So you found yourself in an existential crisis?

 So you found yourself in an existential crisis as your job is no longer available? 

So sorry about that! But also so glad about it!

Sometimes we need a crisis to kick us out of our tracks, and “motivate” us to look up and look around. 

A job crisis like this helps us realize that we’re so much more than our work! That we were not born to just be the wheel in the corporate world we are so desperately trying to be. And that there is so much more to life than (paid) work.

During the pandemia i got stuck in Europe for 6 months and was without a job. It was shocking at first, but with time more and more beautiful and eye opening!!! 

I realized how wonderful (in the literal sense: full of miracles) it is to be able to do what needs to be done, rather than what i ought to do to make money!

I also realized, that retiring in Panama is possible right away, due to low cost of living and the highly affordable real estate there; while i would have to continue to work 10 more years to retire in the US. 

So now I’m living happily in Santa Catalina, Veraguas (a fishing village turned surfers’ paradise). 

Aside of not having to endure any more cold winters, nor office politics, nor the danger of getting shot at the next mass shooting, i am now able to focus on fulfilling my purpose in this world and being the change-agent i was born and shaped to be.

We humans are no longer system perpetuators, like all the animals and plants. We are the changers! Through us this world continues to change and develop. 

Yes, we still have to do our “animal-duties” to survive and exist in this system. 

So, yes, we need to work and make money to survive, support our children, save for when we can no longer work. And our talents and passion, our knowledge and awarenesses, and our life-experiences that shape us, all enable us to get a demanding but well paid job. 

But, there are also many tasks that need to be done in this world, that do not get paid in money. These are up to be tackled by us lucky ones, who had a well paid job for many years. 

I am convinced that for many (if not most) of us the work we do in the corporate world is not our life’s purpose, is not the reason why we came into this world. Rather, it allows us to get to the point where we can stop focusing on animal tasks, and dedicate our lives to “higher causes”.

Unfortunately, too many continue with the animal-chores for way too long, and never get to make their real contribution to this creation. They hord money and status until they die or alzheimers releases them by force... 

So you found yourself in an existential crisis as your job is no longer available? 

So sorry about that! But also so glad about it!

I wish you much success in reevaluating your life, identifying your passion, figuring out your life’s real purpose, and becoming the change-agent your soul was hoping to be in this world when it chose to incarnate in you!

Real Retirement

I’m working on two houses - mine in Camarón Arriba, Chiriquí, and Iris’ hostal in Santa Catalina. And I’m working in the evening in the restaurant, trying to help out Iris, who’s baking the best pizzas I’ve ever seen and eaten - she can’t bake pizzas in the kitchen and take orders on the dining terrace at the same time; although this is pretty much what she did before i came into her life… Well, each one of these three jobs by themselves would be sufficient to make you forget that you’re retired! I’m doing all three of them! My sister once joked: “if thisis what retirement’s supposed to be, i’d rather stay in myjob!”😝

But, It not complaining! Iris is working on the same three jobs, just more hours per day than me! And she’s running the household, cooking, cleaning, and all of that in addition! The only explanation I have how she’s able to do all that, is, that she’s the Duracell (Energizer) Bunnyincarnated! 🤪😇

Well, today, I took time off from all my work to try to bake another cake. I followed “Baken mit Christina”’s recipe for the Mandel Blume (Almond Flower).

It’s hard to get some of the ingredients here that are common and usual in Austria, but following the Panamanian way I improvised where needed. The result is quite tasty, if I may say so myself. my ex-wife usually wasn’t all to excited (to say the least) when I cooked or baked. Iris, however, loves my cakes! 🥰😇🙃 She has been bugging me for a little while already to bake a cake again. Today was the day… 😝

Temperatures - Dry Season

 There are two seasons in Panama: the dry season and the rainy season.

Rainy season does not mean “Mosoon”! It simply means, it most likely will rain in the afternoon. the morning and noon time are usually sunny. Around 13:00 to 15:00 (1 to 3 pm) it clouds over, and rain will fall.

Right now is the dry season on the pacific side of Panama. That season usually starts around mid- to end of December, and lasts until mid-April.

Dry season also is the time when many bushes and trees flower. Here are pictures of a few examples…

Bougainvillea 

Pink Guayacan Tree

Bougainvillea in Santiago, Veraguas - Arosemena Park

Today, we left Santa Catalina, Veraguas, around 4:30 in the morning, to drive to Camarón Arriba, Chiriquí.

When we left, the car reported 24C (75F). when we reached David, the capital of Chiriquí, around 9:30, the temperature had already climbed to about 29C (83F). When we left David around 14:45 (2:30 pm), the car showed 39C (103F). La Concepción (capital of Bugaba district) was about 2C (4F) less hot. 

When we left La Concepción around 18:00 (6:00 pm), it was still 32C (90F). And when we reached my house at 700 m altitude in Camarón Arriba, the temperature was already down to 27C (80F).

I do like warm, and I don’t mind really warm, but when the temperatures rice to the upper 30sC (upper 90s F) and above, it gets a little too hot, even for me! 🤪🤷‍♂️😝

Well, this trip just reconfirmed for me, that Camarón Arriba is ideal for me: the temperatures hardly reach 30C during the day, and drop to 20C at night (86F and 68C respectively). Perfect!

Such a cool feature of Panama, to be able to choose the ideal temperature range for you, simply by moving higher or lower on the mountains…