Posts:
You just know it — that new country you’ve got all picked out for your new expat life is going to be THE ONE. Heck, you’ve probably done so much research that you’re already visualizing yourself there; walking through the streets, chatting with the locals, trying out...
Have you taken an Ecuadorian bus lately? I'm not talking the local 12 to the market in Cuenca, but an inter-provincial, long-distance bus that goes where the weather’s hot. As many things seem to go for me in Ecuador, I have fully cycled through the emotional range of...
Text and photos by Bartley J. D’Alfonso When researching how to retire and move into Ecuador, there was a central theme described in all of the literature and websites I reviewed – that the people of Ecuador are known for being kind, generous, agreeable, polite, and...
Life is filled with problems and challenges. So I wonder, what’s the worst thing that can happen to you? Nuclear bomb? Too extreme? How about leaving your home and moving to Ecuador? Hahaha, got you on that one. How about getting back home from a four-hour trip from...
The teacher kept talking about what continent Ecuador was on and where it was on that continent. I was thinking about that green- and blue-colored frog that Miguel and I caught by the spring and stuck in that rusty hole on the side of Papá’s truck. I figured it might...
So, pene means penis in Spanish. Hold that in mind. I was volunteering for English conversation groups at a local university. The two young female students I was talking to asked me if I cooked. I said yes, I like to cook. They asked my favorite dishes to prepare. I...
By Brian Buckner The darkness of the cool room remained inviting as I rustled under the covers in the early pre-dawn hours. I knew it would be hot and steamy outside, even early, since July had already arrived. The clock was reading sometime after 4:00 a.m. Before I...
By Scott Fugit Photos by Dee Fugit Original art by Terrilynn Dubreuil I am a tired explorer at the end of a long day. My legs are heavy after hours of investigating Cuenca’s narrow streets, busy markets, and endless craft shops. On the home stretch, we happened across...
By Susan Burke March Chef Paúl Abril spent a number of years working in restaurants after graduating from the University of Cuenca’s Culinary Arts program, three of them in a Japanese restaurant. But like so many entrepreneurs with a passion he decided to strike out...
By Brian Buckner Don’t you hear that train a comin’, a comin’ round the bend…” Wait, wait, wait! That’s putting the caboose in front of the engine a bit now, isn’t it?! Maybe not. Regardless of your position on Cuenca’s Tranvía de los Cuatro Rios and its workforce, it...
Well my friends, I gathered the courage and I did make the jump towards a new life, a new future. (Click here, to read about the dilemma I faced.) I'm not going to lie and say that I've arrived at the happy ending of a fairy tale. I hope not. I hope this is the...
By Nicholas Farrell No, it is not the house of my dreams but it will do: a sturdy five-bedroom 20th-century farmhouse, plus spectacular barn and outbuildings with great potential, on two acres of land inside a nature reserve, one mile from a rare and precious...
Live the dream! Find adventure! Spend the rest of your days in heaven on earth! Sounds amazing, doesn’t it? Yes, and it’s also one of the most compelling reasons why so many of us decide to pick up and leave everything — and everyone — behind to live overseas. Deep...
Anyone who visits Parque de Calderon might have seen a young woman musician near the New Cathedral. There she stands, guitar in hand, her baby strapped to her back, a tambourine around her ankle, making music. I heard her one day before I even saw her. When I realized...
By Wendy Jane Carrel While conducting research on continuing care and end-of-life options for older adults in Ecuador, I have witnessed the unexpected deaths of many North American expats. Here are some of the lessons I’ve learned. If you want to save your family and...
Click here to get your tickets! At her home in Chicago, Liz Harrison always enjoyed having friends and family over for simple dinners to highlight holiday parties. She would cook her favorite recipes, put on some good dance music, and celebrate the moment. When she...
My left eye has become the center of my life. Nothing else has any importance. I tell myself that I am in a routine healing process but my left eye doesn't see it that way and has grabbed my gut and refuses to let go, not allowing any other aspect of my life to...
Note: Brian Buckner is reading tonight at the Spoken Word writers' workshop at Sunrise Cafe on Calle Larga. By Brian Buckner When I was a young fellow, at the threshold of manhood, several things were uniquely different from now. One thing that I thought cool was the...
By Ed Konderla Author’s disclaimer: Let me apologize up front to any friends and acquaintances I piss off by writing this article. My wife and I first came to Ecuador in November of 1997 as part of a large ARCO oil and gas petroleum project. We had lived and worked in...
Excitement. Adventure. Anticipation. Oh, yes, and a healthy dose of trepidation, too. Can you feel them? If the answer is yes, the idea of moving abroad has likely taken hold of you. In fact, you may just be taking it so seriously that you’re ready to take action. Or...
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.
