Posts:
By David Morrill Although Thomas Ives built a solid reputation as a photo journalist for such magazines as National Geographic, Newsweek, Time, Life, Forbes, and the Smithsonian, his real interests often diverged from those of the corporate news industry. From an...
By Jonathan Mogrovejo It’s impossible to deny that technology has made the world a smaller place. It’s also hard not to notice that some of that technology, like cell phones and social media, are making people less social. We have all seen the young couples walking...
American-born photographer Thomas Ives has worked for international news and feature magazines for over 38 years. His photo essays and images have appeared in National Geographic, Time, Geo, Stern, Newsweek, Life, Smithsonian, and many others publications. He...
Without working plumbing, clean water, adequate food, or funding, Yunguilla Orphanage was on the brink of closure last year. When a group of Ecuadorians and expats heard about the orphanage in dire need, they came together to help the 35 disabled children and adults...
According to city government, there are 70 nationalities represented among Cuenca’s migrant population. The largest numbers are from Colombia, Peru, the U.S., Venezuela, Chile, Mexico, Italy, Cuba, Argentina, Paraguay, Canada and the UK. The government says there are...
One of the biggest challenges for expats is determining the best way to stay in touch with family and friends back home. But as big as that challenge is, it’s far smaller than it was just a few years ago. Cuenca expat Jack Frawley remembers when he budgeted $50 a...
By Jonathan Mogrovejo One of the most commonly questions asked by prospective expats is, “Will my cell phone work in Ecuador?” When you first arrive in Ecuador, depending on your cell phone plan back home, you may have a signal. You will see “Claro” or “Movistar” on...
By Walter Panko I had planned to use Part 2 of my “things are different in Ecuador” series to talk about some of the things that, as a recently arrived Cuenca expat, are taking me longer than expected to adjust to. But the more I thought about it, the more I realized...
By Susan Burke March, MS, RDN, LDN, CDE This week’s column is devoted to the top two myths about alcohol. In upcoming weeks I’ll cover a few others. Alcohol turns to sugar in your body and that’s why it makes you fat. This is a common myth since over-consumption of...
Ecuador's capital, Quito, was founded by the Spanish in the 16th century and was one of the first cities named a UNESCO Heritage site. "The city has the best-preserved, least altered historic centre in Latin America.... The 'Baroque school of Quito'...is a fusion of...
By Susan Burke March, MS, RDN, LDN, CDE Weight is just a number on the scale, but for most people, it can indicate a risk for diseases associated with obesity. Most people have heard about that awkward equation that determines your Body Mass Index, or BMI. Some health...
By Melina Marks After living abroad for a long period of time, going back home can be quite the challenge. Traveling from Cuenca to Little Rock, Arkansas wasn’t easy, but travel is always stimulating and exhilarating, despite the downsides. Going from one big city to...
By Christopher Lux With everything sold but our house back in North Carolina, in September last year my son and I arrived in Cuenca. We came ahead of my wife since she had to wait for cooler weather to bring our two large Catahoula Leopard dogs on the plane. I had to...
By Lief Simon Going offshore can be a big, scary idea. In fact, thanks to the well-publicized stories of criminals who have indeed taken their ill-gotten gains offshore, many people think that “going offshore” is illegal. This is not true, of course. For the record,...
By Dave Nelson I'm in trouble and don't know it. I have never been adept (the word hopeless has been used) at picking up the subtle clues and nuances in conversations and behavior. For instance, after returning home from an overnight trip with three other couples my...
By Sylvan Hardy With a name like Kalashnikov you can be sure there’s a good story behind this Av. Remigio Crespo bar. If you stop in for a drink, you'll be surprised at what you'll hear. A couple doors east of Agustin Cueva, Kalashnikov is run by a brother and sister...
By Susan March Burke #1: Does everyone really need eight glasses of water a day? This myth has been dismissed repeatedly over the years, most recently in the New York Times where Dr. Aaron E. Carroll (a pediatrician and a researcher) explained the origin. He noted...
By Walter Panko There are a lot of things that happen in Ecuador that I didn’t see in the United States. Some are easy to get used to. Others take more time. Here, in no particular order, are some of the things I found easier to get accustomed to seeing, hearing and...
By Scott Fugit “Why put chemicals in your body if you don’t need them?” I sat in the dental chair stunned. I had never heard a medical professional say such words. That would be heresy in the USA. It took me several long seconds to come up with a response, “I’m an...
By Julian Smith “I love how the sun paints the city,” says Julio Rivas Garcia as he gazes over Quito’s historic heart from the roof of the Church of La Merced. Where we’re standing, at 9,200 feet and only 15 miles from the equator, the late-afternoon sun still has the...
Week of September 20
Ecuador turns to industrial power cuts to protect Mazar and keep homes from going dark.
Ecuador raises its 2026 growth forecast, but El Niño could spoil the outlook next year.
Cuenca retirees challenge medical and therapy changes at IESS senior center.
