desire, yet, these fortunate people are desperately unhappy. On the other hand, we know people who suffer great poverty, or terrible health, or family tragedy, and yet they are deeply happy. How do these happy people do it?
How, you might ask, does Simulated Happiness Theory relate to our decision to move to the tropics?
Well, it is not surprising that many of us who move to the tropics assume that by moving here, to our very own private piece of Paradise, we will experience far greater happiness than we could have by staying put in our previous location.
What is surprising is the number of people whose experience of life in Paradise falls far short of the life that they had envisioned, in terms of their overall happiness.
This happens primarily because these people have the happiness/gratitude connection reversed. They are caught in the false model of happiness that says that when everything finally begins to go their way (as it should), they will then, and only then begin to feel happy and grateful.
Those of us who have discovered the technique to cultivating our own happiness, realize that we might have waited many lifetimes for happiness to suddenly arrive on its own.
Once we realize that happiness is not an end result, but an ongoing effort, we are able to control our own happiness. It is not up to the specific ups and downs of our day.
Believe me, even here in Paradise, days have their inevitable ups and downs. But my happiness does not have to gyrate up and down like a yo-yo, depending upon what is going on in my day.
Happiness, like any worthwhile goal, requires effort.
Surely one would not expect to learn to speak Spanish just by waiting for Spanish language fluency to spontaneously arrive in your brain. It is the same with learning a musical instrument, or learning to meditate.
If we invest as little as 15 minutes every morning in practicing gratitude, we will very quickly begin to feel happier.
If you haven’t tried this, you will be amazed. This good feeling just grows, the more we practice. It doesn’t go away with the arrival of illness, or the death of a loved one. It doesn’t go up and down with the stock market. If we practice cultivating feelings of gratitude, every day, for 15 minutes, we feel much, much happier.
This practice does not require moving to Panama; You can do it right there in New York, or Seattle, or Detroit.
If you wake up in the morning and express your “thanks” to God, or whatever your higher power might be, for the mere fact that you are alive for another 24 hours with all its joy, sorrow, sunshine, and rain, then you are off to a good start to experience a day filled with Happiness.
One thing you will notice in Panama is the number of locals who, when asked “how’s it going?, will respond,
“Very well, thanks to God” (Muy bien, grasias a Dios).
For years, I just let the significance of this seemingly perfunctory response go right by me. It was just what Panamanians said, because of their Catholic/Christian background. It did not apply to me.
However, as I have delved deeper into my practice of gratitude, I have discovered that I also wanted to join in the group who gives thanks to God every time I am asked “How’s it going?”.
Now I say, "Muy bien, grasias a Dios" too. (Very well, thanks to God).
Just by speaking those words, I feel much better. If I were having a less than perfect moment in my mind, these simple words set me straight right away.
It doesn’t matter that my precise interpretation of God may be different from someone else’s. What matters is that I am taking this opportunity to vocalize my gratitude for all that I have today. I have a lot to be thankful for .
Mostly, my days are wonderful. I have my health. I have my wife Betsy. I have my children, Skylar and Blaise. Oh yeah; I almost forgot the least important item on my gratitude list; and I live here in Paradise.
What could I possibly have to complain about? The answer: Nothing.
As long as I don’t go searching for something to feel bad about. If I continue to look for and to focus on the good things in my life, and remember to practice GRATITUDE every day, my days are generally excellent!
Thanks for reading.
Reyn
Life in Panama is not all roses.
It can seem that things take forever to happen here.
But once something does happen, you are often required to act quickly, if not immediately.
Life in Panama can be like playing right field in baseball. Mostly you get to hang out, but you never know when you will be required spring into action and catch a fly ball.
2 things happened last month. 2 events that stole time I had allocated to doing last month's Living In Panama newsletter.
Both times we were suddenly notified that we had an appointment, with just a few hours notice.
Such short notice announcements are not uncommon. It is simply expected that you will rearrange your schedule. Getting mad about it will do no good. Of course, if you really cannot make the meeting, it can usually be rearranged.
But in general, if you can, it is best to make the appointment. Especially if it is something you want to resolve. Sometimes the meeting won't be rescheduled for a quite a long time. Plus you are not guaranteed you will get any greater advanced notice of that meeting either.
