I Always Wanted To… (Fill in the blank)

I have always wanted to live in another country. So, for the past two years, my husband and I, and at times our adult children, have been traveling back and forth to Panama City, Panama. During these excursions, we have found a connection to this country. From its beautiful vistas to the warmth and welcome of its countrymen to the exuberance of the many expats that we have met, we found a place that felt like home – vastly different, but a safe and warm spot to land.

Looking for a New Home

It has been a challenge for us to stay full-time in the United States, given its current feeling of social unrest and climate of unease, so we intentionally set out to find somewhere new and refreshing. Having worked in politics, social and human services, and higher education, I felt the weight of our societal ills in an ever-mounting sense of being overwhelmed; I needed a change for my own mental and physical health and well-being. I felt that I contributed to society, my community, and to others, so I had no concerns about leaving.

There are no abandonment issues for me; I have given my all to every space and role that I have occupied.

Well, my husband decided to embark on something new more easily when he retired from his job of over 30 years in 2025. He was pushing me, without pushing me, to take the plunge and jump and join him on a new adventure. We had many discussions about how “right” Panama felt for us despite the language barrier and living away from all known family and friends. He knew me; all I needed was the trappings of a false sense of stability removed in order for me to say, “yes!” So that’s what we did, together we said yes to possibilities.

This Decision Was Not Made Lightly

We reached this decision after thorough research. We conferred with our children, talked it over about their feelings of us being out of the country, and they gave their blessings with a resounding, GO FOR IT! cheer. As a family and as individuals, our lives have been spent traveling around the world, immersing ourselves in new cultures and experiences. The difference this time is that we were going to plant our feet and live in that new culture and experience and take ownership of all it had to offer.

I’ll never forget when our son came to spend a week with us on yet another trip to Panama last November. After two days, he simply said, “I get it, it feels right for you.” Our daughter who had joined us for three trips there was sold the very first time she went to Panama.

Revealing Plans to Extended Family and Friends

Now came the real challenge, telling the rest of our family about the decision we had made to become part-time citizens of Panama. They did not completely understand why we felt so strongly that it was time for us to move out of the country, but they understood that we needed a break from the never-ending cycle of extended family discord that we got pulled into, and the mental weariness that had followed us in the recent past. Eventually, they also got on board as they looked at our move as a catalyst for change in their own lives. We are forged together as a family, but individually, we live differently, and being more out of reach allows for them to be less dependent on us.

Believe it or not, telling our friends and colleagues that we were moving was much easier than telling our family. During each of our travels to Panama, we brought along a different set of friends, and they have all enjoyed themselves, basked in the country’s beauty and diversity, and its cultural offering and the sophistication of its society. Our friends have given us a resounding BRAVO! Of course, our friends have also made travel plans to be with us within the next few months, fully furnished apartment or not!

Finally There

My husband got to work to make the move a reality, and he started the Visa process, enrolled in an intensive Spanish class, connected with a realtor, and a lawyer to help us navigate through the process. Several months later, here we are, Visas in hand, a beautiful apartment overlooking the Causeway, with enough space for family and friends to visit, in a walkable neighborhood, with lots of amenities, such as grocery stores, coffee shops, restaurants, walking trails, and beauty in every direction. To say we are lucky to get everything we hoped is an understatement, we found a new life that was built on financial planning, careful thought, and the bravery to leap into the unknown.

What we have done is create our new life because we wanted it badly enough to shape it. What “new” do you want for yourself? Have you prepared to make it a reality? Have you planned financially for something different, and if not, what steps do you need to take to take that barrier off the table? We talked and walked through all of the known challenges and prepared as much as we could to anticipate the unknown.

How Do You See Your Life Moving Forward?

I am not proposing that everyone leave the United States; we are proud to be from this country, it is ours to love and support as we see fit, but for some of us, living abroad was always in play, and our time to do that is now. What do you want to do or be that is different than your current situation? Moving may not be something you want to do, but if you look at your life, what do you want for yourself? Is it a new hobby, a new career, a new lifestyle? The possibilities of “new” are endless, but time is finite, so what is stopping you from leaping to make something exciting, or simply different, happen at this stage of your life?

I don’t want to be too presumptuous, but maybe this blog can be an invitation to embrace change, whatever that may be, for yourself. I humbly invite you to join me in the next phase of your life by exploring the endless possibilities. Share your thoughts in the comments about your new, whatever that may be, and let’s all get inspired and encouraged to leap.

Join Us in Conversation:

What new thing have you always wanted to do? Have you planned for it? What have you needed to research to make it a reality?