Time for some bits and pieces about who we've seen, what we've heard, and what we've experienced in our time here in Cuenca.
Like in the United States, the English speaking expats we meet here out and about are shy about "religion" and associated topics. Yet they are willing to chat with you about themselves, what they know about Cuenca, and expat life in general. Many of them are single (never married, widowed, or divorced) men, but there are a number of women in this category too. There are expat "hotspots" in terms of cafes, restaurants, and other haunts where they often hang out, including what can be called the center of the city, Parque Calderon, which is a beautiful and safe walking and sitting area with plentiful benches throughout the city square park it is.
We have met some expats in Parque Calderon while on our errands for the day, and it strikes us that they in many ways feel lonely. . . just an observation here. They know who is new in town, and many times are quite willing to strike up a conversation after the obligatory "hello" in English. We've exchanged emails with a couple of expats this way, and some useful information in person about condos, apartments, and getting your Cedula from the Immigration office. Boots on the ground provides better information than sleuthing on the 'Net from hundreds of miles away imho. The more times you hear something, the more credible the information becomes (unless it's propaganda, of course).
Another source on the 'Net I've found, a blog called Living and Retiring in Ecuador, states they have found very few expats attending church, much less a Bible believing one. The few that do that attend Iglesia Verbo, like our very astute lady blogger, often are in the back row for the English translation services provided by headphones. You can count the number of folks like this - expats that are believers and those who sit on the back row for English translation at Verbo - by the fingers on your hand. Very astute observation by our blogging lady friend. I've gotten to meet some of them from the 9:00 AM worship service at Verbo, and they are a tight knit group that typically eats breakfast together in a restaurant afterwards. One of them, Carissa, is a young American tall blonde woman who is a missionary in Cuenca from her home church in the USA. She also helps out half the time on the English translation for expats and visiting relatives and friends to understand the Spanish language worship services. I also met Felix and his wife, who are expats in Cuenca that attend Verbo. Looks like an unofficial small group in Verbo which we will want to associate with further down the road. Neat loving folks.
The bank we're using while here, Banco del Pacifico, is believe it or not another source of friendly exchange and conversation. The banco opens at 9:00 AM weekdays, and has a line that takes a half hour or so to wait in before you can get to see a teller at a window. I'm pretty much the only extranjero or gringo in line in the mornings(afternoons are with little or no waiting in line), and this latest time I was able to practice my Spanish in good conversation with a married woman who was paying her City of Cuenca Police Department parking citation - you can do that at this bank, according to her. Parking illegally here costs $40, which using the Ecuadorian Rule of Three's and Four's translates to a USA value of the ticket becoming $120 to $160 smackeroos. Ouch! Una boleto expensivo indeed. No English spoken by her, just Spanish. I'm doing pretty good on the Spanish. . . thank you Lord.
While I'm discussing Banco del Pacifico, I know from a prior English language conversation while in line there with a young Ecuadorian national named John from a small town near the Peruvian border that there are other bancos one may use for money exchanges and financial withdrawals from your USA based financial institution. Still haven't found out which ones as yet. . . good to know.
Our host at our vacation condo, Stuart White, is quite the genial, resourceful and adaptable host. We have hit it off with him very well, for which we are
thankful. Stuart relates that Google translate offers the best Spanish to English - and vice versa - translation service on the 'Net, and is written in a way a native speaker would talk. Other translations out there are many times mechanical and not what real native speakers would say. Worth knowing and using. I've been using the Merriam - Webster dictionary site for many weeks now, and will have to relearn that habit to take advantage of something better. Thanks, Stuart!
He has also blessed us with a permanent key to the courtyard, which includes use of the patio - and table and chairs, and bathrooms and I suppose laundry room. When we ever get tired of walking around El Centro once we return here to live, we are allowed use of the courtyard for free to have a respite and also interact with the residents present. Great offer which we are thankful to have taken. . . we will therefore keep the outside door key to this complex
upon the completion of our stay here, and will be staying at the Hotel Milan near Parque Calderon to finish out our time in Cuenca this visit. Hotel Milan has no elevator, but has a stunning view of Cuenca from its dining room on the fifth floor, penthouse suite style, where they offer free breakfast to its guests. Will be doing some more climbing, walking, and such once again as always.
Which leads me to say. . . I've now gotten to the fourth belt buckle hole in my belt for my slacks in this visit to Cuenca. About a belt buckle hole smaller each week of staying here and walking about 3 kilometers a day on average. Carolyn Anne says I look a lot better, and she does too, as she has lost some weight as well. Another advantage of Cuenca. . . and by not having a car and living like the average Ecuadorian, helping our automobile transportation expenses go way down. A double win!
Speaking of cars and such. . . some interesting vehicles on the road here. No Chrysler products here, but lots of Chevrolets and Fords. No Chevy Novas of course . . . "no va" means "no go" in Spanish. . . who would buy a car like that? - but lots of Chevrolet Forzas/Suzuki Swifts which in the USA is more commonly known as the Geo Metro. *ONE* Mercedes Benz sedan seen, but lots of Mercedes Benz city buses. The police here uses Hyundai buses for special unit observation detail community policing. There are Volkswagen buses that hold around 25 to 30 people, too, nicely equipped inside. Fiat camionetas, or pickup trucks with a factory equipped tall roof camper enclosed cargo area for commercial deliveries. SEAT coupes from Spain. . . and lots of Toyotas, Nissans, and Kias here too. Hondas are motorcycles here. . . no cars like in the USA, except two very used circa 1979 Honda Civics we've seen. No hybrid cars or electric vehicles either. . . no one here except for the expats knows what a Toyota Prius is.
