Trouble in Boquete

I guess we have been here long enough to experience this.

Some of our good friends sold their house and are returning to the US to live in Florida. (Their house sold in one hour!)

What??!!

We had no idea they were unhappy. They had a big Christmas Eve Party and things seemed great.

I have another friend, a single guy, who is considering returning to the US as well. Why? He has a rental property in Florida that has become vacant so he may have to return to live in the house for economic reasons.

I have another friend, who is trying to build a house, who decided he and his wife would only be visiting Panama for 2 months each year...rather than live here full time.

There is another acquaintance who moved here with her boy friend last June, got married a few months ago, lives in Disney Land (Valle Escondido) and they are returning to Texas in June. (Returning to the US is one thing, but going back to Texas is just wrong!)

I guess this is a continuation of my previous blog about what it takes to live here.

Two of the above examples are folks that were fairly well adjusted and still decided to return to the US. And two of the examples are people who never could adjust to a new country so they are returning.

On the other hand, every day I meet someone who just moved to Boquete in the last few months. People keep coming to Panama.

And they keep leaving too.

Makes me feel a little blue.

I was eating at Olga's yesterday morning and bumped into a good friend. He has been here for about 8 months, loves Panama as his wife does.

But...he told me he is soooooo bored and has nothing to do.

I do understand this. I struggle with it also.

Some of the adjustment for us in Boquete has nothing to do with Panama but rather retirement.

I have another good friend who owns a house here, has visited for a few months each year for 5 years, and moved here permanently in October. He has solved the retirement issue by NOT retiring but continuing to work from Panama.

He files back to the States twice a month and continues doing his thing. He told me he loves working and has no intention of quitting.

Hhhhmmmm????

This is an interesting place! And a confronting place. And a place of unlimited self awareness, cultural awareness, social awareness and more.

Unfortunately, what is good for the soul may not be good for comfort.

Enough of this reflective shit. We're going to the beach for 3 days.

Yipee!!!

We'll wave good bye as we head out.