Panama Gringo Guide

The Best Little Cupcake in Panama: How Hola Cupcake came to Town

June 12, 2013 By Elizabeth Vance Leave a Comment

During a recent weekend, I was leisurely reading The Visitor, Panama’s English newspaper. Within it, I discovered a story about an expat who has a cupcake business – Hola Cupcake – in Panama. Since I’m always interested in bringing my readers stories of expats who have found success in Panama, I contacted Jennifer Luna right away for an interview. I was also personally interested because I ADORE cupcakes,and have since I was a child. They’ve become all the rage in the U.S. over the past six years, as many of you know, but are just now starting to hit Panama. Plus, most of my general experience with sweets and baked goods in Panama has never measured up to my high taste standards. So, I was curious.

An interview seemed the perfect opportunity to find out if these cupcakes were really as good as reported…

The real Hola Cupcakes in Panama

The following dialogue is from that conversation on May 15, 2013.

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Elizabeth Vance: Jennifer, first, I’m dying to know the origin of your last name – Luna. It sounds so mysterious. Where is it from?

Jennifer Luna: Actually, Luna is my married name. My husband is Panamanian.

Elizabeth Vance: Okay! Well, that probably answers the first question I had to ask you, which was what brought you to Panama?

Jennifer Luna: (Laughs) Yes, you’re right. I met my husband when we were both in college at the University of Florida, and we were both studying business. After graduation, we both found jobs in Tampa, Florida and lived there for eight years. He’s in banking, and I was in property management. Our two children came very close together – just fourteen months apart. It’s very difficult to have two small kids and two full-time jobs when you live in the States.

Elizabeth Vance: I think it’s hard no matter where you live, but yes, when you’re in the States, it’s a juggling act to have a balanced life with both kids and full-time jobs. And most Americans can’t afford a nanny or a full-time maid.

Jennifer Luna: My husband kept telling me, “We can go to Panama, and we can have a simpler life. If you don’t want to, you won’t even have to work. Plus, we can afford help for the kids if we live there, like a nanny and a maid.” Honestly, I took a lot of convincing before we made the decision. We were living very close to my parents in Florida, which I really enjoyed. But, we did make the move three years ago now, and we’re very happy we came. Moving to Panama has been the best decision we’ve made.

Elizabeth Vance: Jennifer, tell me a bit about you, your family, and some of your history. Had you been to Panama before, or lived outside the U.S. before you moved here?

Jennifer Luna: I’m originally from Florida. I’d been to Europe on vacations – Italy, Paris, and Mexico, but never to other places in Latin America. My husband and I had been coming to Panama for ten years to visit – usually for the New Year holiday. Every time we came here, I felt like at some point we’d move here, but I thought it would be during our retirement years, not when we had small kids.

I always saw how happy retirees were here – for example, in Boquete. We’d visited Boquete many times on our visits; we both fell in love with the area, and knew that we would want to be in Panama one day.

Elizabeth Vance: Once you decided to move to Panama, what type of research did you do? Or did you need to, since you had visited over that ten year period so many times?

Jennifer Luna: Because my husband is a native Panamanian, we already knew a lot. Actually, I think the first time I came to Panama with him it was 2001. At that time, the construction on Figali (the current convention center) was not even complete yet. The Costa del Este neighborhood did not exist at that time; nor did Multiplaza (the high-end mall). The Punta Pacifica neighborhood was just starting out.

Elizabeth Vance: Wow! You’ve seen a lot of changes then since 2001. We’ve been here now close to six years, and it’s amazing how much Panama has changed in that time.

Jennifer Luna: I have photos of the Panama City skyline from that very first trip. In 2001, the only existing mall was MultiCentro. And that’s actually located where my husband’s high school used to be – St. Augustine. The Hard Rock Hotel is now located atop the field where he used to play football!

