I believe the retirement crisis will get even worse. Many struggle to save due to low wages, rising prices, and exorbitant rents. With homeownership becoming unattainable for middle-class Americans, they may not have a home to rely on for retirement either.
Got it! Buying stocks during a recession when prices are down could be a good move. You might get them at a lower price and sell later when they go up. Just do your homework and be aware of the risks before diving in!
@@LiamOlivia-4 That's awesome! Investing in stocks with a reliable trading system can lead to great outcomes. It's fantastic that you've been working with a financial advisor for a year now. Starting with less than $200K and being just $19,000 away from making half a million in profit is impressive! Keep up the good work!
@@FlorentGulliver MARGARET MOLLI ALVEY Constable is the licensed fiduciary I use. Just research the name. You’d find necessary details to work with a correspondence to set up an appointment..
@@laurelharris1081 living expenses have risen during the past 3 years due to inflation, a strong mexican economy and a weaker US dollar. But it's still MUCH less than living in the US, especially considering healthcare.
Vlogs can be a good place to start but are not reliable. Notice that this one doesn't mention any of the cons. Take a few extended visits at different times of the year before making any other investments in your decision.
@@colettelongo2080 yes, I'm just looking at Belize on this video and the commentator is saying all these great things, then the little rating card comes up, haha, besides cost nothing seems in its favour.
@@expat8460nope just don't trust the data from such sites, they are collected from outdated or often plain wrong sources, their cists of living are seldom close to truth, and they are often wrong about visa regimes, also outated or plain wrong, just make your own inquary, find places you like, not that are cheap, but those that you like, make a list and then look at the visas and other technicalities on official sites of those countries, every one available to foreigners will have everything in english. Just don't trust the internet with your living.
Your only chance of retiring in places like Australia is if you moved there before you were 40. Separately, it is hard fitting in anywhere if you don't embrace the local culture. Living in an expat enclave might work for a while but is like living in any small village - everyone knows each other and if you fall out with the "leaders" life can be hell.
I plan on relocating to Argentina when I retire in 2026. I visited the country for the third time in March 2023 for two weeks. I was happy to discover that foreign credit cards pay the Dollar Blue rate which is twice that of the Dollar Red (or official) rate. Thus, I didn't have to constantly go to Western Union to convert US$ to Argentine pesos. I'm visiting Argentina again in late September for a month to choose which city I'd prefer to live in. I might also check out Uruguay during my stay in Argentina.
@@sassytude1858 I was in Argentina last March for 2 weeks and was fine. The only problem was someone tried the fake bird poop scam on me, but I didn't fall for it. I'm also traveling to Argentina next week for 5 weeks.
One (to me) important criterion, when selecting a country for retirement, would be to consult Human Rights Watch. For example, this is what the organization says about Turkey: "The authoritarian and highly centralized presidential government of Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has set back Turkey’s human rights record by decades, targeting perceived government critics and political opponents, profoundly undermining the independence of the judiciary, and hollowing out democratic institutions." And, yes, I have stayed in the country for a few months and like its people.
The requirements you listed for Malaysia are outdated. Their requirements for income are through the roof (10,000 usd a month and something like 500k in the bank), although they will review the requirements supposedly in October. One can hope they will change it to something realistic. You can retire in Sarawak for $1750 a month and 35k in the bank and have to spend 30 days a year in Saraw. Meeting cost of living is irrelevant if you can't meet the requirements to settle down.
You are right, I have been following it too. They said in April that they will review it. Do you have any new information that published since July/2023?
I live in Uruguay Montevideo also Argentina and none of your information is truthful,you can’t rented for less than one thousand dollars for a studious .Argentina they killed ten to fifteen every single day. You can’t stay on Montevideo more than nine days with out permission for a year.Please don’t miss let people 😢
Why hide the bad news ? The financial requirements !!! > Many visas are quite costly ? --- The bad news for many - you omitted !!!!! --?-- WHY ? --- A very incomplete video lacking vital info. Turkey received much of it & even then we're advised to do our own research ?
You're "missing out" on a lot of other nice places like Hungary, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Slovakia, Czech Republic, Poland, ... just to name a few ...
