Moon Living Abroad in Panama [Paperback]

Miriam Butterman (Author)

Book Description

Series: Living Abroad | Publication Date: January 26, 2010

Writer, editor, and teacher Miriam Butterman left her home in New York to make a new life in Panama—and hasn't looked back. In Moon Living Abroad in Panama, she shares her firsthand advice on making the move easy for all who want to follow in her footsteps.

Moon Living Abroad in Panama is packed with essential information and must-have details on setting up daily life, including obtaining visas, arranging finances, gaining employment, choosing schools, and finding health care. This relocation guide also includes practical advice on how to rent or buy a home for a variety of needs and budgets. With extensive color and black and white photos, illustrations, and maps, Moon Living Abroad in Panama will help you find your bearings as you settle into your new home and life abroad.

Editorial Reviews

Review

Moon Living Abroad in Panama author Miriam Butterman shares insider secrets on making the move to Panama. To read the entire Q&A, please visit Moon.

Are there any local customs that a newcomer to Panama should be aware of?

The most obvious local custom in Panama that will affect your daily life consists of arriving roughly 30 minutes to an hour fashionably late to any event. If an event is called for a certain time you can be sure it will not start "happening" until about 45-90 minutes later. Other local customs are very much related to personal family cultures or religion. For example, many families from the city who have second homes in the interior spend Sundays at the beach. Sunday is a big family day. Another is that Christmas is not celebrated on December 25th, but rather on Christmas Eve. On the 24th, young people stay out all night, after their family meals. The 25th is saved for nursing your hangover or your full stomach.

Making local friends is a great way to assimilate to living in a new country. What's the best way to meet people in Panama?

Meeting people in Panama is easy if you like to go to the beach and/or are serious about nightlife activity (especially what happens after 11pm and beyond). People are very extroverted and like to go out in large groups to many of the same places. If you decide you like one "joint" most, you will meet people who also frequent it repeatedly. Also, many new expats attend embassy events, such as the American society or the Canadian Embassy. The Spanish and French embassies also sponsor many cultural events that are open to all. This is a wonderful way to meet other internationals who are here for reasons similar to yours. In Panama City, there are many art openings which are not exclusive, and you can usually find out about them in the cultural calendars of the daily newspapers. These art openings are big "mixers" in the Panamanian cultural world. Look to infoartepanama.com to download the digital arts magazine and find out about weekly events. --Moon.com

Did you ever think of just picking up and moving to another country? The travel book publisher Moon has expanded its "Living Abroad" series. New volumes describe living in Panama, South Korea, Guatemala, China and Spain. More than 5.25 million nongovernmental U.S. citizens live abroad, according to the Association of Americans Resident Overseas. While meant for expats, the books also come in handy for tourists who might be spending a few weeks or months in a country as part of study abroad or extended tour. You never know when you'll be back. --Detroit Free Press, February 28, 2010

Product Details

• Paperback: 368 pages
• Publisher: Avalon Travel Publishing; 1 edition (January 26, 2010)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1598802437
• ISBN-13: 978-1598802436
• Product Dimensions: 8.3 x 5.3 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 13.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #407,797 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #31 in Books > Travel > Latin America > Central America > Panama

More About the Author

Miriam Butterman is a freelance writer who left New York City for Panama with a two-year contract and a plan to return to Manhattan. Nine years later, she holds residency in Panama. A language arts and writing teacher, Miriam has also worked as a business manager within the hospitality industry in Central America, an experience that further developed her expertise on living and working abroad. Miriam has worked as an editor for the "Panama Eagle"
and as a journalist for the "Panama Star", Central America's oldest English-language news source, and has contributed to "Panama 9°80°", a travel and leisure magazine. Forays into the local music scene as a singer have given her a passion for working with Panamanian artists and musicians. She currently owns a home in the reverted Canal Zone, and enjoys the sights and sounds of the tropics from her writing desk.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Expat's view of the ins and outs of moving to Panama., March 18, 2011

By 

Savvy Scott - See all my reviews

This review is from: Moon Living Abroad in Panama (Paperback)

This book is destined for North Americans who are considering becoming Panamanian residents. It covers the "why", "how", "where", "how much" and "what if" for a North American seeking information on moving to Panama and actually residing there most of the year. There are specifics of contacts, places and prices; it covers legal, cultural and practical aspects of life on the isthmus in some detail but smartly has references for more in-depth and up-to-date information. No place on earth is "paradise" and this book clearly shows the wheat with the chaff, although the author clearly believes that the "wheat" is far more abundant than the "chaff". Prices should be updated with current research every year.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Very good source of information, March 8, 2011

By 

A Keith Dick (Stamford, CT USA) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Moon Living Abroad in Panama (Paperback)

This book is very well written and organized - much, much better than others.

It is really the only book you need, although some of the others written by expats do give some extra inside information - but very dated.

The book covers all aspects of living in Panama, from the point of view of an outsider moving there. To get more detail on specific topics, you can go online and usually the information is available.

I highly recommend this book for anyone wanting to get a balanced view of moving to Panama.

6 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Good overview. Doesn't cover everything., March 25, 2010

By 

Forrest "Forrest" (Florida) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Moon Living Abroad in Panama (Paperback)

The book covers the basics in a readable, understandable style. Since we all have different specific questions no one book can cover all the bases. For example, I would like to know more about whether we can easily buy our health supplements. If not is buying and shipping in is practical.