Thursday, May 8, 2014
Monday, May 5, 2014
Wow. . . What a Church!
We've been to what looks to be our new spiritual home in Cuenca, Iglesia Verbo, two weeks now. An exciting group of people. Let me tell you why.
When it comes to welcoming the newcomer - native Ecuadorian and extranjero alike - these folks go all out to welcome you. They may not give you an extra large size chocolate bar here like Grace Chapel back home does - and Ecuador is home to lots of cocoa bean plantations, though the price of the chocolate in Hershey branded form is decidedly higher than in the States - but they do give you something that is precious. . . a rose (men and women get this) as well as a hug or warm embrace Latin American style. Roses cost a lot less than chocolate bars here, btw. Try around 12 cents per single rose.
English speakers like ourselves are also accommodated by the use of a personal translator of the worship services (less song lyrics played by the different worship musical ensembles on the platform). To utilize this free service, you sit in the main back row of the large and new auditorium and wear some large looking wired earphones (wireless will no doubt come this way in the future like it already has in North America). Be careful when you stand and sing, though. . . you might disconnect the headphones from the connector, especially if you are a tall gringo like me.
We've had the opportunity to get to know and thank personally a couple of translators: Erica, who translates @ the 9:30 AM Sunday service, and Belen, whom we met last night at the Sunday evening service - which can last for up to two hours, btw. Erica has a ready smile and interacts with native Spanish speakers who are taking Verbo's English language classes, which I understand are free. . . what a deal! They also offer free Spanish language classes for the gringos among the congregation.
Verbo recently had translation from Spanish to English available at all its Sunday services morning and evening. They've had to officially cut back to just the 9:30 and the 11:00 AM services, leaving the 8:00 AM and 6:00 PM worship services Spanish only. . . but, if they know you are a gringo, and have someone who can translate in a moment's notice, there is translation available still. This happened when one of the members of our Welcome - Bienvenidos - class that meets on Monday evenings saw Carolyn Anne ( I think she's literally the only white haired lady in the entire 2000 plus congregation) and found for her a translator, Belen. True Christian love in action! This gentleman wouldn't quit until he found for her a translator willing to help. Dogged man for Christ and his people, indeed.
We happened to come when Verbo was communicating, for the first time in over three years, its desire from amongst the pastors (10 of them) and elders of the need to grow the physical building out some more to accommodate more new people not already part of Verbo or a Bible believing church. The pastor we heard, Roberto, said then and last Sunday it was the hardest message he ever had to give. . . but it was easily his most rewarding one, as the church now has $70,000 in cash and pledges in hand to enlarge the buildings and its classes and programs. Using the Ecuadorian rule of 3's and 4's, this amounts to around a quarter of a million dollars for building and ministry expansion. A third floor for the existing two story modern building is planned. This will allow for more teaching space - currently the church has just five classrooms from what I can see - and kitchen furnishings, which will equip the kitchen to finally be a warm, inviting meeting place for youth, couples, and so on to get to share a cup of coffee, some pan dulces, and good extended conversation after the worship services.
This is a church that has a heart for God and His Word, and for people. There is probably not anywhere in Cuenca that does not feel its influence. Our hotel hostess, Carolina of Hotel Pichincha, knew immediately of Verbo when I mentioned it to her in conversation. Our ever friendly English language adept pharmacist, Tatiana of Fybeca Farmacia in El Centro, has gone here (and we encouraged her to come on back and be a part once again). From its humble beginnings in 1987 as a small group Bible study, Verbo - which means the Word, the Second Person of the Trinity - has grown to over 2,000 people in scores of home Bible studies all over Cuenca. . . and six other sister churches planted in Ecuador, and one in Peru. The future? They are visioning and praying for *20 more* sister churches in the next ten years. Verbo is currently growing at the rate of one person a day, if a recent Saturday bimonthly Baptism is any indication.
If this kind of movement amongst God's Holy Spirit - and yes, you can sense His presence here by the Spanish speakers as well as the English speakers - doesn't excite you, I don't know what to say. Wow. . . what a church! What a time to be alive and to give one's life to the Master's business which will lay up treasure in Heaven tested by the Refiner's fire!
Sign me up.
When it comes to welcoming the newcomer - native Ecuadorian and extranjero alike - these folks go all out to welcome you. They may not give you an extra large size chocolate bar here like Grace Chapel back home does - and Ecuador is home to lots of cocoa bean plantations, though the price of the chocolate in Hershey branded form is decidedly higher than in the States - but they do give you something that is precious. . . a rose (men and women get this) as well as a hug or warm embrace Latin American style. Roses cost a lot less than chocolate bars here, btw. Try around 12 cents per single rose.