The first sudden notice of an appointment happened at our house. A policeman, who we know, showed up on his motorcycle about 8am one day. He was giving us notice that we needed to show up at the Ministry of Labor (Ministero de Trajabo) at 10am. Yes, in 2 hours.
We all shook our heads and shrugged over the notice. And we had a nice chat together.
So many things in this particular scenario can be frustrating, especially to expats. That is, in addition to being exasperated over the very short notice.
The worker who had the dispute did not even work for us. He worked for a local contractor. Our only connection was helping to set up the local contractor with an expat's building project. We also helped communicate between the parties.
The worker knew he was very unlikely to get any money from the local contractor, so he didn't cite him. The worker also knew he wouldn't get anything from the expat who had the building project. Not only was that expat not in town, but the worker had stolen a sodering machine from the expat.
Basically, he was looking around for someone to get money form and the only person around who vaguely fit the bill was us.
So we all met at the Ministry of Labor here in Puerto Armuelles. We have had dealings with the Labor Minister over the years. Also he lives right next to our Casa Sunshine property.
The worker said his piece. We said our piece. The Labor Minister asked us all questions. Then we had to wait while the Labor Minister slowly typed up a document on his computer. It was a document that basically said that all the parties had discussed the problem and we had come to no resolution. Then we all signed it.
The Labor Minister told the worker, these are the wrong folks for you to lodge a complaint against. Call in the local contractor, or the expat who the contractor worked for. The worker was a bit shame-faced when we explained he couldn't go to the expat because he had stolen from that expat.
The whole procedure probably happened faster for us than it would have if the worker had called in an expat unknown to the Labor Minister. As I said, the Labor Minister knows us. He knows we are good employers who treat our workers well and always pay a good wage, in full, and on-time.
The Labor Minister seemed to acknowledge that the worker had no real claim against anyone. But he never said it outright to the worker. He simply told him all the avenues he could pursue his claim, not that his claim had no basis.
So nothing bad occurred to us from being called to the Ministerio de Trabajo. But it did cost us our morning.
But it could have been worse.
We could have spent time and energy being upset about the short notice and the ridiculousness of having to defend ourselves against a baseless claim.
Everything takes much less time and energy, if you just go with what is actually happening. Personally, I find it both exhausting and demoralizing to keep insisting that reality should happen in some other way.
And it is possible to turn the event into a relatively pleasant experience. During the time we were waiting at the office, my husband and I chatted pleasantly. I actually rarely get a chance to simply hang out with my husband. I was even able to use my phone to respond to some emails. It is unlikely I would have done either of those items if I had been all scrunched up with anger and exasperation.
Something you should know is that you do not have to pay any money at the Ministerio of Trabajo. No matter what they tell you. Do NOT sign anything saying that you owe any money or other item. The Labor Ministers are mediators only. They have no authority to make you pay anything to a worker. However, if you sign something saying you owe money, then you are on the hook for that payment.
Often both parties meet after going to the Labor Minister, but not with the Labor Minister, to settle for lessor amount than the worker(s) were demanding in front of the Labor Minister. If you do that, make sure the worker(s) sign a document saying you no longer owe them any money in any way. However, settling with the worker is totally optional.
If the workers are serious, they will make their claim at Labor Court. The Labor Court is generally fair, so if you don't think you owe anything to the worker(s) don't be afraid to be taken to court.
That same week, our lawyer Whatsapped us at 6am saying we needed to sign a form at an office in Puerto at 9am. Yes, that same day; a 3 hour notice this time.
It is a good thing that Reyn and I are early risers.
So we quickly rearranged our morning and went. It turns out that it was much more than signing a form.
According to our lawyer, signing a form was all that was really needed. She said that in David the same procedure only requires a signature. But, for some unknown reason, they made a whole meal of this simple procedure in Puerto.
NOTE: Generally, when dealing with officialdom in Panama, just do what they request. No matter how wrong-headed you think it is. Having good relations with those officials is much more important than being right.
The lawyer had also arranged for an official translator from David to be there as well. The translator wasn't really needed, but he was there. I asked the translator when he had been notified of this event. He said 2 weeks ago!