Panama’s skyline est. 2001

But to go back to your question about research, I did do a lot of research about the individual neighborhoods. Though we had come to visit, I had never driven by myself in Panama. When my husband drove me, I was always lost and had no idea where we were.

So once we decided to come, we planned a trip to come see the grandparents, and to go look at different neighborhoods. We went out with a real estate agent. At first, I really wanted to live in Costa del Este – it felt more comfortable to me, more like a suburb in the U.S., easier to drive in, etc. At that time, there were no high rises in Costa del Este yet, and all the new homes were just starting to be built, so it was kind of the newer area of town. But my hubby really wanted to live in the city, because living in Costa del Este means you will have a long commute. So I did a lot of research, and we ended up Punta Paitilla, which was an amazing choice for us. It’s funny…my husband told me that when he was little, he used to drive through Paitilla, and that he always wanted to live there.

Elizabeth Vance: Jennifer, what was the timeline – or how long was it – from when you first started thinking about moving to Panama to actually moving here?

Jennifer Luna: I believe it was 18 months. When we first started thinking about it, my son was about six months old and we moved when he was two.

Elizabeth Vance: When I first contacted you a few weeks ago, you mentioned you were moving. Did you stay in Paitilla or did you choose another area within the city?

Jennifer Luna: We just moved to San Francisco, near Parque Omar (one of Panama’s large parks). With the kids getting bigger, it made sense for them to be able to ride bikes in their neighborhood, etc. We loved Paitilla, but we needed more outdoor space.

Elizabeth Vance: What has been a surprise for you – living in Panama as an expat, now that you have been here three years?

Jennifer Luna: The biggest surprise I had was the number of people I found that speak English here. When we visited Panama for vacation, we were always around Spanish speakers (mostly my husband’s family and friends), and I was always trying to keep up with that. Unfortunately, because a lot of people do speak English in Panama, it can make it really hard to learn Spanish, because you can usually find an English speaker close by.

Elizabeth Vance: And, how is your Spanish? Are you fluent, after three years?

Jennifer Luna: I can read almost everything. I can understand about 75% of what people say, except for the slang, or if there’s a big group talking rapidly – that can be hard.

Elizabeth Vance: Since you’d visited Panama several times before you moved here, tell me what was different than what you originally thought it might be?

Jennifer Luna: Well, my husband had lived in the U.S. for some time before we came back, so it was actually a surprise to both of us at how the technology is still a bit behind. Neither of us expected the inefficiencies we still encounter, still today, in a country that’s growing so quickly. This was a big shocker coming from the U.S., where everything is so efficient, not just in simple tasks, but for scheduling things. For example, here in Panama, people don’t always show up when they are supposed to, and nor do they call as a courtesy if they can’t make the appointment. That’s a good thing for people to know when they are moving here.

One of my friends was the first person to live in a new apartment in Punta Pacifica. And, you know, when things have to be fixed here, it often takes multiple trips and workers coming in and out of your personal space for months. This was the case for her with the new apartment over their first year here, and it really ruined Panama for her. They ended up leaving the country, as a result.

When we just moved a couple of weeks ago into our new home in San Francisco, I really tried to be realistic with my own expectations about getting settled in, and things needing to be done after we moved (taking a while).

Elizabeth Vance: So, let’s get down to your cupcake business – aptly called Hola Cupcake – I’ve heard they are yummy! How did you get that started?

HOLA Cupcake by Jennifer Luna makes the best cupcakes in Panama, hands down.

Jennifer Luna: We had been living in Panama about 6-7 months when my sister-in-law also relocated here. She was not working at the time, and my sister had sent me a Hello Cupcake book for making cupcakes with fun candies and different recipes. (Note: Hello, Cupcake! Is a New York Times bestseller for irresistibly playful creations that anyone can make!, according to their website.) Remember that movie – Julie and Julia – about a gal who cooked Julia Child’s recipes every day for a year and blogged about it?

Elizabeth Vance: Oh, yes! I loved that movie.