English speakers like ourselves are also accommodated by the use of a personal translator of the worship services (less song lyrics played by the different worship musical ensembles on the platform). To utilize this free service, you sit in the main back row of the large and new auditorium and wear some large looking wired earphones (wireless will no doubt come this way in the future like it already has in North America). Be careful when you stand and sing, though. . . you might disconnect the headphones from the connector, especially if you are a tall gringo like me.
We've had the opportunity to get to know and thank personally a couple of translators: Erica, who translates @ the 9:30 AM Sunday service, and Belen, whom we met last night at the Sunday evening service - which can last for up to two hours, btw. Erica has a ready smile and interacts with native Spanish speakers who are taking Verbo's English language classes, which I understand are free. . . what a deal! They also offer free Spanish language classes for the gringos among the congregation.
Verbo recently had translation from Spanish to English available at all its Sunday services morning and evening. They've had to officially cut back to just the 9:30 and the 11:00 AM services, leaving the 8:00 AM and 6:00 PM worship services Spanish only. . . but, if they know you are a gringo, and have someone who can translate in a moment's notice, there is translation available still. This happened when one of the members of our Welcome - Bienvenidos - class that meets on Monday evenings saw Carolyn Anne ( I think she's literally the only white haired lady in the entire 2000 plus congregation) and found for her a translator, Belen. True Christian love in action! This gentleman wouldn't quit until he found for her a translator willing to help. Dogged man for Christ and his people, indeed.
We happened to come when Verbo was communicating, for the first time in over three years, its desire from amongst the pastors (10 of them) and elders of the need to grow the physical building out some more to accommodate more new people not already part of Verbo or a Bible believing church. The pastor we heard, Roberto, said then and last Sunday it was the hardest message he ever had to give. . . but it was easily his most rewarding one, as the church now has $70,000 in cash and pledges in hand to enlarge the buildings and its classes and programs. Using the Ecuadorian rule of 3's and 4's, this amounts to around a quarter of a million dollars for building and ministry expansion. A third floor for the existing two story modern building is planned. This will allow for more teaching space - currently the church has just five classrooms from what I can see - and kitchen furnishings, which will equip the kitchen to finally be a warm, inviting meeting place for youth, couples, and so on to get to share a cup of coffee, some pan dulces, and good extended conversation after the worship services.
This is a church that has a heart for God and His Word, and for people. There is probably not anywhere in Cuenca that does not feel its influence. Our hotel hostess, Carolina of Hotel Pichincha, knew immediately of Verbo when I mentioned it to her in conversation. Our ever friendly English language adept pharmacist, Tatiana of Fybeca Farmacia in El Centro, has gone here (and we encouraged her to come on back and be a part once again). From its humble beginnings in 1987 as a small group Bible study, Verbo - which means the Word, the Second Person of the Trinity - has grown to over 2,000 people in scores of home Bible studies all over Cuenca. . . and six other sister churches planted in Ecuador, and one in Peru. The future? They are visioning and praying for *20 more* sister churches in the next ten years. Verbo is currently growing at the rate of one person a day, if a recent Saturday bimonthly Baptism is any indication.
If this kind of movement amongst God's Holy Spirit - and yes, you can sense His presence here by the Spanish speakers as well as the English speakers - doesn't excite you, I don't know what to say. Wow. . . what a church! What a time to be alive and to give one's life to the Master's business which will lay up treasure in Heaven tested by the Refiner's fire!
Sign me up.
Sunday, May 4, 2014
Abraham - the Archtype of a Wandering Pilgrim
As you know by now, I have titled my weblog Wandering Pilgrim's Progress for a reason. This present plane of existence - as Rich Mullins so aptly called "stuff of Earth" - is only but a vapor, and then it is gone. Eternity is a very very very long time, and that's what the Believer has to look forward to. Yet he (or she) is still here on this earth, and what we do on Earth is of importance in how one lives life in the sight of God and man, and how one may cooperate with the Holy Spirit in producing Fruit that will last for all Eternity regarding those rescued from sin and perdicion - perdition or Hell. Important stuff of Earth, indeed.
How to live on this Earth is where life gets interesting. Listening to his voice, seeking the Master in the morning, praying without ceasing, and listening to His response is what we are to do. He builds His body and supplies for it in various ways. Not all believers are to do the exact same thing in the exact same place. Sin embargo - nevertheless - we are to do His leading. Listening and following is key.
I am reminded of that Old Testament - and New Testament - character, Abraham once again at this point in the Journey. Here's some verses from Hebrews worthy of reflection and meditation.
How to live on this Earth is where life gets interesting. Listening to his voice, seeking the Master in the morning, praying without ceasing, and listening to His response is what we are to do. He builds His body and supplies for it in various ways. Not all believers are to do the exact same thing in the exact same place. Sin embargo - nevertheless - we are to do His leading. Listening and following is key.
I am reminded of that Old Testament - and New Testament - character, Abraham once again at this point in the Journey. Here's some verses from Hebrews worthy of reflection and meditation.