He had 2 weeks notice and we had 3 hours. Okay, another frustration. I, of course, mentioned this to our lawyer. The explanation the lawyer provided was unsatisfactory. In my opinion, she had simply forgotten to notify us.
This event took many hours. Part of that time was spent waiting for the office staff to get ready for the appointment they had set themselves. Oh, well.
You should know that "playing right field-type" things will happen in Panama. You may have been talking with someone for months, maybe years, about buying or selling a property, or setting up a boy scouts pack. Then one day they will show up at your house ready to make it happen. And they will expect you to do it now. Right then.
My advice, if you are sure you want to make it happen, do it right then.
Things change. Some folks will take offense that you won't do it right then. You need to know the players and how they are likely to respond to you delaying action now that they are finally ready to take action themselves.
This month, like most months, no sudden and unexpected appointments occurred.
This month's frustrations mostly involved electricity and Internet. Or rather, the lack of those items.
We had a few electrical outages this month due to trees falling during storms and work being done on the electrical lines. The electricity was never out for long. Well, not more than 3 or 7 hours. But still.
FYI - It is unlikely you will be notified in advance of an electrical out-age due to work being done. There is not alot of emphasis on customer service in Panama.
Of course, when there is no electricity, there is no Internet either.
This month we have also lost Internet alot. Much more than usual. Months can go by without any failure in Internet. But this month, we lost Internet multiple times for significant periods of time.
In an unusual situation, 2 times in 2 weeks someone decided to steal the Internet cable that feeds the Las Palmas neighborhood. I live in the Las Palmas neighborhood. They stole it for the copper.
The 1st time it took 3 days for Cable & Wireless (nicknamed Cable & Worthless) to replace the cable. The 2nd time it took them 5 days. 5 days! I was not happy.
Milton of Heavenly's Hotel lent me his Claro hotspot router. He said it always worked great for him. But Claro must not have much coverage in my neighborhood because trying to make it work was just another source of frustration for me. Though, I do appreciate his thoughtfulness.
Cable & Wireless's Internet failed a few other times during the month. When we called about it, there was an outgoing message notifying us that a significant portion of Panama was experiencing similar problems. They said they were working on it. Typically, they had it functioning again within 24 hours, at most. But, of course, each time you have no idea how long it will be until they can fix the Internet.
Find out more about Internet in Panama here.
I have the most difficulty in being patient when there is no Internet. I find being tolerant of sudden and urgent appointments and bewildering decisions by officials to be much easier. But after 5 or 6 hours of no Internet, I have to start reminding myself to breathe and to accept the reality of the situation.
It will come as no surprise to you that I am going to change internet providers! I am going to switch to Cable Onda. I have been considering this change for quite some time.
Some people love Cable Onda, and some hate it. It is the typical dilemma of staying with the devil you know, rather than switching to a devil you don't. But this month's Internet issues has strengthened my resolve to switch. Plus Cable Onda has been promising faster speeds in our area. Definitely faster than Cable & Worthless.
We will see whether their promises and reality coincide. I will let you know.
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As a bonus we ran into a few other people from Puerto who were at the Circus.
This was the first time we have seen Circus Portugal.
This circus has no live animals.
I know there are many reason people object to animals in the circus. But one thing I like about animals in circuses, at least in Panama, is that you get to see them up and personal.
They are housed right outside the circus tent. So even if you don't go to the Circus, you can see the animals. I have seen camel, giraffes, elephants and more housed outside when the circus has been in town.
If you don't want to watch the video, the transcript is below.
Hi this is Betsy of Living in Panama
We went to the circus in David the other day
I just wanted to give a little snippet of what it was like.
The circus comes through the Chiriqui province probably 2, maybe, 3 times a year. Different circuses.
It stops in David as well as in Pasa Canoas, which is at the border.
We really like going to the circus.
We used to love the Circus Renato.
But for reasons that are understandable I don't think they are around any more. They had a many live animals and for obvious reasons, people have objections to that.
But Renato was an amazing showman. He put on a great show.
This was a fine circus.
It was mostly, which I don't capture much here,great for its comedy.
The best comedy we saw, I actually didn't record.
If you ever want to go, it is here to the end of the month. It's right next the Pricesmart and the Chiriqui Mall.
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Thanks for watching
