Comments on: on the road

By: mr. wonderful

mr. wonderful — Sat, 23 Jun 2007 16:08:18 +0000

I want to personally thank Okke right here..
Okke, i had read your site very sporadically over the past year or so. for some damn unexplained reason, i started reading your exemplary website again right at the beginning of april and thank god I did!
people can say whatever they want. fuck ‘em. maybe cojito here is also to be commended for uncovering this smelly pile of shit but i just found this place.. I was absolutely kicked in the nuts when we actually read the legislation (had to translate it-I don’t know enough spanish yet) and could not believe what I was reading! We immediately went to plan b. Along the way, over the past 2 months, we have witnessed increased police presence, immigration officials with shitty attitudes, roadblocks, sickeningly huge increases for traffic fines (on par with the US!), reduction of tourist visa terms etc.. we know all this now.
however, had I not for some reason, logged back onto your site, I may still be in the dark or at least not as far along as we are in our exodus. we are not chickenshits but we are a bit too old to fight. problems can be solved by plowing straight through, going around ‘em, or turning a blind eye. We chose #2 and thank you most sincerely for having the guts & conscience expose the ugly truth here.
best regards,
mr. w

By: cojito

cojito — Sat, 23 Jun 2007 06:04:04 +0000

okke – you too? that sucks.

i think you should stay. if for no other reason than it will piss winner off. you go, and he’s the happiest man in panama.

at least keep noriegaville alive. you can write from another country. and you’ll have the satisfaction of knowing you’re making his life a living hell.

By: Okke Ornstein

Okke Ornstein — Wed, 20 Jun 2007 23:46:39 +0000

Blades is now saying everywhere that he meant N’ville with his remarks. Don’t know why el ministro plastico insists on picking on me, also because he hasn’t had the balls to contact me directly.

Anyway, I won’t be in Panama that much longer either. Really tired of the hostile and provincial environment here. No less than 38 journalists are facing criminal libel bullshit charges in this wacky theme park.

By: cojito

cojito — Tue, 19 Jun 2007 05:45:43 +0000

raul – i play poker. i’m a patient man. but i’m also a poor man. if my choices are pay big $$, or stay only 30 days at a time, i will sell my flat and go.

tman – no, it’s not all bad. i love panama. i’d like to stay. but people are angry and unsettled. they don’t feel welcome.

if the gov hears all this, and corrects the problem, then it will have been worth it. free speech and democracy in action. if they don’t, lesson learned. that momentum you talk about will be lost.

By: tman

tman — Mon, 18 Jun 2007 02:30:06 +0000

Lets face it…there are many ways to get legit residency here if you really want to stay here. Retiree status is easy for most…with tons of discounts to go along with it. Its not ALL negative here in Panama. The biggest concern I have is for the real estate and investment momentum. That is where billions can be lost…and it will hurt the poor of Panama more than the rich in the long run. Since there is so much money and momentum to be lost…that is why there is already mucho fireworks in the whole country about this agenda. It will get corrected…sooner or later. As for me…I’m waiting it out. Its part of living in these banana republics. Gotta take the bad with the good. We’ll miss some of you…

By: Raul

Raul — Mon, 18 Jun 2007 01:34:35 +0000

I just don’t see it. Even if they do change it in 9 months… what are you going to do? Disrupt your life every 30 days and spend 72 hours (plus airport time) in Costa Rica, until then?

That’s no way to live. Especially since there’s no guarantee that anything will be changed back. It’s living on a wing and a prayer.

And say they do change it back? For how long? A year, before they start jerking you around, again?

By: tman

tman — Sun, 17 Jun 2007 07:25:45 +0000

cojito…if you have to take an exit or break from Panama…this is probably a good time. I do think you will find this policy changed sometime this summmer. But meanwhile, this time of year is the best climate wise to be in USA…midwest or Boston…though it can get stickier and hotter than Panama during the summer. Enjoy…and keep an eye on Panama politics. Change is in the air again. Interesting times…but not time to completely throw in the towel yet…

By: cor

cor — Sun, 17 Jun 2007 04:58:28 +0000

Hey cojito. I’ve been reading your site on and off and even though your packing your backs I sure hope the Panamanian govt will come to their senses and u turn in this ridiculous plan. In Thailand, where I have lived since 2001, the government has also done a hell of a job chasing long term residents out of the country by implementing stricter visa runs.There’s one difference though. If you have a degree (BA) in any field you can teach English at Thai schools.Most schools,take care of all the paperwork, like workpermit and workvisa. No visa runs, none of that crap. I even pay income tax!! Salaries at schools are modest, around a thousand US dollars a month,after tax, and that’s more than enough to live comfortably.Thailand is a wonderful country. Oh and did I mention the three months paid holidays a year?