Posts:
By Aimee Robinson The British are huge fans of travel, with the latest data revealing that 5.5 million British people live permanently abroad. Some locations, however, are far more expensive than others and the drop in the value of the pound hits British expats...
By Garnett Stewart Are you feeling sad? At this time of year, there are a lot of SAD people! What I am talking about, of course, is Seasonal Affective Disorder, commonly referred to by its initials, S.A.D., and several of my acquaintances tell me that they suffer from...
Editor’s note: Garry Vatcher is the founder and director of Hogar Esperanza, a Cuenca-based charity dedicated to providing services and support to Ecuadorians and migrants who need assistance. Their services include medical support, disaster relief and financial...
By Jeremiah Reardon Dedicated to my sister Alima Dolores Reardon, September 1948-November 2023. Birds dart past me as I stand on my terrace in Cuenca. The early morning’s air and sunlight had energized them. Perched upon our building’s rain gutter, a small pair...
After a grim and grueling year, our well-deserved December holiday is finally here. We will don pointy red hats, exchange gifts, and eat too much. Drink we must and drink we will. Time to party like it's 123 A.D! The festival of Saturnalia starts on December 17 and...
By Steve Fink Binge drinkers are three times more likely to suffer liver damage compared to individuals who consume a couple of glasses of wine a day, new research reveals. Scientists in London say the pattern of alcohol consumption is a more accurate predictor of...
Author's note: During the holiday season I will write columns on personal issues and resume the series of medical issues in 2024. By Garnett Stewart In the coming weeks, it's very important to keep an eye on your neighbors. It's a different type of Alert Neighborhood...
By Stephen Vargha The visitors are back! It could be one reason why Cuenca recently was recognized by the country as a “Rincón Mágico del Ecuador” (Magic Corner of Ecuador). “Rincón Mágico del Ecuador is part of a bigger program for all of Ecuador,” said María Rosa...
By Roger Livingston Several months ago I attended the Japan Day fair at the city museum on Benigno Malo and talked to one of the Japanese-Ecuadorian vendors. He told me about all the support the Japanese government offers its citizens living overseas. He explained...
Author’s note: The is the fourth and final article of a three-part series about medical marijuana. By Garnett Stewart In the last three installments, we examined and discussed various elements of taking medicinal marijuana (MMJ). Anything consumed can be dangerous....
Music gives a soul to the universe, wings to the mind, flight to the imagination and life to everything. -- Plato By Steven Chasson A year ago Karla Sanchez, Director of the Grace Foundacion (Give Refugees a Chance) of Cuenca, started a dream to help refugee children...
By Sylvan Hardy Writing for the German magazine Der Spiegel, travel writer and arts reviewer Otto Kirchner extolled the richness of Cuenca's tradition of arts and crafts. "Whether its ceramics, leather goods, jewelry, tapestry, painting or sculpture, the quality and...
By Hayley Boyd and Addy Bink Depending on where you live, you may be experiencing some of the coldest days of the season. If you aren’t there yet, don’t worry — winter technically hasn’t even started yet. As you bundle up before heading outside to face Old Man Winter,...
By John Olson Expats who miss seeing their favorite Christmas movies on TV can fill the void with ACT’s heartwarming comedy “Miracle on 34th Street” at one of four performances, December 6, 8, 9 and 10. Show details and tickets: www.actseats.com. This will be the...
Women who move abroad sometimes face safety concerns they did not necessarily have to deal with at home. Going for a walk alone or wearing your usual attire may suddenly become problematic. The international expat service, InterNations, provides you with safety tips,...
By Stephen Vargha Enter the operations room of ECU911 and it looks like it could be the war room scene from the 1964 Stanley Kubrick movie, “Dr. Strangelove.” But there is no General "Buck" Turgidson (George C. Scott) screaming, “He'll see the Big Board!” Nor is...
Author’s note: The is the second of a multi-part series about medical marijuana. By Garnett Stewart Last week, I detailed why and how a conservative provider changed her mind and lifestyle to become a medicinal marijuana user. I never used this product for over 40...
The culmination of our 3-part series focuses on our relationship with the world. Released from the bondage of the past and the future, we now focus on the meaning of life itself. The key to the meaning of life is simplicity itself. I use the term "singularity," but...
By Stephen Vargha Because a Cuencano did not believe what he saw on television, Cuenca has a talented man producing unique and interesting furniture and furnishings. “I went to Lake Titicaca in 2006 to see if they were telling the truth,” said Juan Fernando Hidalgo...
By Ana Teresa Solá Americans who move abroad still have a responsibility to file their taxes with the IRS, sometimes in addition to taxes paid in their place of residence. Unsurprisingly, the thought of renouncing their U.S. citizenship may have crossed their minds at...