Jennifer Luna: Well, that movie inspired me. So, I decided to do a blog with cupcakes from the Hello, Cupcake! book, but our first round, which we did at Christmas two years ago, was horrible. They melted because of the heat.

Meanwhile, my sister-in-law got a job. My husband had a Christmas party at his office and asked me to make my grandmother’s carrot cake. So, I did. Well, he came back with glowing compliments, and several of his staff asked if I might consider making carrot cakes for their holiday celebrations.

Elizabeth Vance: WOW! What a compliment! That must be some recipe.

Jennifer Luna: Yes, well…EIGHT people later. Then, they all came back from their holiday celebrations, and were asking for what else I made. So, that was the beginning.

Elizabeth Vance: I am making myself a big note to have you make a big carrot cake for me for our next social event!

Jennifer Luna: I created a menu based on my mom’s cookbook. She has a recipe for a buttercream icing that does not melt, and I used that to make a menu of flavors. From there, my husband took the menu back to his office, and the word spread.

That was about two years ago, and now I don’t really know where my clients come from – I just keep getting calls. Soon after, I started my Facebook page, and took photos of the cakes and the cupcakes so that people can see them, etc.

Elizabeth Vance: All right, so obviously you’ve got the best cupcakes in Panama! I can’t wait to try them.

Jennifer Luna: I think you have to try one to really round out the story, Elizabeth! I have 18 cupcake flavors on the menu, and a few other things too, like an oreo truffle, shortbread cookies, marshmallow pops, brownies. But, really I prefer just to make cupcakes – those are my favorite.

Elizabeth Vance: Okay, my mouth is watering, just hearing about all of these yummies! I can’t wait to try them. Do you have a retail location, and do you run Hola Cupcake full-time?

The apple pie cupcake

Jennifer Luna: No, at the moment, it’s part-time, and I bake from home. I bake three or four times a week, and I only bake when someone orders. My kids are four and five and they have afternoon activities, so they’re really my priority.

Elizabeth Vance: Understood. They’re why you came to Panama after all. Do you do any marketing at all? Cupcakes are such the rage now in the U.S. – well, they have been for several years now – and they’re just now really hitting Panama. How do people find you?

Jennifer Luna: I really don’t do any marketing except for social media. Most of my clients come from word of mouth. Even the article in The Visitor was from word of mouth. I baked cupcakes for the editor’s birthday and his office loved them, so they did a story. If I choose to market more than what I do now, I might get overwhelmed and then have to get more serious, and I’m not ready for that yet.

Elizabeth Vance: Jennifer, I get asked a lot about what it’s like to be an entrepreneur in Panama. Are there any ups and downs you’d to share in terms of what it takes to get started here?

Jennifer Luna: Honestly, you just have to be patient with the processes of Panama, in terms of getting your Visa to work. It was easier for me, given that my husband is Panamanian. But because of how inefficient some of the processes here can be, it can be stressful. So I’d say, just be patient.

Elizabeth Vance: What are your top three recommendations for new expats considering Panama?

Jennifer Luna:

1. I recommend visiting Panama more than two times before you decide to move here permanently, and to stay an extended amount of time – there’s plenty of places to you can rent for a month. I’ve heard a lot of stories of those who have jumped in too quickly, and have not found Panama to be a fit.

2. The best thing that happened to me after I moved here, was meeting another English speaking mom in the park with my kids. We struck up a conversation. Through her, I met a mommy group, which literally changed my overall experience of the country. So that’s my second recommendation – find a connection for yourself, especially with English speakers.

3. Get out of the city when you can – go to Boquete, Pedasi, San Blas, the Pearl Islands – in Panama, you can travel from the Atlantic to the Pacific in a two-hour drive. It’s important to get out and explore the beautiful country – because it has a little bit of everything.

