Finding Our Dream Home Base

We moved for the fourth time this past week since coming to Panama. This time, it was only half a block. Since arriving in Volcan, Vic and I have walked all over this beautiful town. On many of our walks, I have admired homes and studied empty lots, imagining how to build a house for the best view of the mountains we love to gaze at and where the sun rises and sets. On a specific walk a couple of months ago, we walked past our neighbor Alice’s place. We told each other we wanted to rent her place when she moved … someday. Three days later, as I walked Henry, we stopped to say hi to Alice and her dog, Shavi. I always had to stop to say hi to Shavi. Her energy as she would jump said pet me! Anyway, Alice asked me if she could share a secret with me. She had a financial blessing just days before that would allow her to move to Panama City. She loves big city life and was now going to live that dream. I asked her if she knew why she was telling me this, and I shared the conversation Vic and I had just days earlier. She was planning to spend a week finding an apartment, so I offered to dog-sit Shavi. She is a high-energy black Shih Tzu. I had already fallen in love with Shavi, and Alice didn’t want her to live the rest of her life on a leash, unable to run out her zoomies. She had always had this big yard to run in. I eagerly offered to adopt her.  As things turned out, Alice found the perfect apartment on the 8th floor of a building in her dream neighborhood of Pamana City.  

Fast forward to today. We have been in our new place for almost a week. It is the smallest space we have ever lived in, only 320 square feet, but it is laid out perfectly with a bedroom, a newly refinished bathroom, a storage room (that doubles as a walk-in closet), and open living and kitchen combination with more counter space than any of our previous rentals. Outside is a covered carport with a combination washer/dryer (Yes, a dryer!). The best part is a huge fenced yard filled with a wide variety of flowers, trees, and amazing views of the mountains, and Volcan Baru. The feeling of sipping our morning coffee outside, listening to the birds, and gazing out at all the lush, tropical beauty is everything we hoped for in our move to Panama.  

Vic and I agree that we are tired of moving and can see us living in this place long term. I never imagined finding our dream home base would take 15 months and four moves, but we are so grateful to be here. Now that we both feel settled in this happy space, we look forward to the coming dry season, venturing out to the hiking trails, coffee farms, and other unique places only found in the Chirique province of Panama.