Ecuador, My Mistress

This article is part of “Facelift Ecuador: Share Your Positive Story!“, an initiative to publish positive articles from CuencaHighLife readers. If you would like to submit your story, click here.

By Anya Spielberg

I discovered Ecuador for the first time January 8, of 2019. I remember the date well because for some time, one’s virgin date of entry was one’s permanent anniversary for the blessed renewal of a free 90 days of tourism each year. My Panamanian husband and I were touring the northern part of South America when we landed in Cuenca. I immediately felt I was home. I thought I did not like city life. I was wrong. I didn’t like my American city life.

Cuenca was easy on the eyes and taste buds. I adore adventure through dining, and I found myself able to afford this beloved luxury once again, with endless choices. Food is art in Cuenca. They have a minister of gastronomy in the government. (I know this because I sat next to him on a plane last year.) I also adore colonial architecture, clean streets, clean public transit, clean rushing rivers, and free cultural entertainment.

What stood out for me right away was that there was a buzz of young energy and creative opportunity in the air. It felt like the Austin of Texas, back in the day. In comparison to what I left in America, I saw a happier people. A community where the symphony is accessible to all income levels because it is free. Where food is grown locally. Where the family unit is one’s identity and place of belonging. And, the people of Ecuador were kind to me, to other expats and to each other. I longed for a place where random acts of kindness where the rule rather than the exception.

As a real estate hobbiest, I first bought an apartment in Cuenca, then some Andes hilltop land in the Intag (outside Cotacachi), and finally an apartment in Cotacachi. My apartment in Cuenca became so popular as a rental, I found myself mostly living in Cotacachi. I can’t say which I prefer because the lifestyle is so different in each. Like Cuenca, Cotacachi also has a friendly and sizable expat community and a sublime food scene.

Beyond those similarities, there are many charming differences. Two volcanos bookend the village of Cotacachi which I find endlessly captivating. The Indigenous make up 40% of the population and are fully integrated with the Mestizos into the workforce. This degree of integration builds harmony and diversity. Because the town is small, one knows the business owners personally, much like we must have enjoyed back in the USA a hundred years ago.

And financially, there are opportunities in Ecuador for expats to own their own homes or rent places three to five times the value of what they could afford in their home countries. I worked hard my whole life, doing meaningful, but not high paying work. I managed my money well, but it was never going to afford me the lifestyle I had hoped to achieve in retirement. In Ecuador (and our home base of Boquete, Panama), I have choices, peace, and contentment with regards to my financial security. As I age, I did not want to become a burden to my children’s future.

I refer to Ecuador as my mistress because, after my initial visit, I felt compelled to visit for 3-4 months every year, mostly on my own. My husband is built differently than me. He’s a homebody, whereas I have terminal wanderlust. I continue to tourist other places on the planet as well, but my time in Ecuador is always my favorite.

I love Ecuador. I love the people. I love the variety of geography. I don’t even mind the 2nd worldish issues that invariably arise, be it electric shortages due to draught, or an abundance of rain. The realities of government corruption, high crime areas, and threats from climate change are true everywhere on the planet. I accept this fact. I also believe that we get what we expect. I expect each day to be an interesting learning and giving opportunity. With this mindset, I have never been disappointed by my investment in Ecuador.