One Liner:
Why do I live in Panama? The question is, "Why don't you?"
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What first brought you to Panama and what were some of the deciding factors?:
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Panama offers a higher quality of life with a lower cost of living. It's the best real estate market in this hemisphere, an entrepreneur's dream and a paradise for anyone who enjoys the ocean or the outdoors.
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How long have you been living in Panama and how long do you see yourself here in the future?:
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I've been here 2 years and am in it until Panama looks like any city in the US.
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What are the positive aspects of life in Panama?:
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Great weather, wonderful people, easy travel opportunities to the Caribbean and Latin America. Lots of beautiful women, really interesting people from all over the world, great food and everything you could want to do that doesn't involve snow.
From a business perspective, it doesn't get much better than this.
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What are the negative aspects of life in Panama?:
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Traffic, vehicle and construction noise, a complete lack of control over vehicle safety and inspections, the government's failure to manage buses and taxis, pollution, in-efficient and bureaucratic processes without enough technological support, bad customer service, slowly improving infrastructure and rampant corruption without enough oversight.
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What one aspect of your life in Panama makes it all worthwhile?:
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That feeling when you close your eyes and all the smells, feelings and sounds do nothing but soothe you. There are so many places in this country that are like that.
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Was it difficult to become "legal" or achieve residency for you in Panama?:
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Very difficult and ridiculously bureaucratic and corrupt.
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Do you speak Spanish and do you think it's necessary in order to succeed in Panama?:
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Mas o menos and it's only necessary to speak enough to get around unless you want to do business or socialize with people who only speak Spanish.
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What are your future plans in Panama?:
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The development and roll out of The Panama Network. I'm putting together over 400 websites about nearly every area of interest in Panama; From real estate, tourism, hotels, resorts, tours and activities all the way to doctors, lawyers, insurance, maids, drivers and nightclubs.
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Favorite restaurant in Panama (include brief review por favor):
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The Bristol Hotel Restaurant. The food quality is great and consistent. The service is magnificent and they have the best breakfast brunch in town.
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Talk about where you live: location, type, neighbors, costs, amenities, conveniences?:
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El Cangrejo is a wonderful area of town. The park's great, Via Argentina is only two blocks away and has a ton of great restaurants, an awesome bagel shop, a decent little pool hall, pharmacies and just about anything else you'd need, all within walking distance.
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How are you received by the locals in Panama?:
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In general, Panamanians are wonderful people. They're warm and accepting, relaxed and happy.
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Do you ever miss home and if so, how do you best cope with it?:
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I miss the conveniences and family. But they're a quick flight away and it's always great to come home.
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Do you have any tips for people thinking about moving to Panama?:
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Do as much research as possible about Panama in advance. Get to know some people that are here through some of the groups, myspace or facebook. Whatever your reason for coming, find some people who have done that here first and get it first hand.
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