Posted by Lee on February 2, 2010
Tuesday mornings in Boquete Panama we have a meeting and farmers market. I cannot recall the official name of the meeting but although not Politically Correct, it is known in Boquete as the Gringo Meeting. The event is held at the BCP Community Center on the Jaramillo side of the Feria Bridge. The facility is now the best venue in Boquete for a meeting or event with more than 100 attendees.
I arrived at 9:30 an hour before I needed to speak and the facility was crowded with vendors selling everything from books, artisan breads, vegetables and Thai Food. The farmers market has become the center of attention of the meeting and rightfully so when the speaker is me.
Today I spoke about two topics Internet access in Boquete, a topic that is dear to most new immigrants and blogging, a topic dear to me.
The slide show below would have been shown if the facility had a screen and projector, maybe in the future.
Part of my was message blogging is fun and good mental exercise for individuals. The other part is that Blog Software makes for a very easy method of creating and maintaining business websites that do not look need to look like blogs.
Here are two excellent examples I mentioned at the meeting:
Mudd Guitars Does not look like a blog
Elizabeth Quila Does look like a blog
Posted by Lee on August 7, 2008
I live on a mountain, Jaramillo Abajo Boquete Panama. My local neighbors many of whom have lived here for generations have some unique communications skills. In some amazing way anything that happens here is transmitted throughout the Spanish speaking community in minutes. It may be the most efficient communications system I have ever seen and even after talking to others on the hill I do not know how it works; but it does.
We who are new here use a few other means the most important of which are the Internet and cell phone. It therefore become important to have both methods accessible. I thought it would be appropriate to provide some information on both.
Internet: I am aware of three locations in Bajo Boquete that have free WIFI access. Amigos, Read and Relax Book Store and Valle del Rio’s restaurants. If anyone knows of others please add them.
If you live here you can get broadband access from one or more of the following, DSL from Cable and Wireless, Cable from Cable Onda and wireless from either Barranco or Mobil Phone. One or more is available in most locations.
Cell Phones: There are currently two possible providers with more coming soon. For now you can obtain GSM service from either Cable and Wireless or Movistar.
If you currently have an unlocked GSM telephone that supports GSM 850 you can use it in Panama. If you are not sure if your phone supports GSM 850 or is unlocked check with your local provider. If not you can purchased a prepaid phone for less than $30 with a SIM in what seems like every other store in the country.
Once you have your phone you can add a SIM (chip) for either C&W or Movistar and then purchase prepaid cards in denominations of $2, $5, $7, $10, $12 or $15. Calls cost $.35 a minute to the dialing party only, no charge to the receiver. Now here a mind reset. Cards have a time expiration of one week to one month depending of the cost of the card and to add delight and confusion the real value of the card depends on the day you enter the number or the value of the card.
For example I use Cable and Wireless so I will explain what I am familiar with:
A $5 card is good for one week. C&W send a SMS message (text) offering either 4 for 1, 3 for 1 or a bit more confusing 3 for 1 on one card and 4 for 1 on a second. Depending on the day you get either $20 in credit or $15 in credit for a $5 card which means $.35 a minute falls to as little as about $.08 a minute.
$10 card does the same but for a month and the magic $12 card is always 4 to 1 for a month so now that I have discovered them that is all I use.
When I first arrived I also discovered C&W can if you ask in one of their offices change all your voice prompts from their system to English if you request the change.
Entering a card is a scratch to uncover the number and dial on your phone *166*PIN from card# send, then after it accepts the card I check *165 to confirm the new balance.
Hope this helps on you first trip here.
