expat groups or meet in panama city

[CHRISTOPHER HOWARD]

My wife and I have relocated to Panama City and will be living in the El Congrejo area. We were wondering if there are any expat groups or social meets in the area or in Panama City.Would like to connect with anyone willing over coffee or a drink. Thanks

[COUNTRY EXPERT- JESSICA RAMESCH]

Hi Christopher, Thanks for posting!

The correct spelling is El Cangrejo, a wonderful area as I’m sure you’ve already discovered.

It is never too early to start networking and you’ll find there are plenty of options right here in the big city, which can seem very small and friendly once you start connecting with people here.

The great thing about Panama is that there are expat communities, local organizations, and plenty of friendly people about. No matter where in the country you go, you’ll find there are a great many opportunities to get connected. In Panama City you’ll find formal organizations created to bring people together based on common backgrounds, interests, and more. If you plan to work or do business here, consider joining the American Chamber of Commerce in Panama. It’s a ready-made support system that can help answer your questions and put you in touch with like-minded souls.

The American Society welcomes people from the U.S., Panama, and any other country. The non-profit group is a great way to get involved in charitable efforts and network for business and fun.

Internations is a networking platform with chapters all over the world, and the Panama one is very active. It hosts meet-and-greet events once a month at different bars and restaurants around town. Everyone is welcome, regardless of age or nationality. If you’re new in town, you may find it well worth a try. Lots of people show up unaccompanied and find it’s easy to work the room, introducing themselves and joining in conversations.

There many online tools you can use to find out about gatherings and connect with interesting people. You already know about the International Living Panama Facebook page (check out the photo albums, where you can see flyers that represent the many activities Panama has to offer). And for business networking, real estate information, and online special interest groups, I have found LinkedIn to be invaluable.

Attending expat and local events is also a great way to get involved and meet new people. There are many websites where you can find out more about events. I like The Visitor, a bilingual newspaper, website: http://www.thevisitorpanama.com. On Facebook you can also go to your events page and search events near you. The more Panama-based pages you “like,” the more you’ll find out about upcoming events. For example, if you’re into jazz, you should definitely “like” http://www.facebook.com/danilosjazzclub?fref=ts. Live music is often featured at The Country Store: http://www.facebook.com/CountryStorePanama. If you’re into wine, try the Felipe Motta wine store events: http://www.facebook.com/felipemottawinestore.

Hope this helps…don’t hesitate to post any additional thoughts or questions. And happy networking!

IL Panama Editor Jessica Ramesch

[Lynda Boyce]

Does anyone know when the International Livings Event will be in Panama next year? We have not been able to make the past events and want to plan to for sure to make the next one. So advanced information on this would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks
Lynda Boyce

[COUNTRY EXPERT- JESSICA RAMESCH]

Hi Lynda,

International Living publishes this info on the International Living website (https://internationalliving.com/events/) and began promoting the Feb 12-14, 2016 Panama event some months ago. My understanding is that it sold out in record time but you can go to the link provided here and sign up for the waiting list/learn more about the event. We probably won’t have the date for the 2017 Panama event till after February 2016. I hope this news isn’t disappointing to you…there will be an International Living event in New Orleans in April 2016, you can read about that and other events at the link provided above.

Thanks for posting.

Best regards,

Jessica Ramesch
IL Panama Editor

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