Is Sharon Capable of Writing a Short Post?

Buenos dias, readers, friends and family,

            The flower market 1 block from Parque Calderon in El Centro

This will be a short post today.  I am determined to do it!  Once I start to write, it just pours out but this time I will really, actually keep it short. Honestly.  "For Reals" as my kids used to say. BTW, when I was thinking of moving here a year ago, I was hungry for any photo of Cuenca and to know approximately where it was...so I add photos here we shoot when we are out for any reason.

I made a  list of all the "quilt kits" or specific quilt projects I have created. Then I added how many quilts I have to complete. The number is around 20!  Several are near completion. 
OK, this was a sobering thing to do.  The post will be short so that I can focus on quilting!

A pretty good sized chunk of the fabric is in Oregon at my friend Cindy's, waiting for me to bring it down in a suitcase (or suitcases) after our visit back to the US, whenever we get our cedula/residency papers.

Yup, we are still waiting for our residency to be approved/cedula.   It is supposed to take 90 days and its been 5 months since the day we turned everything in to our attorneys.  There is no specific problem but the ministry of immigration got way behind when they fired a couple of directors and then fired the whole staff due to fraudulent behavior or something similar.  And now they have converted to a new computer system. But it is a bit FRUSTRATING!

However, I am practicing being adaptable, going with the flow.

                                          Looking across the Tomebamba at the hanging houses

Not counting the quilts I have given away in the past, I have 20 projects to complete.  Some are complex and at least one is beyond my skill level.  Some are simple wall hangings and will be fast to complete. Some will require new skills I will be happy to learn.  Some are Christmas gifts so I'm working on those now (like small wall hangings). The majority of the projects will be lap quilts or twin size quilts and will be displayed on the walls of our home or reside on beds. One very positive thing about Cuenca usually being around 40 degrees at night is that quilts are quite welcome and can be stacked on a bed.

The flower market in El Centro.  I bought bags of soil here to repot some of my little garden residents.

It is wonderful to be retired and know I have lots of time to focus on this hobby. And my work on learning Espanol is showing some progress - hurray!  Also, my goal of slowly learning the city of Cuenca is, well... slowly progressing. 

Today I am full of joy that I exist right here in Cuenca at this time in history!

                      A wall hanging I have nearly completed for a friend who loves owls.

I'm getting back to sewing right now.

OK, that's it.  A short post accomplished!
Have a fantastic end of the week.
Sharon

A few things you'll need - the nitty gritty

If you are moving to Cuenca, here are a few things you might not think of that would be good to pack if you are bringing a container.  A BIG box of paper towels and Kleenex-type tissue. Paper products here are so expensive that it takes a big chunk of budget to buy any.  Of course, it is good for the environment not to use paper products but...how do you pat the chicken dry before cooking it without a paper towel?

By the way, toilet paper is no problem so don't pack that.

Go to a dollar store if you are in the US and stock up on gallon and quart size plastic bags.  Again, not good for the environment but sometimes one really needs a plastic bag.  In our house, we are cleaning and reusing when possible the ones we brought because they are so expensive here (and for the environment). We'd rather spend our money on things we like than plastic bags. Same for packing some "tupperware" type stuff that is microwave safe.  They have it here but it is another item on the "How much?" list.

Bring some rags.  Old towels and t-shirts to use for cleaning.  If you hire a cleaning person here, you will still need rags. Also a couple of old comfy shirts for lounging around - we brought only our nicer stuff and miss having some old knock-around clothes to kick back in.  FashionFlash: People do not wear capris in Cuenca, unless you are a tourist, from somewhere other than South America.  For one reason, it is usually too cool in the evenings to wear capris.  For another, well, gee, I'm not sure why.  When it is "hot'' here, ie 75-80 f degrees, which locals call "mucho calor" very hot, people wear light weight slacks and shirts.  No capris.  And NO ONE seems to wear shorts in Cuenca, unless you are a foreign tourist.

If you are a Women's size 12 or larger, plan to bring any and all clothes you will need for quite awhile.  There are really cute clothes here but most are size 10 and smaller. Ecuadorian women are very small, in general.

  Also, do not expect to easily find the cute, cheap flip flops here.  Touristas, again. However, if you are looking for cute women's heels or boots, this place is NIRVANA.  Soooo many cute shoes in little shops all over the city.  Really fashionable and REALLY sexy shoes! With high high high heels! And I have to say, I have never seen women anywhere walk so well in high heels.  Seriously!  While carrying heavy boxes, going down stairs with a toddler on a hip, cleaning a floor, rushing along cobblestone streets with broken sidewalks, running up steps at an angle.  Women wear high heels in Ecuador and look FABULOUS!

Definitely bring bath rugs, towels, kitchen towels, sheets, tablecloths and napkins.  Many of these seem to be, thin, rough, very poor quality with high price tags compared to Bed, Bath and Beyond or overstock.com prices.  Worth stocking up on your favorites.

