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Home Archives for Living in Panama Expats in Panama
Expats in Panama Giving Back to the Community

Last Updated on September 21, 2020 - by Jackie Lange

Expats in Panama Giving Back to the Community

rotary boquete panamaOne of the many joys of moving to Panama are finally having the time to do the things you want to do, when you want to do them. People who move to Panama bring with them years of experience in business, teaching, photography, and other endeavors. They love giving back to the community by sharing their experiences.

Teri Novak is the perfect example. She comes from a background as a business owner which requires organizational skills. She puts her knowledge to work by volunteering with the Boquete ROTARY.  In the video Teri mentioned that Adriel was able to overcome his fear of math by studying math at the Khan Academy.   Teri meant to say that Adriel spent 700 minutes, not 700 hours of study.

The Rotary has many different programs to help Panamanians including helping children learn, build houses, provide food for the needy and more.  The mission of Rotary International is to provide service to others, promote integrity, and advance world understanding, goodwill, and peace through its fellowship of business, professional, and community leaders.

ROTARY CLUB OF BOQUETE MISSION

Boquete Rotarians are neighbors, community leaders, and global citizens uniting for the common good to promote peace, support education and improve health.

Watch this video to learn why Teri and her husband moved to Panama, what she thinks about living in Boquete and how they are giving back to the community by volunteering at the Boquete Rotary.

Learn more about the amazing things the Rotary is doing in Panama, subscribe here https://rotariodeboquete.org

The Rotary is always looking for new volunteers who can share their skills and make life better for all Panamanians. Contact the Rotary at https://rotariodeboquete.org/

 

Filed Under: Expats in Panama, Panama Expat Experience Tagged With: expats in Panama, living in panama, move to Panama, retire in panama, Rotary in Panama

Single Women Moving to Panama

Last Updated on October 27, 2019 - by Jackie Lange

Single Women Moving to Panama

single women moving to PanamaOn every Panama Relocation Tour about half our guests are singles. Singles especially are realizing that it will be very difficult to retire on one Social Security check or pension if they stay in North America or Europe.

However, singles are discovering that they can live better for less in Panama and even have money left over at the end of the month.  This really takes the stress away.

For singles, it is a little scary to come to check out Panama all by yourself. On your own, it would be very difficult to learn all the things you need to know to relocate to Panama with no complications. That’s where Panama Relocation Tours comes in!

​​When singles come on a Panama Relocation Tour they are with a group of like-minded people (including other singles), have someone else doing all the planning and driving, and are able to learn all the things they need to know in a relaxing environment.

Panama Relocation Tours even has a bi-lingual driver waiting for you when you arrive at the airport and we make all the arrangements for a 7-night 6-day all-inclusive tour of the most popular places to live in Panama.  During the tour, you’ll have the opportunity to meet other singles who live in each area we visit.  You can just sit back, relax and enjoy the beautiful scenery in Panama while you are learning about finding a rental, getting affordable health insurance, residency Visa options, buying a car, bring pets in to Panama and much much more.  Your Panama Relocation Tour guide is also a single woman.

Throughout Panama there are other single expats, plenty of social activities and volunteer opportunities too. Volunteering is a great way to meet other singles too!  In Boquete there is a single women’s group called the CHICAS which has 130 members who get together several times a month for lunch or other outings.

Watch these videos of some of the single women who have come on a Panama Relocation Tour then relocated to Panama.  If they can do it, you can too!  Join us for a Panama Relocation tour to discover a more affordable lifestyle in Panama.

Chris moved to Panama several years ago.  Watch this video to learn how Panama Relocation Tours helped her have a smooth and easy transition to relocating to Panama.


Krstl
moved to Boquete a year ago and has a good network of friends, plenty of social activities and a much more affordable lifestyle.  She even started a business selling high quality organic essential oils and blends.  Watch this video to discover what she thinks about her new life in Panama and see the 3 bedroom 2 bath house she is renting for $775 a month.  (Note: Krstl mentioned that she could not get insurance because she is over 70.  She cannot get international health insurance but she CAN get Panama health insurance for about $120 a month) [Read more…]

Filed Under: Expats in Panama, Living in Panama Tagged With: move to Panama, retire in panama, retiring in Panama, single women moving to Panama, singles in Panama

Chiriqui Feline Rescue

Last Updated on April 8, 2017 - by Debbie

Chiriqui Feline Rescue

“A safe haven for endangered wild cats”

Linda Weldon has a passion for saving endangered wild cats, especially ocelots.  I spoke with her about her feline sanctuary in Chiriqui, Panama. According to Linda, she runs a “wildlife rehab and rescue center located in Northwestern Panama. We release animals that are suitable for release and provide long term care for those that are not.” If you live in the area, have some free time, and love animals ~ volunteers & visitors are welcomed!

www.panamarelocationtours.com
This is Lilly at Chiriqui Feline Center

Where are you from originally, Linda?

