I lived in Panama City for nearly a year and a half, so I’ve decided to put together a neighborhood guide for those thinking about making the move to Panama City.

Area Bancaria/Obarrio/el Cangrejo: These three neighborhoods in Panama’s center are home to some of the city’s best hotels and restaurants, as well as the city’s flashiest casinos, most infamous brothels and most happening bars. These ultra convenient neighborhoods are relatively safe and walking distance to grocery stores, laundromats, restaurants and shops, but are not exactly sanctuaries of tranquility: All day traffic and activity here means lot of honking, pollution and yelling. Of the three, el Cangrejo is the most charming. Prices here have shot up in the last decade, so good luck finding anything under $1,000 a month.

Costa del Este: Out by the airport, Costa del Este is an upscale planned community featuring newer, “luxury” buildings. The drawback here is that you’ll need a car to get around because there’s not much within walking distance. The plus side? If you can afford to live here, you can afford a car.

Marbella/Buena Vista: This area is developing at breakneck speed. Calle Uruguay, in Bella Vista, is home to many of Panama’s top clubs. The new Cinta Costera, a pedestrian walkway on the coast, runs through Marbella. Many of the city’s most ambitious apartment and hotel projects are here, and it’s hard to find anything for less than $1,500-$2,000 a month. The Marbella/Bella Vista area is walking distance to grocery stores, shops and restaurants, so a car is not a must-have.

Ancon/Balboa/Albrook/Clayton: These are my four favorite neighborhoods in Panama City. There are few buildings here and most homes are colorfully-painted reverted canal era homes. Here, you’re far removed from the noise and pollution of downtown Panama City, and it’s not rare to see exotic birds and wildlife, making these the city’s most family friendly neighborhoods. The drawback here is that there’s very little within walking distance, so unless you want to spend a fortune on taxis, you’ll need a car. Expect to pay $750-$2,000 a month here in rent.

Amador Causeway: Panama City’s man-made causeway  is the perfect spot to go for a bike ride, drink a tropical cocktail or savor some typical Panamanian fare. In the last five or six years, dozens of residential  luxury developments have popped up near the Amador Causeway and if you can afford it, this is one of the most pleasant areas of the city to live in. Of course, you’ll need a car to get just about everywhere, but there’s nothing like watching the sunset on the Pacific.

Casco Viejo: Casco Viejo is Panama City’s historic quarter and by far the city’s most charming and picturesque neighborhood. Yes, some buildings need  a serious face-lift, but cobble-stoned plazas, fabulous restaurants and fun and funky bars more than make up for this. The drawback here is that safety is still somewhat of an issue, especially in the neighborhoods adjacent to Casco Viejo. Plus, you’ll need a car to get around. Prices have recently shot up here as the city has come in fashion with foreigners and bohemian types, so don’t expect to find amazing deals. In general, you’ll pay at least $800 a month for a one-bedroom apartment in Casco Viejo.

For more information about living in Panama, check out my blog or read more about a perfect day in Panama City. Or take a look at my two-week recap of what Panama has to offer.

Most of us take our morning cup of coffee for granted, not realizing the amount of processing and preparation that goes on between seed and hot cup of coffee. During my trip to Boquete this past May, I was invited on a private tour of Kotowa Coffee Farm by Hans van der Vooren, who owns and runs Coffee Adventures (www.coffeeadventures.net) along with his wife Terry.  Aside from being an entertaining and enthusiastic guide, Hans taught me a thing or two about coffee and I’ll never look at my capaccino the same way.  I decided to take a minute to ask Hans a few more questions.

Recently, several Panama coffees have won international coffee competitions. What makes Panama coffee so special? Is there something about Boquete that makes the coffee particularly good? Yes Boquete, on the south side of Volcan Baru has the climate. Its volcanic soil is perfect for [growing] Arabica coffee. Looking back, it also helped that panama had its fare share of political bad luck at the end of the Noriega era; a new coffee, Catimora, found its way into Latin America. Catimora coffee ended up having a disappointing taste, but a lot of coffee countries planted this coffee.

Not Panama. Panama was so poor it could not replant its plantations. The country was so poor that it stayed mainly with the old way of growing coffee: Small plantations close to nature and the old Arabica varieties. Next, there is a very good relationship between most of the coffee companies around Volcan Baru; in the last ten years especially, [they’ve] learned how to perfect the process together, and today Panama produces some of the best coffee in the world.

On that note, what makes a particular coffee “good?” Does it have to do with the kind of bean? Or does it depend more on the process? You cannot make a bad coffee good just by processing it right. Everything has to be done right, from the growing of the fruit to the roasting of the bean.

When I visited Boquete this past May and went on your coffee farm tour, I had no idea that the process of getting coffee from seed to cup was so involved, in many ways like the wine-making process.  I think most people don’t realize how long it takes for a coffee beanto make it onto grocery store shelves; how long, on average, does it take between the time a coffee bean is picked and the time it’s ready to drink? For our specialty Arabica it will take about 6 months.  An important part of the process is curing the coffee in for five months, like a wine.

