Other expats thought we were crazy.
Six months ago we moved to Panama. We knew that we didn’t want to live in a gated community. For us, it just made more sense to live among the locals where we could immerse ourselves in the culture and get to know everyone.
We also hoped it would help improve our Spanish by forcing us to talk to our neighbors. The locals are warm and welcoming people who are just as curious about us as we are of them.
The tiny community of Chame is just a five-minute drive from the gorgeous beaches of Gorgona, and only 10 minutes from the shopping malls in Coronado. Nestled into the Arco Seco, or dry arch, the area receives much less rain than the rest of the country.
Our life in Panama began in a three-bedroom rental, for $300 a month in a Panamanian neighborhood in the town of Capira. We feel perfectly safe and at home here, and all the neighbors know us.
Read on…






