Loose thoughts about moving to Ecuador

Hola Readers:

Guaguas (pronounced "wa-was")  That's what kids are called in Ecuador.  I believe it is a Quechua word, not in my Espanol dictionary.  Think of the sound you make if you are going to say "watch" or "water".  The pronunciation is like the beginning of that word, repeated   "wa-was".  It seems it is an endearing way of referring to children. In Cuenca, it is used by everyone, across income, cultural and class differences. It seems when anyone uses it, the word is greeted by a small smile, as if the listener is recalling some endearing or comical thing a kid said or did.

I showed some pictures of  my young nietos  (grandchildren) to a Cuencana friend's 6 young grandchildren.  They sighed and murmured "guaguas" with this air of interest and contentment...and a big smile at me.  Very sweet.  So I will get to see my nietos in just a few weeks.  And my grown guaguas too!


Are you moving here?  A random thought about packing.  This is a small thing I always forget to mention: I love old t-shirts. You know the good quality ones that are really soft and friendly after a couple of years of wear.  Over the  many years that I was a gardener, it was common to see me out there in an old raggy t-shirt and jeans. No worry of stains or rips that can happen during garden work.  It did not matter to me if I was in the front flower garden or back, I was going for comfort.  Same for housework and other chores like cleaning the parrot cage or emptying the hot tub --- old t-shirts reigned.


What did I do when we decided to shed our way of life in Oregon and move to Ecuador? I knew that there would be no gardening, no parrot cage, no hot tub to clean....so I got rid of all of my used, ratty looking t-shirts.
  
So what do I miss now?  An old fav t-shirt to wear when I'm knocking around our apartment, re-potting a house plant or reading a good book.  The recommendation is this after talking with other ex-pats who came with only new clothes and miss having some worn, comfy clothes: bring a couple of the older things you love to wear just around the house.  

Informal dress occurs a lot in Ecuador. Business people dress up really nicely, like any metropolitan city, but the majority of people I see around the city are dressed very casually.   I think I'd describe my old clothes as "sub-informal" and "not for prime time". Consider keeping a couple of "sub-informal" items for private times. Just a thought.

Another thought: it is cooler here than you may expect.  Yes, there are beautiful days year around with afternoon temps of 70 degrees(F) (21 Celcius). But nights are rarely mild, often dropping to 35 degrees (F) (1.6 Celcius). It does not snow here. Frost is very rare.  But it not a balmy beach either. We are located high in the Andes mountains at 8500 ft alt (2591 meters) so Cuenca is cooler than most of Ecuador.  Go to the jungle or the coast and there are higher temps and higher humidity. That is where it is really tropical.


If you are coming to visit or to stay, pack sweaters, different weight jackets, a sweatshirt along with lighter wear -  you will benefit from dressing in layers so you can peel off as needed.


An elderly acquaintance came to live in Cuenca for a month.  She had packed tank tops, capris, sandals and flip flops along with one cardigan. No socks, no raincoat, no sweatshirt or warm sweater, no long pants.  She arrived during a 10 day streak of rainy, chilly weather.  She was cold and miserable but did not want to spend the money to buy warmer clothes. She thought because Cuenca is close to the equator, it would automatically be balmy.  To her credit, she did not complain much.


Although I have written this before, it is worth emphasizing - come prepared for 3 seasons of weather in one day. That's Cuenca! It is a wonderful city, muy lindo, full of many things to explore and enjoy. Researching what is needed to be comfortable is important to allow you to focus on the multitude of fun stuff.  I'm just sayin'......and even with lots of research and some visits, it is easy to forget some of these things. 


As you pack to move here, bring different weight coats, keep your sweaters, pack your tank tops and new clothes and a couple of old raggy t-shirts along with the newer things you pack.  You will be set for anything that comes down the valley.

Another thing to note:
If you move to Cuenca, you may have a more lively social life than you have had for some time. 

 Retirees have time to have lunch, chat over coffee, explore new places, go on picnics, etc.  The ex-pat community here is supportive, friendly, big on sharing ideas, recommending services, etc.  And its large enough to have variety and interest for most people. Most Cuencanos are kind,open,  friendly and enoy getting to know people from other lands. It is a very pleasant surprise to me that it has been very easy to meet people we enjoy so quickly after moving here last May. Our transition to living in a South American culture has been mostly smooth and quite delightful. 

                           Lunch (almuerzo) at mi amiga Maria Elena's home in Paute


A custom in Cuenca is to celebrate New Year's eve by burning some effigy.  To represent getting rid of your hostility at your boss or your anger at not getting that job you competed for. So hand painted masks and even whole figures are sold everywhere the week before Dec 31 for this purpose.  Here is a photo of some masks for sale:

The year 2011 draws to a close.  Have a safe, enjoyable New Year's celebration.
Sharon

A jumble of thoughts

Some shots Lenny took on 12/24 - sadly I have had the flu but got to see some of the activities through Len's photography. Above Neuvo Catedral(above) and Parque Calderon are always a center of buzzing activity when there is a festival.

