An American couple who moved to Panama to pursue their dream of owning an off-grid farm have revealed they are now afraid to return because of the raging mining protests currently taking place.
Kaylee Dubeau and Jordan Saglio were due to return to their Central American homestead on November 20 after completing a road trip across the US with their two-year-old daughter Sadie, but revealed in their latest YouTube videos that they were warned not to visit the region not to visit. “in ruins”.
There have been weeks of protests in Panama against First Quantum’s contract for a $10 billion copper mine approved by the Canadian government, with some protestors blocking access to the mine.
In Kaylee and Jordan’s video clips, they reveal that friends in Panama are now turning to illegal petrol for their cars and that supermarket supplies are running low, with toilet paper the first to go.
Kaylee Dubeau and Jordan Saglio were set to return to their Central American homestead with their two-year-old daughter Sadie on Nov. 20 after completing a road trip across the United States.
In Kaylee and Jordan’s video clips, they reveal that friends in Panama are now resorting to buying illegal petrol for their cars and that supermarket supplies are running low.
The couple’s friend Rodrigo says over the loudspeaker in one scene: “It’s quite difficult to go into the city to go to supermarkets with a limited amount of gas.”
“We already notice that the corridors are almost empty. Toilet paper was gone first…no meat…
“Today we had to buy gas illegally.” I ended up paying $120 for 10 gallons of gas… This thing is crazy. Don’t come, stay there!’
Kaylee and Jordan, from Massachusetts, spent years traveling through Central America in a converted school bus before settling on the green slopes of western Panama.
The couple — who have more than 390,000 subscribers — bought a 2.5-acre property on the outskirts of Boquete for $75,000 four years ago and have since started a farm while welcoming their first child, Sadie.
When they moved into the empty lot, the couple had to rebuild everything before they could finally move out of their school bus.
To make a living, the couple started a cafe and sold beans from local farmers. They have also started monetizing their YouTube channel.
While Instagram posts show them living their “dream lives”, a number of candid YouTubers have revealed the more difficult aspects of their off-the-grid lifestyle, including living without a proper toilet for six years and the ever-increasing prices in Panama because they are considered foreigners.
Kaylee and Jordan, from Massachusetts, spent years traveling through Central America in a converted school bus before settling on the green slopes of western Panama.
The couple has more than 390,000 subscribers on their YouTube channel
To make a living, the couple runs a cafe and sells beans from local farmers. They also have a popular YouTube channel
The couple have been in America for the past few months after taking on the challenge of traveling to 48 states in 48 days in an Airstream.
Now, at the end of their adventure, they still don’t know if they will return to Panama.
In one clip, Jordan says that he even “kind of” regrets buying land there, because this is the third time protests have taken place in the country.
To address the situation, he tells viewers: “I’m not going to lie and say no.” I don’t regret buying land in Panama.
“This is the third time this has happened.” [It’s] No place you want to go now… there is no gas, there is a black market for gas with people importing it legally.
“There’s no propane, food is scarce, these are just desperate times. Especially when you have a baby… you want your home to feel comfortable.
“You don’t want to worry about there being no food, you don’t want to worry about not being able to drive or get out when you need to because all the roads are closed.”
Jordan says that while he knows there are protests happening all over the world, it’s even harder to fight them in Panama.
Four years ago, they bought a 2.5-acre property on the outskirts of Boquete for $75,000.
Since then, they have started a farm while also welcoming their first child
While Instagram posts show them living their “dream life”, a series of candid YouTube videos reveal the more difficult aspects of their off-grid lifestyle, including living without a proper toilet for six years
The couple had to rebuild everything from scratch before they could get off the school bus
Kaylee poses next to her beloved school bus that served as her home for many years
That’s because, he explains, “there’s one main street and closing that street basically takes everything away from everybody.”
The father-of-one concluded: “So there’s a bit of concern about going back there and how things will look when November 20 comes around and it’s time to go back. We’ll just keep an eye on it.”
To make matters worse, the couple received news that their dog Lola had been seized on their farm in Panama, which only increased their desire to return home.
After the couple expressed their displeasure, they received hundreds of messages from supportive fans.
One viewer wrote: “Everyone take care of yourselves and wait for Panama to calm down. Hopefully it will happen soon and you can all go home.”
Another commenter opined: “Sad to hear about the unrest in Panama. “Hopefully the government will hear the voices of the people and do the right thing!”
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James is an author and travel journalist who writes for The Fashion Vibes. With a love for exploring new cultures and discovering unique destinations, James brings his readers on a journey with him through his articles.