Elizabeth Vance: Great advice, Jennifer! Thanks so much for sharing your story, and that of your business – Hola Cupcake – with me today. It’s exciting to hear that Panama has become a great fit for you and your young family, as well as the good news that Panama is embracing your cupcakes! (As am I, WOW! I can’t say enough good things about Jennifer’s baking. This family will definitely be on the permanent ordering (and eating) list!)

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Oreo cupcakes…need I say more?

For more on Hola Cupcake, visit their Facebook page , or contact Jennifer for a menu locally here in Panama at +507-6920-0958 or email her at holacupcakepty@gmail.com.

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(Panama skyline and Hola logo courtesy of Jennifer Luna.)

Filed Under: Expat Interview

Planning a Medical Procedure in Panama? Read this first.

June 4, 2013 By Elizabeth Vance 2 Comments

A month has passed since my husband went under the knife here for his knee surgery in Panama. While the previous story focused on physician and cost analysis, there’s more to the story.

Since much of my writing about Panama is about the expat experience (whether you are moving to Panama, retiring to Panama, or simply looking for more affordable health care), I feel it’s important to share some other pertinent details that had a big impact on our overall surgery experience. If you’ve read my book, then you know that it’s often what is not expressed in the glossy, tourist-focused marketing materials about the country (especially if they’re marketing medical tourism in Panama) that is the most important to understand if you are going to live here.

Not Everyone Speaks English in a Hospital Setting

Hospital waiting room

On the day of the surgery, we arrived early – 7:30 AM, as scheduled at the hospital. My husband had to fast – not even a drop of water allowed that morning – so in the spirit of moral support, I fasted with him.

Check-in took an hour. The waiting wasn’t like many of the take-a-number at the meat counter experiences I’ve had in most other locales here, thankfully. But, four families arrived simultaneously, and two waited in a small waiting area, while the other two did their paperwork in small glassed-in rooms. The attendants did not speak English. (See Chapter 3 of The Gringo Guide to Panama.)

Lesson Learned #1: If you are having surgery, the person that goes with you on the day of surgery should also bring their cell phone and their identification with them. The hospital will ask you for it, and make a copy of your ID. Assumedly, so they can get in touch with you if something goes wrong.

Once we checked in, we were directed to the emergency room waiting area. My husband was then taken to be prepped. I was summoned after a few more minutes to verify something with the nurse – again, because she did not speak English and my husband’s Spanish is stilted.

Get Your Questions Answered before You Go In

At 8:45, another aide came to take my husband into surgery. I was directed to another waiting room in the main part of the hospital. We had yet to see a doctor – this is not unusual at this point in time, even in the States. I asked the aide when we would see the doctor. He told me that the doctor would come see me in the waiting area right before he went in to start the surgery.

I dutifully arranged myself in the larger waiting room. Two other families were already there. It’s now 9 AM. The surgery was originally scheduled to start at 9 AM. Thankfully, I had brought my own water, Gatorade and snacks. I learned long ago in Panama that you’re pretty much on your own much of the time in finding these resources. There’s no 7-11 in the hospital (or an any corner for that matter).

The waiting room was clean and had both high-top tables, as well as couches and single chairs. A sign advertised Free Wifi. (I did have my laptop, so I was happy to see that.) Unfortunately, there was a required password for the Wifi, but no one around to ask for it! When I did finally find someone, they only spoke Spanish.

A small bathroom off the waiting area was conveniently located, and a water cooler (with cups!) was also there, as well as several magazines and newspapers. (I almost felt like I was back in the States for a moment, except the TV was blaring in an annoying Spanish-speaking show, instead of Oprah or Dr. Oz.)

Thirsty, I went for to the cooler for some water….and found it was empty. I looked around for a vending machine – nothing in site. I was afraid to leave the waiting room, since I’d been told the doctor would come out to see me prior to starting surgery.

The minutes ticked by. Mostly in time with my stomach rumbling, as it’s now approaching 9:30 and we rose at 6. I still haven’t eaten breakfast, so now I’m getting grouchy. There’s no aide around to advise on where I can get a bite to eat.

