All about Panama?

Question

I've recently fell in love with the country after reading and a faint memory when I visited back in 2000, and found the place to be quite interesting. The question I have is whether Panama has a large Caribbean community (Jamaican mainly) and where do they live. Puerto Rico was interesting until I got the all the facts about the place (visited and friends) and realized that Panama would be a better country, for me. Please can native Panamanians or people who live/lived there answer ;

1.What are the people like/women?

2. Flourishing business industries?

3. Infrastructure?

4. Lifestyle/Culture/ cost of living

5. what % actually speak English

and is the country accepting of people from other places?

I know the answers to some of these questions but would like other peoples opinions, and any other information that might be helpful

I have a Masters Degree in International Business and am currently in attending Spanish classes.

Answer 1

I live in Panama and have for the past four years. I have traveled extensively throughout my "nuevo pais".

Panama has a large Caribbean style community on the Atlantic (nee Caribbean) side. You can get a visa to be a permanent resident but you will need an attorney to tell you your options, depending on your age, how much money you have, etc.

Once you leave Panama City and go to the north coast, you won't want to hang around Colon as it is a pretty dangerous place, but go east toward Portobello and beyond and you will find descendants of Jamaica and the other islands.  They eat  rice cooked in Coconut water a sure sign of their Caribbean roots.

There aren't a lot of jobs there and the area is pretty financially depressed. The biggest employer is the Colon Free Trade Zone and it is miles away.

Portobello was a big Spanish fort and the storehouse for gold and trinkets waiting for ships back to Spain.  The old Customs house is still there and is in use as a museum.

Around it are stalls staffed by native black women and some Kuna Indian women selling crafts to the tourists. There are a couple of restaurants and some small markets. That's about it. Some women will work as cooks and domestic help for the  wealthy who live up in the hills.

They all speak "a little" English. The older ones speak more, as they probably worked for the canal authority or companies that supplied them. Their ancestors might have been brought over from Barbados or Jamaica to work on the canal.

The infrastructure there is better than other places in Central America but not as good as Panama City. Most notably the roads are not as good. They get worse the further east you go. The water is good and the power is decent. I think your internet connection would be limited. There are a couple of little towns before you get to Portobello that might interest you. All Black and a very slow lifestyle.

Cost of living there will be cheaper if you live off the economy like the people do. But if you want to buy American food and goods your costs will be 25% to 50% higher. A monthly light bill with only a fan or two will cost you $40.  Gas is 4.50 a gallon.

So it is very similar to life in the islands, except they speak Spanish first and celebrate the Panamanian holidays. Like those in the islands they are very religious people and family is the most important thing to them.

The further east you go the closer you get to the Kuna Yala lands. It is very beautiful there, but they don't want you to live there, you'll have to leave after a  few days.

Answer 2

Hi, LG123

Panama is a particular country, is located in Central America, its capital is Panama City, with an estimated population of over three million inhabitants. Of that total is estimated that there are more than 500 thousand foreigners, many South Americans dominate (Colombian, Venezuelan, Argentine, Peruvian), a large percentage come from china and there is an interesting percentage of Dominicans. A U.S. population, estimated at a little less than 100 thousand people who live for many reasons in different parts of the country, either for business or to live in permanently country, and in this latter group, there is a boom of the activity of real estate, which is attracting the babyboomers, to acquire properties, houses or luxury apartments in the country, and this has almost quadrupled the number of Americans who have arrived, not including those who are born in the Canal Zone, which by law are Panamanian, nothing else has to make the required paperwork, there are a large percentage of them.

The main language is Spanish and English the second, at least 1 in 5 Panamanians speak English from a basic level to intermediate. Its climate has two fundamental characteristics, from January to May, is quite warm and little rain. From May to December, and it rains quite becomes very humid. However, there is a phenomenon, the incidence of earthquakes and hurricanes is very low relative to other countries in the region, for its privileged geographical position, makes it a paradise for investors who want to settle in the country. The best business for investment if you're a small or medium entrepreneur, are the services, representations of brands, franchises and Firms. If you're involved in the construction industry, Panama, is now one of the best markets for buying and selling of heavy equipment among others. There are facilities for the investor who wants to be in the country, exemptions from some taxes, immigration facilities, among other things.

Panamanians descendants of Jamaican or Caribbean, lie predominantly in cities like Colon, Bocas del Toro, in the same Panama City, San Miguelito and La Chorrera, where there is a large population between descendants of Caribbean blacks Creole. There are good offers of housing, whether you prefer the city, suburban areas, mountains, beaches.

One of the main event in Panama, are the carnivals, Las Tablas Carnivals, is the best one, but there are a lot carnivals throughout the country, is an incredible experience.  The panamanian girls, of course, like alot the foreigners.

  

One of the problems of Panama, which is not different from

other countries, is security. The situation is this, never go anywhere in the country without a trusted person, there are laws that the country has adopted to protect tourists from any robbery, theft or assault on their integrity, but that does not guarantee that in a moment determined might occur. WARNING: Never try to get involved illicit drug-related or smuggling, existing laws are very strict and you will pass bad if that is your intention.

Here in Panama, there is no concept racist if you have money, you can live where you feel better and no one you will complicate your life.

For a foreigner, the cost of living in Panama is very low, the only thing is the price of gasoline, which undoubtedly it into something more expensive. But almost nothing is not going to affect the economy of that person who wants to settle in the country.

Panama in the region is one of the few countries that has all the necessary infrastructure so that a foreigner living comfortably. Banks, malls, hotels, transportation services, excellent communications services,  touristic tours, etc.  Checks phytosanitary standards and food in a good percentage, are superior to those of them Americans. Water is one of the best in the world.

Well, I wanted to give you some things from Panama, but better than to see these links to enjoy:

http://youtube.com/watch?v=IsiXvwwxq3Y

   http://youtube.com/watch?v=J0groH6BvJg&f...

http://youtube.com/watch?v=xgl9M8O_PEQ&f...

http://youtube.com/watch?v=qv9vN0Osd_M&f...

Answer 3

check panama in wikipedia