You yourself have an organic coffee farm on your property; what motivated you to plant your own coffee, and how is it different from non-organic coffee farms in terms of yield and taste? The motivation for my wife, Terry, and I comes from one thing: The love for a good cup coffee.
In general, a non-organic commercial coffee is a cheap mass product; you simply use all means to produce the product as cheaply as possible. This does not mean it’s a bad product; it makes a lot of people happy, but it can be so much better! The coffee we grow on our estate is a hobby, so we can do things differently. We are only looking at the taste. We like to think we even surpass organic. [For the last 10 years] our coffee has been growing wild. We have not used any non-organic fertilizer. The coffee is planted beside the trees in the forest and the forest has to provide the nutrition and shade for the coffee trees. Next, we use a very old variety of Arabica called Tipica Criollo. We find it to be a very good coffee but also a very low production. A hobby.

Our coffee is only for guests staying at our lodge, Tinamou Cottage, here in the Jungle on the estate! (coffeeadventures.net/tinamou). We also will always bring our coffee on other tours like hiking and birding tours

Light roast, medium roast, dark roast; it all sounds fancy, but what exactly does it mean? What are the differences in taste, and how should I prepare each? Roasting is the moment the taste come out of the bean. In general you can taste the body, or basic coffee flavor, better in a darker roast, but you will lose the taste of the smaller flavors, which are characteristic to the variety of Arabica, such as nuts, fruit, chocolate, and caramel the darker you roast the beans. Therefore, we like to see a light roast as a “strong” and complex tasting coffee good for a drip and French press. If you like more body, the medium roast will work better. For an espresso machine, in general you will do fine with a dark roast, but with a good coffee, a medium roast will give you a more complex taste in your cup of espresso. The extra dark roast is also known as a French roast, and is good for coffee with extra added flavors, mostly in the form of a syrups added to the cup of coffee in the coffee shop.

I’ve heard the stuff you get at the grocery store is, literally, the bottom of the barrel. Is this true? No, but it’s a commercial coffee made as cheap as possible and mostly based on Robusta, a very easy to grow and produce coffee, but with a simple taste and in general, not a good aftertaste. More and more grocery store coffees are adding lower quality Arabica coffee, which makes the coffee somewhat smoother and more flavorful. We notice the world wants/likes to drink a better coffee.

Where can I get good coffee? A specialty store; just find a real coffee store.

How can those of us with an unsophisticated palette tell the difference between “good coffee” and “bad coffee?” Let’s start with this: A good coffee is a coffee you like, so you have to find the perfect coffee for you! A good coffee store will have a description of the taste of the coffee’s they offer and you have to look for the flavors and roast you like. This is also a part of the Kotowa coffee tour we organize here in Boquete. The tour is not just about how a coffee grows and how it’s processed; we will help you find your way in a coffee store! (www.coffeeadventures.net/coffeetour)

How did your passion for coffee develop? Was it something that started in Holland, or did it start when you moved to Panama? We always loved coffee but Panama made us coffee snobs, and we enjoy every moment and sip of our (coffee) life here in Boquete.

Your perfect cup of coffee? For us, it’s a cappuccino made from our own coffee in a medium roast, easy on the milk but lots of milk foam and a side of good Dutch apple pie. And just like wine, good company.

For more information, check out what to expect with customer service in Panama and abroad, or read more about living and working in Boquete.

Whenever I travel anywhere in Latin America, I’m always intrigued by expats I meet who’ve chosen to leave everything behind in the U.S., Europe or Canada to settle in Central or South America. And I don’t mean backpackers or embassy employees stationed somewhere for a couple of years; I mean those who back up their bags and set up their lives and livelyhoods abroad. I recently spoke to Canadians Jane and Barry, owners of the Coffee Estate Inn, about their decision to move to Boquete and the experiences and challenges they’ve faced living and working abroad.

What motivated you to move to Boquete?

In 1994-95, we were travelling on a sabbatical, reassessing our lives in our mid-40s without any intention to relocate.  After eight months of travelling throughout Mexico and Central America, we came to Boquete and realized that this was the most appealing location that we had visited.  We saw opportunities to create a business and decided that we could establish a new life here.

What was Boquete like when you first moved there?

Driving into Panama was a striking change to the rest of Central America!  Good roads, small, but well tended homes, “pride of place,” fresh milk in supermarkets and a wide selection of goods other than the basic necessities.  It was five years after the removal of Manuel Noriega.  Panama had returned to a democratically elected government, with a stable currency and a population with a broader outlook.

Boquete was a genuine blue-color agricultural town with coffee, oranges and vegetables.  It was a town populated by real people doing real things.  The tourists arriving in Boquete were Panamanians, U.S. military and Panama Canal resident employees, international backpackers and a few more well-to-do adventure travellers.

