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Nathan: Here we are at the Panama Relocation Tours 2014 reunion for all of our guests that
have moved to Panama. Who do we have here today?
Bob: Bob and Angela Hanson
Nathan: Okay, and where were ya'll from?
Bob: State of confusion!
Nathan: State of confusion!
Angela: Phoenix, Arizona area
Nathan: Very good! Phoenix! And so when you moved down here you were maybe looking for
something a little more temperate than that.. is that right?
Angela: We were looking to escape the hot summers of Phoenix. The desert!
Nathan: Yeah, totally understandable! So where did you end up settling in Panama?
Angela: In Alto Boquete. Which is ..we bought a place about 11km south of Boquete and its
in a Panamanian neighborhood.
Nathan: Alright! So what tour did you take? What month was it?
Angela: I think it was in May
Nathan: May of 2013?
Angela: And we also ..we took the first one I think was in January probably 2011.
Nathan: Okay. Alright. And when did you guys arrive?
Angela: We arrived here mid December of 2013
Nathan: Ok, great! And so in terms of the information that the tour provided to prepare
you for the move... how do you think Jackie did on addressing all of the necessary areas
that an expat would have to encounter?
Bob: Beyond excellence! It was all volunteered on her part. The accuracy of it was such that
she answered all of the questions and answered stuff that we never thought to ask. And her
answers were complete and if there was a question she could add more to it and give you a better
insight on what to do and what NOT to do.
Angela: And if she didn't know the answer she had a bus driver or a van driver who is
a local Panamanian. And she also had famous, Richard Dietrich, on one of our tours and
he could answer a lot of questions..so.. we got the REAL facts!
Nathan: Good! That's great to hear!
Bob: Nothing but the facts!
Nathan: And so in terms of the cultural differences between the United States and Panama do you
feel that Jackie did a good job of also preparing you for the little small differences that,
you know, you notice along the way?
Bob: To a great part, yes! But its humanely impossible to change decades of life for the
Panamanians to hear and the biggest percentage of it is very acceptable its just that 5 or
10% that you need to be concerned about. Like the language barrier ... but you can solve
that. The way they build things and put stuff together..repair stuff. We should send people
from Panama back to the United States so they'll learn that.
Nathan: And so overall just in general after having lived here how are you liking everything?
Bob: Great! The opportunities are there. You can see a path to solving those opportunities
to a degree that would make life a whole lot nicer. And the inter mingling and the social
life here in Boquete is wonderful! There is a lot of expats here and we are meeting new
friends all over the place. And it seems like every place we go now we run into somebody
that we've met here which leads to a lot more good conversation and fun!
Nathan: What about you, ma'm?
Angela: Yeah, we really enjoy it here. Of course there are a lot of little things to
get different..that are different. And you need to get used to. The hardest part is probably
you do have to adjust there are things that are never going to change. And the longer
you live here the more little things you find but its a choice and you have to make them
no matter where you are. That there is gonna be differences.
Nathan: That's a fantastic attitude! So just in general do you recommend the Panama Relocation
Tours to someone like yourself who is looking to relocate or retire down here?
Bob: Absolutely!
Angela: Definitely, yes!
Bob: Without question
Nathan: Excellent
Angela: And we recommend that they stay longer not just come just for but stay about two
weeks longer to get a really good feel if you are serious about relocating.
Nathan: Ok. That's good advice. Well thank you very much and we appreciate you coming
and we'll see you at the next reunion!
Bob and Angela: Ok! Thank you very much!
Nathan: Thank you! Thank you for your time!
Bob: Keep smiling!