Do you know how to find the best place to retire? All you have to do is cross out every country talked about on RUclips and mainstream media. So I just removed Panama, Indonesia, Albania, Argentina, Mauritius, Thailand, Costa Rica, Belize, Colombia, Uruguay, Croatia and Turkey from the list. My process is to eliminate every country mentioned anywhere as the best place to retire. If a place is talked about, understand that it’s already too late to retire there. It’s already been pumped by the gringo.
@@roygoad2870 Nah.. many countries have never been mentioned as a place to retire and I will not mention any here. I have my eyes on a couple. Their total yearly visitors stand in the low thousands.
He did not mention Ecuador. I don’t recommend it either; I lived there for 28 months. Boring, no English, and not safe. Lastly, the high elevation is a silent killer; lost four expats friends of heart attacks. Myself, I am on heart medication since my 28 month stay at elevations like Quito, which is over 9,000 feet above sea level.
Your response is a good reminder that, prior to moving to another country at altitude, folks should check in with their doctor and be in decent physical shape. There are thousands living there with no problem, but it is not for everyone. It seems a no-brainer that acquiring at least a bit of the language is a key to feeling welcomed in any foreign country, though I realize it is harder as we get older. Very sorry for the loss of your friends.
I'm moving to Ecuador within the next 6 months. Yes, places like Manta and Guayaquil are unsafe, but I will be living south of Loja in the Sierra which is safe and lovely... Elevation between 5 & 6000 ft. I have no problem at all at any elevation. The clean air, water, food, and kind, gentle culture, offer a healthy, happy environment.
Albania is lovely to retire ! A home full cost about 60,000-100,000€ and no tax and as well very cheap to rent home is from 280€-380€ and very good food all Latin letter and all speak English or German or French nice nation 🎉
Retirement needs vary like toppings on a pizza. Some like it 'easiest' with just cheese, while others load it up with everything from pepperoni to pineapple. Just remember, in the end, it's all about satisfying your own taste buds... and your bank account!" 🍕💰
Misleading people with false information! Türkiye does not offer any program specifically for foreign pensioners and never has. The Turquoise Card is for highly qualified experts who want to work in Turkey.
Looks like you didn't understand video right, I didn't mention in this study that türkiye offers retirement visa! and yes you are right Türkiye doesn't have a visa specifically for retirement, so you have to apply for a residence permit instead. This requirement applies to anyone who intends to remain in the country more than three months. If you have resided in Türkiye for at least eight years uninterruptedly, under a residence permit issued by the Turkish authorities, then you can lodge an application for Turkish long-term permit which has an indefinite validity.
Turkey (Just speak English! Don't let a dictator tell you how to speak in your own tongue!) doesn't even allow "normal people" to stay in the country for more than 3 months, even if there is proof of funds. You can come by yacht from some other autocratic country though as long as you bring enough money to buy overpriced real estate.
The so called "US report" sure doesn't have 'affordability' as a 'priority' with their selection of countries ? Those are all very expensive places mostly. -- The "catch" many countries have in their 'requirements' for retirement are not listed here ! Meaning "the devil is in the details" and those were ignored ? -- People need to do extensive research to find out the bad news with these countries requirements that can be very costly when all considered ! Often too the language barrier is very real and can make daily living difficult.
All your countries are great except for 1 problem none of them speak and understand english amarican,australian, UK does not matter as long as english is being used none of these countries you have mention use english as their primary language?! Hmp?! Your forgot Philippines be in far places even secluded jungles can and will understand you in english even if they are not good as you expected them to be but will try to communicate with you. Do you have any idea how many vloggers and foreigner we have travellong all around the country with out knowledge how to speak a local dialect and yet roaming around even in small islands of our country?!
Good info and options to consider. I don’t understand why you would only include videos of young females when those with enough capital to retire or buy property are no longer in their 20s and of other genders. Get with it!
No, unfortunately not. Out of the few big cities, it looks like directly after WW2, shocking. In a village, you're doubled by a 40 ton truck while your own speed is 20 km/h over the speed limit. This is the Bulgarian mindset.
I don't know about All countries in this list.. but I don't agree that turkey is number one... I knew turkey very well specially Istanbul and Antalya are very bad cities a lot of refugee very dangerous and became very expressive right now.
We're visiting Izmir and I noticed how cheap everything is including clothing. Antalya, Istanbul and Ankara, are next destination and I'm curious how they will compare.
I would have thought the pronunciation was odd as well, except I was just in Bali and the way the locals pronounce it is like the way the guy says in the video.