Bring a few office supplies: rubber bands are hard to come by here, paper clips, pens you like, colored markers/highlighters.  There are tons of notebooks in various sizes and they are very cheap.  Printer paper is not a problem and there are lots of copy shops if you do not have your own printer. An extra printer cartridge or 3 is a good idea, again due to price.

Basically, anything Ecuador has to import is quite expensive.  Small electronics, small kitchen appliances, computers, washing machines, electric blanket or mattress warmer.  Someone told me she saw a Kitchen-aid mixer (which is pretty top of the line) priced at $900!  Check Amazon pricing - the EC price is about 4 times more.

However, do not forget: food in restaurants is generally an amazingly low price. $2.50 buys you a delicious soup, rice, fish, a small salad and fresh strawberries and a fruit drink. Fresh fruits and vegetables are very low priced in the markets. Many grocery items are priced at very reasonable levels. Sugar is cheap. Flour is cheap.

Housing is generally about 1/3 the cost of the area I lived in, Portland, OR. Hiring someone to make curtains or to clean your home - very reasonable.Water, gas and electric are all amazingly low prices for utilities.  Internet and cable/satellite are not cheap but each are under $100/mo depending on service you select.

I have not found TUMS here yet.  Might want to stock up if that is something you need from time to time. Same goes for Blistex.  You can buy Chapstick but I have not seen any Blistex. OTC things like Aleve or Tylenol is available here but does not seem cheaper than Costco prices.

Back to the container, if you are allowed to pack some food item in tin or something like that, consider this mystery:  there is a Nestle plant in Guayaquil cranking out tons of products (chocolate drinks, powder for making chocolate drinks for kids, coffee additives, etc) but they do not sell chocolate chips as we know them anywhere I can find in Ecuador.  Now of course, Ecuador sells many other types of chocolates, some of them with excellent flavor.  But if you love chocolate chip cookies, bring a lot of Nestle's Toll House semi-sweet dark chocolate chips or whatever your fav brand happens to be. 

DVDs can be purchased in any of many little shops for $1.50.  Copyright law enforcement seems to be  non-existent so illegal copies are the norm.  If you want to buy a DVD at full price, honoring the copyright, it will be hard to locate where to do this! And yes you can get the DVD in English and the original version.  It will not have the extras like interviews with the director, etc, but the price is very tempting and makes a lot of movies you were only semi-interested in seem more appealing.

Now, if you are like me, you wonder why all the gates and fences. And big dogs.  Why is that when the reported crime rate is not unusually high?  It has to be more than just the Spanish Colonial tradition which is certainly part of it. I am told home invasions and theft are two main concerns.  So yes, there are gates for security, there are hot wires or jagged glass at the tops of some walls. There are many barking dogs.  But it feels safe to my husband who walks every day for miles around this city.  Again, remember smart awareness of what is around you, as discussed a few days ago.

Electric fence along top of wall between properties.
 
I left my binoculars with a friend at the last minute due to weight issues with suitcases.  Wow, I wish I had brought them.  I'll get them my first trip back to visit but it would be so nice to have them now. There are so many vistas to admire.  And there are tiny hummingbirds too fast to see without binocs.

There are great bargains here and many convenient, wonderful surprises, like papayas and creamy avocados for 20 cents each.  Of course the things I wish I had included are all slanted toward my interests and taste but I hope these ideas can be helpful to someone thinking of moving here.  If you are packing a container, pack a few things that are hard to find or expensive compared to the US.

Best of luck!
Sharon

Retire to Cuenca, EC: Different and yet the same

Happy Weekend!
What is Cuenca, Ecuador really like? Part 4 of 4

I was told recently by someone who has never lived outside the borders of the US: "Well, Ecuador is just a little farther south but pretty much the same as Mexico in terms of diet, people, music and everything, right?"
I sort of stared at him, feeling rather taken aback, trying not to let my jaw drop.  And I felt a need to grab this "teaching moment". Especially since I, not long ago, had a few similar stereotypes and lack of geographic knowledge.

The geographic distance from, oh, let's say Mexico City to the where I am living in Cuenca Ecuador is approximately 2000 miles (3219 kilometers), or about the same distance as Portland, Oregon, way over on the west coast, to New York City, way over on the east coast.  2000 miles is a long way! Central and South America encompass lots of regional differences, lots of different histories. To me, it does not seem realistic to expect things to be "the same".

However, here is  a favorite picture of mine because it shows the behavior between teens to be similar around the globe - the wish to connect,the looking while trying to appear not to be looking, the standing closer but not knowing how to connect yet... seems universal.

Just as one cannot say that Canada and the US are the same, it cannot be said of Latin American countries. Each country in South America and Central America has their own identity, with perhaps some similarities in culture and cuisine but also many many differences.  I hope one day to travel around South America to learn more about these similarities and differences.

