Expats in Colon

[RICHARD ORR]

Hi Jessica. I’m a Florida retiree planning on relocating to Panama. I have an acquaintance (a Panamanian) who lives in Colon and he is trying to convince me to relocate there. I’ve done a little research and it doesn’t appear that Colon is very popular with expats. Most of what I’ve read deals with Colon being extremely poverty stricken with one of the highest crime rates in Central America. Would you, or any of your expat readers care to share their “boots-on-the-ground” experiences about living in Colon. Thanks.
Richard Orr

[COUNTRY EXPERT- JESSICA RAMESCH]

Hello Richard,

That’s a very good question. Online research can be very misleading, but in this case your research has turned up the truth. I concur with most: Colon is not a place I would recommend for relocation. I am talking about the city of Colon and not the entire province of Colon. There are a few expats in other parts of the province of Colon, such as Portobelo…on the coast and near some pretty beaches.

I lived in Colon City for three years in the 1990s when my father had business there. I managed to make the best of it…make friends and keep busy…and nothing serious happened to me. But muggings and break-ins were common. I was mugged once while learning to drive in an empty lot (not a smart location). It was non-violent, though scary, and the police apprehended the thief (a young man who I think was as scared as I was) and returned all of our items. I guess we were lucky because I did hear about violent muggings from time to time. Our apartment was robbed several times…by domestic staff and via nighttime or while-you-were-out sneak-ins…all non-confrontational but extremely stressful. I can’t imagine anyone wanting to live in Colon unless they absolutely had to.

In the province of Colon there is little in the way of entertainment infrastructure, group activities, clubs, etc. So it can be a boring place to live.

I know people who live in Colon City because their livelihood is tied to the Colon Free Zone, and none of them would stay in Colon if they didn’t have to. The minute they retire, they are out of there.

It is a shame because Colon was once a beautiful colonial town..a weekend destination for denizens of the capital. Money has been poured into Colon…there were several high profile projects this decade, overhauls of roads, sewer systems, a new highway to Panama City, rehabilitation of some housing/buildings, etc. Unfortunately it hasn’t been enough, and even the brightest economists and “experts” are at a loss to explain why it’s so tough to turn things around in Colon.

There are so many nice places to live in Panama, more than I can count. I’d say (forgive me) your acquaintance does you a disservice recommending Colon of all places. As you’ve no doubt seen on this website, places like Panama City, Coronado, El Valle, and Boquete have much to offer, from culture and activities to environments in which one can wear jewelry and carry cell phones and go about their business unmolested. I’d say consider other options. Consider any other option. Colon is our equivalent of Compton..or the worst parts of D.C., Baltimore, and Philly. No one chooses it, certainly not as a retirement destination.

Thanks for your question.

Best regards,

Jessica

[RICHARD ORR]

Thanks so much for your reply Jessica. I know you are busy and I appreciate the time you took in responding to my question. You confirmed my feelings that Colon was not a good choice for my intended relocation to Panama.

Do you have any suggestion as to a forum I can join where expats living in Panama could answer some additional questions I have. Although I am of retirement age, I still have additional income as a Florida licensed realtor. With a move to Panama, I will not have that additional income and have to live strictly on my social security income which is about $1,500 per month. Consequently, I will need to locate in a city / area where I can comfortably live on this income.

Again, thank you for your time and assistance.
Richard

[COUNTRY EXPERT- JESSICA RAMESCH]

Sure Richard, my pleasure. You may want to try Viviendo en Panama on Yahoo Groups. All you need is to register for a free email address at http://www.yahoo.com (unless you already have one). From there query “Viviendo en Panama” group in the yahoo search engine and you’ll be able to sign up very easily. The expat members tend to be great about responding to specific questions like this and generous with their contacts. If looking at Boquete you may want to try Boquete Ning.

[RICHARD ORR]

Thanks Jessica. I will definitely try these links. When I relocate to Panama … which I am planning to do … I hope that, some day, I will get the opportunity to meet you. You are a great ambassador for International Living.
Richard

[COUNTRY EXPERT- JESSICA RAMESCH]

Thats very kind of you, thank you Richard. Will look forward to hearing about your relocation experience whenever that time comes.
Regards,
Jessica

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