What are some of the challenges you faced moving to a foreign country?

We could write a book on this.  Off the top, here are some of our thoughts:

-Language and culture; we didn’t know anyone living in Boquete who spoke English for a year after our
arrival.  In hindsight, this was good because it forced us to speak Spanish.

-We learned quickly that we could not rely on anyone except ourselves.  This made us
unwilling to consider any expansion beyond our original plan.

-Partying is more important than working.

-The work ethic is completely different in Canada where people we knew and worked
with took pride in their output.

-We remember our lawyer telling us that we were very serious people for a county like
Panama. Fifteen years later, we fully understand what he meant.  Follow through and
commitment are of little interest.

-There is a general bureaucratic attitude that rights are actually only
administrative privileges.

- Our time has no value.  If our time had too much value in Canada, it has no value here.

-Curiosity is a rare trait.

Do you ever miss Canada or question your decision to move to Panama?

We never miss Canada.  At times, we do question our decision when we get entangled in the bureaucracy.

Was it your original intent to build a hotel? Or was that idea born after you moved to Boquete?

The decision to stay in Boquete and to build a small inn was determined at the same time.

How has the Coffee Estate Inn changed since it opened?

We changed from the original “cabana” model to a deluxe bungalow offering.  We market to “dual income, no children” couples.  We upgraded the accommodations, offered more sophisticated food services and expanded the gardens and trails.  We have roasted our own private estate coffee since 2000 and included a coffee and nature tour to our inn guests for as many years.  We created a limited availability coffee liqueur,  ”Barubica” in 2006.

How would you describe Boquete today, particularly the dynamic between expats and locals?

It is a community moving forward.  Coffee and agricultural products are still very important to the economy.  Tourism and tourism services have grown to attract a larger number of adventure tourists.  Fortunately, we no longer hear the buzz words “residential tourism” (making a buck on a second home) coined and promoted vigorously by less than desirable development entities. Over the years, the relationship between expats and locals has been up and down.  We seem to be in a more “up phase” since 2008 and the burst of the money-from-nothing real estate bubble.  We have more ex-pats here now who are making Boquete their home as opposed to ex-pats and transients who only came here to make money quickly and leave.

Advice for someone considering moving abroad?

If you are sure that you want to live abroad, do it while you have the energy needed to establish a new life in another culture.  Don’t wait until you think that you have enough money because you never know what may happen.

For more information about my travels in Panama, check out my blog. Or, check out related articles on customer service in Panama and abroad and information about Panama coffee from a coffee shop owner.

So you finally did it:  You quit your job, sold your home and bought a one way ticket somwhere south of the U.S/Mexico border. Fast forward a couple months and you’re living the so-called dream life somewhere near the Equator but it’s not exactly the glamorous new existence you’d been anticipating. Sure, your apartment is nice and you love X country, but…you don’t have much in the way of friends or a social life and you really don’t know where to get started.

If you’re shy like me, meeting people in a foreign country can be a slow and daungting process, but it’s not impossible. The odds are, if you could make friends back home, there’s no reason you can’t make friends in your new home.  I’ve moved abroad twice: Once to Panama City and then to Bogota, so I know how it feels to be alone and lonely in a foreign country. You tell everyone things are fantastic and you’re absolutely sure of your decision, but inside, you can’t help having those nagging doubts that maybe you were wrong; maybe you just can’t make it work in X country. So what do you do when you’re alone in a foreign country and don’t know anyone?

(1) Look into expat resources. I know that most of us move abroad because we want to assimilate in the local culture and make Panamanian/Costa Rican/Mexican friends, but I’ve found that expat groups are a really great way to meet people going through some of the same things. Everyone who joins these forums or groups is looking to meet people and socialize, and many of these groups are also open to non-expats who are interested in language/culture exchange. If you’re in the under 40 demographic, Coachsurfing.org  is a fantastic resource; aside from hosting meet-ups at local bars or parks, most Latin American countries also have sub categories meaning that if you  want to learn French, go hiking or get involved with the local gay community, there’s likely a group for you. Aside from Coachsurfing, most Latin American countries will have at least one social group catering to expats, and the Internet is your best resource for finding out more about these.

(2) Join something. For months after moving to Colombia, I complained to anyone who would listen (in the U.S. because I didn’t actually have anyone who would listen in Colombia) that I wasn’t meeting anyone. It then dawned on me that meeting people takes effort and it wasn’t going to happen if I sat around my apartment all day working in front of my computer and didn’t join any clubs or grups. So I moved my home office to a local cafe, joined a gym and am considering buying a bike and joining a weekend biking club. Soccer is huge in Latin America, so if you’re interested in “futbol”  joining a local soccer league is a great way to meet people with similar interests. Many countries also have ultimate Frisbee and baseball/softball leagues, as well as birdwatching, hiking, reading, poker groups and more. Join something that interests you.

