Susan and Pat

[Arturo gomez]

Does anyone know what happened to these folks?

[Amanda Firestone]

I still don't understand the carpetbagger comment.

[Keith Woolford]

I still don't understand the carpetbagger comment.

Apparently just another manifestation of resentment towards expats in Boquete. Now he's even going after former residents.

[Val]

Thanks to all of you. I wasn't sure if my post would be well received. I am glad it was. I never met F2F with Susan and Pat, although we tried. Actually I was surprised to find out here that they had left. I didn't expect that.

Judy - yes you are correct. Add aging parents to the first list. We were in the planning stages of moving here before my mom passed away. Somehow, I thought it would be OK and I would be able to handle whatever needed to be done. In retrospect, it would have been very difficult if not possible. Her death was not expected but it did happen way before we were ready to move.

Jim and Nena - well it's good to know we weren't the only ones that had to pay 1/4 of the cost for a new transformer from UF. I think ours was cheaper though - $1200 comes to mind. Regardless, anyone that bought here after us, doesn't know that we paid a good part of why they have electricity! No not looking for donations, just never mentioned it to anyone. We were in the middle of building and you don't question things at the expense of slowing everything down. It would have cost more.

Still here! We are part of the survivors! Not bad for a person that at one point I believe I would be considered a Type A personality. There isn't too much that phases me anymore - LOL!

[Judy Sacco]

To jimandnena:  Carpet bagger?  Why do you say that?  They created a beautiful property and helped a lot of people here.  What's wrong with you to use that term?  No wonder you were banned from the other forum.  You're probably heading out the door on this one too.

[Amanda Firestone]

What do you mean by "the carpetbagger estate"? A carpetbagger is a derogatory term meaning an unscrupulous opportunist. I never perceived either Susan or Pat to be either unscrupulous or opportunists, and  "carpetbagger" is a noun that cannot serve as an adjective so as to be descriptive of property.

[Keith Woolford]

Susan must have been one of those Gringos in Boquete that the Lone Star character assassin "never wasted a minute getting to know".

[Keith Woolford]

Their life adventure led them down a different path.

[Val]

Honeymoon with Panama ended. I completely understand that. However, not for the typical reasons cited:

1 - Miss grandchildren
2 - Health issues - inability to obtain insurance that will cover major/known conditions.
3 - Expecting a more affordable lifestyle - even if one came here with money.

Now the not so understood:
1 - Trying to deal with day-to-day issues. For example, at least where I live (not in Boquete),finding a trustworthy individual to come on your property and then hope they can fix whatever it is.
2 - Learning that just because you moved here, want (and we still do) embrace the culture, it isn’t straightforward! Speaking half way decent Spanish has made it easier. However, it was never my Spanish - the “concept” of what I was requesting are anomalies to many - they have no clue because they haven’t had what I am requesting. This is not meant to sound superior at all - items I took for granted that anyone working in store in David I thought should know — not!
3 - If anyone here is reading this, did you ever have an experience in your childhood where you heard someone from another country speak in English and thought they must not know anything? These were my thoughts as a very young young child (5-6) before I understood. Well I encounter this whenever I go to David -somewhere. While I consider most of the Panamanians to be warm and friendly, there are those that if you do not say every word 100% what they expect, it’s your problem. Hey I try!
4 - Plus as much as I hate to go through this again where we own our property, it took me while before I realized that machismo aka 1950’s is alive and well here. I thought that was behind me - I worked all over Latin America when I was younger and was treated like? How could a “girl” be the lead of a major technical project?
5 - Just because you meet fellow ex-pats from where you are from, in our case the US, does not mean you will have a bond (did you like everyone from your homeland?) nor will you meet people who are really helpful. Many are on their own agenda and really could care less about anyone but themselves - at your expense - mentally and financially.

Sure there’s more and I remember Susan and Pat - they did so much for this community but my guess is at least one of the items above, applied to why they left.

This is more than anyone requested but it’s on my mind at the moment - just been one of those weeks - lol. At least I still laugh at the absurdity of some of what I wrote above.

Take care all. This isn’t meant to discourage anyone, but rather to do your due diligence.

Buenos Noches

[Bill]

These type of forums are closely read by people who are considering a lifestyle change and I thought Val did a very good job of providing some food for thought.

Those of us who have lived here for a while have adjusted or adapted, and most of us wouldn't change our original decision to come.  The people who experience the most problems are the ones who think everything will be the same as where they came from except that the cost of living will be lower.

[Val]

Hi Bill and all,
I think I understand how this forum works - not sure. Bill- thanks I didn’t mention you in my previous post. You are dead on - it’s hard to explain the day-to-day experience.

Jim- please don’t bring up the past - so what? I really don’t have time to take on any more battles here. Perhaps the next time you come to visit, I can give you the list of our outstanding issues - be glad to meet you and let you take them on.

I don’t post nor read this frequently anymore. Now I realize why!

Jim - we did at one point have a connection here but it seems you have irritated others - I don’t care nor want to get involved.

Considering there is another agenda on this thread where I choose to not participate because I have no idea what it is, see you all later!

Valerie

PS - Sure I could go to the link posted but why waste my time? Again, what is in the past is gone. Try to enjoy today!