20. Embracing Panama’s Dichotomy
With its breathtaking landscapes and strange creatures (both human and non-human 😆), Panamá has taught me a profound lesson over the past 2-1/2 years — to keep finding harmony by embracing the good and the bad with equal reverence.
My specific experiences in Panamá, including building a new home and enduring for over a year without electricity, perfectly illuminate the dichotomy of the country.
While building Vista Cañas, I experienced a constant flow of striking contrasts — I saw our beautiful vision becoming a beautiful reality while struggling with new concepts of time and communication. One moment I’d be excited, the next I’d be flooded with worry or frustration.
And, all the while, Panamá resisted and simply waited for me to adapt.
Once construction was complete, the beauty of our surroundings was juxtaposed against the constant challenges of cooking dinners in darkness, enduring the relentless chitras, and navigating a house lit only by solar string lights.
Yet, during the one year of construction and the following year without power, my resilience bloomed. Ken, our (wonderful) project manager, and I would figure out solutions to various snafus and Ken and I solved the power issue with propane appliances, an 8000-watt generator, a 1300-watt power bank, headlamps, and solar-powered lights.
The experience of living 12 months without electricity was initially a sort of glamping adventure that evolved into a profound lesson about embracing both sides of the coin.
But, my biggest teacher in finding harmony was Mother Nature.
It didn’t take long for it to feel like a betrayal of Her to bask in the glory of a sunset, then turn around and despise Her spiders, bugs, and snakes. Every element She has created plays a sacred role in the ecosystem, so each one deserves to be celebrated.
I’ve come to believe that it’s the imbalanced and shortsighted humans who selectively celebrate only the picturesque aspects of nature — and I wanted to rise higher.
My Instagram reflects my external world and internal shift. After one particularly buggy post, I got this comments:
“From the Anti-Tourism Board of Panama…”
“I wouldn’t post these on your marketing channel”
And, here was my response…
“Oh, but why would I want people staying with us who are afraid of nature? They need to stay in their urban jungle lol. I am being very intentional in my marketing…I want people here who love the good and the icky, who love the entirety of the planet, who aren’t afraid of the WHOLE story.
No tourist or expat deserves the gift of the beauty of Panamá if they don’t embrace it ALL…like the bugs (except for scorpions 🤣), rain and mold that significantly contribute to its stunning ecosystem. If we only love the good side of anything, we are not truly loving #yinyang
The tropics has brought mindfulness to Ken and I…we pay attention to every little tickle, to each unusual sound, to (most of) our actions…because you just never know what treasure you might encounter 😍”
Panamá has definitely brought depth to my expat journey and keeps me finding harmony.
But, it’s not always easy. While I’ve been able to embrace the bugs, snakes, and even the rodents with relatively little effort, I’d be lying if I told you it was as easy to accept the challenges presented by the humans here.
It’s not. But, every time I walk out the door, Mother Nature is there to remind me that to embrace both the good and the bad in everything is the secret to finding harmony and to experience the true essence of life.