(3) Live with people. Even if you’ve lived on your own for 10 years and the thought of having roommates fills you with dread, living with other people is one of the best way to feel connected to your new country and build a social network. Latin Americans are notoriously  friendly and outgoing, and will usually make an effort to include you in activities. Plus, roommates will introduce you to friends who will introduce you to other friends.

(4) Resist the urge to say no when people ask you to come out. As I mentioned, I’m a very shy person so the thought of going to a party with just one person I know (they might go talk to someone else and leave me standing awkwardly alone in a corner!) is terrifying.  But I always push myself to say yes and I nearly always have a good time. Yes, maybe I’m standing awkwardly on my own for a few minutes, but it never takes long before I’m talking to someone new. Even if you don’t make lasting friendships at bars or parties, these activities provide a social outlet and an opportunity to learn more about the culture and customs in your new country.

(5) Take a group Spanish or Portuguese class. If you’re already fluent in the local language, pick up another language. Group language classes will give you the opportunity to meet people from all over the world. If you’re under 30, sign up for a class at a university, where you’re bound to meet other young people interested in getting to know you and learn more about your culture. If you’re a little older, language institutes and academies often hold night classes for professionals that cater to a 30 plus crowd and even language classes aimed at retired folks.

For more on my travel experiences, check out my blog. For additional travel information, take a look at my pros and cons of visiting Latin America. Or, check out Adriana Harvey’s story about her experience studying abroad in Cuba.

I live in Bogota, what I would classify as a middle income city with a middle-of-the-road cost of living. One of the most frequent questions I get as an expat is: Do you think I can live on X amount of money per month in X country? My answer is always that it depends how you want to live and where you want to live. If your idea of retirement is living a simple life in a small house far outside any major city, then yes, you can probably live on $1,000 a month. Of course, if you want to live in a nice apartment in a nice part of town in a large city, your cost of life goes up. But the truth is, it’s really quite hard to answer this question because some countries are more expensive than others and some cities are pricier than others; you can live like a king on your social security check in rural Bolivia, but in Sao Paolo, you may find yourself struggling on a single retirement income.

However, in an attempt to better answer this question more scientifically, I’ve been keeping track of my expenses for the last few weeks here in Bogota, and it breaks down like this:

(1) Rent (1 bedroom with cable, Wi-Fi, electricity, gas, water and once-a-week maid service included in a “nice” area of town): $225.00

***Of course, if you are 60, you probably don’t want to live in a 5-bedroom apartment with a bunch of 25 year-olds, so I called some rental agencies in a variety of middle upperclass neighborhood and found that a 1-bedroom (no utilities) apartment runs between $250 and $1,000.

(2) Utilities in an upper middle-class neighborhood (electricity, gas, Internet, cable, water) if you decide to live on your own: $195 per month

(3) ”Typical” Meal in a middle class neighborhood: $3.00

(4) Nice meal in Bogota’s most upscale dining district (without appetizer or wine): $10.00-$17.00

(5) Gym membership in a nicer gym (per month): $30.00-$100.00

(6) Bottle of water: $0.75

(7) Taxi, 65 city blocks: $4.50

(8) Typical monthly grocery bill at a “higher-end” chain store: $80.00-$100.oo

(9) Gallon of gas: $3.00-$4.00

(10) Normal bus: $0.65; Transmilenio bus: $0.80.

(11) Cocktail at a high-end bar: $7.50-$12.50

(12) Beer at your average bar: $0.90

(13) Coffee at a casual bakery or cafe: $0.50-$1.00

(14) Skim milk frappaccino with light cream at a “fancy” cafe: $2-$4

(15) Health Insurance (I have my own in the U.S., but I’ve called around and a policy, depending whether you get public or private, runs anywhere between): $35-$120 per month

(16) Misc (because I always seem to spend money and have nothing to show for it): $150.00

Total Expenditures in Bogota:

Total: $764.00

Total Expenditures in the U.S:

Total: $639.00

So basically, I need $1,303 to live every month. Obviously, this figure doesn’t reflect leisure travel, home-insurance, car insurance, car payment or savings, but this budget should give you an idea how much you need to get by and have a few nice dinners and drinks along the way.

For more on my experiences in Latin America, check out my blog. And for additional information on Latin America, check out more reasons to visit.

It’s every traveler’s worst nightmare: You’re happily sightseeing in your Hawaiian shirt and bright green crocs when you reach down into your fanny pack to grab your wallet and pay for your I Love _______ t-shirt when you realize your cash is missing. And so are you credit cards and…your passport, naturally? So what do you do now? Every travel guide you read practically begs you guard your passport as if your life depends on it. Well, I am here to tell you I am a travel guide writer who didn’t take my own advice.

