After graduating from Temple University with a degree in Psychology, I began teaching preschool at Children’s Friend right around the corner from CP. Over the summer, a group of friends and I came to visit a former CP alum, Nigel Fleming, in Panama and I fell in love with the country. Five months after that nice, little vacation I moved here to Panama and am now teaching preschool at a British School. I was very inspired by Nigel’s courage and curiosity to explore a new country all by himself. I was not as courageous to take on a new country without knowing anyone, so I appreciate how much he has helped me to transition here. Aside from work, I’ve been able to travel around the country seeing Panama’s diverse outdoors. From tropical islands, to beaches, to jungles, to cities and mountaintops, Panama offers a variety of places to venture. I’ve been camping on beaches and mountains, I’ve explored bat caves in the middle of a jungle, I’ve hiked up mountain tops just outside the city and I’ve taken more water taxis between islands than I’ve ever imagined I would.
Everyone always asks me why I came here, how long I will be here and what my future plans are. Moving to Panama became a goal of mine that I established just 8 months ago and I am still living that goal and I cannot confirm how long I will be here. Who knows? The main reason I moved out of the country was to try to escape the mentality of having to work, work, work in order to be successful. Culturally, we put too much emphasis on the future, which in turn limits us on how we perceive the here and now. What I’ve learned in Panama so far, is that people work a lot, but they have a “tranquila” type of mentality where there’s not so much pressure to have to achieve a certain level of success in order to be happy. People seem more content here. I guess my next goal is to be able to shape my frame of mind by establishing a new way of living. And like anyone else, I just want to find consistent happiness. As for my immediate plans – I’d really like to touch a sloth while I’m down here!
Everyone always asks me why I came here, how long I will be here and what my future plans are. Moving to Panama became a goal of mine that I established just 8 months ago and I am still living that goal and I cannot confirm how long I will be here. Who knows? The main reason I moved out of the country was to try to escape the mentality of having to work, work, work in order to be successful. Culturally, we put too much emphasis on the future, which in turn limits us on how we perceive the here and now. What I’ve learned in Panama so far, is that people work a lot, but they have a “tranquila” type of mentality where there’s not so much pressure to have to achieve a certain level of success in order to be happy. People seem more content here. I guess my next goal is to be able to shape my frame of mind by establishing a new way of living. And like anyone else, I just want to find consistent happiness. As for my immediate plans – I’d really like to touch a sloth while I’m down here!
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