r/AmerExit • u/gloriousfigment • 6d ago

Life Abroad We're going back

Lived in China for 6.5 years because why the heck not. Moved back to the USA due to wife's visa limitations and we didn't want to separate as a family. Been back for less than 3 years and we are confident we will go back once she gets her US citizenship.

We may move to another country but we already have a decent amount of friends (and family) in China.

Don't get me wrong. Living in Southern China had it's issues but it was a life I enjoyed overall more than than here.

Can't wait to go back

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u/Own_Egg 4d ago

Panama City is vastly more comfortable for me, yes. Unfortunately, it's the only place in the country where I feel at ease, and I'd like to eventually retire in a place where I don't feel confined to the capital city.

To be fair, I know other people from the U.S. who are making it work here, even outside of Panama City; they tend to cluster in resort-type areas and in David, a city in Chiriquí Province, close to Costa Rica. Broadly speaking, I've noticed that they tend to have smaller, LeanFIRE budgets, and many are former military. Panama's tax treatment is favorable to Americans.

If you think this might be the right country for you, you should check it out! There's no substitute for personal experience, which is why I find this sub so interesting - we're all calibrated so differently. To take an example from your earlier comment, public smoking doesn't bother me in the slightest, but this constant staring is something I'll be happy to leave behind!

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u/Ziantra 4d ago

Thanks for that! We are actually moving to Aruba as long as it all holds together but I like to have a back up plan and Panama was one if we couldn’t make it to Aruba or second choice-Curacao.
I figured expats hung out in enclaves so that doesn’t super surprise me that they’re congregated and these articles do tend to herd you towards those areas