Let me set the scene: It was late at night. I took an overnight bus from Panama City to David and had about 4,048 bags with me. When I arrived in David, I gathered my bags (at least I thought so) and sleepily headed to the front desk of my hotel. The kind lady somehow believed I actually worked for. As usual, the concierge asked for my passport.  It was then that it occurred to me then that I could not have my passport because I did not have my purse. As any normal person would do, I started panicking. The kind concierge promptly called the hotel cab driver, and together, we raced down the Panamerican Highway in hot pursuit of the bus.

The following part of my story is a testament of what NOT to do when one is in a foreign country with no money, no cell phone, no credit cards and no will to remain awake despite significant extenuating circumstances. On the way to the border – I have forgotten my cab driver’s name so I will just call him Sr. Taxista for clarity purposes – Sr. Taxista tells me that he cannot take me to the border because the border police will detain me and if my documents aren’t found, they may detain me for longer than I’d like to be detained. When Sr. Taxista tells me this, I look around at where he wants to leave me. I am not pleased, to say the least. On one side are about six boarded up shops, on the other side a dim, aluminum-looking cantina that has the words “Aguila” painted on the side and appears to be vibrating with the sounds of unfaithful cowboys lamenting their transgressions from an aggressively loud music system . Upon analyzing my options, I beg Sr. Taxista to please let me go with him, I will happily hide in the trunk, but he refuses, telling me he doesn’t want to have problems with the border police. If he intended to abandon me in the middle of nowhere, why did he even bother bringing me? But seeing Sr. Taxista is unwilling to budge, I reluctantly get out of the car. Sr. Taxista promises me he’ll be back in approximately 15 minutes and drops me off in front of the boarded up shops.

Let me further set the scene by explaining that I am wearing a short blue dress and gold high heels. I know this isn’t intelligent bus attire but what’s done is done. I am in need of a shower and my hair has not been brushed in at least 24 hours. It’s nearly 1am and I’m exhausted, so you can imagine the state I am in. I did not look like a reputable woman. For a while, I stood in front of the boarded up shops recalling all the crime mysteries I’ve watched over the years, and unsure if it’s better to hide behind the building where no one can see me, stand in the middle of the highway so passing cars see me or stand in front of the cantina and hope there is safety in numbers. For a while, I alternate between the highway median and the boarded up shops, trying to make it clear to anyone watching me that I am waiting for someone. I am in the tropical lowlands of Panama and that means there are animals and animal sounds everywhere, and eventually, the sounds of croaking frogs becomes too much and I decide to cross the street and stand in front of the cantina.

Initially, I thought this was my best option and it appeared to go well in the beginning. A thin, middle-aged man named Pepe, who’s wearing a farmer’s hat and a plaid shirt tucked into light wash jeans and holding a beer approaches me, asks me what I’m doing standing on the side of the highway by myself at 1am in the morning and that he has daughters and sisters and wouldn’t want anything to happen to them and he’ll keep an eye on me. Then he asks if I’d like a beer. I say no thank you. But either way, I feel ok. Well, by this time it’s been 30 minutes and no sign of the driver. Pepe comes back to check on me with a couple of friends and by now, all are decidedly inebriated. Pepe tells me he is heading home and do I want a ride. He does not appear to be aware of the state he is in. I say no thank you. But even so, I am upset that he is going home, because he was my protector. So Pepe gets in the car and shortly there after, his friends come over to admire my physique and make competing propositions, all of which include me, alcohol and privacy. I am not the type of person who easily becomes scared, but I am terrified. I am seeing myself lifeless in a gutter somewhere on the Panamerican Highway. And it will take weeks to identify the body due to lack of I.D. but at that moment, Sr. Taxista arrives with my purse, which, of course, is empty. Gone is my cash, all my credit cards, my driver’s license and my passport. Mr. Taxista tells me that’s the way he found my purse. I have my doubts, and ask myself if this was just a ploy on his part, but I’m exhausted and paranoid and besides, I have no other way to get home.

Anyway, he drives me back to the hotel (luckily I’m there with a complimentary stay) and send emergency e-mails to my family that read: URGENT: LOST PASSPORT, CASH, CREDIT CARDS IN MIDDLE OF HIGHWAY, NEED MONEY. I spend the rest of the night using the hotel’s computer to cancel all my credit cards via skpye and feel sorry for myself.

So now that I’ve so eloquently shared my dire tale, I’ll let you know what I did about it. It turns out you can’t have money wired to you when you have no ID, so I had to frantically look for someone in Panama City who happened to not be working and have time on his hands. I find him. I have money transferred to him. I go to the American Embassy’s site and print out various documents I’ll need in order to request my new passport and get new pictures taken. Later, I go to the police station to file a stolen passport report because the embassy requires this in order to process the new passport. I am about half an hour into my tale of highway theft when the police officer stops me and asks me what I want. I tell her I want a police report saying my passport was stolen. “Oh, well, that’s easy,” she says, takes out a paper, and has me sign on the dotted line. With my police report in hand, I head to the American Embassy. I am dreading long lines and waits, but its surprisingly organized and quick; my number is called in less than five minutes, I pay the clerk, and am told my passport will be ready in about one week. A week later, the embassy e-mails me and lets me know my passport has arrived. Much easier than I expected.

