My Panama Experiment: What I'd Change and What I'd Keep the Same
Now that I’ve finished my month in Panama, I’ve been thinking about what I’d do differently if I did another month-long mini retirement somewhere. And what I’d keep the same.
As a recap, I originally planned to go to Panama to practice working remotely from another country, but the trip morphed into an opportunity to recover from some burnout.
This whole endeavor was inspired by this book, which helped me plan out my time.
I went into this trip giving myself permission for it to not be perfect. That this would be an experiment. The first time around, I would gather information for the next time. I knew there were some things I just wouldn’t know until I got there.
That alone reduced some of the pressure and intensity around this being some sort of miracle trip that healed me from all my ailments.
What I’d Do Differently Next Time
Get the luxury apartment.
If I’m only going somewhere for a month, I want to increase my quality of life.
I missed my bathtub and my mattress. It was harder to fully rest when I missed my bed and didn’t have a bathtub to help me wind down at the end of the day.
I also realized how much aesthetics and comfort matter to me when I’m trying to relax.
I did two head massages (discovered these in Panama and my life will never be the same!) and one whole-body massage, so clearly relaxation and comfort are not incidental things for me.
Next time, I want to prioritize them.
Pick a walkable location.
The location I chose made sense. I wanted to be close to the big city and Old Town, and having a pool and gym in the building were part of the appeal.
But I ended up spending a lot of time in Old Town, with its cobblestoned streets and historic buildings. And the pool was out of commission for about half the time I was there.
So next time, I might choose a swankier, more walkable neighborhood with cute coffee shops within walking distance and take day trips to other areas.
I want to be able to walk out my front door and have somewhere adorable to get coffee and write. (Theme: aesthetics are really important to me.)
Give myself permission to move slowly.
I was tired a lot of the time.
Some of that was probably the orientation of being in a new country, and some of it was probably recovery from burnout.
I think next time I need to give myself more space to move even more slowly.
Just like at home, I really like having days where nothing is planned. Days when I don’t have to leave the house at all. I can write, watch TV, order food, and just exist.
Having some plans is helpful, including planned no-plan days.
Hire someone to clean halfway through.
Nothing feels less like vacation than cleaning.
It’s also difficult to clean a space that isn’t yours because you don’t have the right cleaning supplies or know where anything is.
Next time, I’m hiring a cleaning service halfway through.
Know food will be challenging.
Food was probably the most challenging part of the month.
I knew I was going to be eating out more, but I think I underestimated how much money and energy that would take.
I tried to find a personal chef or meal kit service before I came, but came up empty.
During the last week, I finally found a chef.
It drastically changed the experience.
I was able to eat healthier. I didn’t have to spend energy thinking about food. I spent less money. And because I was actually getting the fuel I needed, I had more energy.
So next time, I want to prioritize this from the beginning. At the very least, budget for the possibility that eating out might be more common than I plan. (I recognize this is a unique challenge to me, since I don’t like to cook and definitely don’t want to cook when I’m trying to rest.)
This might also be something that is easier to figure out in a location other than Panama, so I’ll keep that in mind depending on where I go.
Rank the things I want to do.
I had a list of things I wanted to do in Panama.
I did not do all of them. And that’s fine.
But next time, I want to rank the list in order of priority because I’m probably not going to get to everything, even if the list is short. I really enjoyed the experiences that allowed me to interact with locals and expats, as it allowed me to connect with the culture more and feel more at home.
Keeping this in mind when I prioritize.
Don’t overestimate the amenities I need.
I think I probably don’t need a pool unless I’m going somewhere hot.
I used the gym five times. I enjoyed having it, but it’s not a must-have for me. I can bring resistance bands and use YouTube.
So those things can be bonuses rather than requirements.
I did really enjoy having a view of the water, though. A cool view is something I would prioritize again.
What I’d Keep the Same:
Keep some of the structure.
One month is a good amount of time.
I also really liked working a few days while I was here. That surprised me a little.
Working gave me some purpose and structure, and it was helpful to check in and see that things were not falling apart without me.
Having a limited amount of time to work also meant I could focus on the essentials rather than getting sucked into everything.
Being in the Central Time Zone made sessions with clients extremely easy. That will be something I’ll have to think about more carefully if I spend a month in Europe next time.
Keep writing.
The last two weeks, I wrote every morning.
It brought me a lot of joy.
The last week especially, I stopped touring and spent most of my mornings in cute coffee shops writing.
It was lovely.
I think that might actually be one of the things I want most from future mini retirements: enough time in a new place that I can establish a little life there instead of feeling like I’m constantly visiting.
The amount of time I got to write was honestly my favorite part.
Keep the language piece.
I would probably stick with a Spanish-speaking or English-speaking country or location.
Being able to communicate in the language makes getting around so much easier, and I really appreciated that.
Keep the TV.
This may sound ridiculous, but I loved having a TV in both the living room and the bedroom.
I watched a lot of The Vampire Diaries.
And it was helpful.
Sometimes I didn’t want to go explore. I wanted to lie in bed and watch TV.
I think I want future apartments to accommodate that version of vacation too.
A Note On Living in a Different Country.
Another reason for this trip was starting the (baby steps) journey of exploring whether I’d like to move to a different country. I think this trip shifted that further down the priority list for me. Though I’ve had the experience of living abroad before, and was not surprised at the transition, it reminded me of the particular challenges of living in a different country and culture.
I work A LOT, and I’m not sure I have the energy or desire to add the extra challenge of navigating a different country and culture. At least not with my current lifestyle. If I am going to move to a different country, I’ll need to make some changes to my lifestyle. And that’s not likely to happen any time soon. (But who knows!)
On Transitioning Back to My Life in the States
Finally, as I finish this newsletter up from the airport on my way home, I am delighted to know I am excited to return to the life I created for myself stateside. I have good friends. I love the theater scene I have access too. I’m excited about improv, future shorter trips I have planned, and getting back to my routine.
My biggest takeaway from the month in Panama is not the trip itself, it’s my approach to the trip before I left. Because I didn’t want to arrive in Panama and just crash, I spent two months intentionally guarding my energy and creating space before I ever left home.
I want to bring THAT back to the states. I want the pre-mini-retirement pace of life to continue, and I plan to keep that pace at least through to the New Year as I finish the revisions on my novel.
In conclusion, I’m glad I did this. I learned A LOT for next time.
And I’m looking forward to getting home to my bed and my bathtub :-)