* * *
By faith Abraham, when he was called to go out into a place which he should after receive for an inheritance, obeyed; and he went out, not knowing whither he went. (11:8)
By faith he sojourned in the land of promise as in a strange country, dwelling in tabernacles with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise. (11:9)
For he looked for a city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God. (11:10)
Through faith also Sarah herself received strength to conceive seed, and was delivered of a child when she was past age, because she judged him faithful who had promised. (11:11)
Therefore sprang there even of one, and him as good as dead, so many as the stars of the sky in multitude, and as the sand which is by the seashore innumerable. (11:12)
These all died in faith, not having receive the promises, but having seen them afar off, and were persuaded of them, and embraced them, and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth. (11:13)
For they that say such things declare plainly that they seek a country. (11:14)
And truly, if they had been mindful of that country from whence they came out, they might have had opportunity to have returned. (11:15)
But now they desire a better country, that is, a heavenly one; wherefore, God is not ashamed to be called their God; for he hath prepared for them a city. (11:16)
*** *** ***
Abraham sought a better country - a heavenly one. In the process, he had to leave Ur of the Chaldeans to go to a better country here on Earth. . . one where he could see the promises from a distance. I too seek, along with my Christiana - Carolyn Anne - that better country. Being on that geographical journey away from all we have ever known and experienced sharpens the soul's connections to the things of Heaven and Eternity. Depending on God for everything, for we know not where we go, even when we try to make plans. We are learning to ask the Lord to direct our steps, to where He wants us to go and in what manner.
I'll close for now with one great story to illustrate. Yesterday we were looking for a Dentista - a Dentist - for Carolyn Anne regarding some teeth cleaning. She was quoted $378 back home for this service, and we were quoted just $25 for the same thing here in Cuenca. !!! At first we waited for a half hour or so for the dentist to arrive. By 10:00 AM, he had not, so we walked to a location where we had seen a dentist office at the Spanish speaking church we were at last Sunday. That location had no Dentista sign on it anymore, and the office was closed. So we made it back to our first dental office downtown that we saw. He was open, and glad to see us! No appointment necessary for a consultation, either. . . and with my translating abilities - thank you, God for them - we communicated the need for deep cleaning of the teeth plus the need for a prescription for antibiotics due to her knee replacement surgery. The dentist, Sr. Oswaldo Maldonado, engaged us in some more conversation, and it turned out he has a brother in Thousand Oaks, California that he would love to see more, but cannot due to financial and work demands. He was impressed with my Spanish also, and thought I had lived in Cuenca for some time. Not the case, of course.
We couldn't have done any of this without God guiding us each moment to just the right person and place for each concern we may have. Yea, God! Helping us along the Pilgrim way. Selah.
Friday, May 2, 2014
Some Folks We've Met in Cuenca
We've now been in here in Cuenca, Ecuador for over two weeks. Time to talk about some people we've met that you'd never ever meet back in the States back home.
We're in a vacation condo that gets American tourists, but also those from other countries, too, including Latin America and Australia. The owner, Stuart White, is a lovely fellow who gets along with all kinds of people in the midst of running his vacation rentals here, and I've since found out has a following from those who have been renting from him in the past. You can learn a lot by listening to others in the courtyard patio area between our second story loft condo and the door to the street, Honorato Vasquez.
One of these is an Aussie retired couple from Down Under (Sydney suburbs and Adelaide suburbs) who have their Cedulas, or Resident Visas, now. They received theirs in February after living here on the up to 180 day Visa since late November 2013. Her approach on getting their Cedulas was to go to the Immigration office pretty much every day, and to keep asking questions 'til everything got done. They decided to use the $25,000 CD Visa route, where you state you have that much money to come to Ecuador, rather than the pensionado route, which we will be taking (stating you get a regular pension from in our case Social Security). One drawback to their getting their Cedulas was they had to go to Miami, Florida in the US to get a notarized or otherwise apostilled document stating that this much money was in the account. An extra expense in terms of airline tickets purchased for sure, but they ended up getting their Cedulas in the end! Their take is that the clerks in that office - who speak English pretty well, though with an accent in some cases - can be like DMV clerks in California. You need to smile, not ask too many questions, and let them have rule over what they do. It is, after all, their country which we voluntarily came to. Good point, that. Believe it or not they - who still speak very little Spanish - are the only Australian expats they know of. Brave pioneering souls indeed! Spanish is virtually unheard of and not taught in the Land of Oz, so I'm giving them great credit for choosing to come to Ecuador to live out their retirement years.
I've since learned from a rather unique guy, Oscar, best friend to the owner - Eduardo - of the authentic Mexican restaurant across the street, that only recently has the Ecuadorian government in Quito, the capital, let some limited autonomy take place into the running of the Immigration office in Cuenca. They can now make some of their own decisions about circumstances that come their way, where before they were bound by Quito's way of doing things by the book. The Cuenca Immigration office also gets very busy - apparently moreso than even Quito according to Oscar - and has been beleaguered by quite a few extranjeros - gringos - seeking assistance with getting their Cedulas or otherwise extending their visas. It used to be that there was a line of people outside the office, with no seating available or planning to allow the applicant to get an appointment later in the day. Nowadays the Immigration office in Cuenca has 37 plastic chairs in rows for waiting, and appointments are set by the clerks so there is a more calm, orderly operation to the place.