TIPS:

(1)    E-mail yourself a copy of your passport so you can just print out a copy if necessary. It makes getting your passport replacement much quicker. If you don’t have a copy of your passport, you’ll have to produce a birth certificate or other form of ID or possibly wait a long time to have your request processed.

(2)    Get the name and number of at least one person in the country you are visiting. That way, if you lose all your documents and need money wired to you, you’ll have someone to fall back on. I’m lucky in that I know quite a bit of people in Panama.

(3)    Don’t head straight to the embassy. Call or check out your country’s lost/stolen passport requirements. The last thing you want to do is make the long trip to the embassy and realize you haven’t filled out the paperwork, don’t have a required police report or you brought the wrong size photos.

(4)    Go in the morning. The lines are only going to get longer later in the day.

(5)    If absolutely all your money’s been stolen and you honestly have no way to get more, don’t panic; the embassy can issue you a temporary, emergency passport card valid for 60 days. Within 60 days, you’ll just need to go through the normal stolen passport replacement process.

For additional information about traveling safely, check out the following articles on safe neighborhoods of Mexico City and neighborhoods of Bogota.

As I’ve mentioned in previous posts, I’m an American travel writer who’s been living between Panama and Colombia for the last three years. When people ask me what living in Latin America is like, I usually have great things to say: I’m living the dream, it’s paradise on earth, what more could I ask for, et cetera.”  But every once in a while, I must admit I miss good old American customer service and this is one of those times. Forgive me if I sound like a culturally insensitive “ugly American,” but I would be doing readers an injustice if I claimed there haven’t been times when I just want to scream and pack my bags up.

One thing I’ve learned during my time in Panama and Colombia is that expecting American or European-level customer service is not the key to happiness. In Colombia, I’ve found that service is quick, warm and friendly, at least in the Andean region. You won’t have to wait long before a very professional waiter or waitress approaches you. But while Colombian servers and baristas generally acknowledge your existence in a friendly way, sometimes they forget about you and you, the customer, are not necessary always right.

In Panama it’s an entirely different story  Sometimes, customers seem to be the last thing on the customer service representative’s mind. I should clarify: Panama City is particularly frustrating when it comes to customer service, but in other parts of the country, people are much more helpful and friendlier. Yeah, yeah, yeah, maybe I’m over generalizing , but these are just my experiences from living abroad.

Actual conversations I’ve had with various customer service reps:

(At a restaurant on the PanAmerican Highway near Playa Blanca)

Me: Hi, we’ve been waiting for 15 minutes, do you think you could take our order?

Server: Sure, as soon as I get off the phone. Give me a few minutes.

—

At a Panama City sushi place:

Me: I’d like option #1 but with no cream cheese please.

Server: OK, no cream cheese. Anything else?

Me: Nope, just please make sure the rolls don’t have any cream cheese. I’m allergic. (Allergies seemed like the best way to guarantee something)

And of course, the rolls arrive with cream cheese.

Me: I’d actually asked for no cream cheese….

Server: Looks irritated.

—

At my beloved Niko’s Cafe:

Me: I would like a grilled cheese sandwich with mozzarella.

Server: One grilled cheese sandwich with mozzarella.

10 minutes later.

Server: Hi, I actually ordered like 10 minutes ago…is it ready yet?

Server: Oh, yeah, hold on, let me make it.

Me: Ok…

5 minutes later.

Me: Ready yet?

Server: About to start it.

5 minutes later, hands me an American cheese sandwich.

ME: I actually asked for mozzarella…

Server: Oh, I thought you said American.

Me: American will do.

—

An example from Dilettos Cafe in Bogota:

Me: Can I please have a passion fruit juice?

Server: Sure.

Me. Actually, can I get the lunchtime special? (Sandwich, chips and juice).

Server: Sure. Passion fruit juice, right?

Me: Right.

Brings me only juice.

Me: Actually, I wanted the lunch special.

Server: No, you said you wanted the passion fruit juice.

Me: Yes, I wanted the passion fruit juice as part of my lunch special.

Server: No, you just said you wanted the passion fruit juice. I remember.

We argue for a bit.

Me: Can you please just bring me a lunch special?

For more on Panama, check out my article about living and working in Boquete.

El Valle de Anton is my favorite place in ll of Panama. At just two hours outside Panama City, it makes a great weekend getaway: Forget skyscrapers and sweltering temperatures; here, it’s all year-round spring-like weather, breathtaking natural beauty and quaint B&Bs, making el Valle one of Panama’s most relaxing and picturesque destinations.

