Years ago, wallowing in the despair of an unexpected divorce, I remember complaining to a friend. My son (five years old at the time) was not behaving well. So, naturally, I blamed the divorce. My friend tolerated my ranting for a while. Eventually she said quietly, “You know, it’s pretty common for five-year-old kids to … Read more
It’s been a year now. One brief, fast-moving year since I landed at Tocumen International Airport in Panama City with my mountain of luggage, the first step in my expat life. As with any anniversary there’s a certain amount of looking back, reassessment and measuring. So how has the time here in Panama measured up … Read more
I spent my first three weeks in Las Tablas, Panama, homeless and alone. I had traveled to Las Tablas while my husband stayed back in FL. He was getting our house there ready to rent out while I was looking for a place for us to live in Panama. After arriving in town I checked … Read more
When we decided to move overseas, I read everything I could get my hands on about different cultures. I knew that, whatever country we ended up in, they’d do things differently than we were used to. In some countries a hand gesture that’s perfectly acceptable at home becomes a deadly insult, for example. In others, … Read more
My Expat Adventure Began, not with a Bang but with a Whimper Leaving the USAAfter years of planning, months of selling off our possessions and weeks of camping out at a friend’s house while we made ours welcoming for a tenant, our Panama adventure was finally underway. The plan was for me to go on … Read more