Oh. . . why Oscar is so unique. . . he is born and raised in Cuenca, but because his dad is an American
citizen, he also spent 17 (nonconsecutive) years in northern New Jersey, within Manhattan commuting distance. When he came to the US, he knew not one word of English. Within one month of English language immersion he was speaking conversational English. Today he is fluent in both Spanish and English. You'd think a guy like that would be involved in trade or the diplomatic realm of an Embassy, but Oscar has a real love of the arts, especially music. He is in a band that plays heavier style rock and roll. We did an off the cuff a capella rendition of Jim Morrison of the Doors' "Light My Fire," and he truly enjoyed my eidetic memory of the lyrics and the tenor voice God has also blessed me with. Yes, there's karaoke bars here in Cuenca for that sort of thing, too! More about Oscar in a future post.
Another is a Cuban citizen we met at the Immigration office. Not sure for how long she and her daughter are here in Ecuador for, but the fact we found out she was from Cuba was a first for us. I chatted in Spanish with her for a bit - thank you, God for this ability - and also did a John F. Kennedy voice impression that she really enjoyed. Cubans are people too, and Jesus died and rose for them just like anyone else we know. Talking to Oscar about this Cuban lady Carmen, he believes her to be a political refugee seeking political asylum here in Ecuador. He says that's the only reason why Cubans come here to live permanently.
We also met while on tour a very nice young lady who lives in Guayaquil, about four to five hours driving distance from Cuenca near the Pacific coast. Andrea, along with her fiancée, "George," work in the IT tech industry in Ecuador - she's in marketing - and her family was on the tour bus with us on a tour of Cuenca ($5 and very much recommended. . . be sure to take the top deck of the open roof double decker bus!). Neat and close, loving Roman Catholic family. her English was very good, and she wants more practice with it. We exchanged emails and have stayed in touch especially because of an uncle that has really been suffering from stomach cancer. According to Andrea, he is an Evangelical believer in Christ, married and at the end of his life with much pain from the Cancer. . . to the point of asking the Lord to spare him the pain and take him home to be with Jesus. We prayed for him on the bus that Saturday before Easter, and she really appreciated the prayer. The Ecuadorian people are so open to prayer and thoughtful acts of love. In this way the Gospel and salvation for the people here may go forward. So very encouraging to see.
I discussed Guayaquil with Oscar a bit, and he asked me if I knew the hour the locals there got off the streets due to crime, etc. I guessed 8:00 PM or so. Oscar said it was earlier. . . 6:00 PM daily. My research was right. . . Guayaquil is a more unsafe city overall than any other large city in Ecuador. If you do go out onto the streets there, it's wise to do so with a local who knows the lay of the land and will keep you safe that way.
Taxi drivers: generally very good, but there are those who are not as helpful as others. One spoke perfect English, and as it turned out had spent a lot of time in Worcester, Massachusetts. Really excellent driver who knew his streets and language. One spoke only Spanish, but really knew his streets in a time saving fashion and made excellent conversation throughout.. Good thing my Spanish is up to par. One tried to help us to go to the correct Immigration office, but dropped us off at what proved to be the wrong one. Great effort, but lack of knowledge about what would be helpful to us as Cedula seekers. There went $2 extra bucks for taxi expense. . . (sigh) One or two have told us they didn't know where we wanted to go regarding some rather well known places in Cuenca. . . Mall del Rio south of El Centro and Hotel Oro Verde west of El Centro, which is a class act where a night's stay for two is $158 (rack rate). We saw a really nice third floor 2 bedroom 2 bath condo near there renting for $370 plus $72 condo association fee, utilities not included. Just checking things out. . . not signing any papers yet. Too early for that just yet. Interesting how every cab driver seems to know where Iglesia Verbo is. . . it happens to be on two major cross streets, so it's rather easy to find if you drive here as a local. They seem to have an excellent reputation all around Cuenca. . . no bad reports about the church at all. Heartening to hear. We need to get to know those folks more.
We're in a vacation condo that gets American tourists, but also those from other countries, too, including Latin America and Australia. The owner, Stuart White, is a lovely fellow who gets along with all kinds of people in the midst of running his vacation rentals here, and I've since found out has a following from those who have been renting from him in the past. You can learn a lot by listening to others in the courtyard patio area between our second story loft condo and the door to the street, Honorato Vasquez.
One of these is an Aussie retired couple from Down Under (Sydney suburbs and Adelaide suburbs) who have their Cedulas, or Resident Visas, now. They received theirs in February after living here on the up to 180 day Visa since late November 2013. Her approach on getting their Cedulas was to go to the Immigration office pretty much every day, and to keep asking questions 'til everything got done. They decided to use the $25,000 CD Visa route, where you state you have that much money to come to Ecuador, rather than the pensionado route, which we will be taking (stating you get a regular pension from in our case Social Security). One drawback to their getting their Cedulas was they had to go to Miami, Florida in the US to get a notarized or otherwise apostilled document stating that this much money was in the account. An extra expense in terms of airline tickets purchased for sure, but they ended up getting their Cedulas in the end! Their take is that the clerks in that office - who speak English pretty well, though with an accent in some cases - can be like DMV clerks in California. You need to smile, not ask too many questions, and let them have rule over what they do. It is, after all, their country which we voluntarily came to. Good point, that. Believe it or not they - who still speak very little Spanish - are the only Australian expats they know of. Brave pioneering souls indeed! Spanish is virtually unheard of and not taught in the Land of Oz, so I'm giving them great credit for choosing to come to Ecuador to live out their retirement years.
