Weekly Newsletter
April 4, 2005

So you want to retire to Panama.
Paradise Services
Newsletter #2 Volume #1

Horror stories abound.

A friend told me that while staying in a local hotel, before moving on to their home in the country, she met several people who had come to Panama looking for their retirement paradise. One man said to her, 'I sold everything I own and quit my job. My wife and kids are waiting until I get settled to join me, I'm here, I'm going to live in Bocas del Toro, and I need a job. Where do I start?'

I thought this was simply an isolated case, that hardly anyone else would be innocent enough to pull up stakes, travel to a foreign country without knowing anything whatsoever about local conditions, and spend a pile of money chasing a dream that largely does not exist. That was before I started reading the newsgroups. An example; on one newsgroup a woman says, 'We're moving to Bocas del Toro this year. We have two children, ages 13 and 14. What are the schools like?' Another talks of going to Puerto Armuelles for a week, buying property, and getting ready to move. This same person was asking for someone to show her and her husband around Panama, so they 'wouldn't get lost' less than two months ago.

I'm stunned! It's the Oklahoma Land Rush, the Oregon Trail, and the Pirates of the Caribbean all rolled into one, but this time the Pilgrims have the means to prevent their own victimization. Sadly, it appears a lot of them aren't doing even the most rudimentary home work before committing to such a drastic life style change.

Please, if you know someone who is even remotely thinking about coming to Panama to buy property, pass this along to them. Tell them to learn everything they possibly can about Panama and the area they think they want to move to before committing themselves.

If you find my newsletter interesting and/or helpful, please forward it to friends you think might like to receive it. If you received this from a friend and would like to subscribe, drop me a note at retire@panamaretire.net.

Our website at http://www.panamaretire.net is now on line but far from finished. I'm having to learn new skills as I go, so I'm following the K.I.S.S. principle as closely as possible. I invite all of you to visit the forum, and tell us about yourself, especially those of you who have lived in Panama.

If you don't want to receive this newsletter, just send an email to remove@panamaretire.net. All requests for removal will be honored as soon as I receive them.

Back issues: No. 1 Vol. 1