For those who are making the move to Panama with school-aged children, there are a few things that are helpful to know about schooling in Panama.

Typically those who have the means will send their children to private schools, and in most cases, parents will choose the schools at the very top of their budget. Although there are exceptions to the rule, you usually get what you pay for as far as schools are concerned. The most expensive schools tend to have bigger budgets for more well-decorated teachers, facilities, and programs.

Aside from the obvious reason or wanting the best for their child, one of the principal underlying reasons is to ensure that their children grow, develop and associate themselves with a certain social level. Panama is a small enough country that reputation and connections can make all the difference in the otherwise very competitive business world.

Panama offers a variety of english speaking schools, in virtually every price point, and in either American or British based curriculums.

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In virtue of Law 9 of the 25th of January of 1973, the Ministry of Housing elaborated the following zonification graph as the norms for urban development in Panama.

RR (Rural Residential Zoning)
Allows for only single family homes on lots of at least 1000 m2. The net density allowed is 50 people per Hectare.

R1-A (Low Density Residential Zoning)
Permits single family homes and duplexes on lots of at least 800 m2 and 600 m2 respectively. The net density allowed is 100 people per Hectare.

R1-B (Low Density Residential Zoning)
Permits single family homes and duplexes and row homes on lots of at least 600 m2, 300 m2 and 200 m2 respectively. The net density allowed is up to 200 people per hectare.

R2-A (Medium Density Residential Zoning)
Permits single family homes, duplexes and row homes on lots of at least 600m2, 300m2 and 200 m2 respectively. The net density allowed is up to 300 people per hectare.

R2-B (Medium Density Residential Zoning)
Permits single family homes, duplexes, row homes and apartments on lots of at least 600 m2, 300 m2, 200 m2 and 600 m2 respectively. The net density allowed is up to 300 people per hectare.

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If you travel regularly, it happens eventually. You'll be in another country, lying on a white, sandy beach or strolling through some charming village, when you turn to your significant other and say, "I could stay here for the rest of my life."

The idea seems tantalizingly exotic, an elaborate scheme to be hatched over dinner while on vacation -- only to be discarded and forgotten upon return to the workday world.

However, the dream may not be unrealistic at all. In fact, many Central American countries are betting U.S. baby boomers will be the generation that globalizes retirement.

They're gearing up by offering financial incentives that could make retiring internationally a smart financial move for some individuals.

The same advances that allow companies to do business across borders are making it possible for people to live out their golden years in another country. "Technology and travel developments have put us in the position to do more with our lives while still staying in touch," says Susan Black, director of financial planning for eMoney Advisor.

If you retire in Panama, for instance, you can talk to your children and grandchildren via phone or email every day if you want to, fly home a few times each year, and probably even get a satellite dish to keep up with your favorite TV programs.

Still, that doesn't mean things are the same as they were at home.

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Traffic jams are a part of daily life for the Panamanian motorist. Every day it gets harder to move freely around the streets of Panama City, where there are 330,000 vehicles of the 640,000 total in the entire country. Some 70,000 cars use Ave. Balboa every day, and about 52,000 use Tumba Muerto at the intersection with Cerro Patacón and Villa Cáceres. So, what's being done to alleviate this growth and congestion? This month, in July 2007, an inter-institutional commission will be formed to manage several significant government infrastructure investments on highways, potable water and sanitary sewage systems in the metropolitan area of Panama City, San Miguelito, Colon, La Chorrera and Arraijan, in order to coordinate these projects to be completed within the next two years. Already in the first two meetings of this commission they have identified 73 tactically important points which aggravate problems of vehicular congestion.

The commission is comprised of the Ministry of Public Works (MOP), the Housing Ministry, the Ministry of Health through the Program of the Cleaning of the City and the Bay of Panama, IDAAN, the Ground Transport and Transit Authority (ATTT), the Operations Directorate of the National Police, and the Municipalities of the districts where the projects will be developed.

Commission members meet daily from 8:30 to 10:30 in the Ministry of Public Works Situation Room, where they track the progress on each of these projects. They decide questions such as how, where, and when to develop these projects so that the public can know in advance what's going to be done so they can avoid work areas.

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By Honey Dodge

ExPatsWest meets on the 4th Wednesday of each month. We have grown from less than 40 at our first social, to more than 150. We will be gathering on the 25th of July 2007, starting at 5:00pm or whenever you get there. Our get-together will be in Coronado at El Rincon del Chef, as usual. Because our group is so large, Chef Fernando Paredes prepares a buffet for us. The cost is a special price of $10.00 plus tax per person for the buffet with no pensiondo visa discounts. It is a great buy featuring lots of choices plus desserts! Each month, the Chef trys something new for us. Remember, it is always the 4th Wednesday of the month! See you there.

In February of 2005, ExPatsWest began as a spin-off of one of the Panama City ExPat Social groups. The groups are composed of new and established expats, their friends, their neighbors, their families, their guests, and their business associates. ExPatsWest filled a need for a social group in the area west of Panama City along the highway to Coronado and beyond and up to El Valle and Altos del Maria. Many of our neighbors cannot make the hour and a half or more trek home from the Panama City groups late at night. Others of us still attend the other events and see ExPatsWest as a place to meet our nearer neighbors.

ExPatsWest has a name and an email reminder list. However, we have no membership, no dues, no agenda, no speakers, and the barest of organization. We just meet and eat and have a good time. It is a great place to network by meeting new people and seeing old friends and finding out about living west of Panama City from people who are thrilled to be here.

Our schedule is to meet the 4th Wednesday of each month at 5:00 pm in Coronado at El Rincon del Chef Restaurant. Turn off the highway at the REY store onto the main road toward the beach. The restaurant is on the right in the Mercado Artesanal de Coronado--a charming little center built in the old Panamanian country style. The little shops around the restaurant have taken to staying open when we are there to pick up some of our business.

The restaurant telephone number is 6676-4834.

We average about 100 people but we have had over 150 people -- always some new participants as well as regulars.

Don't miss the fun. We have lots of couples and lots of singles. Come alone or bring a friend. Everyone is welcome, including those of you who happen to be traveling in the area at the right time.

If you would like to be on our reminder list, send your email address to Honey Dodge at honey@laestanciadelencanto.com.

Honey Dodge 6671-6449 cell.

Schedule for the rest of 2007: Aug 22, Sep 26, Oct 24, Nov 28, Dec 26.

• Penonome: Better than Beachfront!