I was not born in Panama.  However I was raised here from about the age of 4.  I grew up on the old Canal Zone, hence I’m a “Zonian”.  I have always been interested in animals.  I would sit out behind our house in the old Ancon hill and just wait till the jungle would move again.  The deer would come out and so would the ñeque, iguana, and the mono titi’s.

 

The felines you rescue are not common housecats, right?

Basically I am a small exotic feline center/sanctuary.  I house at the moment six ocelots, two of which were the first and second captive born in Panama.  Not even Summit Zoo can claim this!  I have had margay and oncilla as well.  I have not had jaguar or puma or the smaller Jaguarondi as yet.  But I’m sure my turn is coming sometime in the future.

 

How did the feline center get started?

I first started saving birds and parrots.  Always had parakeets on the porch, brown birds in cages getting ready to be released, and others.  Then I went away to college and the so called “real world” in the USA.  I was a psych nurse working with kids and gang bangers.  Anyways, one thing leads to another and I returned here to Panama to my family’s finca where I manage things.  I started back into rescuing parrots and parakeets and other birds again and at one time I had over 30 Amazon parrots.  I would go out and rescue the baby parrots from the lorreros and bring them home, raise them, and find good homes for them.  It was then I decided to build a huge aviary for the parrots.  This was over 10 years ago.  Anyways, word gets around and someone rescued a caged ocelot.  My vet knew of my cage and that’s how I got Dori, my first ocelot.  About the same time I received Michi, my first oncilla.   Then, I got two more and it just seemed that whenever I built a cage I got a cat and it  was as if God was saying go for the cats.  So I did and have.

 

Where do the cats come from?

I receive cats from those that find out they don’t make very good pets after they get a certain size.  They will never be a domestic cat, ever.  So they find their way to me hopefully before the black market gets ahold of them.  I also take in the occasional bird that broke a wing or somebody found it and didn’t know what to do with it.

 

Is your program recognized in Panama?

I was approved twice by ANAM for what I do.  They told me there wasn’t any other place quite like mine.  I have the first and second ocelot born in Panama (documented).   I started doing research about the cats in Panama online and even had some people come down to help me as I had not a CLUE about exotic cats!  There is a need in Panama for places like mine.  No, I am not advocating that just anybody can have a permit to have these animals.  If I had been ANAM when I first started I would have denied me a license.  I didn’t know anything about these animals.  Seriously!  But with my studying and educating myself and reading up everything I can get my hands on about exotic cats in the Americas, plus my own observations through the years, I guess I can say I know a thing or two now.  I would never consider myself an expert.  I’m still learning.

*Note:  ANAM (Autoridad Nacional del Ambiente) is the governmental authority that regulates at the national, regional and local levels non-governmental and governmental activities which bear on the protection, conservation, improvement and restoration of Panama’s environment.

 

Are the rehabilitated animals returned to the wild?

They will NEVER return to the wild as they have been socialized.  They depend on humans to eat.  If they ever were let go, the first place they would go is to a human and if it kills a chicken, it’s basically a death sentence.   So I am looking into sending the cats as ambassadors from Panama to facilities outside Panama that want to preserve the species, and help to educate the public.

 

www.panamarelocationtours.com
Meet Mini & Sunday

What are you doing to educate the public?

I think there is a lack of education for protecting the wildlife here in Panama.  I do not charge people to come see the animals as I believe education comes first before the dollar.  Especially since many of my visitors are children whose parents hunt these cats for the black market or because they ate one of the family’s chickens.  I tell the people who come here that it is sad to see these animals in cages. These cats are on the soon-to-be-extinct list because of the deforestation and poaching and such that goes on. I don’t do formal education.  I just talk to whoever is listening and I hope it sinks in.

 

 

Do you think you are having an impact?

My impact…..well, I don’t know.  I have heard that people know me as the “cat lady”, so word has gotten out about me.  ANAM knows me…..so does the Smithsonian and Summit Zoo.

 

What can someone who is interested do to help?

Again, I don’t charge to see the animals but a donation sure does help.  I would happily accept help from anybody who wants to get involved “hands-on” also. Right now, I do this on my own.  Why?  Because I believe in it with all my heart.  I still rescue the odd parrot and bird that happens to fall out of a tree, too!

Linda’s Chiriqui Feline Center is located on the main bus line to Cerro Punta. She offers the use of her garden, overlooking the ponds and flowers, to enjoy nature, bird watch, or for a picnic. You can even camp out if you like, at no charge.

Anyone who would like to visit the Chiriqui Feline Center should email ahead at LDEBRD@Hotmail.com.

You can see beautiful photos and read stories about the cats at CHIRIQUI FELINE CENTER

 

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Filed Under: Expats Give Back, Expats in Panama, Life in Panama, Living in Panama, Panama expat Stories, Places Tagged With: expats in Panama, Giving back, Life in Panama, Wildlife

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