Who Are These People, Where did they come from and what are they doing here?

Expats at the swimming hole!

Let's take the easy question first! 

Where did they come from? The answer is they come from all over the world! Many ex-pats in Boquette are from all parts of The U.S. but a good number are from Canada, South Africa, Germany, France, and The UK.  There are also a lot of folks who were born in Panama, moved, lived in the US for years and then returned to Panama to retire.

Who are they? There are retired teachers, military, business owners, government workers, musicians, you name it, we have it!  I have been told that there are places in the world where the expat community consists of ¨the wanted and the unwanted¨, that is certainly not the case here in Panama.

It´s interesting to note, that you must have a clean record to get a permanent visa in Panama. You can hear story after story about people who wanted to move here but because they have a DUI from 20 years ago on their FBI report they can not get a permanent visa.   That doesn´t mean they can´t visit, but they are refused permanent residency. 

Another thing that keeps a lot of people out of Panama is the fact that gun ownership is highly regulated and in most cases strictly prohibited. If you have to have your gun collection, you basically have to stay in the States.

 ¨What are they doing Here?¨ To completely answer the question would take more time than I care to devote to this post. One interesting endeavor is ¨Tuesday Market¨ every Tuesday expats take their wares to a central location to sell to other expats! It´s kind of like an in-person Esty! Food, jewelry, housewares. One lady moved here and started experimenting with natural soaps and deodorants, I love her stuff!  There is a thriving community theater, and you can also find live music almost every day, (Some go to see, some go to be!)

All of the touristy stuff is here, tours, hiking, rock climbing, zip-lining, but most ex-pats leave that to the visitors. We would rather enjoy happy hours, Drum circles, Spanish lessons, and things like book clubs. (i.e. nothing too strenuous! LOL).

There are many volunteer opportunities, such as Amigos de Animales,   Boquete Health and Hospice, and many opportunities to work with the schools. There is a standing Once a Week Lecture at the Library and all sorts of classes! Perfume making, quilting, ¨paint and sip¨, Candy making, and of course Yoga, Pilates and other health and fitness opportunities.

True, some people come here and want to start a business. Some are successful, and some are not. More on this in a post to come. There is a well-established culture here. People work hard, value family and spiritual values, and they are not impressed with your money or what you may have had in the U.S.  After all you did leave the U.S. for Panamá, right? 

Everything here is based on relationships. If you treat people fairly and value your neighbors they will offer the same to you.  End of story!

Expat Thanksgiving Dinner 2023

We often get together for U.S. Centric Holidays

Somebody had a Birthday
Which is the only reason we need to sing and dance!

Christmas party at a friend's house
What you see here are a few people who are
 absolutely mesmerized by the beautiful
Carrot cake presented by one of our resident Bakers!

Happy Hour!
My Husband, Bob enjoying the company
of Some Some of the Beautiful Ladies of Boquete!

Here is a link to a short little video about Boquete. 10 reasons to live in Boquete 

I like this one because it is factual and the moderator is not trying to sell you real estate, or a tour, or show you how well they can maneuver their Webcam! LOL!