My polymer clay friends of the Central Oklahoma Polymer Clay Guild
My polymer clay friends surprised me at our monthly meeting on July 14 with snacks and a “this is your polymer clay life” speech, saying how much I had helped the guild over the years. Aw, shucks – I just did my part, like so many others! The party was unexpected, and very sweet of them to do that. Emotions ran high that day, and I’ll miss them!
They also gave me a nice card, signed with well-wishes from everyone. I didn’t dare even look at it until I got home, because I’d be bawling like a baby if I read it there.
I’ll be back to see them again when we have our annual Christmas party at the December meeting. I’ll be back for about three weeks just before Thanksgiving, and will leave early the next morning after the party.
With our “queen mother” and co-founder of the guild, Penni Jo
With Penni Jo’s faithful sidekick and charter guild member, Jane
With Carmon (left) and Laura, who took polymer clay classes from me before joining the guild
Today was my last official day at work! Does that mean I’m officially retired? I’ll be back for a couple of days at the end of next week to wrap up a project I’m working on, but after that it’s full steam ahead to get ready for my move to Panama. I’ll miss the people there, but my replacement is doing a splendid job, and I feel good that I’m leaving them in capable hands.
So, so many things to do! Sorting out what to keep, give away, and sell (both online and in person). Deciding what to take on this trip, and what can wait until November, when I’ll return to the US for a visit and take more items back to Panama.
The days are rushing past – I’ll be on a plane August 4. It’s getting real – real quick!
Awhile back, I was watching the TV show “Better Late Than Never” which follows Henry Winkler, William Shatner, George Foreman, and Terry Bradshaw as they travel to various places around the world. These guys are all good friends, and have a great (and hilarious) time together.
They all have moments where they take themselves out of their comfort zones, either trying new exotic foods or just trying something they might be uncomfortable doing in their day-to-day life. Henry Winkler said something profound, as he was reflecting on one of his “pushing the envelope” experiences. As I prepare to make this move to Panama, it resonated with me so much that I had to rewind the recording several times so I could write it down. Here’s what he said:
“You know, as you get older, you’ve got a choice. You can either push your boundaries or close yourself off. No matter how old you get, go outside your comfort zone and see what the world has to offer.” — Henry Winkler
Wow – that pretty much sums it up! I’m definitely pushing my boundaries beyond the routine extents of my life so far, and I’m looking forward to seeing what lies outside of my own comfort zone.
And for those who say I’m “so brave” to make this move, here’s another quote that struck me this evening:
“Life shrinks or expands in proportion to one’s courage.” — Anais Nin
The immediate answer to the question of “why” is because I want to retire from the corporate world and do my own thing, on my own terms. I’m looking for a greater measure of freedom and autonomy.
For a long time, I figured retirement wasn’t in my future, but as I started looking abroad for alternatives to scraping by in this country in my old age, my hopes of actually living without working every day were revived. So I learned how much I would receive in Social Security at different ages, and calculated where I could live a reasonably comfortable lifestyle on that amount of money.
Las Lajas beach, about 1 1/2 hours away from Boquete. It’s a great place to hang out and enjoy a nice piña colada!
Panama checked those financial boxes, but so much more beyond that! First, there’s the climate – I chose the interior highlands because I overheat easily, and it’s easier to throw on a jacket if it gets cool than to try to cool off if I get too hot.
I was also attracted to the mountain area, because Oklahoma is pretty flat where I grew up, and I wanted to see some shape to the land, just to experience something visually different.
And then (back to the financial attractiveness of Panama), they have a fabulous list of discounts for those holding pensionado (retiree) visas:
One time duty tax exemption for household goods up to a total of $10,000.
Duty exemption for importing a new car every two years.
