Top 3 Offbeat Questions About Panama

August 13, 2008
Panama City, Panama

Dear Panama Enthusiast,

Too much information combined with alcohol can befuddle you.

The recent Live & Invest in Panama Seminar at the Playa Bonita InterContinental Hotel & Resort was a great opportunity to talk to readers one-on-one, hear some of your questions about Panama, and discuss the issues that concern you the most. But as often happens at these meetings-of-the-minds, the amount of information offered can be confusing. Add a few fun cocktail hours and, well, everything swirls together like a dry martini.

Here are some of the more entertaining questions I got once the liquor began to flow…

1. "What area should I live in?" One attendee, let's call her Bobbie, decides she can't process the information she's heard in dozens of sessions over the past three days. It's the final day and she plops herself and her cuba libre down at my table, wanting me to "just pick a place." Much as I would like to wield that kind of power over people ("thou shalt move to Boquete and buy a dairy farm…and give me that drink"), I can't make that decision for you.

Here’s what I told her…it's natural to feel confused when you first start researching Panama. Take a few days to build "pros and cons" lists for the places you hear about. Better yet, tune into the September issue of Panama Insider. It's our "Living in Panama" issue to celebrate our third anniversary. We'll give you our "state of the nation" address, if you will. A summary of all things Panama as they stand right now, including areas that deserve your attention.

2. "Can I find an English-speaking maid?" This question may not seem funny, but here's the thing: maids in Panama City generally start at $175 a month. A call center, of which there are many in Panama, generally starts bilingual employees at around $500 a month. See the problem? In this case, the attendee answered her own question: "Or maybe I can find a maid who'd like to learn English…and teach me some Spanish?" Couldn’t have put it better myself; your relationship with your Panama employee can be mutually beneficial. More on this in an upcoming issue of Panama Insider, where we'll explore the ups and downs of hiring in Panama...
3. "So what's with all the prostitutes?" Choke…every single time I am asked this question, I am caught off guard and sputter red wine at people (beware). Panama, like many destinations, does have an active prostitution racket. Prostitution is legal here, and as Panama's economy continues to boom, more and more come to work in the nation's growing industries…including prostitution.

There are plenty of great nightspots all over the city where you can avoid running into them, though. In general, stay away from (obviously) "gentleman's clubs," like Elite; casinos, including the Veneto casino; most hotel lobby bars; and popular tourist dives like Uruguay Street's La Bodeguita, one of the few places in Bella Vista that plays mostly Latin dance music. Instead, one block away on 48th Street, there's a smaller nightspot called Bamboleo that's gaining a reputation as a clean, inexpensive place to dance salsa and the like. Or go to Casco Viejo, where you’ll find many classy nightspots.

In the special reports section of the Panama Insider website, you'll find entertainment and fun recommendations, as well as informative reports on everything from visas to taxes. After all, there's much, much more to Panama than the seedy side of nightlife…there are a dizzying number of both daytime and nighttime activities, and business and investment benefits that are unparalleled in the region. Find out what you need to know about the good and bad of Panama from the expat's point of view in Panama Insider. Subscribing is quick and easy, and risk free. Read all about it or sign up here.

Thanks for reading,

Jessica Ramesch
Editor, Panama Insider

P.S. Ask me all your questions about Panama at our only stateside event of the year, the Live and Invest Overseas Conference. From Oct. 3-5 in Long Beach, Calif., we'll reveal our “Pockets of Prosperity”…specific places, including Panama, where you can live a quality lifestyle for less money and turn this recession era into a time of profit and pleasure. As a Panama Insider, you're entitled to $100 savings. Find out everything you need to know and sign up here.