If you don’t have a car, take a bus to el Valle from the Albrook bus station. You’ll pay $7 roundtrip for the two hour drive, which will drop you off right in town. If you need a cab to get to your hotel, head to the ATP (Panamanian Tourism Authority) kiosk right by the artisan market – the attendant can call a cab for you. There are half a dozen fantastic B&Bs in el Valle: My personal favorite is the Park Eden Bed and Breakfast, which I consider one of Panama’s top B&Bs. Each guestroom is individually and tastefully decorated and owners Monica and Cesar are warm and friendly – not to mention the fantastic breakfast, served on an outdoor patio with dazzling views of the surrounding mountains. Other great choices are the Golden Frog Inn, owned by Americans Becky and Larry, with possibly the best views of el Valle. El Valle is known as one of Panama’s top bird-watching spots, and birdwatchers will definitely want to stay at the Canopy Lodge right outside town, owned and run by fellow birder Raul Arias. The lodge is simple but thoughtfully designed, with knowledgeable guides offering daily hikes. Meals are taken at a long rectangular table, promoting friendliness among guests. If it’s upscale elegance you’re after, Los Mandarinos is your best choice. This Tuscan-style hotel has its own spa and pool, and rooms are elegtant. There’s a Irish pub on site.

So now that you’ve got your lodging under control, where to eat? El Valle is small, but there’s a decent variety of dining options to choose from. The long-time favorite is Casa de Lourdes on Los Mandarinos. For years, la Casa de Lourdes has been regarded as one of Panama’s top restaurants. Another up and coming favorite is Cumana, run by a German and Panamanian couple out of their house. You pay $25 for an appetizer, main course and desert. The menu changes once a month and opens Thurs-Sun at 7pm. It’s only been a year or so since Cumana started serving dinner, but the place is quickly becoming one of the best places to get dinner in el Valle. There is often live music. Vegetarians will want to head to Bambusillo, and there are plenty of affordable dining options in town.

What to do? If you want to do more than just relax on your hammock, I think there’s no better option than relaxing on a massage table. El Valle has three spas: Your most upscale option is the spa at Los Mandarinos, followed by the Crater Valley Spa and Yoguini’s Spa. All cost about the same, but Yoguini’s Spa massages tend to last a little longer. Once all the kinks have been worked out of your back, head to Las Aguas Termales just outside of town. As far as thermal springs go they aren’t particularly impressive, but the mud here is thought to have healing properties and a the very least, you’ll be left with soft skin. Finally, if you’ve come to el Valle you may want to go hiking. Unless you’re an experienced hiker, I recommend hiring a guide for the day who can take you to La Piedra Pintada with its interesting writings or La India Dormida. You’ll find attractive waterfalls and picturesque scenery on both hikes, and a guide can help point out different wildlife and plants. Whatever hotel you choose to stay at should be able to recommend a guide.

For more on Panama, check out the reason why bird watchers are flocking to the country, my personal experiences in Panama on my blog, or the other mountainous city of Boquete.

The Veneto Casino

This city of sweltering days and sultry nights may be best known for the Panama Canal, but Panama City is quickly becoming one of Central America’s favorite adult playgrounds.

Panama City is a city of skyscrapers and Miami meets Las Vegas glitz, home to 23 casinos, dozens of strip clubs, three distinct bar and club districts and on the tamer end, hundreds of restaurants, dozens of spas and nearby golf courses.

Casinos: Royal Casino, Veneto, el Panama, Crown are the most popular, a full list of Panama City casinos can be found at http://www.worldcasinodirectory.com/panama/panama-city/casino-list.

Prostitution is legal in Panama, with most girls hailing from neighboring Colombia, and prostitutes are quite prevalent throughout the city, often found in hotels, certain bars, “massage parlors” and strip clubs. I am not advocating prositution, but at least official prostitutes in Panama City are tested for STDs once a week (La Palace, Elite, Crazy Horse, Cotton Club are popular strip clubs; Habana’s, right in front of the Marriott, is perhaps Panama’s best known “prostitute bar” and is full of surgically enhanced mostly Colombian girls and middle-aged Americans and Europeans.

Party districts: If you’re interested in low-key bars to get your night started, head to Calle Argentina (El Pavo Real and the Rockin’ Gorilla are popular options here); Calle Uruguay, Panama City’s traditional party street, has lost some steam in the last few years as local residents complain about the noise and annoyance caused by thousands of loud partiers, but some of the city’s most popular bars and clubs, such as Prive, Pure and Sahara are still located here. Casco Viejo, Panama City’s historic district, is also home to a number of bars and clubs, notable among these Relic, a popular expat/backpacker hot spot under the Luna Castle Hostel, Scena Platea, known for Thursday night Jazz and Saturday Salsa nights. Finally, La Zona Viva, located just a few minutes from the Amador Causeway, is Panama newest party hot spot and is a closed off section of town with a couple dozen bars and clubs, most blaring Reggaeton. It’s loud, over the top here, but maybe just what you’re looking for one vacation.

