SunsetSteve Posted October 25, 2015 Share Posted October 25, 2015 These warnings to prospects are timely and useful, but are starting to make me wonder what I am not getting. We spent a month in Boquete last January and are scheduled for another 3 weeks this coming January, including a week at Habla Ya. We tried to do some exploring last year and plan for more this year - mainly the area between David and Boquete. I would also like to confirm whether or not my impression of Volcan was fair. I thought it was kind of dismal overall.Where we live now we have basic services - one each of grocery, pharmacy, bank, post office, and a whole buncha churches. A few restaurants but none worth eating at. Several real estate offices, a part-time vet, medical clinic and one lawyer (me). No garbage pickup. Heat is by propane. Water is lake intake with filter and UV, but for drinking we use refillable exchangable large jugs. Just to be sure We are surrounded by lakes and forests and little traffic except summer long weekends when the tourists come. For restaurants, movies and shopping we have a choice - 40 minutes south or 90 minutes east to the city.This is in the heart of eastern Ontario and the city I referred to - the one that is 90 minutes away - is Canada's capital city.So you might understand that for me, moving to a mini-tropolis like Boquete is a significant step up in terms of lifestyle and in terms of infrastructure. I was very impressed with the roads and public transportation in Panama.We have been broken into while away 3 times in 10 years and had our ATV stolen. My bad, that one!So: need I fear culture shock? Am I unprepared for life in the Chiriqui Highlands? (honest question, I don't do snark)Stephen Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Don Ray Posted October 25, 2015 Share Posted October 25, 2015 You will really not know what you are getting into until you have lived through a minimum of three to four months in both the rainy and the dry season. That six to eight months will allow you to experience many of the cultural differences. Planing for healthcare incase of emergency should be on your planning list of things to check out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keith Woolford Posted October 25, 2015 Share Posted October 25, 2015 These warnings to prospects are timely and useful, but are starting to make me wonder what I am not getting. We spent a month in Boquete last January and are scheduled for another 3 weeks this coming January, including a week at Habla Ya. We tried to do some exploring last year and plan for more this year - mainly the area between David and Boquete. I would also like to confirm whether or not my impression of Volcan was fair. I thought it was kind of dismal overall.Where we live now we have basic services - one each of grocery, pharmacy, bank, post office, and a whole buncha churches. A few restaurants but none worth eating at. Several real estate offices, a part-time vet, medical clinic and one lawyer (me). No garbage pickup. Heat is by propane. Water is lake intake with filter and UV, but for drinking we use refillable exchangable large jugs. Just to be sure We are surrounded by lakes and forests and little traffic except summer long weekends when the tourists come. For restaurants, movies and shopping we have a choice - 40 minutes south or 90 minutes east to the city.This is in the heart of eastern Ontario and the city I referred to - the one that is 90 minutes away - is Canada's capital city.So you might understand that for me, moving to a mini-tropolis like Boquete is a significant step up in terms of lifestyle and in terms of infrastructure. I was very impressed with the roads and public transportation in Panama.We have been broken into while away 3 times in 10 years and had our ATV stolen. My bad, that one!So: need I fear culture shock? Am I unprepared for life in the Chiriqui Highlands? (honest question, I don't do snark)StephenStephen, it sounds like you would probably be better prepared than most in terms of adapting to imperfections that others find hard to deal with. Are you around Smith Falls or somewhere in that area? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bud Posted October 25, 2015 Share Posted October 25, 2015 Sunset,You ask a good question. The fact that you ask it tells me that you are much better prepared than most newcomers who arrive with only the images of sugarplums that were planted in their heads by information resources selling real estate, propaganda of living on the cheap, etc.I totally agree with the replies given by both Don Ray and Keith.Be especially mindful of the healthcare aspects of life in Chiriqui. I presume that you are a senior citizen or soon will be, which means healthcare challenges tend to become more frequent and slightly more complicated as a senior. One has to be here for quite a while (in my case since 2001) before beginning to absorb that there is no blood bank here, that making an appointment with most doctors (but not all) means that is the time that one arrives in the waiting room to hope for availability of the doctor (no guarantees here), that much of what is sold as healthcare insurance here is inadequate during times of trauma (heart attack, car accident, etc.), that diagnostic equipment may not be the latest and greatest model or that you wonder about when the last calibration was, or that blood work done by different labs on the same day may have radically different numbers, etc., etc.I am not trying to paint a bleak picture here. Just keep your eyes open and an inquiring mind at the ready and you can get through it. And as Keith says, it sounds like you are well ahead of most newcomers. When asked, I recommend that someone considering moving here have at least six months experience here, three or four in the rainy season and two or three in the dry season before making a decision. I say that because one then begins to appreciate power outages (e.g., late yesterday for several hours), the cost and time required of shipping goods to Panama, that there is no mail delivery (actually for me that is a positive), concerns about quality of water, concerns about availability of water (luckily not so much in the area where I live), and so forth. This is our home and we have learned to deal with these things.I will close with a tip, it is "TIP" -- This Is Panama. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Penny Posted October 25, 2015 Share Posted October 25, 2015 SteveThis is my home and they will carry me out in a box (or an urn). I grew up in a small town in northern Michigan and living in Boquete is like a return to those small town days with no movie theater, no other entertainment except shooting rats at the dump.What we have in Boquete is a great sense of community should you decide to share it with us. I'm convinced that it's unique in all of the expat havens I have visited or heard about. