What would my neighbors be like in Boquete, Panama?
Harry Hunt - ownboquete
One of the best things about Panama that I have noticed is that when I sit by the front door of my favorite breakfast place in Boquete (that is the Sugar and Spice, by the way), I sit out on the patio and every person (and I mean every person) who approaches the front door, if I say “Buena dias”, they all look me in the eye and say “Buena dias” or “Buena dias, como estas” in return. These are total strangers who I have never met and if I have my...
One of the best things about Panama that I have noticed is that when I sit by the front door of my favorite breakfast place in Boquete (that is the Sugar and Spice, by the way), I sit out on the patio and every person (and I mean every person) who approaches the front door, if I say “Buena dias”, they all look me in the eye and say “Buena dias” or “Buena dias, como estas” in return. These are total strangers who I have never met and if I have my food and am eating or about to they also say “Buen provencio.”
Now I am not saying that we are not friendly in stormy New England, but if I were to try that at my favorite place in Orleans, Massachusetts I am sure I would be greeted with suspicious looks and eventually someone would call 911 and say there's a weirdo outside The Hole in One talking to strangers. (And since they have the best donuts in town it would be no time at all before a hungry policeman would show up to investigate.)
This is one of the differences in culture that I truly enjoy down here. The Panamanian people are trained to be polite from a young age and it is a Pavlovian reflex, that even people who may not love gringos completely at least mumble a soft “Buenas” before escaping into the store to buy their delicious gringo bread.
It is the start of festival time and I am happy to see the usual social gatherings that the local people love to have. It is not uncommon to see 10 or more people sitting at several tables pulled together, talking and laughing at each other’s jokes and stories and really enjoying each other’s company. This is the invasion of friends and family that occurs every summer as they call it, although it is beginning to get chilly up north. I know because I have just seen my first Canadian snowbird, newly arrived from Saskatchewan, where it is snowing, he was happy to inform me.
Our weather by the way is becoming nicer and dryer and our rainy season is soon to be a thing of the past and blue skies and warm weather will prevail. Maybe that is all there is to the allure of this place. I am always asking my fellow inmates of this enormous outdoor asylum, what it is that has so seduced us about our new home. And maybe it is just the beautiful scenery, nice weather and friendly people. Maybe that's all you need.
Posted November 11, 2013
Linda Jensen
We live in a gated condominium community in Boquete. Our neighbors are Canadians, Americans, Panamanian, Swiss, Danish, etc. We have pretty much a melting pot here in the community. Across the street we have a British couple, and a little further up the street, an American couple. Our neighbors are all very nice people; I love them all.
In our specific complex, there aren’t many local Panamanians. If you’re a typical North American who...
In our specific complex, there aren’t many local Panamanians. If you’re a typical North American who...
We live in a gated condominium community in Boquete. Our neighbors are Canadians, Americans, Panamanian, Swiss, Danish, etc. We have pretty much a melting pot here in the community. Across the street we have a British couple, and a little further up the street, an American couple. Our neighbors are all very nice people; I love them all.
In our specific complex, there aren’t many local Panamanians. If you’re a typical North American who moves to Boquete, most likely, you’re going to live most closely with other expats.
In our specific complex, there aren’t many local Panamanians. If you’re a typical North American who moves to Boquete, most likely, you’re going to live most closely with other expats.
Posted July 25, 2014
Mike Vuytowecz - Inside Panama Real Estate
Who your neighbors would be in Boquete varies depending on where you choose to live. You can live in a gated community that tends to cater toward a worldly mix of part time and full time homeowners, or in a Panamanian neighborhood, or in the middle of nowhere where you may not have any neighbors at all. There is plenty of space in and around Boquete, and a lot of very appealing locations to choose from. When deciding where to...
Who your neighbors would be in Boquete varies depending on where you choose to live. You can live in a gated community that tends to cater toward a worldly mix of part time and full time homeowners, or in a Panamanian neighborhood, or in the middle of nowhere where you may not have any neighbors at all. There is plenty of space in and around Boquete, and a lot of very appealing locations to choose from. When deciding where to “plant your flag,” take your time and ask someone who has lived in Boquete long enough that they can describe what to expect from neighbors in various areas.
Posted December 28, 2014
Lissy Lezcano - Lissy Lezcano Attorney & Mediator
If your neighbor in Boquete is a Panamanian, it will be very noisy, since Panamanians are noisy people. We like to talk loud, we laugh loud, and we like loud music. We put things in our cars in order to make noise. We like to party with loud music and dancing. If you are an expat, it's good for you to be aware of that. There are several gated communities in Boquete, such as Valle Escondido, Lucero Homes, etc. If you move...
If your neighbor in Boquete is a Panamanian, it will be very noisy, since Panamanians are noisy people. We like to talk loud, we laugh loud, and we like loud music. We put things in our cars in order to make noise. We like to party with loud music and dancing. If you are an expat, it's good for you to be aware of that. There are several gated communities in Boquete, such as Valle Escondido, Lucero Homes, etc. If you move into those communities, you would not have problems with noise because most of the people living there are foreigners and they would most likely have the same cultural structure as you.
My house that I rent out is located in a new neighborhood called Mystic, which is a mix of expats and Panamanians. My tenant (an expat) told me that it is a very quiet place and that he loves it. He doesn’t have any problems with noise except for some weekends or if there are special occasions. He is happy there.
(Pictured: Mystic, arial view, Boquete.)
