Dave and Micheline Fallis Like Retirement in the Coronado, Panama Area

Normal 0 false false false MicrosoftInternetExplorer4   “Was moving to Panama a good idea?” we asked Dave and Micheline Fallis. In our Coronado, Panama expat interview series. Dave and Micheline have lived in Panama for four years. This Canadian couple previously had a vacation home in Belize. Dave says that, while vacationing in Belize, he and Micheline "found more and more things we did not like and that since we have retired in Panama life just keeps getting better."

“How did you folks choose Panama,” we asked Dave and Micheline. Dave said that he and Micheline have enjoyed Latin America for years and finally settled on Panama as a place to retire because of Panama’s mixture of a Latin culture with services more like those in North America. I asked Dave, “Are you happy here.” His immediate answer was, “Yes.” Dave repeated his comment that the longer they had a vacation home in Belize the more reasons they found not to stay and the longer they stay in Panama they find more and more reasons why moving here was a good idea.

Dave is a retired businessman and Micheline is a professional potter. Although she only uses her tools as a hobby now Micheline had her pottery equipment shipped to Panama. To their surprise the shipment arrived in about ten days! Dave says that everything else that they have needed they have purchased in Panama. The availability of necessary items is a large part of why they like Panama.

Dave and Micheline started building a home in Panama in 2004 before they came here and eventually had to fire their builder and finish the job themselves. While waiting for their home to get built Dave bought and refurbished homes in Panama. The contacts that he made during two years of doing this work helped him find the right people to finish their own home. In the last two years Dave says, “I am totally retired and I love it.”

The biggest challenge for Dave and Micheline was the paperwork involved in getting residency, buying their home, etc. After four years Dave feels that he finally has a handle on dealing with paperwork in Panama and helps others. Dave says that getting to know how the system really works was the challenge.

“What do you like the best about Panama?” I asked Dave. “The people and their zest for life,” he said. Dave likes the fact that Panamanians do not get “all bent out of shape if things do not happen right away.” Also, he likes that in getting things done the most practical route is often taken so that the final result is what is desired.

I asked Dave about the importance of learning Spanish. Dave said, “It is not only very important in dealing with lawyers, banks, stores, [and so forth] but it is also more fulfilling and more fun to live in Panama if you speak Spanish.”

Both Dave and Micheline have made an effort to steadily improve their Spanish. They want to fit in. They want to adapt to society here as it is and communicate readily in the language of the country. Dave talks about attending parties in the Coronado area where several languages are heard. He and Micheline prefer that people not always need to speak English so that he and she can be included in the conversation.

Although they admit that “a few things here could be improved,” Dave and Micheline are not interested in changing things in Panama. Dave notes that Panama does not have the tax base to support the kinds of services that one sees in Canada and the USA.

In talking about Panama paperwork Dave noted that a lot of the available legal vehicles in Panama are a matter of individual circumstances. He repeated that it has taken him four years to get a good handle on paperwork in Panama and now he can give advice and help to friends and family.

I asked Dave what he would differently if he could turn back the clock. “I would have done more research on the builder,” he says. Today Dave says that, with more stable prices in the housing market, “anyone new to Panama ought to rent, look around, and do their research before choosing a location to buy or build a home.” However, Dave says that with the rapidly appreciating market four years ago “buying before prices went up more was probably the best bet.”

“So,” I asked, “what do you miss?” Dave did not miss a beat. “The North Woods,” he said. “I go back for two weeks every year.” We talked about outdoor recreation in Panama and he agrees that there are lots of parks here and opportunities to enjoy the out of doors. However, I was left with the feeling that you can take the Canadian out of Canada but you cannot take Canada out of the Canadian. I suspect that Dave will keep visiting the North Woods every year no matter what the outdoor opportunities are here in Panama.