Welcome to #OPERATIONEXPAT, a hopefully helpful and totally free source of Panama expat info!

I’m Janet, a U.S. expat from San Diego, California. I moved to Panamá’s Azuero Peninsula with my partner Ken in mid-2011 to boost the simplicity and quality of my life. The tiny community of Cañas checked all of our boxes—there are LOTS of trees (my love), the ocean is stunning (Ken’s happy place), nature is abundant, and life is (mostly) quieter and simpler here (mostly). We now live in our new home (known as Vista Cañas), perched above the Pacific Ocean overlooking Isla Cañas (home of a tiny sea turtle preserve).

“YOU ONLY LIVE ONCE, BUT IF YOU DO IT RIGHT, ONCE IS ALL YOU NEED!” This brilliant motto is at the heart of our adventure. We look forward to living RIGHT in Panamá for many years to come.

This blog is where I share my early research, ongoing thoughts, education and experiences in the hopes of inspiring and helping those considering embarking on this journey. We’ve definitely had MANY experiences, both good and bad! Be sure and follow me on Instagram or Facebook for the WHOLE story of our life here—and scroll down to sign up for our email list to get notified when a new post is published.