Posted June 27, 2015
Wee-Yiong Fung - Prestige Panama Realty
In Boquete, you would have different types of neighbors. The most popular among expats are having nothing but Mother Nature around you. There are many houses built close to no other houses in Boquete.
There are also people who tend to build closer to a nice Panamanian property so that their property value would increase over time. There will be small homes that are built close to each other and you would have a mix of people in...
In Boquete, you would have different types of neighbors. The most popular among expats are having nothing but Mother Nature around you. There are many houses built close to no other houses in Boquete.
There are also people who tend to build closer to a nice Panamanian property so that their property value would increase over time. There will be small homes that are built close to each other and you would have a mix of people in that community. So you'll be living among other expats who are on a budget or amongst the middle class of the Panamanians.
You also have large, gate-guarded developments that are populated mainly by expats.
(Home in a gated community of Lucero with a golf course in the Boquete Highlands, pictured.)
Posted July 8, 2015
Alberto Socarraz - Panama Vida
Boquete is a melting pot. There are several expat communities within Boquete as well as several local communities, too. What your neighbors would be like depends on your cup of tea. If you are in a gated community, the majority of your neighbors are going to be expats: Americans, Canadians, Europeans, etc. If you are in a local community, obviously, you are going to be involved with the local Panamanian culture of the area. You can definitely choose...
Boquete is a melting pot. There are several expat communities within Boquete as well as several local communities, too. What your neighbors would be like depends on your cup of tea. If you are in a gated community, the majority of your neighbors are going to be expats: Americans, Canadians, Europeans, etc. If you are in a local community, obviously, you are going to be involved with the local Panamanian culture of the area. You can definitely choose depending on your lifestyle.
If you live in a gated community, there are normally more amenities than in other places but of course the price is much more. In the local Panamanian community, you may not have the amenities but you can still get something very comfortable for a lot less money. Within a gated community, you would have more of that expat experience, more social events involving expats, more amenities that would cater to expats such as golf, tennis, and horseback riding. In a local community, you are going to be more with the Panamanian local culture, which would be more families, more children, probably more barking dogs, a couple of roosters and chickens crowing. That would be part of the local experience.
A lot of expats actually have a hard time adjusting to the more local experience, only because they are not used to the animals in the yard. A lot of local Planarians here have larger families so there are a lot more kids playing in the streets.
( Rooster on Panama stamp, pictured.)
Posted September 3, 2015
Giselle Leignadier - Hacienda Los Molinos
What your neighbors would be like in Boquete would depend on what area of Boquete you are in. If you are in the middle of town, you would meet different types of people, but majority of them would be locals, like people from Chiriquí and Panama City who are around 30 to 35 years old. Then there are the gated communities of Boquete such as Los Molinos, which is an established community with complete amenities. There are lots of activities in Los...
What your neighbors would be like in Boquete would depend on what area of Boquete you are in. If you are in the middle of town, you would meet different types of people, but majority of them would be locals, like people from Chiriquí and Panama City who are around 30 to 35 years old. Then there are the gated communities of Boquete such as Los Molinos, which is an established community with complete amenities. There are lots of activities in Los Molinos, and gorgeous views of the Pacific Ocean and Volcan Baru. The average age of people who live in Los Molinos is around 50 to 60 years old.
Boquete is a young town and it is growing up fast so you will see a lot of different people of all ages. The expats in Boquete are typically around 60 to 70 years old on average.
(Pictured: Los Molinos, Boquete, Panama, guests)
Posted October 27, 2015
Georgina Chanapi - Lucero Homes Golf & Country Club
Who your neighbors will be in Boquete will depend on where you decide to live. If you are going to live in Lucero, where I work, you are going to live amongst expats and Panamanians. If you want to live in a gated community, your neighbors will be mostly expats from different countries like France, Italy, etc. On the other hand, if you decide to live outside of the gated communities, your neighbors will be mostly Panamanians but not entirely because there are also expats who do...Who your neighbors will be in Boquete will depend on where you decide to live. If you are going to live in Lucero, where I work, you are going to live amongst expats and Panamanians. If you want to live in a gated community, your neighbors will be mostly expats from different countries like France, Italy, etc. On the other hand, if you decide to live outside of the gated communities, your neighbors will be mostly Panamanians but not entirely because there are also expats who do not live in gated communities. Lucero is a gated community and most of the residents there are golfers. They come to live here and they love playing golf every day. They also love playing tennis. Most of the people who live at Lucero are retirees. A lot of the people who have purchased properties here are people who are looking for security and privacy. The people in Lucero love the view of the entire place and the tranquility that comes with living in a gated community.
There are about 18 houses in Phase 1 but we have about 45 lot owners in total just in Phase 1. Phase 2 is still being developed, with a target completion in December of 2016. There is only one Panamanian living here. Most of the residents here are from Canada, France, and Switzerland. Lucero is a Canadian company so the Canadian expats prefer living here because of their familiarity and comfort level with the management of the company.
We have younger expats here in Lucero. The last couple that bought a lot here is a Spanish couple. There’s another Asian couple who are just about to have a baby. The market in Lucero is changing right now as the people who are now buying here are those who are not yet retired.
In total, there are 18 houses in Lucero so we have a total of 18 families, which is around 50 people. We expect to have more people to come in because there are lot owners here who currently have their houses under construction. The houses are estimated to be ready between February and March. The lot owners are just waiting for the rainy season to pass in order to push through with the construction of the houses.
(Golf camp attendees at Lucero Homes and Golf, Boquete, Panama, pictured.)
Posted November 23, 2015