More time goes by. No doctor in sight. Nor did he ever come out prior to surgery starting, like I’d been told. So I never got a recap of what to expect after the surgery was over and we were home.

Lesson Learned #2: Whatever specific questions you have about the surgery need to be written down and asked at the last office visit – NOT when you get to the hospital.

Because I’m familiar with the area around the hospital, I walked down the street – finally having given up on the doctor coming out to speak to me – to a nearby coffee shop and bakery. (Patients and families, you can find Petit Paris on Google Maps. It’s a two-block walk from Centro Medico Paitilla.)

Surgery was scheduled to take two hours. It ended up taking two and a half. Then, there’s the post-op recovery. (Again, we were told nothing about what this might look like in advance.) Hubby was brought out of La La land, waited for probably 30 minutes, then was taken back to the place where he’d originally disrobed to be re-dressed in his street clothes, as this was outpatient surgery.

Hospital recovery room

Meanwhile, two doctors came to see me, as well as the anesthesiologist. All three told me that the surgery had gone very well. They described what they had done – in Spanish first, and then in English to be sure I fully understood. (When I recounted what they said to my husband later, I realized I should have made some quick notes while I was speaking to them. I’m not fluent in medical terms, so I got most of it, but with the stress of the day, my memory was not perfect after the fact.)

The anesthesiologist brought out two prescriptions. He explained there were two pain medications. The expected stuff – anti-inflammatory, antibiotics and one pain med – were on one pad. The other script had a second pain med on a sheet by itself.

There’s More, but…

you have to buy the next book! This is an excerpt from The Gringo Guide to Panama II. If you’re interested in being notified of GGII’s launch in the next few weeks, be sure to follow The Gringo Guide to Panama on Google+ or Twitter,so that you’ll be one of the first that gets the news!

Stay tuned for the rest of the story…and the other hugely valuable Lessons Learned from our experience with surgery in Panama so that you’ll know what you need to….before you go under the knife as a gringo in Panama.

Filed Under: Panama Expat

The Young Expats in Panama social organization – how you can get involved

May 18, 2013 By Elizabeth Vance Leave a Comment

BeFunky_YEP! @ Hard Rock_TIMELINE w SponsorsFINALDONE.jpg

If you follow the Gringo Guide to Panama, you probably now feel like you’ve met Skyler Ralston. That’s because you have, kind of.

This is the third in a series of stories about Skyler, who is a young expat in Panama, in her mid 20s. Parts One and Two can be read by clicking on them, if you’d like the background on Skyler and her association, Young Expats in Panama (YEP!).

So, without further ado…

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Elizabeth Vance: Skyler, you’ve lived in Panama now for three and a half years. You have two successful companies – the YEP! Group (Young Expats in Panama) and your marketing firm, Sky Marketing. In this final segment of our interview together, I’d like to hear more about YEP!. Because more and more younger people are coming to Panama, you and I both receive a lot of questions about what Panama is like for them.

You’ve done such an amazing job with YEP!, and I know that many of the Gringo Guide to Panama’s readers would like to hear more. So, let’s start there.

First, outline for me again what YEP! is all about.

Skyler Ralston: Thanks, Elizabeth. First, YEP! is all about fun, and it’s about connecting people. When I first moved here, I didn’t know anyone and I couldn’t find an organized social network for my age group. I knew there were others my age and I wanted to connect with them.

YEP! is aimed at the young expats in Panama – usually between 25-35 years old – many of whom are working in multinational companies. Some are entrepreneurs like myself and others are more of the backpacking crowd – working for a non-profit or the Peace Corp.

The recent Top of the Rock party was a big success

Elizabeth Vance: Are most of your attendees to the YEP! Events from the U.S.?

