IL Magazine: We'll Pay for your Subscription AND Give You a FREE Issue of The Savvy Retiree... SUBSCRIBE NOW AND GET YOUR $50 VOUCHER about subscribing to International Living Magazine 
Mike and Fran Smith lived in Florida and wanted to escape the constant barrage of tropical storms every season. They researched several countries and when Mike, an engineer, received his retirement package from Chevron, they decided to make Panama their permanent residence...
When my wife, Karen, and I decided to retire in 2004 we knew we needed to look outside our home state of California for a cheaper place to live.Retiring in California and finding affordable beachfront property was out of the question...
In 2005, when our friend told my wife and me that he had purchased beachfront property in Panama, I thought he was crazy. After several months of research, I decided that not only was he a genius, but I joined him as his next-door neighbor in the beach community of La Barqueta.
Nestled in the Panamanian mountains along a rocky road, off the paved highway, is the home of Dr. Dave Ahrend. To get there, you drive up a newly constructed freeway for about 45 minutes before turning off onto a paved road that takes you up into the mountains.