Expensive for who?Lived there for 13 months,long time ago!Are you saying my $2,000 a month is not enough for a single person in Kas?Need to mention that I don't need a car and have a EU passport and medical insurance.
No disrespect but I am willing to make a bet you made this video without traveling to these countries. That is the only way you would put Turkey and Croatia above Colombia.
This video is conflicting we're supposed to be talking about retirement but all I'm seeing is a bunch of young people in their bathing suits and jumping off cliffs
Nothing is more irritating than a speaker who has not bothered to find out how to pronounce the names of places being referred to. I have found US citizens refuse proper pronunciation (ego) thinking english to be the best language. It is more embarrassing when Americans in foreign countries ask why the shopkeeper in France, for example, why they don't speak English! And some get very officious. It's no wonder people from the US are not universally welcomed in some foreign countries.
Attention, pronunciations vary largely within the English speaking community already, and if you try to emulate the local pronunciation with a foreign accent, it can become somewhat odd. I'm not American. France is the most visited country in the world, so I wonder why the level of English of French "shopkeepers" is still so poor in 2023/4, unlike EVERY other touristic hot spot in the world... ;-) >>> No, I don't wonder, it is because the French way of teaching foreign languages is one of the worst on the planet.
Panama will ALWAYS be a safe place. Think Panama Canal. Hell, we went down and arrested their PRESIDENT one time not so long ago. What does THAT tell you?
I believe the retirement crisis will get even worse. Many struggle to save due to low wages, rising prices, and exorbitant rents. With homeownership becoming unattainable for middle-class Americans, they may not have a home to rely on for retirement either.
Got it! Buying stocks during a recession when prices are down could be a good move. You might get them at a lower price and sell later when they go up. Just do your homework and be aware of the risks before diving in!
@@LiamOlivia-4 That's awesome! Investing in stocks with a reliable trading system can lead to great outcomes. It's fantastic that you've been working with a financial advisor for a year now. Starting with less than $200K and being just $19,000 away from making half a million in profit is impressive! Keep up the good work!
@@danguRobert Mind if I ask you to recommend this particular coach you using their service?
@@FlorentGulliver MARGARET MOLLI ALVEY Constable is the licensed fiduciary I use. Just research the name. You’d find necessary details to work with a correspondence to set up an appointment..
@@danguRobert She appears to be well-educated and well-read. I ran a Google search for her name and came across her website; thank you for sharing.
I've retired in Mexico and absolutely love it here. The people are so friendly and they make me a better person
Thank you for loving my country.
Hasn't it become very expensive lately?
@@laurelharris1081 living expenses have risen during the past 3 years due to inflation, a strong mexican economy and a weaker US dollar. But it's still MUCH less than living in the US, especially considering healthcare.
Where on Mexico
Prices are going up & up there with the peso getting much stronger & dollar worth less - over time it's going to get much worse somewhat soon !
People need to do their own homeworks and do not rely on these vlogs. Visit those countries first and spend a few months there during the slow season
Vlogs can be a good place to start but are not reliable. Notice that this one doesn't mention any of the cons. Take a few extended visits at different times of the year before making any other investments in your decision.
Thanks for the hot tip. I've never heard any of these creators suggest that I should rush out and move to these countries without more due diligence.
@@colettelongo2080 yes, I'm just looking at Belize on this video and the commentator is saying all these great things, then the little rating card comes up, haha, besides cost nothing seems in its favour.
@@attainableaudio4533 belize is super expensive
Indeed!
I have been to many of these places that he recommends and I can tell you in the kindest words that he is full of hot air.
So stay in the USA?
@@expat8460 no just make a good thorough search and choose carefully.
@@expat8460nope just don't trust the data from such sites, they are collected from outdated or often plain wrong sources, their cists of living are seldom close to truth, and they are often wrong about visa regimes, also outated or plain wrong, just make your own inquary, find places you like, not that are cheap, but those that you like, make a list and then look at the visas and other technicalities on official sites of those countries, every one available to foreigners will have everything in english.
Just don't trust the internet with your living.
This guy's facts about retirement requirements in Malaysia is way off.
@@expat8460 Yup stay in druggie USA. A meth retirement awaits you.
I lived in many countries, my suggestion is to do extensive research about the place you will be moving.
Your only chance of retiring in places like Australia is if you moved there before you were 40.
