One of the Happiest Countries?

I have put a couple of links and excerpts below where Panama's well-being is mentioned. I think they slipped a little this year on some of the polls, maybe due to the Panama Papers being a huge issue in the press, or someone actually talked to people as they came out of the bank. :)

One of the questions that I get a lot is, "Why move to Panama?" I understand that moving to a different country is not for everyone. Especially for those that are not comfortable with change or going-with-the-flow. I admit that there are times where I get frustrated at not being able to get things done as quickly as I am used to, or not being able to find items that were so easily available in the States. But, in exchange for those frustrating times, I get to:

1. Wake up everyday (almost every day) to a beautiful sunny morning.
2. See strangers that provide smiles and a greeting as I walk down the street.
3. Groups of people easily accepting us as friends.
4. Live in a community that comes together to help each other out.
5. Have a neighbor that would give the shirt off of his back for us, even if it was his last shirt.
6. Be reminded every day that the world is not just one state/city with one set of values, but that there is an entire world out there with people bringing different perspectives and knowledge to the table. 
7. The list goes on....and I guess that is the beginning of why we now live in Panama.

With all of that said, this week I get celebrate my eldest child's birthday. I will not get to see him this week, but did get to spend time with him last week while I was in the States. I am proud that he has grown up so much in these last 21 years. He has chosen to serve the country as a Marine and as any mother, I am proud, but nervous for him. At times, I thought he might not make it after the first year with all of the colic, and then again that he made it past those trying teenage years.

U.S. Slips In World Well-Being Rankings; Panama Is No. 1"
​Latin Americans in particular have higher levels of well-being than any other regional group," the polling firm says. "Residents of many Latin American countries are among the most likely in the world to report daily positive experiences such as smiling and laughing, feeling enjoyment, and feeling treated with respect each day."
Why Panama is the Happiest Country
There are many interpretations for why Panama leads in happiness, or as the study phrases it, well-being, but to put it in simple terms; people enjoy an unprecedented quality of life here. Access to food, affordable housing, housing security, job security, low unemployment, and good healthcare are some of the big reasons. But if you ask a Panamanian, or an expat who lives here, they’ll say Panama leads the world in happiness because of the “no worry” culture. It’s not to say that locals and expats don’t worry, but Panama is well known for a laid-back attitude, and proud low stress culture. With easy access to all of the aforementioned quality of life variables, there’s really very little to get stressed about.

Panama named best place to retire in 2016
Already home to 50,000 US expats, Panama topped the index after raking in top scores across 10 categories including: buying and renting property, visas and residence, cost of living, environment and amenities, health care, infrastructure, and climate.

This list of happiest countries of the World 2016 prove that happiness isn't about money.
Rapidly raising standard of living, booming economy, and emerging tourist destination are all working together to make Panama one of the happiest places in the world even though it is one of the poorest countries in the world. Panama has a culture of celebration and dance for every occasion. Sometimes, they don’t even need an occasion to dance and celebrate – in my view, their key to happiness and becoming the 5th happiest country in the World. People who visit Panama almost always return to spend time in the happy land.