I've since learned from a rather unique guy, Oscar, best friend to the owner - Eduardo - of the authentic Mexican restaurant across the street, that only recently has the Ecuadorian government in Quito, the capital, let some limited autonomy take place into the running of the Immigration office in Cuenca. They can now make some of their own decisions about circumstances that come their way, where before they were bound by Quito's way of doing things by the book. The Cuenca Immigration office also gets very busy - apparently moreso than even Quito according to Oscar - and has been beleaguered by quite a few extranjeros - gringos - seeking assistance with getting their Cedulas or otherwise extending their visas. It used to be that there was a line of people outside the office, with no seating available or planning to allow the applicant to get an appointment later in the day. Nowadays the Immigration office in Cuenca has 37 plastic chairs in rows for waiting, and appointments are set by the clerks so there is a more calm, orderly operation to the place.
Oh. . . why Oscar is so unique. . . he is born and raised in Cuenca, but because his dad is an American
citizen, he also spent 17 (nonconsecutive) years in northern New Jersey, within Manhattan commuting distance. When he came to the US, he knew not one word of English. Within one month of English language immersion he was speaking conversational English. Today he is fluent in both Spanish and English. You'd think a guy like that would be involved in trade or the diplomatic realm of an Embassy, but Oscar has a real love of the arts, especially music. He is in a band that plays heavier style rock and roll. We did an off the cuff a capella rendition of Jim Morrison of the Doors' "Light My Fire," and he truly enjoyed my eidetic memory of the lyrics and the tenor voice God has also blessed me with. Yes, there's karaoke bars here in Cuenca for that sort of thing, too! More about Oscar in a future post.
Another is a Cuban citizen we met at the Immigration office. Not sure for how long she and her daughter are here in Ecuador for, but the fact we found out she was from Cuba was a first for us. I chatted in Spanish with her for a bit - thank you, God for this ability - and also did a John F. Kennedy voice impression that she really enjoyed. Cubans are people too, and Jesus died and rose for them just like anyone else we know. Talking to Oscar about this Cuban lady Carmen, he believes her to be a political refugee seeking political asylum here in Ecuador. He says that's the only reason why Cubans come here to live permanently.
We also met while on tour a very nice young lady who lives in Guayaquil, about four to five hours driving distance from Cuenca near the Pacific coast. Andrea, along with her fiancée, "George," work in the IT tech industry in Ecuador - she's in marketing - and her family was on the tour bus with us on a tour of Cuenca ($5 and very much recommended. . . be sure to take the top deck of the open roof double decker bus!). Neat and close, loving Roman Catholic family. her English was very good, and she wants more practice with it. We exchanged emails and have stayed in touch especially because of an uncle that has really been suffering from stomach cancer. According to Andrea, he is an Evangelical believer in Christ, married and at the end of his life with much pain from the Cancer. . . to the point of asking the Lord to spare him the pain and take him home to be with Jesus. We prayed for him on the bus that Saturday before Easter, and she really appreciated the prayer. The Ecuadorian people are so open to prayer and thoughtful acts of love. In this way the Gospel and salvation for the people here may go forward. So very encouraging to see.
I discussed Guayaquil with Oscar a bit, and he asked me if I knew the hour the locals there got off the streets due to crime, etc. I guessed 8:00 PM or so. Oscar said it was earlier. . . 6:00 PM daily. My research was right. . . Guayaquil is a more unsafe city overall than any other large city in Ecuador. If you do go out onto the streets there, it's wise to do so with a local who knows the lay of the land and will keep you safe that way.
Taxi drivers: generally very good, but there are those who are not as helpful as others. One spoke perfect English, and as it turned out had spent a lot of time in Worcester, Massachusetts. Really excellent driver who knew his streets and language. One spoke only Spanish, but really knew his streets in a time saving fashion and made excellent conversation throughout.. Good thing my Spanish is up to par. One tried to help us to go to the correct Immigration office, but dropped us off at what proved to be the wrong one. Great effort, but lack of knowledge about what would be helpful to us as Cedula seekers. There went $2 extra bucks for taxi expense. . . (sigh) One or two have told us they didn't know where we wanted to go regarding some rather well known places in Cuenca. . . Mall del Rio south of El Centro and Hotel Oro Verde west of El Centro, which is a class act where a night's stay for two is $158 (rack rate). We saw a really nice third floor 2 bedroom 2 bath condo near there renting for $370 plus $72 condo association fee, utilities not included. Just checking things out. . . not signing any papers yet. Too early for that just yet. Interesting how every cab driver seems to know where Iglesia Verbo is. . . it happens to be on two major cross streets, so it's rather easy to find if you drive here as a local. They seem to have an excellent reputation all around Cuenca. . . no bad reports about the church at all. Heartening to hear. We need to get to know those folks more.
Wednesday, April 30, 2014
Cedula Instructions for a Visa 9-1. Foreign Pension
1. Written request signed by the applicant, addressed to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
2. Visa Application Form: with an Original color passport size photo with white background, the same as is posted on the website of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Trade and Integration.
3. Notarized (in Cuenca) color copy of the passport, which needs to be valid for at least six months, notarized copy of your current regular visa at the time the person starts the process and a notarized copy of the registry of the visa.