Separately, it is hard fitting in anywhere if you don't embrace the local culture. Living in an expat enclave might work for a while but is like living in any small village - everyone knows each other and if you fall out with the "leaders" life can be hell.
Australia is a shithole. We're living.
I plan on relocating to Argentina when I retire in 2026. I visited the country for the third time in March 2023 for two weeks. I was happy to discover that foreign credit cards pay the Dollar Blue rate which is twice that of the Dollar Red (or official) rate. Thus, I didn't have to constantly go to Western Union to convert US$ to Argentine pesos. I'm visiting Argentina again in late September for a month to choose which city I'd prefer to live in. I might also check out Uruguay during my stay in Argentina.
Plan on where you are from , Argentina 🇦🇷 is pro-ruSSian part of BRICS . I'm sticking with NATO countries
I wouldn’t choose Argentina. We were there a few years ago and one of the people in our group got robbed during daytime. No Argentina and No Columbia.
@@sassytude1858 I was in Argentina last March for 2 weeks and was fine. The only problem was someone tried the fake bird poop scam on me, but I didn't fall for it. I'm also traveling to Argentina next week for 5 weeks.
All of credit cards from foreign countries !? I thought they didn't & that was why RUclipsrs encouraged to use the Western Union Bank !? 💜🥁🐉🎤🎶✈️🇦🇷💞
Foreign credit cards receive the MEP rate whis very close to the Dollar Blue Rate since November 2022.
One (to me) important criterion, when selecting a country for retirement, would be to consult Human Rights Watch. For example, this is what the organization says about Turkey: "The authoritarian and highly centralized presidential government of Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has set back Turkey’s human rights record by decades, targeting perceived government critics and political opponents, profoundly undermining the independence of the judiciary, and hollowing out democratic institutions." And, yes, I have stayed in the country for a few months and like its people.
The requirements you listed for Malaysia are outdated. Their requirements for income are through the roof (10,000 usd a month and something like 500k in the bank), although they will review the requirements supposedly in October. One can hope they will change it to something realistic. You can retire in Sarawak for $1750 a month and 35k in the bank and have to spend 30 days a year in Saraw. Meeting cost of living is irrelevant if you can't meet the requirements to settle down.
You are right, I have been following it too. They said in April that they will review it. Do you have any new information that published since July/2023?
Croatia gets my vote.
I live in Uruguay Montevideo also Argentina and none of your information is truthful,you can’t rented for less than one thousand dollars for a studious .Argentina they killed ten to fifteen every single day. You can’t stay on Montevideo more than nine days with out permission for a year.Please don’t miss let people 😢
Thanks for the tips! Easiest retirement spots - just what I needed.
Why hide the bad news ? The financial requirements !!! > Many visas are quite costly ? --- The bad news for many - you omitted !!!!! --?-- WHY ? --- A very incomplete video lacking vital info. Turkey received much of it & even then we're advised to do our own research ?
You're "missing out" on a lot of other nice places like Hungary, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Slovakia, Czech Republic, Poland, ... just to name a few ...
Once Trump is back in office those countries are toast.
@@roomfulofblues3173 Dream on! 👎 First check on the map where those countries are located before "promoting that idiot narcist"
Primitive, socially backward people.Corruption .
Nicely presented video, greetings from Switzerland.
Do you know how to find the best place to retire? All you have to do is cross out every country talked about on RUclips and mainstream media. So I just removed Panama, Indonesia, Albania, Argentina, Mauritius, Thailand, Costa Rica, Belize, Colombia, Uruguay, Croatia and Turkey from the list.
My process is to eliminate every country mentioned anywhere as the best place to retire. If a place is talked about, understand that it’s already too late to retire there. It’s already been pumped by the gringo.
Sure, but every country in the world has been talked about on You Tube and visited!
@@roygoad2870 Nah.. many countries have never been mentioned as a place to retire and I will not mention any here. I have my eyes on a couple. Their total yearly visitors stand in the low thousands.
You are smart, people have such big mouths they can't keep shut, they are stupid!! Like the old saying, " Loose lips sink ships"@@unknown-user
This video is a pleasant eye opener. Croatia and Albania caught my attention.
I appreciate all your videos though sincerely!
