Here's another selection from the archives. Enjoy! I became a Panama expat one year ago. On March 13, 2012, I landed -- along with my mini-mountain of luggage -- at Tocumen International Airport in Panama City. My first few days here were pretty stressful. I'd flown down by myself to find … [Read more...] about My First Year as a Panama Expat
Learning the Language
It’s a Bird – It’s a Plane – it’s a Speeding Ticket!
Recently we experienced a less-than-pleasant aspect of life as Panama expats. We were driving from Las Tablas to Chitre and got a speeding ticket just outside the town of Guarare. It was a motorcycle cop who pulled us over. We could see him as we came around a gentle curve in the road. He was … [Read more...] about It’s a Bird – It’s a Plane – it’s a Speeding Ticket!
Do You Need to Habla Español to Live in Panama?
Many plan-to-be expats are concerned about the language, and rightfully so. After all, if you can't communicate you'll have a much harder time with everything in your new country. Shopping, eating out, finding a place to live, getting utilities turned on, taking cabs and buses or getting car … [Read more...] about Do You Need to Habla Español to Live in Panama?
My First Year as a Panama Expat
I became a Panama expat one year ago. On March 13, 2012, I landed -- along with my mini-mountain of luggage -- at Tocumen International Airport in Panama City. My first few days here were pretty stressful. I'd flown down by myself to find us a place to live. My husband and the dogs would … [Read more...] about My First Year as a Panama Expat
Three Ways to Learn Your New Country’s Language Before You Arrive
Now that I've been here in Panama for a few months, I really wish I'd put more into learning Spanish before I arrived. Oh, I worked on it, don't get me wrong. I took three semesters of conversational Spanish at my local community college, and I continued on my own using a couple of different … [Read more...] about Three Ways to Learn Your New Country’s Language Before You Arrive
Six Ways to Learn a New Language
So you're planning on living overseas -- do you really need to learn the language of your adopted country? I have a simple, two-word answer for you: it depends. Don't learn the language: If you plan to live, work and play among other expats If you're not interested in immersing yourself … [Read more...] about Six Ways to Learn a New Language