18 Mar Riding out the Storm in Panama
by Gary Trotter
We are all in unchartered territory right now wherever we are in the world. The last 2 weeks in Panama have been strangely eerie, almost like a scene from a sci-fi movie. Mainly because prior to that the Coronavirus COVID-19 had been something taking place in the rest of the world. We were watching it unfold.
Covid-19 update tracker provided by:
https://www.worldometers.info/coronavirus/
Then Panama had its first case and a death all communicated on the same day. As of this writing we are at 69 cases, 1 death.
Expats vacationing have made an early mass exodus to their home country to be with family and I totally get that. We all do what we need to do in a crisis. And by the way, this is a crisis. In a matter of a few days it has become a ghost town on the beaches. It is a sad situation.
The world will change and life will go on unfortunately without some taken by the virus. With all of that said there will be light at the end of the tunnel. What I am most impressed with is how the Panamanian Government jumped on this for the benefit of the people of Panama, whether Panamanians or people relocated here from all around the world.
We could sit here (and trust me some do) and complain about why are the restaurants closed, why no alcohol, why a curfew, why close the beach, why self-quarantine, why endless updates with new guidelines that seem to come one after the other. I say “Thank You” to the people here in Panama making decisions to stop the virus in its track.
Together we get through this
I don’t know about anyone else but as an expat choosing this beautiful country for retirement I want to be safe and healthy. I don’t want large numbers of cases and I certainly do not want more deaths. So as other places in the world have decided to handle this virus in what they think is right, my hat is off to Panama and it’s people for doing things that they believe are right. Stay home, wash your hands, take a chill pill and let’s ride out the storm. Read a book, exercise, make art, play a game, laugh, love and find the new you.
See you all after the storm subsides.
All my best and stay safe and healthy!
Hasta Luego,
Gary Trotter
Bahia, Nueva Gorgona, Panama
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