Panama, Casco Viejo
Casco Antiguo, San Felipe


Yesterday I read an article about Panama and foreigners living and doing business here. As usual, the posts below showed a wide range of comments, but there was one that got my attention: a disappointed person remarked that Panama was not paradise and it had a list of all things he didn´t like.  In my job as a real estate agent there is one and only one thing I am absolutely certain: expectations play a huge roll in the level of satisfaction of the client. This can certainly be applied to all aspects of our lives, as humans are constantly out looking for "paradise" in every little corner.

Now, the trick with this "paradise" problem is multiple. Notice I say "trick" because it is a trick. We trick ourselves into believing a place or a thing are "paradise", and marketing specialists know this (as they are humans too) and use this tendency to make us fantasize and to get us to buy stuff. We, as clients know it, but we still fall for it. That´s the game, and I get the sense we like it.

But Paradise is a deceiving thing on both sides of the road. To begin with, Paradise means a lot of radically different things to a lot of people. In my closest dictionary, Paradise is a state of supreme happiness, bliss. It is also a place of extreme beauty, delight, or happiness. All of it, we know, lies in the eye of the beholder, which at the same time is pumped up or not by expectations. Not even religion can get it together on what is or should be Paradise. Somehow, people got it into their minds it was white beach and a sunny sky. That means tan beach ain´t paradise? I like tan beach. I like it more than white, frankly. And I like clouds, it is less hot and I feel less dehydrated. And rain is quite romantic.

Truth is that we have allowed ourselves to get wired in a way that paradise is a package of very defined things (which anyways change from culture to culture and from people to people) and when it doesn´t look, feel or taste like the magazine cover of our preference, then there is a problem. But the trick is that we know, as we also know models in magazines aren´t that beautiful when met person to person (they do have skin marks, they are very skinny and some even have bad hair... but great bones!), that paradise simply doesn´t exist as perfection doesn´t exist. It is all a fantasy to make us escape our reality for a while. But read it again: Paradise doesn´t exist.

Now, as for the argument that Panama is paradise, it is just not true. As usual, the media creates the "hipe" by using those words to the point where they loose all meaning. In the past, words tended to be these valuable vehicles to convey important concepts that had some weight. When you gave your word it meant the world. No papers needed to be signed.  With the extreme use of faaaabulous, wooonderful, paradise, fantastic, etc we have lost track of what they mean. Faabulous is the new pink or vanilla. And it is a shame, because some things are trully amazing, wonderful and fantastic or beautiful. But used without discretion just to overcome the "marketing noise" out there to get your product across it looses its own value and by the way hurts the same product you wanted to highlight.

We should start downsizing, even in our everyday conversations. Don´t mind the financial bubble, there is a language bubble crisis in modern society that is getting to affect our judgement about the world and is numbing us to the real  great things that life and countries have to offer us. We should make a vow never to use the word "paradise" and use words like great, nice and enjoyable when there is really a cause for it.

Why? because this is the only way everyone wins.  Think about it: if you scream "paradise" and someone buys on it, when they get there and it happens it rains too much, traffic is loud, it is too hot or any other thing, then both client and marketer end up in a bad spot. But if your speech is truthful and moderate, and it sets the right expectations, when the person buys he is satisfied and both parties end up in the right place.

For many years, we´ve had this notion that Caribbean countries (and make no mistake, Panama is a Caribbean country) are paradise. White beaches, laid back population, a coconut and a palm. The hammock and piña colada life.  But reality, as all realities, is made of different angles and the "simple life" is far from simple.  Caribbean countries have wonderful beaches, most likely full of sand fleas, mosquitoes, etc. Nature is great until you get bit by something. People are laid back, which means a heavy lazy vein is also present. They are happy people and love to party, I guess that is fine. But partying has it´s own set of negative things, as many would know very well. For every good thing there is a bad one, as every coin has two sides, and ignoring it is trying to cover the sun with the finger.

Everything is cheaper in Caribbean countries, Panama included, and I agree the country has streched this card too far. But expecting exactly the same service at the same level as you where at home but for half the price is unrealistic. If it is half the price is because there are hidden costs, and it is normal that there would be. Hidden costs are usually charged under the currency of time (things take longer to get done), effort (we are laid back, remember?) and cultural differences among other things.

Rabindranath Tagore once said: "If you cry for loosing the sun, your tears will prevent you from looking at the stars".  Panama isn´t paradise, but it is a great place to live and to invest in. It is a place on Earth, not on Heaven (wherever that is in your specific culture and religion). If you are setting up a business, you do have far less competition. It is hard work, don´t fool yourself. But you have the opportunity to do things and be an entrepreneur in ways that maybe your country wouldn´t allow for it anymore as it is so crowded. Panama may not have super white sand beaches everywhere and at the snaps of your fingers, but it does have two interesting coasts with wild geographies worth exploring. And if white sand is what you need, go to San Blas, Bocas or Pearl Islands, you´ll find it there.

Not all Panamanians speak English, but Panama´s incredible diversity for the small country it is makes for an intriguing palette to explore. Seven different indian tribes, a mix of Spanish, afroantillian, african, white, chinese, you name it! You are lucky there is at least a common language in Spanish! Service isn´t probably at the top level, but the country is learning fast. It is one of the easiest countries to travel to and to do tourism, as everything is so close. You can plan for beach, mountain and ethnic in a less than a week vacation or just relax on a fishing trip at really beautiful sites.

For a scientist, diversity is paradise. If so, then Panama is paradise. The one other strenght it has other than geographic location is diversity. In every aspect. Panama has a little bit of everything, and for those adventurous sould who enjoy exploring a petit store of curiosities, Panama is a good fit.

Since I have dedicated my life to a very specific part of Panama, Casco Viejo, I should make a disclaimer right away: Casco Viejo is not paradise.  It is a 300 year old colonial site, where everything is mixed. From architecture (art deco side by side with caribbean, colonial, french, republican among others) to social (poor, middle class and rich), to lifestyles and ways of thinking. Restored and unrestored, ruins side by side with sites under construction.

Casco Viejo is the most down to earth community I know and that is where the true beauty lies.  It is not fabulous in a "dinner topic" manner, but it is highly unusual and very special because it is so rare and somehow for those who get it, it is just visceral. Here people care about people and the ones who have moved here and / or invested here enjoy building a community for others. This, in combination with the beautiful site itself, makes for the best you can hope for anywhere whether it is back home or not.

This morning, I woke up with a thought. I understand the deep need for people to constantly be looking for paradise and happiness. Aristoteles said that was mankind only mission. But the truth is that if anywhere, paradise is within ourselves. Once we know that, then the world is our playground and is important to see things for what they are, not judge them on how the magazine cover looks like. Those are made to shine on our faces and trigger "buy, buy, buy".  Be curious, don´t expect anything. This is not only with Panama, this applies everywhere. With open eyes, you´ll be able to enjoy both the sun and the everlasting beauty of a night full of stars.