People began gathering early for a festive day. There were horse rides, llama rides, and many other things to do.

Angels walked among the crowd and princesses and pirates were plentiful.

It is the end of the year and I'm pondering a few things: 

I spent 26 years as a mental health counselor in Portland, Or.  I worked with a lot of different types of people as they addressed their life stages: teens, older adults, twenty-somethings, 40's life assessment,health issues, career changes, relationship difficulties, etc.  I loved offering therapy and always felt honored that people trusted me and allowed me to sit with them while they sorted out whatever was going on.  I was also active in the community, belonged to a church, met with other therapists,volunteered at school functions. 

My point is that I was "out there" interacting with the world. Observing people was part of my living but I've always been curious about people, what choices people make, how do people trust, when do people feel fear, what makes a person fall in love.

As an adult, I lived a couple of years in the state of Washington, a few years in Berkeley, CA.  Also a few in Washington D.C. But the majority of my adult years were spent in the suburbs of Portland, Oregon. Everywhere I go, I talk with people whether it is in line at Costco or across the therapy office. People are interesting and enjoy talking about themselves.  For me, it makes life more interesting.  A harsh punishment for me would be to put me in a room where I could not talk to anyone and I could not read anything.  Ahhhhhhhh, it makes me sweat to even think about that. 

Making and keeping friendships: I have some great friends in the US so this is not in any way dismissing them. You are wonderful and I miss you. Skype talks really help me feel connected to several friends and family members. My grandchildren talk via Skype, showing me a soccer trophy, a new art project, the latest sign language the youngest has learned. Technology is a terrific help to ex-pats who move away from their home country. Other friends write email which is wonderful to receive. Sadly, some people do let a friendship go, do not put any effort into connecting once you are out of sight.  But this is to be expected - it is part of life. Different people have different strengths and challenges.

Point 1:  Friendship and familial love - each is an interesting and beautiful thing.  A person can make a new friend in a new country without diminishing the love for the friend back at "home". Think of how a candle works.  You can light one and then start other candles all from that one light without diminishing the first candle's power. Friendship is like that. 

And love for one's family with all of their flaws and delights does not disappear just because a family member is living far away. Some people will deal by not making an effort to connect because of their own issues.  With email and visual phone calls like Skype, the distance seems less important. Many family members come through in new ways, forming new pathways in the relationship. Some people even report growing closer to a grown child or a parent after moving because the relationship now has importance placed on connecting as adult to adult. 

Point 2: What am I experiencing in Ecuador? The people here are exceptionally friendly. Many Cuencanos I've met tend to be open about emotions, generous-hearted, thoughtful, trusting and curious about people moving to Ecuador from other countries. They are feircly proud of their country. They love it if newcomers try to speak Espanol. Many of them open their home to foreign guests from time to time. It is a pleasant shock to be "adopted" by a loving Ecuadorian family. In my experience, people in the US, while they often are kind, would not be that open, generous and helpful so quickly with a stranger. Remember, I am just describing my experiences and response, not yours.

Point 3:  What feeling was I aware of in the US that does not seem prominent in Ecuador?  A pervasive fear. Today, many people in the US seem choked by fear. They are afraid of strangers. They are afraid of finances. They are afraid they'll lose their job or that they will not get a needed promotion.  They fear if they invite a stranger for dinner, their home will be cased for burglary or something bad will happen.  As I've said before, crime happens everywhere.  But what I'm noticing is that this city, Cuenca, does not operate on fear. The media and citizens do not have a constant focus on disasters. Television does not show over and over all day long people being afraid.  For some years now, citizens of the US have been bombarded several times per day about terror alerts or the latest tragedy.  Monitoring a "threat level" eveny day takes a toll on one's existence. It causes a person to run on stress which is not healthy for anyone. It seems that level of fear does not permeate the air of Cuenca.

A comfortable day to wander and watch people, Christmas 12/24/2011

Of course there is still crime.  Some crimes we have heard of here are frightening.  Taking specific precautions and being "street smart" will usually be enough to keep one safe here. Crime can occur anywhere. If you don't experience any crime, that is great.  But do you want fear to run your life and limit your choices?  It is a tough spot to be in.