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnF13 Posted October 25, 2015 Share Posted October 25, 2015 Steve, we are from Eastern Ontario and lived much the same as you - we had to rely on ourselves for everything from policing to water to electricity (21 days without in January during the 1998 ice storm). We moved from a property that we had been in for 25 years and have never looked back. We did everthing wrong (according to the experts), bought cars and a house within three months of getting here for tge first time. As long as you are used to social deprivation (as you seem to be) then you will get aling fine here. Yes, the little towns and villages can be a bit depressing, but that is Canada 30-40 years ago. You will need to get used to bars on windows and being aware of your surroundings, but those are small things. Don't restrict yourself to Boquete, it is a love or hate relationship town, I don't live there but go a couple of times a week to get stuff. Let me know if you want to talk or meet when you come for the next visit, I will be happy to give you the good and the bad. Last comment, buy health insurance, wayyyyyy too many folks don't because "we were healthy and it was a waste of money"..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SunsetSteve Posted October 25, 2015 Author Share Posted October 25, 2015 It speaks well for the success of this forum that I received so many helpful comments so quickly.Keith - very warm! A little west of Smiths Falls and a little more backwoodsy: Sharbot Lake area.Power outages? Hah! I have a generator at home because you don't know "power outage" until you have one in the dead of winter. A power outage in summer is to laugh at! I have not looked into the cost of health insurance in Panama. I hope there are decent plans available a a reasonable cost. I will try to find a consultant to discuss this with in January. I have see a recommendation for an insurance broker located at Plaza San Francisco. Thanks again everyone! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keith Woolford Posted October 25, 2015 Share Posted October 25, 2015 Beautiful country Steve, went to Scout camp on Christie Lake near there once.Are you sure you would be able to live here without black flies and nickel-sized mosquitoes? We don't even have screens on most windows.Keith - very warm! A little west of Smiths Falls and a little more backwoodsy: Sharbot Lake area. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marcelyn Posted October 26, 2015 Share Posted October 26, 2015 Steve, Marcelyn here. I spent time at Lemon Creek. Near you? Don't have a map handy at the minute, but like Keith I remember the size of those mosquitos. Almost big enough to roast for dinner!For insurance here in Panama do check out Magda Crespo Ins. at Plaza San Fransisco (their ad is listed on this forum).You sound like good people. Come on down and enjoy all the good things Boquete has to offer. I Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JocelynF718 Posted October 26, 2015 Share Posted October 26, 2015 (edited) We were in Bourget, north-east of casseman, Ontario. We decided to relocate in November 2012 and I scheduled a recog-vacation in April. I was due to retire in August 2013. Never been to Panama but a friend was thinking about it. January put the farm up for sale thinking lots of time... At least fall until it sold. Six days later, we are homeless, decision time. I actually found the property we own on the Internet in December, 2012. The vacation, well we never used the return tickets and never looked back. Absolutely love it here. Edited October 26, 2015 by JocelynF718 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Administrators Admin_01 Posted October 26, 2015 Administrators Share Posted October 26, 2015 It speaks well for the success of this forum that I received so many helpful comments so quickly.... Sunset,Thanks for the positive feedback. Your experience with Chiriqui.Life is what we are trying to achieve for all of our members. At least we have one happy member. Now for happy member number 2, then happy member number 3, etc., .... One at a time is slow, but it does feel good.[In the interest of full disclosure, I also responded to this and your other inquiry, but using my personal name (Bud).]Admin_01 (aka Bud) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SunsetSteve Posted October 26, 2015 Author Share Posted October 26, 2015 Well I certainly hope to run into some of you in January. We booked at Isla Verde this time because you get a good rate via Habla Ya. So we thought we would spoil ourselves while scouting more modest digs for the longer term. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pantah Posted October 26, 2015 Share Posted October 26, 2015 I stumbled across "The Twisted Roots of Latin America" by Cuban journalist Carlos Montaner, free PDF download on the internet. Amazon probably has it too.This was for me essential in seeing the culture here through a Latino lense and not a North American lense. The culture is much more different than I ever realized, even after spending a few years here. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brundageba Posted October 26, 2015 Share Posted October 26, 2015 You might miss the lakes...... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SunsetSteve Posted October 26, 2015 Author Share Posted October 26, 2015 (edited) You might miss the lakes......No doubt, but when I return to Canada I miss the lush mountains. So where do I find an area with mountain lakes beside the ocean? More than anything I will miss boating. Edited October 26, 2015 by SunsetSteve Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SunsetSteve Posted October 26, 2015 Author Share Posted October 26, 2015 I stumbled across "The Twisted Roots of Latin America" by Cuban journalist Carlos Montaner,Will definitely seek that out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brundageba Posted October 27, 2015 Share Posted October 27, 2015 The coast is brutally hot. The mountains do not have abundant lakes...or lakes period. Rivers , yes. Beaches, yes. There is some of the very best fishing on the earth on the Hannibal Banks close by. Not cheap. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phil Posted October 28, 2015 Share Posted October 28, 2015 (edited) You might miss the lakes......There is good bass fishing at the two lakes here in Volcan. I am not into fishing so I don't know the type of bass there are but have seen some very large ones come out of the lakes. You will need a 4x4 to get in to the lakes in the rainy season. Phil......... Edited October 28, 2015 by Phil Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brundageba Posted October 28, 2015 Share Posted October 28, 2015 Where is the access?. I see it on google earth but am clueless as to how to navigate there. We found a lake out of Gualaca...went forever in our 4X$...never found it. There's Fortuna...but that's a bit out of the way Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bruce L Posted November 3, 2015 Share Posted November 3, 2015 I'd have to agree about Volcan (no offense to anyone who lives there). As you are aware I'm sure, there's plenty to do and see in and around Boquete. I really think you need to plan on spending 6-9 months there to get a good feel for the weather, activities, and learn some Spanish. See what the rainy season is like before you make the move. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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