Skyler Ralston: Primarily from the U.S. and Canada, yes. But as YEP! has become more well-known, more and more Panamanians have started coming to the events. This was really exciting for me, as I had previously found some of the locals difficult to socialize with – they seemed to stay in their own cliques. I found that they were now coming to YEP! events because they had studied abroad, or they spoke English, or were learning English. Because YEP! has become so popular with Panamanians too, we’ve updated our slogan. It’s now Meet Global Minded Panamanians.

Elizabeth Vance: YEP! does events – from large to small – you’ve said. Tell me more about those.

Skyler Ralston: YEP! just had its 37th event last week! We’ll celebrate our second anniversary this August. We’re establishing an annual calendar on the website, so that people can mark the dates of the ones they want to attend. We have big events like the big one we had three weeks ago at Hard Rock Hotel on May 2, which hosted 250 people, and then, there are smaller, more intimate events like wine tastings and day trips to the beach, with a max of 30 attendees.

We usually host two events each month. The venues change all the time, as well as the themes. Sometimes the events are free; sometimes they are $15 and include two hours of an open bar. I try to offer attendees the best bang for their buck, and for their time, and also give them a unique experience that they can only find with YEP!

The big event we held on May 2 was called YEP! Top of the Rock party at Hard Rock Hotel. The theme was a black and silver party. The teaser was: Be shimmery in silver. Be bold in black. An evening of elegance under the stars. This particular event was sponsored by Ketel One Vodka, so there were specials on Ketel One vodka and Ketel One martinis all night. Revista Weekend Magazine with La Prensa covered the event. (They also interviewed me about YEP! in January.)

Elizabeth Vance: YEP! has all the social media connection bells and whistles, and here they are, for the reader’s reference. You can follow them on Twitter at @YoungExpatsinPA and @FiestasPanama, and of course, on Facebook.

Skyler Ralston: Yes, and we also have a newly redesigned website, and a weekly newsletter. The best way for anyone to stay current with where the YEP! action is taking place is to sign up for our subscriber database on the homepage of our website.

Elizabeth Vance: Skyler, any idea how many young expats there are in Panama?

Skyler Ralston: No, not really, but I can tell you that there are hundreds for sure. We get 300+ attendees coming to the bigger YEP! parties.

Elizabeth Vance: What other resources does YEP! offer for young people in Panama?

Skyler Ralston: I get so many questions about the different parts of Panama City (for living) that I put together a summary of the neighborhoods. You can find that on the website. Note though that it is from a young person’s point of view for living purposes.

Also, similar to what you did with the Gringo Guide to Panama, Elizabeth, I put together some Helpful Tips, which I titled the Real Deal Panama. That’s really good for when you’re new to town.

Elizabeth Vance: I love that, Skyler! I applaud you in getting the realistic word out there for people – it’s what’s real that people need to know.

Skyler Ralston: I agree, it’s very important. In the near future, the YEP! events calendar on the website will also allow members to upload their own upcoming events in English free of charge. That will be the first of its kind in Panama.

The Top of the Rock party at Hard Rock Hotel

There’s also a Help Desk forum on the website. I get emails all the time from job seekers and also, as YEP! has grown, from firms looking to hire English speakers. In the future, you’ll see job listings here, as well as be able to post your resume there.

Lastly, we are compiling premium discount vouchers to Panama’s top businesses exclusively for the YEP! group in the Savings/Rewards section of the website and sent out via the newsletter – right now, it features half price entry to Isabella Disco & Lounge on Friday nights, and 75% off language learning at Bristol Academy. We’re using QR codes so it’s also sustainable and green.

Elizabeth Vance: Skyler, the YEP! group is really something! Congrats again on its success, and on bringing to Panama a very needed resource for young expats.

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The Gringo Guide to Panama greatly appreciates Skyler Ralston for her time and her excitement in sharing the YEP! story.

And, thanks to those young(er) future expats to Panama who contacted me with questions about these kinds of topics, that drove me to interview her! As you can see, Panama does have a lot to offer the younger set, no matter why you come.

(All photos courtesy of YEP! Young Expats in Panama.)