跳 = Han Symbol for Leap/Jump

My friends and I have the goal to move somewhere together for a short (1-6 months depending on visa) period of time, with the idea of potentially relocating long term. We've been individually selecting places we think might suit everyone in the group. It's a fun exercise, but we are also being intentional, as we fully intend to attempt this.

Wait, aren't you just doing gentrification in another country???

We are committed to treat the places we go, and cultures we see, with the upmost respect. As short term residents, we want to cause as little impact as we can. We don't want to contribute to rising living costs either. I completely support immigrants relocating for better work opportunities, I don't see how relocating for better LIFE opportunities is a bad thing. Especially when done with respect and a commitment towards assimilation.

We plan to:

• Live modestly in shared housing

• Predominantly patron local small business

• Pay all relevant local taxes and fees

• Create as little waste/trash as possible

• Keep our accommodations clean and treat local parks/landmarks with respect

I'm trying to do this House Hunters style, so I've selected three places that I think are suitable for the group. I'll be covering one destination a per week.

Non-Negotiables:

• Max 1k USD housing expense per person

• Safe, especially considering women, minorities and LGBTQ+

• Possesses the wow factor

Priorities:

• Access to natural landmarks (ocean, lakes, mountains)

• Solid climate

• Walkability

• Good air quality

• Good public transportation

• Not overcrowded

• Distance to major airport

• High Speed Internet

• Diversity

Now for this week's destination...

Panama City, Panama

Pros:

• No currency conversion 1 Balboa = 1 USD (USD is also standard currency)

• Great opportunity to learn Spanish in a smaller more personable country

• Extremely lenient travel visa laws (Can stay 180 days without a tourist visa!!!)

• Great remote work visa and path to citizenship

• World class healthcare

• Great time conversion (US central time)

• Great international airport with cheap Flights

• No double dip taxes

• High quality water supply

• Very stable economy

• Diverse expat community

• Really bad allergy symptoms for uninitiated

• Good cheap public transportation

• High quality medical and dental care

• Amazing weather in dry season (low humidity, between 75-85F)

• Co-working venues with generators and reliable internet

Cons:

• Bad traffic

• Wealth inequality

• Eating out is vastly more expensive than cooking

• Questionable electricity reliability

• Humid season is really really humid...

Comps:

Airbnb

Apartments

Nature

Restaurants

Conclusion

Overall, I think the attractiveness of Central America will continue to rise. Panama is geographically close to the U.S., shares a timezone, a currency, and appears a bit more relaxed than large areas in Mexico or South America.

Panama and Costa Rica are experiencing an increase in cost of living, which might result in hostile attitudes towards expats (understandable). Learning a solid amount of Spanish seems vital in order to separate oneself from the average expat who comes primarily exploit cheap goods and services.