Bonnie and Jack Geiss Are Happy in Panama

Are you happy in Panama? We asked this question of Bonnie and Jack Geiss who have lived in the Coronado, Panama area since November of 2007. Jack is an airline instructor whose work has taken him “overseas” for years. Thus Bonnie and Jack have lived in Thailand, Sri Lanka, and Saudi Arabia. They lived in Saudi Arabia for 17 years. They like the expat lifestyle and always planned to retire “overseas.”

I asked Bonnie Geiss, "How did you folks land in Panama?"

Bonnie replied that she and Jack like the expat lifestyle and always planned to retire “overseas.” The only question was where. Because Jack still planned to work, now in the USA, their lifestyle would not be a lot different from their “non retired” years.

The couple says, "We loved Thailand but it is too far from the United States and there is no decent health care." Bonnie and Jack looked at Costa Rica and Belize and decided that these countries had too much crime and that their infrastructure did not measure up to Panama’s. Also, Bonnie said, "Medical care and medical insurance are better in Panama than the other expat locations we looked at."

Thus, Jack and Bonnie Geiss chose in Panama. They flew down from the USA, looked at property, hired the builder used by their realtor and went home as construction started.

Unlike some expats moving to Panama Bonnie and Jack found that getting pensionado visas took a couple of months and was relatively painless.

Bonnie and Jack’s life style has not changed a lot as Jack still works and has always traveled so the only difference is that now "home" is Panama and work takes him to the USA.

When Bonnie and Jack returned to Panama they found that their house was still being built, very slowly, and that the area was not going to be in a gated community, which they had believed would be the case. Bonnie says that this is an important issue for them as they do not have close, English speaking, neighbors which they would have preferred.

I asked Bonnie and Jack about the importance of learning Spanish. As Bonnie told me that she was taking Spanish lessons Jack said, "I know Lao and Vietnamese." Bonnie continued, "He does not see the point of learning Spanish. Besides when we lived in Saudi Arabia for 17 years we never learned Arabic." The fact that so much English is spoken in Panama helps but Bonnie says, "Not knowing Arabic was never a problem."

When I talked about Playacommunity's goal of helping those thinking of moving to Panama, Bonnie said that in her experience as an expat, "We only have ourselves when we need help." Bonnie takes the business of helping other expats seriously and is the current president of the Coronado Social Association. She explained that besides setting up social events the association sponsors a Welcome Wagon and buys uniforms for local school children.  As people helping people, the Social Association attempts to keep expats along the Panama Pacific Coast connected so that those in need know where and whom to go to for help.

I asked Bonnie and Jack what they would do differently if they were to start again. They are happy in Panama and would still come to Panama to retire. However, Bonnie said, "We would take more time to choose a home site and would not necessarily choose the builder used by our realtor." Bonnie and Jack would opt for a gated community with English speaking neighbors if they were to start again.

“Do you guys still like Panama?” I asked. "Yes," was their answer. "Shopping and services here are better than in other countries where we have lived," said Bonnie. Also Bonnie and Jack like the fact that the general infrastructure of Panama beats anywhere else in Central America or anywhere they have lived for that matter. Of course, Jack works alternate weeks in the USA so this gives them the added advantage of buying things in the USA that they cannot find in Panama.

For this couple the positives far outweigh the few negatives. They have found a home in a country that suits their expat lifestyle and intend to stay. Jack remains active in his working life and Bonnie has found a meaningful role in the life of the Coronado area expat community. So, Bonnie and Jack Geiss are happy in Panama.