Kinda hilarious that this video is all about retirement and retirees yet most of the people in the videos are VERY young. Hardly convincing
Colombia and Belize - hard pass due to the crime rate
Just curious; did you consider Ecuador? If so, what knocked it off the list? Thanks for the video😊
He did not mention Ecuador. I don’t recommend it either; I lived there for 28 months. Boring, no English, and not safe. Lastly, the high elevation is a silent killer; lost four expats friends of heart attacks. Myself, I am on heart medication since my 28 month stay at elevations like Quito, which is over 9,000 feet above sea level.
Your response is a good reminder that, prior to moving to another country at altitude, folks should check in with their doctor and be in decent physical shape. There are thousands living there with no problem, but it is not for everyone. It seems a no-brainer that acquiring at least a bit of the language is a key to feeling welcomed in any foreign country, though I realize it is harder as we get older.
Very sorry for the loss of your friends.
I'm moving to Ecuador within the next 6 months. Yes, places like Manta and Guayaquil are unsafe, but I will be living south of Loja in the Sierra which is safe and lovely... Elevation between 5 & 6000 ft. I have no problem at all at any elevation. The clean air, water, food, and kind, gentle culture, offer a healthy, happy environment.
Ecuador is drug port of Mexican and Colombian cartels. They own Ecuador and all who live there.
Uruguay - its whole economy is mainly tourism - more expensive than it is advertised.
Great video
Albania is lovely to retire !
A home full cost about 60,000-100,000€ and no tax and as well very cheap to rent home is from 280€-380€ and very good food all Latin letter and all speak English or German or French nice nation 🎉
Concerning Mauritius, two corrections:
(1) The legal input minimum is 1,500 USD.
(2) Healthcare is NOT free for non-citizens.
The gangs in NZ are very concerning and accordingly, crime should be addressed.
It should be limited to certain villages not countries.
Great if you can get a residence visa. If you have a USA passport then Western Europe is somewhere between difficult and impossible.
Colombia still has LOTS of crime, drugs, etc.
never been to Croatia - seems intriguing.
The information about the income requirement for Malaysia is not correct.
Watch again his chart shows "Minimum"
$1500 is sufficient for word "Minimum"
Yes, you must deposit $110,000.00 US Dollars in a Malaysian Bank to live in Malaysia. Impossible for many.
How about Philippines 🇵🇭?? Very cheap and US will have military bases there , very safe place . And very very cheap.
Very, very humid. Filipino diet: very, very unnutritious. Non-Asian food: either unavailable or very, very expensive.
The Philippines are NOT cheap - unless you want to live in a hut.
do not get me wrong - great country! and good prices too!!
Retirement needs vary like toppings on a pizza. Some like it 'easiest' with just cheese, while others load it up with everything from pepperoni to pineapple. Just remember, in the end, it's all about satisfying your own taste buds... and your bank account!" 🍕💰
I'd love to retire to Australia, but there's no retirement via or investor visa anymore.
Albania ? Cheap yes , but unless you speak the language you will struggle. Almost nobody speaks English. I know, I've been there.
Belize is not the spot to go to
best if you know someone when you go there.
Misleading people with false information! Türkiye does not offer any program specifically for foreign pensioners and never has. The Turquoise Card is for highly qualified experts who want to work in Turkey.
Looks like you didn't understand video right, I didn't mention in this study that türkiye offers retirement visa! and yes you are right Türkiye doesn't have a visa specifically for retirement, so you have to apply for a residence permit instead. This requirement applies to anyone who intends to remain in the country more than three months. If you have resided in Türkiye for at least eight years uninterruptedly, under a residence permit issued by the Turkish authorities, then you can lodge an application for Turkish long-term permit which has an indefinite validity.
Yes, you DID ! 15:16
Turkey (Just speak English! Don't let a dictator tell you how to speak in your own tongue!) doesn't even allow "normal people" to stay in the country for more than 3 months, even if there is proof of funds. You can come by yacht from some other autocratic country though as long as you bring enough money to buy overpriced real estate.
@@wrtmerlin2335the one comment that he replies to he gets wrong, LoL, yeah this is not a good video
Croatia sounds good though!
The so called "US report" sure doesn't have 'affordability' as a 'priority' with their selection of countries ? Those are all very expensive places mostly. -- The "catch" many countries have in their 'requirements' for retirement are not listed here ! Meaning "the devil is in the details" and those were ignored ? -- People need to do extensive research to find out the bad news with these countries requirements that can be very costly when all considered ! Often too the language barrier is very real and can make daily living difficult.