4. Updated criminal record, certificate issued in the foreign country or the country where the person has lived for the last five years, duly apostilled (s) in the case of the countries that belong to the Hague Convention or legalized (s) at the Consulate of Ecuador in the country where this document was issued (in the case of those countries that do not belong to the Hague Convention).
5. Updated Migratory Movement Certificate issued by the immigration police. (Valid through 30 days)
6. Document issued by the institution that pays or provides retirement pension or permanent income that comes from a foreign country, duly apostilled (in the case of those countries that belong to the Hague Convention) at the country of origin or authenticated by the Ecuadorian Consul (in the case of those countries that did not sign this international treaty), in the country where this document was issued. The amount should not be less than $800 (eight hundred dollars) of the United States of America as a monthly rent to the recipient, and will increase by $100 (one hundred dollars) extra per month for each family member that depends on the immigrant.
7. Certificate issued and legalized by the Ecuadorian Foreign Service Officer, in the country of origin, determining the perception of such pension or permanent income.
8. Any document in a foreign language must be translated into Spanish and must have the recognition of the translator's signature before a notary public. When the translation has been done in a foreign country, it must be apostilled or legalized by the Ecuadorian consulate in the country of origin. The translation may also come to the Ecuadorian consulate in the country of origin in Ecuador.
Important: Article 22 of the "Ley de Extranjeria" - the officials that are part of the Ecuadorian Foreign Service and the Department of the General Direction of Immigration, will have full powers to require any verification of the statements set out in applications for visas and other immigration documents to ensure and investigate the occurrence of any of the causes of exclusion provided the Migration Act.
Note: When you submit the documents, they should be submitted according to the established sequence as it is in the requirements page.
Visa Validity: Indefinite
Entries: Multiple
Taxes: Visa application: $30 Visa: $320
The process is personal
(The preceding information was obtained from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs office in Cuenca, and is reproduced laboriously and faithfully to the letter, down to the spelling and grammar errors. Obtained on April 29, 2014.)
2. Visa Application Form: with an Original color passport size photo with white background, the same as is posted on the website of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Trade and Integration.
3. Notarized (in Cuenca) color copy of the passport, which needs to be valid for at least six months, notarized copy of your current regular visa at the time the person starts the process and a notarized copy of the registry of the visa.
4. Updated criminal record, certificate issued in the foreign country or the country where the person has lived for the last five years, duly apostilled (s) in the case of the countries that belong to the Hague Convention or legalized (s) at the Consulate of Ecuador in the country where this document was issued (in the case of those countries that do not belong to the Hague Convention).
5. Updated Migratory Movement Certificate issued by the immigration police. (Valid through 30 days)
6. Document issued by the institution that pays or provides retirement pension or permanent income that comes from a foreign country, duly apostilled (in the case of those countries that belong to the Hague Convention) at the country of origin or authenticated by the Ecuadorian Consul (in the case of those countries that did not sign this international treaty), in the country where this document was issued. The amount should not be less than $800 (eight hundred dollars) of the United States of America as a monthly rent to the recipient, and will increase by $100 (one hundred dollars) extra per month for each family member that depends on the immigrant.
7. Certificate issued and legalized by the Ecuadorian Foreign Service Officer, in the country of origin, determining the perception of such pension or permanent income.
8. Any document in a foreign language must be translated into Spanish and must have the recognition of the translator's signature before a notary public. When the translation has been done in a foreign country, it must be apostilled or legalized by the Ecuadorian consulate in the country of origin. The translation may also come to the Ecuadorian consulate in the country of origin in Ecuador.
Important: Article 22 of the "Ley de Extranjeria" - the officials that are part of the Ecuadorian Foreign Service and the Department of the General Direction of Immigration, will have full powers to require any verification of the statements set out in applications for visas and other immigration documents to ensure and investigate the occurrence of any of the causes of exclusion provided the Migration Act.
Note: When you submit the documents, they should be submitted according to the established sequence as it is in the requirements page.
Visa Validity: Indefinite
Entries: Multiple
Taxes: Visa application: $30 Visa: $320
The process is personal
(The preceding information was obtained from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs office in Cuenca, and is reproduced laboriously and faithfully to the letter, down to the spelling and grammar errors. Obtained on April 29, 2014.)
Monday, April 28, 2014
Adjustments
While on this journey to Cuenca, Ecuador and a new life here, my bride and I have had to learn many new things. We've had to make some changes, reduce expectations, and - adjust to the new language of Spanish and the new Latin American culture surrounding us. The biggest thing to remember is that we are guests in Ecuador - this is not our country, or what we are used to in the USA. Here's a helpful rundown of our experiences adjusting for the benefit of future expat, friend, and retrospection alike.
- Let the TSA screeners do their job. Don't interfere with their policies or instructions! 'Nuff said already on this previously.
- Catnaps while waiting overnight in the airport are a good thing. On the plane, too when you can. Sleep is the traveler's "brain food" for getting the traveling done. A sharp, rested mind makes less mistakes when it comes to making decisions.
- Airlines have rules about luggage ID tags. They didn't like our custom made tags we bought from Corporate Travel Solutions - they said in bright red with yellow background "Not Yours" - and United apparently agreed! So our plans to easily find our bags on the baggage claim carousel were thwarted. We had to read the standard United tags to find 'em. . . more work, but rules are rules, I guess.