50% off entertainment anywhere in the country (movies, concerts, sports)
30% off bus, boat, and train fares
25% off airline tickets
50% off hotel stays from Monday through Thursday
30% off hotel stays from Friday through Sunday
25% off at restaurants
15% off at fast-food restaurants
15% off hospital bills (if no insurance applies)
10% off prescription medicines
20% off medical consultations
15% off dental and eye exams
20% off professional and technical services
50% reduction in closing costs for home loans
25% discounts on utility bills
15% off loans made in your name
1% less on home mortgages for homes used for personal residence
Those are some pretty attractive discounts, especially the 25% savings on airline tickets!
On the cultural side of things, I was pleasantly surprised at the friendliness of strangers. As I walked around town on my February visit, many people I passed actually greeted me with a smile and a friendly Hola! or Buenas! as we passed. It was very refreshing, and I could easily get used to that! One of my fellow tour group members explained that buenas is kind of a shorthand greeting – so instead of saying buenos días (good morning), buenas tardes (good afternoon), or buenas noches (good evening), a short and sweet Buenas! covers a greeting at any time of the day or night. Pretty cool!
So, for those who ask me, “Why Panama?” my answer is that I think it will be beneficial on several levels – financial (lower cost of living), social (friendly people), physical (walking more, lots of fresh local fruits, vegetables, and seafood), and psychological (slower pace, less stress and negativity). I think it will provide a stimulating framework to enjoy the later chapters of my life. And isn’t that a worthy goal for any of us? I think so!
In the course of my search for a suitable retirement haven, I happened upon what sounded like the perfect chance to explore my top candidate for expatriation. It’s called Panama Relocation Tours, and it’s a six-day tour of the majority of the country. This is an informational tour, not a “selling” tour – the agenda is to give attendees a boots-on-the-ground view of many of the different climates in Panama, from fancy high-rise condos on the beach to smaller towns in the interior, to the second-largest city, then on to the highlands in Boquete.
I booked the trip in August 2017, and went on the tour in February of this year. It’s hands-down the best thing I could have done to prepare for moving to Panama. As we rode on their big yellow bus, the tour leader, Jackie, was at the front on her microphone, constantly feeding us information and answering questions. I figure I’m thousands of dollars and years ahead in knowledge by having gone on this trip. The information I gleaned from it is priceless, and so far the process for acquiring permanent resident status has gone flawlessly.
The big yellow Panama Relocation Tours bus (not our tour group – it’s from their website).
Thanks to the advice given and the contacts provided on the tour, the timeline is sooner rather than later because that trip only confirmed what my prior research had led me to believe. Originally, I had planned to make the move by the end of the year, but now I’m planning to leave the first week in August. First, I have to stay in Panama City for 10 days to get my residency visa documentation wrapped up, and then it’s on to my ultimate destination, Boquete.
I’m going to travel light, with only a big suitcase, a carry-on, and a backpack. I’m planning to have a few boxes shipped to me about a month after I arrive and get settled. Before I leave, I’m going to have a moving sale, trying to get rid of many years of accumulation. The shedding of “stuff” is part of the sense of freedom I’m looking for – looking to keep it simple in the future. Some people bring their entire worldly possessions with them when they move to Panama, filling a 40-foot shipping container. Ugh! That’s definitely not my style, but to each their own.
I’ve already rented a couple of places that I’ve actually laid eyes on when I was there in February. For the first month, I’ll be staying in an adorable one-bedroom apartment that’s walking distance to downtown Boquete. I stayed in a studio apartment in the same building for a couple of days after the tour was over, so I’m very familiar with the area and the lodging.
While I was there, I also looked at a spacious two-bedroom apartment about a mile further out of town that I really liked, and haven’t been able to get out of my mind. So I put a deposit on it to stay there for at least a month, after I leave the first apartment. If I like it, I may stay there longer. At least these two places will give me plenty of time to explore and see what’s available for the long term.
I’m planning a return trip back here before Thanksgiving for a couple of weeks, to see some friends and pack another suitcase full of items. Then it will be a one-way trip back to Panama to truly settle into my new home!
