Panama City, Panama

Thanks for this. I had heard about the humidity, and how generally PC is not bad, overall, for Latin or Central America -- but it's not that great if you have lived in Europe or other places. We're former New Yorkers who have also lived in briefly in Paris and Lisbon and for four years in Sydney. I sense we will be underwhelmed. Again, thanks for your insights.
 
MichalTr said:
To commenters - you guys were there or just repost from internet :> ? I was there for some time, during my trip around the world. I don't think is that great for a living. There is huge difference between just visiting place (or enjoying some time there) and living in a place. It also depend on lifestyle you like - if lying on the beach is your thing (is not mine) then of course there are good possibilities for that there (as in many other places around). But for a living - in my private opinion - way too warm and humid, not really great choice of products in supermarkets, unstable political situation (when there were big protests the supply chains were broken very quick, there were empty shelves in supermarkets in just days/weeks) and a bit low quality in general. When it came to Panam City, some part of the city looks like on your photos, but a lot is just mess, trash, etc. (I don't know, maybe that's also not bother you, I just compare to my part of world). And I also think price/quality value in general is not great there. From the positives - comparing to many other places in Central or South America - that place was really safe (although - again, cannot compare it even to Europe) and the people were very nice, so that is very positive always. When it came to Spanish - I don't know Spanish that much and had no problem in communicating there. Again - comparing to many other places around (and south) some part of people speak English at least a bit. I know there is quite large migration there, especially from US, in one or two specific parts of the city.
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Thank you for your reply. But you said you traveled around the world..yet you didnt give any alternatives to Panama City in central or south america. And remember, the OP is a trader in the financial sector.

There are better cities for night life down there (Medellin). There are better cities for choices of international products and stores and supply chains(Rio). There are cleaner cites (costa rica). But in these other cities there are zero western traders hooking up, there is very very poor internet and mobile data and almost non existent international banking or crypto. The only better option down there would be mexico city or some other choice mexican cities. I personally spend many months each year in Queretaro. But I always need to go to panama city for international banking, financial consultations, meeting with other western traders. Panama city also has one of the better regional airlines...so I always transit through PC on other south american flights anyway.

This is also true for asia. When I spend months in thailand or malaysia or Bali..I always need to go to Singapore for the same reasons as the panama city reasons. I have found in the past that if I just stay rural..I start lessening my trading professionalism..I start slacking and I end up mostly on vacation and my trading suffers greatly. Its psychological thing. I need to interface with financial hubs.

Sydney, of course would be amazing if you can do it. But thats a unique situation.

I am not really interested in europe for a host of reasons.
 
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UVXY20 said:
Thanks for this. I had heard about the humidity, and how generally PC is not bad, overall, for Latin or Central America -- but it's not that great if you have lived in Europe or other places. We're former New Yorkers who have also lived in briefly in Paris and Lisbon and for four years in Sydney. I sense we will be underwhelmed. Again, thanks for your insights.
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You know, I'm not saying it's bad, it was just not for me. If think it can be great for many people. But if you lived in those places you mentioned then yea - you can be underwhelmed. That is this problem of let say some standards you are used to. To each new place I go open minded and positive, but as I already experienced many, so very quick I can see differences, do some quick comparisons (wanting or not). So travel or live in different places is cool but also make you harder to impress. Also I didn't live there, just was for some time (not that short), just when I travel I'm not that interested in touristic part, I more want to see how locals live, what they eat, where do shopping, what are the upsides, downsides etc. So I think I catch the feeling of the place quite quick. But this is still my private feeling that is also shaped where I'm from, what is important to me etc. etc. So it will be always subjective.
 
Pricechange said:
Thank you for your reply. But you said you traveled around the world..yet you didnt give any alternatives to Panama City in central or south america. And remember, the OP is a trader in the financial sector.

There are better cities for night life down there (Medellin). There are better cities for choices of international products and stores and supply chains(Rio). There are cleaner cites (costa rica). But in these other cities there are zero western traders hooking up, there is very very poor internet and mobile data and almost non existent international banking or crypto. The only better option down there would be mexico city or some other choice mexican cities. I personally spend many months each year in Queretaro. But I always need to go to panama city for international banking, financial consultations, meeting with other western traders. Panama city also has one of the better regional airlines...so I always transit through PC on other south american flights anyway.

This is also true for asia. When I spend months in thailand or malaysia or Bali..I always need to go to Singapore for the same reasons as the panama city reasons. I have found in the past that if I just stay rural..I start lessening my trading professionalism..I start slacking and I end up mostly on vacation and my trading suffers greatly. Its psychological thing. I need to interface with financial hubs.

Sydney, of course would be amazing if you can do it. But thats a unique situation.

I am not really interested in europe for a host of reasons.
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:D But I'm not obligated to give alternatives.

I just shared my private opinion on the place that the person asked of. Also it has not much sense to give alternatives in the topic of living somewhere, as it is very personal thing (as I said in previous post). Depend what you used to, what are your expectations, what you looking for, what's important to you or even what are your beliefs.

About the flights - nah, I think you talking about some connections from your home to those places, as both in South America and Asia I had no problem to travel between countries without using any hub. Especially in Asia.

But I also see we have one very common experience - I also couldn't fully enjoy living in some kind of "paradise" places, as those places just don't have that "working vibe". You have great weather, some ocean or sea, see all those people chillin. I was getting lazy :)
 
It's important to differentiate tourism from immigration. We may love the sea, sex and sun of one country but realize once we move there that everything else is nightmarish. And since we all come from different cultural, educational and professional backgrounds, it's difficult to sell a country to people we don't know well. I think that's what @MichalTr is trying to convey.

I would think that as a trader, you'd want to be located where trading hours aren't impacting on your work at odd hours. Here in Singapore, if I was to trade professionally on the US markets I'd have to work from 11 pm to 6 am... Not pleasant.
 
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