Jessica Ramesch

Jessica Ramesch

International Living Panama Editor Jessica Ramesch has been living the life international for as long as she can remember. By the age of 15, she had already called the U.S., India, and Panama home. The travel bug bit her hard, and she lived out of a suitcase for many years. More than 25 countries later, she’s still got plenty of exploring left to do… Before joining IL, Jessica taught English to Vietnamese refugees, studied French, Italian, and Portuguese, and worked as an interpreter at an international emergency hotline, a writer for the Panama Canal’s newspaper, El Faro and a Second Officer on Carnival Cruise Lines Jessica left the Panama Canal for a position with Carnival Cruise Lines, touring the world and moving up in rank from Cadet Purser to Second Officer. A year in, she had the honor of joining the Carnival Legend’s maiden crew on her first voyage out of Helsinki and—after visiting beautiful European ports like Tallinn and Saint Petersburg—a transatlantic crossing. Today, Jessica lives the good life from her base in Panama City. Jessica enjoys learning new things and laughing with friends, preferably over great food and drinks She travels often—scouring Panama’s beaches, islands, mountains and countryside for her International Living articles.

City, mountains, forest, beach—buy half an acre in Sora for less than $80,000

City, mountains, forest, beach—buy half an acre in Sora for less than $80,000

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With altitudes from 1,200 to 3,400 feet, Sora is a settlement in the mountains of Chame in Panama, first populated centuries ago by the tribes of the Caribs. Its location is unbeatable. Unlike the popular retirement destination of Boquete, Sora is just 60 miles—about an hour-and-a-half by car—from Panama City. It’s also 45 minutes from some of Panama’s best Pacific beaches, known as the “dry arch” beaches because they get less rain than the rest of the country. The area is verdant with mountain views that rival those in Boquete—a town that has become a success-story since expats began flocking there some years ago. This is one of the reasons we think property prices will appreciate here.

“Panama City wasn’t our first choice, but turned out to be our prefect retirement haven.”

“Panama City wasn’t our first choice, but turned out to be our prefect retirement haven.”

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Jon and Gretchen Nickel’s story starts with International Living. Jon says Panama’s retiree benefits (the pensionado program) caught his eye, as did the climate, dollar-based economy, and coastal areas. “We knew we wanted warm weather and a place close to the water,” Jon says, adding that the cost of living was also a primary consideration.

The new Taylor of Panama: Real estate investor Scott Taylor says Adios to the only home he’s known

The new Taylor of Panama: Real estate investor Scott Taylor says Adios to the only home he’s known

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Scott Taylor grew up in Carlsbad, California, and lived there his entire life. It’s a great place to live—just outside San Diego, the “city of perfect weather”—the kind of place you just don’t leave. But Scott is leaving this idyllic town in search of an ideal of his own…he is moving to Panama. “I have long dreamt of the quality, inexpensive lifestyle of the tropics. Great food, beautiful beaches, friendly people, and the kind of low-cost living that can no longer be found in California,” Scott tells me.