GREAT
All your countries are great except for 1 problem none of them speak and understand english amarican,australian, UK does not matter as long as english is being used none of these countries you have mention use english as their primary language?! Hmp?! Your forgot Philippines be in far places even secluded jungles can and will understand you in english even if they are not good as you expected them to be but will try to communicate with you. Do you have any idea how many vloggers and foreigner we have travellong all around the country with out knowledge how to speak a local dialect and yet roaming around even in small islands of our country?!
Good info and options to consider. I don’t understand why you would only include videos of young females when those with enough capital to retire or buy property are no longer in their 20s and of other genders. Get with it!
Bulgaria!#1
No, unfortunately not. Out of the few big cities, it looks like directly after WW2, shocking. In a village, you're doubled by a 40 ton truck while your own speed is 20 km/h over the speed limit. This is the Bulgarian mindset.
I don't know about All countries in this list.. but I don't agree that turkey is number one... I knew turkey very well specially Istanbul and Antalya are very bad cities a lot of refugee very dangerous and became very expressive right now.
Currently where are you living?
We're visiting Izmir and I noticed how cheap everything is including clothing. Antalya, Istanbul and Ankara, are next destination and I'm curious how they will compare.
Brussels Belgium
Turkiye can be cheap if you do research. I know it well .. Albania too can be very inexpensive and good food ..
Turkey is a dictatorship!
Is the voice that of a bot? Interesting pronunciation of Bali.
I would have thought the pronunciation was odd as well, except I was just in Bali and the way the locals pronounce it is like the way the guy says in the video.
Thanks I learned something today.
I mean it is a great country - Colombia but has plenty of risks -
What is a normal crime rate ? Re: Argentina ! So much B.S. here !😂
I see a lot of countries on these foreign retirement videos that will be under water in 20 years.
Oh, will you come with a big water hose or what?!
@@globoliver9697 Big Oil will be coming with theirs.
Turkey should be out of list .too expensive now
Expensive for who?Lived there for 13 months,long time ago!Are you saying my $2,000 a month is not enough for a single person in Kas?Need to mention that I don't need a car and have a EU passport and medical insurance.
@@Globetrotter-jz2uw Expensive compared to to few years ago
panama safe?????
No disrespect but I am willing to make a bet you made this video without traveling to these countries. That is the only way you would put Turkey and Croatia above Colombia.
Right socialized medicine!!! Truthful meaning would be if you survive till you get to see a doctor.
Retirement isn't one-size-fits-all. Factors like healthcare, cost of living, and community matter most. Do thorough research before deciding.🤔🤔
ridiculous outdated video.. Most of these countries require a major investment and the costs of living are rarely as you mentioned..
This video is conflicting we're supposed to be talking about retirement but all I'm seeing is a bunch of young people in their bathing suits and jumping off cliffs
Australia good for retirement? I'm an Australian and I want to leave ASAP.
But why?
I am trying to give constructive criticsim
I am not an expert by any means -
Turkey - heavy muslim population - can be some culture shock to Westerners - and some major mafiasa culture as well.
Not true, i visited Alanya 2 years ago, stayed for a month and no problem, all tourists there, people very friendly, most people there speak English.
@@HavanaPirici okay well maybe it has changed since I have been there. all clear. I appreciate your response. Thanks for keeping me up to date!
You're information on Malaysia's MM2H program is quite outdated and therefore, useless.
Nothing is more irritating than a speaker who has not bothered to find out how to pronounce the names of places being referred to. I have found US citizens refuse proper pronunciation (ego) thinking english to be the best language. It is more embarrassing when Americans in foreign countries ask why the shopkeeper in France, for example, why they don't speak English! And some get very officious. It's no wonder people from the US are not universally welcomed in some foreign countries.
Attention, pronunciations vary largely within the English speaking community already, and if you try to emulate the local pronunciation with a foreign accent, it can become somewhat odd. I'm not American. France is the most visited country in the world, so I wonder why the level of English of French "shopkeepers" is still so poor in 2023/4, unlike EVERY other touristic hot spot in the world... ;-) >>> No, I don't wonder, it is because the French way of teaching foreign languages is one of the worst on the planet.
Misleading & out dated info....
Panama will ALWAYS be a safe place. Think Panama Canal. Hell, we went down and arrested their PRESIDENT one time not so long ago. What does THAT tell you?