Baby Steps

Nothing about moving to Panama went according to plan. Infact, Panama wasn’t even the country we were initially trying to move to. 

When we had settled on Panama as the destination, we had had an upcoming trip already booked and paid-for to Costa Rica. “No problem”, I thought. When we come back from Costa Rica we will just dive right into making Panama work. Then our first act of god intervened. Panama suddenly announced that they would be changing their visa program, specifically the “Friendly Nations Visa”, which is the one we were planning on using to get our residency to Panama. Getting residency is a difficult thing to do in foregn countries. It either costs hundreds of thousands of dollars (looking at you Portugal), or your grandparents have to have been born there (Schengen zone), Or you have to be of retirement age and have a steady provable income (most of the rest of the world). Well we had none of this, so the friendly nations was the best and easiest fit for us. Our trip was in June and Panama said they would stop the FNV as of August 5th. So we decided to change our flights at the start of our vacay to Costa Rica to make a quick 2 night trip to Panama. This would allow us to meet our lawyer and get our bank account started before we actually apply. (The bank account had to have a certain amount of money in it for 30 days before you are able to apply.) Look at us overcoming obstacles like pros! 

It’s the morning of our trip. I love the buzz of energy that I feel when we wake up early to catch a plane. There is nothing better! Our flight leaves Boise at 8ish AM, so naturally I want to be there at 6 (I’m an eager airport arriver, Garrett hates it). All is well, we get our coffee and sit and wait to board. We are on the tarmac waiting, I’m taking pictures of us as we get ready for take off. “There is going to be a delay, sorry folks. Just a mechanical code. Don’t worry though. They are going to come out and clear the code and we will take off soon.” Well *spoiler alert* they could not clear the code. We have to de-plane. But they announce at the gate, as we all wait, that it will be fixed in no time. We have a few hour layover in Houston so it’s ok, although I am slightly annoyed because I haven’t enjoyed an airport lounge in over a year and this is really eating into my free booze time. The hours creep past. They then say that they are flying in a part for the airplane… Then they are bringing another plane in for us…Then they start rerouting people. 

Any other trip I would be ok the delays, I love an airline credit and usually have a pretty flexible schedule. But this trip was entirely different. Our literal future depended on getting to Panama for a Friday appointment with our lawyer and our bank, otherwise the deadlines were missed and this dream is gone. We go up to the desk and let them know there is no way for us to make a connecting flight and we need to be rerouted and end up in Panama by 11am the following day. The tricky part now is that there are 4 of us to reroute. The first option is that 2 of us would go to Denver and Mexico City, then after a layover, arrive in Panama the following day. In this scenario, the other 2 would go through Atlanta and get there later in the afternoon but still get there. Obviously, getting split up with 2 kids while traveling is a parent’s nightmare, but we travel enough that both Garrett and I are capable of doing it separately. 

ROADBLOCK… we can’t get into Mexico because we have done the covid test for Panama, Mexico requires a different one and the flight through ATL gets us there past the time that our covid test results are valid. 

Luckily as we worked through this, I remembered I had Xanax in my purse. 

The only flight that will work is Denver to Washington then redeye and get to Panama at 6am. (Our original flight was to arrive at 8pm the night before). The problem is that there is only 1 seat on this flight. Garrett looked at me and my stomach dropped. I knew what was going to happen. The plan was for me to quit my job when we got back anyway, and whoever went this time had to be the one to go and set up residence the next time. 

Well, that was me. And this flight left in 15 minutes. Another problem is we don’t each pack a suitcase. We, as a family, pack into 2 suitcases and just split it where there is room. So I grab the one that has my business suit (for the meetings) and it’s going to have to be ok. Garrett and the girls will be flying to Costa Rica a few days early and I will just have to meet them there. 

At this point the girls are both crying as they hug me and tell me they will see me in a few days in Costa Rica. I’m trying to be brave and strong, but am completely overwhelmed by the amount of changes in schedule that just happened. “Don’t cry in front of the girls”, I say to myself. I don’t want them to be more scared for me than they already are. I board the plane and now it’s real. 

I’m going to Panama. Alone. 

I get to Denver, that’s an easy flight. I find my gate, still loving airports. I swear I can navigate an airport better than anyone I’ve ever met. I just know exactly where I’m supposed to go even without looking at signs. Maybe I was a pilot in a past life and have been to all of them. I don’t recognize the airport code on the gate. I have a ticket to this flight in my hands. I know it goes to Washington. But I thought it was Washington state and that isn’t anything saying “SEA” or “Sea-Tac” so I go to the desk, show them my ticket and have to ask “Hi yea, so sorry. I’m supposed to get on this plane… Where is it going?” they tell me that it’s going to Dulles. I’ve never heard of Dulles. “Ok Dulles. Excellent. Thank you so much… Where is Dulles located?” They must have thought I had lost my damn mind. I was going to Washington DC. 

Next 2 flights went quick. I slept because it was a red eye (and the Xanax from earlier). Landed in Panama at 6am. Customs is a breeze (again the airport navigation came in handy). Go to the hotel shower and change for my business meetings. 

Now, to start a bank account you need a fair amount of cash to deposit. Nothing too crazy and probably not a lot to most people. But it was a lot to me. More than I had in cash ever before in my life, more than I was comfortable with as a solo woman traveler. But here I am, oh well. I called an uber to go meet this lawyer that up until now, I haven’t even talked to. Only Garrett has talked to him. In a HUGE city where I don’t speak the language. Garrett speaks Spanish, so I didn’t bother with even the basics. And I have cash in my purse, in my bra, in my underwear. I fully realize that this sounds like a movie where a husband offs his wife. I must have so much confidence in how much Garrett loves me to have kept going. 

Pedro (our lawyer) was amazing. He could tell my nerves were rattled so he escorted me to the bank. I had to first stop in the bathroom and get the cash out of my undergarments. At the bank, there is a lot of paperwork that is needed to set up an account, think of America in the 50’s. All kinds of reference letters vouching that you are a good person and a good employee. I, of course have none of it. Luckily, Pedro (think: Better Call Saul) had someone drop off the correct paperwork while we were there. I don’t ever remember getting him the documents that were needed, but I will mind my own business on that… Bank account is set up. They give me some papers and Pedro and I leave. 

Once we get back to his office it is very quick. He tells me now we will wait the 30 days and he will see me in a month to start the next step of the process. Luckily there is a gelato shop on the ground level of his office building. I got myself a large gelato to eat my nerves away, which honestly did help. I Uber back to my hotel to Facetime Garrett to prove that I am still alive (and if this was a plan to get rid of me, he failed because I am a strong, independent woman and can’t be gotten rid of so easily). 

Also to report that we have officially started the process to move to another country.  

Step 1 of 100,000 was complete.