Already in my short time residing in Cuenca, I have observed a national pride among many people in this country, a national identity.  I have seen it when they talk of football, when they discuss practices within the country such as eating food grown in Ecuador first rather than buying imported goods, when they talk of crime, when they talk of festivals and dance. Ecuadorians are aware of differences between people from the coast and those from Cuenca or Quito, for example.  But they also cite ways they work together and communicate easily about many things. Generalizations just don't work, anywhere in this global community.

So what about being a minority of the non-hispanic Caucasian, citizen of US variety in the larger culture of Ecuador?  Well I need more than 9 weeks to know much about that.  But I can say that Cuencanos tend to be initially more friendly than the people of some places I've visited or lived.  It appears to be easy to begin to get acquainted with Cuencanos. They seem to be an accepting and outgoing people, generally.  Is this is partly due to the Latin American way of life? My husband walks all over the city, rides buses and feels very safe.  He stated he feels safer here than he did on the bus in Portland.  He practices the recommended precautions of not carrying much cash, not flashing expensive gadgets around (such as an expensive camera or phone) and understands that crime like pick pockets can occur anywhere.

 Here the woman dressed in older traditional clothes and the modern woman on the right in tight jeans and heels both are in the village to celebrate a festival. and unconsciously demonstrate the struggle between traditional ways and modern ways among indigenous people.

Indigenous children often take a second and third look if we are riding the bus which is mostly used by working class Cuencanos.  The really young children will smile shyly or even touch your back if they are seated behind you.  We are different looking to them. It is ok for them to wonder about these different looking people.  There is a sweetness about this that touches me.

Is the open friendly nature of the people of Cuenca somewhat because this part of Ecuador was not really accessible until the 1950's  when well paved roads were completed, allowing Cuenca to be visited by many more people.  Is it possible they have less influence from "possession hungry America" and have had generally positive experiences with people from Estados Unidas (US)?

 In the village of Tarqui, at the celebration of the festival of the Virgin Carmen.

Indigenous or native people are often less willing to talk to a foreigner, more shy, less open to having their pictures taken.  They are very hardworking and have exceedingly strong family values, in general.  There are many middle class people in Cuenca who are working hard to have a higher standard of living.  And there are very wealthy people in Cuenca who sometimes have some lineage going back to Spain.  They often are struggling to raise standards for the good of social issues, such as improving orphanages or working on environmental issues.  Although of course, people from any group may be working on each of these issues.  I do not mean to generalize but to give some idea of the tone of Cuenca's population.

I am distressed personally to see Kentucky Fried Chicken and Burger King here in Cuenca to name a couple of the handful of fast food joints popping up here.  Distressed because, to my way of thinking, this represents some of the worst of the US: fast food with high, empty calories. Distressed because this may signal many changes already in progress toward less healthy eating, less family connection around meals at home, and other ills similar to this. Keep the healthy eating and family values!

 Gluten free coconut shrimp with fresh pineapple and steamed chard picked that morning (with a little olive oil and garlic - yum!)  These strawberries did not measure up to Oregon's best but it may be that it is winter here.  But this is a wheat free dinner I can really get behind!  In a couple of posts, I'll discuss the challenge of being wheat free/gluten free in Cuenca.

But back to Cuencanos. Many seem to have their own version of being warm and open to the world.  Some of the Cuencanos I have met have not shown the initial caution and hesitation people of my former neighborhood in Oregon would have shown.  I find I like that quite a lot!  The greeting of a quick hug and cheek kiss is a great way to start out and end interactions. It seems one can be friendly and still hold back judgment about a person until you get to know them. What a concept!  And it just naturally feels better to be open and friendly than it does to be reserved, cautious and frightened, which is a chilly place to occupy. Fear is a crippling emotion and much of life in the US has been immobilized by fear in the past decade.

HOW TO BLEND IN?

Well, it is OK to face up to reality if you are obviously not a native Ecuadoran. It is pretty impossible to blend in if you don't speak Spanish well and you have the skin of a Scottish barmaid and rather thin light gray hair! Hiding in a crowd is not easy.  But that can be accepted with good humor.  People from other countries who are English speaking are referred to as "gringos" here and it is not usually said in a rude way but with a wry smile and shrug. 

As a new person in this country, I want to present as a pleasant, self assured but not pushy woman. I want to embrace life in Cuenca with my own timeline. I want to learn about and honor this culture.  If I need assistance, I ask a shop keeper in a polite manner -  using just a few words of Spanish is usually met with a generous effort to help.  People will help you if you are disoriented or cannot find what you are looking for and you let them know it. But basic Spanish is required. And good judgment in who you ask.

I was told by someone who grew up in a South American country that the Latin American way to greet a person is to ask how they are, take time to ask after their family or where they come from.  Then, it is time to ask a question or get to the point.  The first exchanges cannot be left out or skipped - it is seen as very rude.

Again, these are my observations and opinions after living in Ecuador for just 9 weeks.
I hope you have a wonderful week end and a new week about to begin.
Sharon