A group of expats in Boquete, Panama.Kelle Sparta
In 2022, the couple moved sight unseen
In the summer of 2022, the couple arrived in Boquete with six suitcases and their dog.
Sparta and Brandon moved into a temporary Airbnb while looking for a permanent home. They eventually found a house and signed a two-year lease.
They also started the visa process. Many older expats apply for a pensionado visa, which requires proof of income or a pension of $1,000 a month and an additional $250 for each dependant.
While Brandon quit his job, Sparta planned to keep working. This meant the couple needed to apply for a Friendly Nations Visa, a program where citizens from certain countries, including the US, can apply for residency in Panama and still work. This visa required Sparta to put $5,000 in a Panamanian bank account. She said it cost the couple about $13,000 altogether.
“It was expensive,” she said. “However, we do not regret the decision in any way. We both say this was the best decision we ever made.”
After securing visas, the couple adapted to life in Boquete. While some parts were easy, others were challenging, including navigating stores as English speakers in a Spanish-speaking country.
The couple’s rental also had issue after issue. Not one appliance other than the refrigerator worked. But Sparta said she was shocked at how she handled it.
“In the US, I would’ve been apoplectic,” she said. In Boquete, she wasn’t angry. She attributes that to the region’s calm and peaceful energy.
Finding community has been a breeze. Sparta’s calendar is packed with events every day and night with Panamanians and other expats. There are theater performances, bingo nights, karaoke, and endless volunteering opportunities.
Plus, the couple has fallen in love with Boquete’s mild weather.
“I don’t even own a sweater anymore. I don’t own a coat, and I live in my Crocs,” Sparta said.
Sparta estimates they spend about $3,000 a month. Their electric bill is about $75 a month, groceries are reasonable, and rent is $975 for their three-bedroom house. According to the MIT Living Wage Calculator, two adults would need $65,582, or about $5,465 a month, to live in Virginia.
Most importantly, Sparta said they’re no longer stressed.
“It’s like living on vacation,” Sparta said. “This is the most beautiful place I’ve ever been. I’m truly happy here.”
Read the original article on Business Insider
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Publish date : 2024-10-05 23:38:00
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