Another thing many people are frightened about in the US is their health.  The cost of medical care in the US is prohibitive even if one has medical insurance.  Many people live constant fear of having a serious medical event.  They put off dental care or skip routine annual check ups because they cannot afford the costs, even if it is "just a co-pay".  If a child is inured playing sports or a fender bender means mom needs physical therapy - these events could add up to hundreds and hundreds of dollars.  Many people in the US are uninsured.  And those with insurance often have impossibly high deductible.  If the insured has to pay the first $1500 before his insurance company pays a cent, that amount can present an impossible barrier to normal health care needs.  For the uninsured,a medical event could ruin them financially, aousing them to have insurmountable debt that ruins their credit ratings and impacts the rest of their lives.  These things are overwhelming for many regular Americans. Some fear is warranted.

  

I am not sure when this shift took place in the United States - unemployment has been rising for some time, medical costs have been spiraling out of control for years. But it seems like it was during the Bush administration that fear became a commodity. After 9/11, the country was flooded by a smog of fear. Government spokespeople and the media began trading in fear. Suddenly reporters loved to tell the daily terrorist threat level and privacy disappeared.  Any citizen questioning if all the disclosure and homeland hyper-protection was wise  was suspected of being a threat.... but I don't want to get into politics. 

Where I'm heading with this is to encourage you to look at the role fear plays in your life, wherever you live.  Has that changed for you in the past dozen years? Is there a way to reduce that level of fear so that you can experience more joy on a daily basis while still being reasonable about safety issues?

A beautiful 12/24/2011 with weather to match. The pace of activities picked up with 8000 school children marching through the streets for a parade in their school uniforms. There is often great pride in neighborhoods. 

Are there one or two tiny changes you could make to make your daily life more fun? Can you experience the moment rather than living for the future?  It is a difficult thing for me to do but when I notice little things that give me pleasure, they are often simple free things.  For me, noticing the light at different times of day, hearing a birdsong and looking for its owner, re-potting a plant with my hands in the earth, listening to a brilliant piece of music are small free things that bring moments of joy. 

Take the next day or two to quietly notice what things bring you peace, pleasure, tranquility.  What eases your heart.  This is what I recommend rather than New Year's Resolutions.  Experience the journey in the daily moments for that is what makes up one's life.

Sharon

                                                  Tranquilo is a state of existence

Trip to Quito a success

Great news for us in our saga to get legal residency. We flew to Quito this week to complete the process of becoming residents of Ecuador on Len's pensioner visa. There were the usual snags but after 2 days in Quito and 7 months since we applied, we cleared the final hurdles. The actual cedulas will be delivered to our attorney's office in the next few days. Hooray.



We had a quick peek at Quito, the capital of Ecuador, which is over 9000 ft altitude, about 2 million people. It is also a world heritage city due to the Colonial architecture, among other reasons. It was founded by the Spaniards in the 1500's, making it the oldest capital in South America. We only stayed one night. Had no luck in locating a Thai or Chinese restaurant. Sigh... However, the little

b & b where we stayed (Traveler's Hostal) recommended a very good Indian restaurant across the street. That was a treat.And easy after hours of waiting, standing. I am delighted: very proud to be both a citizen of the United States and to be a legal resident of Ecuador.


So what else is going on? A couple of loose ends:

A blog reader asked ABOUT THE KNIFE pictured previously and again here:






For those of you who are curious, I copied some info on that knife for you. It is made in the USA by Dexter, called DuoGlide. The design is very comfortable, approved by arthritis foundation, as well as others. It won several awards. It comes in 4 sizes. The knives are spendy, as good knives tend to be but worth it if you have hand pain or wrist fatigue, fibromyalgia or arthritis. If you need to chop, slice, prep some food, this is much easier on your hand. Len and I are very careful with ours, treating it with respect and care. It has held its edge and performed very well for 3 years.



Here is some info from their ad: "Now you can cut, chop, or slice with greater comfort and less fatigue. With DuoGlide, we’ve combined our renowned blade technology with an ultra-soft, right-sized handle that can be gripped in several ways for more comfort and control. The result is precise control and reduced wrist, arm or hand discomfort. See “The NEW way to cut” in action. DuoGlide knives come in four models for all your cutting needs. NSF Certified."



dexterduoglide.com is the website, if you are interested.



I have not been blogging lately because I've been sewing like crazy.


I completed the quilt for my dear friend Cindy who loves snowmen:

I'm almost done with a beautiful wall hanging that is the scene around the manger.  It will be our main decoration this year.  I bought a tiny ceramic Christmas tree that holds a candle so the light shines through the decorations on the tree. 

I'm gearing up to have the days around Christmas/Hannukah busy because I will be missing family and friends particularly BIG at that time.

I love Cuenca and my new life in this exotic, 3rd world country for a hundred+ reasons. 

Here are 3 reasons it is hard to live in Ecuador:

Have a terrific week. Take a risk, hug a friend, kiss your dog - enjoy life!

Sharon