Is It Time To Establish Roots?

Volcan, Panama

I’m cool. Not just in the sense that I’m hip and have a positive vibe, but that I am physically feeling cool! This is a phenomenal discovery.

After spending 14 months in Coronado, one of the beach communities in Panama, I came to the conclusion that the temperature was just a bit too hot for my liking. Nice to visit, yes, but not for day-to-day comfortable living.

I arrived in Volcan, a community in the Western, Chiriqui region of Panama, and have happily adapted to the cooler temperatures. No air conditioning needed and on a few occasions, I thought how perfect a little portable heater might be.

I’ve essentially been a nomad since I arrived in Panama in July 2019. The plan was to move into the condo I was set to purchase on the beach and start settling in. But finances fell through and I had to pull out of the deal. While it was a stressful time and I hate to lose money, I was also curious about why the deal fell through, for what greater benefit.

Now, with perspective, it’s easy to see. First, quarantine made it abundantly clear I do not want to live in a condo. I was blessed to have a long-term house sit at a house where I had a beautiful yard and even a pool. I need a place where my feet can have contact with the earth.

And, now that I’m in the cooler climate in the highlands of Chiriqui, it confirms that I’m much more comfortable in this climate where I can sit outside comfortably and snuggle under a blanket at night.

But a restless feeling has emerged. As an introvert with an astrological sign of Cancer, I am one who loves nesting and creating my home. I crave to make a space my own where I can find comfort, beauty and peace in my surroundings.

A bad habit has reemerged; online stalking. Houses. I could probably recite verbatim all the descriptions of the hundreds of homes I’ve consumed in an obsessive hunger that goes unsatiated.

Yes, it’s that dramatic! Not only do I have my belongings that I shipped from the US in a storage unit in Gorgona, 5 hours away, but I also have my car packed with plastic tubs of kitchen wares, clothing and all the hair products I no longer use.

The homes I was looking at were in the 200K range. Something that could be manageable once my house in San Luis Obispo sells. But that money would be a good portion of savings for the years when I may not be able to generate income and might need medical care. Then, after having a conversation with a new friend in Volcan, the idea came up that if I found a house under 100K, that would be much more manageable both financially and emotionally.

I’ve always thought about how interesting it would be to remodel a home, something that needed some updating, some style and creativity. The thing that tells me this is probably a good idea is that it scares me a little bit. I mean, I can navigate my way around ordering in a restaurant in Spanish, but dealing with painters, electricians and municipalities? No bueno.

So maybe the vision for the large property by the river where I could start a bamboo farm and host van-campers isn’t in the cards, but that cute little house up the street listed for 115K? That might just be perfect.

And if I have a home, I can have cats. I’ve thought about adopting 4 of the oldest cats from a rescue I saw on a video produced by Panama Relocation Tours.

Maybe it’s time for me to settle down and unpack; stay awhile.