Those who are looking for employment in a foreign country may regard Panama as a role model. With its modern and growing economy, Panama is far ahead of its Central American neighbors. Finding a job in Panama can be exceedingly rewarding whether it be for life or temporary employment to build a résumé. These job opportunities are similar to the ones in the U.S with the addition of English required positions like teaching or translating. The currency in Panama is the U.S dollar which they call the Balboa. This makes traveling much easier because you will avoid the exchange rate. Another plus is that Panama pays on a 13 month calendar. How’s that for a bonus?
The tropical sun combined with the often overwhelming humidity of Panama make doing anything without air-conditioning quite difficult. After a hot and sweaty week in the city an escape to cool off is an absolute necessity. Now most city-dwellers tend to head to the islands or beaches during their time off and while the ocean is a fantastic place to chill down, I’ve got another equally if not cooler option. An easy 2 hour bus ride from the city, El Valle de Anton is a nice little valley nestled in the mountains of the Coclé Province. The high elevation and persistent breeze gives this small, sleepy mountain town a very cool temperature most of the time, which is the perfect Read more
The housing market in Panama never ceases to amaze me. While browsing some real estate listings for a friend I discovered this seemingly great deal on a home in David, Panama. This 3 bedroom 4 bath home located in a safe and comfortable neighborhood is only listed for $100,000. You’d be hard pressed to find a home in Panama City or anywhere in the US with this much space for that price. The home is fairly new and boasts landscaping and private terraces. And, ou wouldn’t have to worry about driving too far for any conveniences as it’s located close to a new shopping center, plenty of restaurants and stores.
The concept of keeping appearances and worrying about what others think of me had little relevance until I came to Panama. I’ve heard countless people say that Panama City is like a really big small town in that there are tons of people, but somehow everyone seems to know everyone or everyone is only separated by a degree or two. While this may have its advantages or disadvantages for some it never really held much importance to me, only intrigue. I’m intrigued by the way that people carry themselves in Panama; how they dress, eat, walk, talk and generally behave. It seems that this factor of everyone knowing everyone, paired with remaining conservative views and a culture obsessed with Read more
With the definition of the “American Dream” changing and ideas regarding how we’re supposed to work and live evolving, the sabbatical can be seen as an excellent route to self discovery, renewed faith or enlightenment of sorts. The word sabbatical is derived from the Latin word sabbaticus which means “ceasing”. Recent economic changes have driven many of us to change what we were previously doing in trade for a different pace. The idea of working hard to gain a higher standard of living, more possessions and ample time to enjoy them in retirement doesn’t have the same appeal anymore.
Perhaps too many of us have seen the fruits of our labors vanish beyond our control. Or, perhaps we have Read more
I can recall, during my first few weeks in Panama, my Panamanian friend Charlie and I discussing random topics about the city over dinner. As a very “well endowed” young lady walked by the restaurant, catching attention from every man in a two block radius, I chuckled as Charlie nearly choked on his patacone. He looked at me in all seriousness and said “Honey, in Panama, nothing is real and everything is what it seems.” I laughed his comment off as I dug into my tamale; but I knew that the statement held more truth than anything I had seen or heard since arriving on this mystifying little isthmus.
As any country struggling to develop and define itself Panama has Read more
I love food. In general Panama has a decent food scene with moderate selection and a variety of restaurant atmospheres. But Panama can be expensive if you eat in many restaurants a lot. I prefer to dine out and make a sport of eating well on a budget. One can only eat so many deep fried empanadas, cheeseburgers and to go cups/bags of fruit and ceviche before they crave a little more variety. In Panama street food and cheap eats are abundant; but after a short while it all begins to taste the same. The upside to most diners and vendors in Panama is that you can still eat lunch for under $5. In some Panamanian restaurants $5 is Read more
The long awaited opening of the Trump Ocean Club in Punta Paitilla is quickly approaching. The seventy-two floor building will hold around 370 guest rooms with forty-seven suites. The remainder of the building will hold condos that will set you back $300 thousand to over $1 million; as well as 3 restaurants, 3 bars, 2 pools, and a private beach resort. This massive $400 million project is truly and architectural masterpiece that has been incredibly interesting to watch form over recent years.
The hotel and casino was set to open doors in November of 2010; however, holdups from delays in shipped materials, weather and underestimated detail work have set the open date back until this coming July. In recent Read more
Panama City is, in my opinion, a shopper’s paradise. There are four main malls in Panama City and each seems to draw tourists and locals inside and out of the heat by the hundreds. While I recommend shopping on the streets such as on Via Espana in El Congrejo the malls are a great way to spend the afternoon in air conditioning, grab a bite to eat and get some retail therapy.
The busiest mall in Panama is probably Albrook Mall near the Albrook air force base. The mall also houses the Albrook bus terminal likely helping keep it jam packed. Albrook offers some of the best prices in several discount stores such as Conway, Titan and El Costo Read more
If you’re searching for a lot of quality Peruvian food for not a lot of money in Panama head straight to La Jarana in San Francisco. If you love fresh seafood, ceviche, piles of fried rice dishes, grilled meats, and Peruvian beer for under $10 a plate then this is your place. The atmosphere of the place is warm, slightly small and very festive. The tables and walls are painted vividly and artwork spans the dining area. The smell however, surpassed the scenery. I couldn’t wait to order and see what all the fuss was about.
Our first course came in the form of arroz con pollo or rice with chicken. The portion was enough to feed 3 or Read more
