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Editor's note: This the first in a series of 3 articles covering the most important things you want to know about collecting your U.S. Social Security while living in Ecuador. By Carolyn V. Hamilton 3 things you must know about collecting your social security when you...
I would be hard-pressed to name the 12 things I like best about living in Ecuador: tucked-away haunts serving coffee and munchies amid endless conversation, oases of beer and laughter nourishing those tumbling downhill towards the church, and clouds like unruly mobs...
By Christina Heiser Gluten-free eating has skyrocketed in popularity over the past decade, fueled by claims that cutting gluten leads to better health. This trend shows no signs of slowing down, with the global market for gluten-free foods projected to be valued at...
By Sylvan Hardy Ecuadorians are asking: Why is it so cold? People are wrapping themselves in heavy coats and ponchos despite the fact that low temperatures are at the seasonal average. “It’s all the cloud cover and the rain,” says ETAPA weatherman Rigoberto Guerrero....
By Júlia Ledur and Fabiola Ferrero Since the beginning of the year more than 1 billion fresh-cut flowers have crossed into the United States. They traveled thousands of miles — roses from Colombia, carnations from Ecuador, tulips from the Netherlands — destined for...
A friend of mine shared a good way to escape the congestion of Cuenca and see the countryside. He suggested I go on a tour of small towns served by bus companies that provide public transportation for farmers anxious to get their harvest to town, and commuters headed...
By Harry Watkins How would a single expat living alone cope with everyday living if he broke his hip after stepping in a Cuenca pothole and couldn’t stand long enough to cook dinner? Where would my wife turn if my health took a turn for the worse and she needed help...
Editor’s note: In an ongoing project, photographer Johis Alarcón explores identity within Ecuador’s African diaspora through the lens of ‘Cimarrona’ – the wild female spirit. The photos were part of the exhibit at Latin American Foto Festival, at the Bronx Documentary...
By Kat Chen So, you’re looking to get out of the United States for the next few years. Remote workers are in luck: there are over 50 countries with digital nomad visas, including recent additions like South Korea, Italy, Japan, and soon, Kenya. Digital nomad visas are...
By Stephen Vargha Hidden for a quarter of a century, artwork by famous Cuenca artist Oswaldo Moreno Heredia is now in public view. “A great art collector and rich man in Cuenca bought Moren’s collection. He and his wife kept it private as they were low key,” said...
By Diego Pérez Retiring outside the United States is becoming an increasingly popular choice for many Americans. The allure of a lower cost of living, combined with the opportunity to experience a new culture, makes this option appealing. Countries like Mexico,...
I was talking with a friend at a party recently who, after a few drinks, sheepishly blurted out, “I decided to move back to the US, or perhaps somewhere else. From what I’ve read, Portugal is nice, and so is Panama. I’m unsure where I will end up, but I am leaving...
By Kate Marin Wohlfeld You are never too old to feel young again! Azuay Community Theater celebrates Valentine’s weekend with the sparkling, modern comedy, Kalamazoo, about two seniors finding love again. Written by a team of award-winning playwrights, Michelle Kholos...
It is common to see resident eagles gliding high over the village of Zhumir when the air currents are favorable; a cast of raptors scanning the valley floor flecked with grasses bearing swollen grain and wildflowers. It is a perfect landscape for hunting careless mice...
By Jeremiah Reardon My wife Belinda and I settled in Cuenca a decade ago after living in Monterey, California. We rented our first apartment near the Yanuncay River. Running errands in El Centro, we’d walk past one of Cuenca’s cultural gems, La Esquina de Las Artes....
By Jeremiah Reardon On January 13, El Mercurio’s obituary notices included sixty-five-year-old Bolivar Sarmiento Regalado, Cuenca’s greatly admired guitarist/singer and father of two daughters. He had succumbed to a malignant brain tumor after struggling with it over...
By Stephen Vargha Convents have a rich history in Cuenca. They became a part of Cuenca shortly after the Spanish conquered what is now Ecuador. Spanish conquistador Rodrigo Núñez de Bonilla is attributed with the construction of the first Catholic church founded in...
By Caitlin Boylan It’s simultaneously the easiest and the most difficult thing you’ll do — moving abroad and settling into your new life. You’ll find yourself sipping a glass of vinho verde on a Wednesday afternoon with the winter sun shining on your face. You won’t...
It is difficult to describe the moment accurately. It was like being doused with cold hard rain while scurrying home under a swollen thunderstorm, or the moment you realize while reading the last chapter of a novel that the story may not have a happy ending. I was...
Author's note: Lewis Carroll, the creator of Alice in Wonder, was born on January 27, 1832 in Daresbury, Cheshire, England. My Alice in Wonderland show came about during my second seminar with Bob Markwood, a very talented magician who led the first seminar I attended...
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.