But if your idea of a good time doesn’t involved gambling, strip clubs, prostitutes or alcohol, there’s plenty of grownup fun to keep you busy for at least a few days. Most larger hotels have full-service spas and because of its diverse population and growing expat community, Panama City is home to dozens of fantastic, top-notch restaurants. And you don’t have to head to Colon’s free zone on the Atlantic if you want to get a little shopping in: Punta Pacifica, Multiplaza and Albrook Mall malls are teeming with stores. If you’re interested in discount shopping, head to Albrook; If brand names and high-end boutique stores are more your thing, Punta Pacifica is a safe bet.

For more on my experiences in Panama, go to my blog or check out my articles on Panama City,and information on coffee in Panama.

People often ask me what motivated me to leave the U.S. for Colombia. Most of the time, the askers are Colombians themselves, many of whom would do pretty much anything to get a visa to the U.S. or Canada and can’t understand why someone would willingly choose to move to the “disaster” (their words not mine) that is Latin America. And I do sometimes ask myself, what kind of person abandons the comforts and stability of the developed world for the relative chaos of the third world? Many of the Colombians and Latin Americans I’ve met along the way even look at me like I’m crazy when I tell them I actually like living here. But Latin America does have its perks, otherwise, why would hundreds of thousands of foreigners leave their old lives behind to come live down here?  Below are some of the most common reasons expats have given me for deciding to move to Latin America.

A lower cost of living. The cost of living in Latin America is often a fraction of what it is in the United States, Canada and Europe. I hesitate to call this a positive because the price of this lower cost of living is often an exploited, underappreciated workforce, but it’s hard to deny that this is one of the top reasons foreigners decide to move south. Basically, you can have a higher quality of life here for less.  You can live comfortably in most Latin American cities with $1,500-$3,000 a month.  In Bogota, you can get your nails done for $3.50-$5, you can have a daily maid who cooks and cleans for the equivalent of $300 a month and a good meal at a high-end restaurant will rarely cost you more than $15 . Plus, you can rent yourself a decent two-bedroom apartment for $400 a month.

Nature. In one word, nature in Latin America is spectacular. Unlike the U.S. where you have to drive at least a few hundred miles to notice any significant temperature or geographical changes, climate and vegetation changes by altitude rather than latitude here. In two hours, you can go from freezing snowcapped mountains to sweltering, tropical lowlands. Whether you want beaches, jungles, plains or mountains, it’s usually just a short drive away.

A happening party scene.  I don’t think I’m being subjective when I say Latin Americans know how to party. In fact, I’ve talked to a lot of expats who decided to move down here exclusively for the party life.   Whether you’re into salsa, rock, techno, heavy metal or hip-hop, most mid-sized cities have something for everyone. And unlike the U.S. where 30 seems to be the cut-off age for all night partying and debauchery, grandma and grandpa like to get down just as much as the twenty-something crowd and they’re not opposed indulging – or overindulging – in a little rum or aguardiente. Many Latin Americans I’ve met strongly believe that partying is as essential to a happy, fulfilled life as say, a job and friends.

A more laidback pace of life. It seems like every other weekend in Colombia is a holiday weekend, and this goes for most of Latin America. Unlike the U.S. where workaholics are a common occurrence, relaxation is accepted and expected here. Somehow, the days just seem to last longer and there’s time for more. Some bigger cities are taking a more U.S.-based approach to work, but small town shops still sometimes close down for lunch.

People are nice. They often go out of their way to help you. Sure, there are some bad apples just like anywhere else, but for the most part, people do their best to make you feel welcome and at home. They worry about and fuss over you and do what they can to give you a good impression of their country.

Business opportunities. I’m no business woman, but Latin America definitely offers incentives the entrepreneurial among us. Foreign investors often benefit from low corporate tax rates, a cheaper workforce and a growing middle class with increasing purchasing power.

But none of these is the reason I decided to move here. My reasons are more intangible. I  can’t even really articulate them to myself: Almost my entire family lives 3,000 miles away, I’d be making more money in the U.S., I’d have  a familiar social network and 24-hour convenience stores for when I get a late night junk food craving. So what made me leave all of this behind to move to Bogota, where I had no job lined up and a social network consisting of my 78 year-old grandmother and her equally elderly friends? For sure, it’s not always rainbows and butterflies: There are times I seriously consider going back home. Sometimes it’s lonely, frustrating or seem like it’s more trouble than it’s worth.  I miss my family and my friends and wonder what kind of life I’d have back home. So I don’t really have an answer for why I moved here, expect that somehow, I’m happier here than I was in the U.S. Maybe it’s just a phase, maybe I’m looking for my roots (my parents are from here, after all) or maybe it’s just a better fit for now– After all, I do get by working just three or four hours a day doing what I love . All I know is that right now, it feels right.

For more of my experiences in Latin America, check out my blog. For information on places to visit in Latin America, check out my articles on Brazil, Nicaragua, Ecuador, and Costa Rica. Or, take a look at the negative side of Latin America as I see it.