Posts:
By Amanda Froelich On an expedition to the Ecuadorian rainforest, Yale University students discovered a new type of fungus which may speed up the decomposition process of discarded plastics in landfills. Few think twice about what to do with their disposable water...
By Josh Lew Lots of places claim to have perfect weather. Of course, the definition of “perfect” is subjective. About 85 degrees and sunny is ideal for some, while others might sprint for the nearest air-conditioned room. And there are those who wish the non-extremes...
As real estate sales decline, Ecuador building contractors and manufacturers of building materials say they are facing hard times. Some say they may have to close their doors. Although construction continues on existing commercial and residential projects, few new...
Latacunga councilman Garcia Moreno is proposing that the city cancel this year’s Mama Negra, or Black Mama, parade and festival due to the threat from the Cotopaxi volcano. “All our attention and resources should be focused on preparing for a possible eruption,”...
By Scott Fugit It was our first time stumbling off the long, red-eye flight from Houston into Quito’s brand new airport. We cleared customs, picked up our luggage and followed the crowd towards the transport area for the late night taxi ride into the city. I bought...
By Susan Burke March, MS, RDN, LDN, CDE CrossFit: What it is, and what it is not? Unless you’re totally out of the loop, you’ve heard of CrossFit training – after all, some of the most popular celebrities grace magazine covers, showing off their phenomenal abs. But,...
Thirty Citizen Guards are attending English classes at the University of Cuenca for the purpose of improving communication with tourists and foreign residents. Two graduate students in the university’s English Literature program are the teachers. The Citizen Guard,...
In an interview with journalists from Panama, Brazil and Argentina that covered a wide range of subjects, President Rafael Correa said he has not decided whether to run again for president, saying that his main interest is to see the work of his “Citizen’s Revolution”...
Ecuador’s Ministry of Labor is investigating claims that Cuenca bus companies have fired drivers who were attempting to form a union. The drivers have complained for months about long working hours, low pay, and poor operating condition of buses. José Trelles,...
Without knowing the crimes alleged against him, the general director of the Venezuelan Federation of Liquor Producers (Fevelif) was arrested on July 24. According to local media, Fray Roa was to appear in court on July 27. While there remains no stated justification...
By Dave Nelson When I take my Sunday walk on the Tomebamba River, it is not unusual to see people I know or to spend a bit of time talking to someone I don't. But this Sunday was special. Near the beginning, I poked my nose into a new hole-in-the-wall restaurant to...
By Daniel Ozarow In the midst of Friday’s Bundestag vote to approve a third $94 billion bailout deal for Greece, its humiliating and impossible Versailles-style debt repayment terms are igniting increasingly vociferous opposition from several quarters. This peculiar...
By Viktoria Vidali In 2013, the number of people leaving their home country reached 232 million, up from 175 million in 2000 and 154 million in 1990, putting global migration at an all time high. A common question expats the world over are frequently asked is: What...
Although it is months ahead of schedule, weather experts say that the first effects of an El Niño are being felt on Ecuador’s coast. “We weren’t expecting it this soon but all the signs show that we are in the initial phase of El Niño,” said Jose Luis Santos, director...
Leaders of indigenous organizations in southern Ecuador are mobilizing their members in preparation for a national strike beginning August 13. Strike organizers will meet Saturday in Cuenca to finalize plans. The organizations, which are protesting a long list of...
Galo Guarderas is starting off on five years of study in Spain to make himself an expert in photovoltaics, a vital field for a world tapping into solar energy. The price tag for the studies is more than $150,000. But the 47-year-old professor of electrical engineering...
After years of talk and false starts, Cuenca’s Calle Santa Ana could soon be opening. More an alley than a street, Santa Ana will host crafts shops, a performing arts area, a cultural center, and cafés, targeting the city’s growing tourist market, as well as local...
Allowing Canadians who have lived abroad for more than five years to vote in federal elections would be unfair to those who live in Canada, Ontario’s top court ruled Monday. Two Canadians living in the United States challenged the Canada Elections Act, arguing the...
By Sylvan Hardy The story of Oporto Pasteleria, Panaderia & Cafeteria is really the story of its owner, Marta da Silva. The bakery is the namesake of da Silva's hometown, Oporto, Portugal, and mixes the baking tastes and styles of her native country, with her...
By Christopher Lux In the United States, my meat came from supermarkets. Wanting a little 'security' and familiarity for my meat purchases after I moved to Cuenca, I continued to seek out the supermarkets. While my produce comes from local markets (mercados), I was...