- Quito is a mix of First, Second, and maybe Third World living. Couldn't see for sure in the middle of the night as it was dark on our way to our lodging. Several smaller residential type buildings appeared to be in repair or construction, with gray concrete walls. Not sure about the roofs on them. Quito also can have an unexpected power outage, as they did on the Monday before we traveled south to Cuenca. Where did we put that pocket flashlight again? Oh. . . we left it at home. Drat!
- Just because there's a bus station nearby doesn't mean they sell bus tickets there. Bus lines also sell out of seats, so buy your tickets ahead of time a day ahead. Trick is, you have to go to the right ticket office in person.
- They have restroom stops on the way from Quito to Cuenca. Several of them. You will reboard the bus if you are not wasting time with extraneous things. No problem. . . no one stranded.
- The toilet paper you use (you did remember to bring a roll just in case?) does *NOT* go down the toilet. It goes in the waste can beside the toilet. Yes, it does get emptied. Remembering this was perhaps the hardest habit to break for us. I know I put the paper down the toilet several times in the last week or so but retrieved it before flushing. Airports, some newer hotels, and malls excluded from this rule.
- Did you remember to bring hand sanitizer for washing your hands in the restroom? We did! Not all restrooms have soap, much less paper towels. Thanks to Leanne Crawley for this tip.
- Every residence and business in Ecuador has locked gates and doors. To enter your lodging, kindly press the buzzer and identify yourself. . . in Spanish, of course.
- Ecuadorian lodgings typically serve *one* scrambled egg for your breakfast. No wonder the people look so healthy! We are losing weight that way.
- Everything is smaller in Ecuador: the doors, the cabinets, the rooms, the cars, the food portions, the stores, and the people. Carolyn Anne loves the fact she is average size here, and "fits in" that way. Me? I stand out like a sore thumb!
- Restaurants, stores, offices etc. open later in the morning than in the US, and close for almuerzo - lunch - in the early afternoon. Office signs don't say what their office hours are. . . you have to be flexible.
- You have to pick up your feet when walking on the cobblestone sidewalks in El Centro in Cuenca. I haven't yet fallen, but once when I was on the way back to the hotel from our favorite breakfast spot, Panesa, I tripped upon attempting to enter the Hotel Tomebamba. Thanks to Carlos the front desk clerk for mopping up the spilled café con leche I dropped on the entryway. The hotel, like many other buildings, has a half inch clearance or so above the sidewalk. . . must make that adjustment to prevent another fall!
- One taxi driver in Cuenca used a curse word - in English - twice during one trip. I reproved him - in Spanish - twice. Wasn't expecting that of the generally good chofers here. Got the "hey, you mean I have to respect you?" look from him. Praise God for communicative abilities no matter what the language.
- When you buy anything requiring travel - not city bus or taxi - or the use of a debit/credit card, you have to display your US Passport to the clerk. Then you write your passport number down on the receipt.
- Cash outlays from your US financial institution is done at Banco del Pacifico in Cuenca. Dunno if there are any other banks that will do this for you as yet. What would happen if that bank would stop doing this service? I shudder to even think. . .
- The streets are well signed generally in the El Centro - downtown - of Cuenca, but the street signs - even for major ones - are largely not posted for streets in Cuenca. That goes for major travel routes in Ecuador. You really need to have a map and stick to the main roads. Pity the traveler that drives at night. . .
- The street addresses start with the street name, then the number. The first number before the dash is the block number, and the number after that is the residence or business number. For example, our vacation condo is at Honorato Vasquez 6-28 y Hermano Miguel. The US way of saying the same thing is 628 Honorato Vasquez, closest cross street is Hermano Miguel.
- Dollars are in bronze coins in Ecuador. The first dollar bill I saw here in Cuenca was at an original Mexican food restaurant just across from our vacation condo. I told the owner to keep it for "bueno suerte" - good luck.
- Home Bible studies at Iglesia Verbo in Cuenca - a church that reminds us a lot of Grace Chapel in Lancaster - starts at 8:00 PM. Everything starts later and ends later here in the Land of Manana. Yes, they have an English speaking small group.
Wednesday, April 23, 2014
Cena en Resturante Fabiano's con Nuestros Amigos Nuevos (Supper at Fabiano's Restaurant with Our New Friends)
Last evening, after much emailing over the intervening weeks before leaving and after arriving here in Cuenca, Ecuador, we finally got to meet a great and wonderful US expat couple, Ken and Leanne Crawley. They have been here four years now, and have much wisdom and good advice about Cuenca and Ecuador vis a vis expat living here in Cuenca.
Ken is a retired pastor with the Seventh Day Adventist Church in the US (last based in South Carolina), and Leanne is a retired Respiratory Therapist. They live - with yet another moment of Serendipity involved - next to the Rio Tomebamba, Cuenca's most notable river, with scenic green walkways for walking or jogging (it's safe here for that) accented with trees and flowers throughout. I say Serendipitously because we moved Tuesday into a lovely vacation studio loft condo just two blocks away from the Crawley's. . . neat how all these little life details God puts together for us better than we could ever do ourselves! Our God is like that, though. . . no surprise. Now Carolyn Anne has a nearby friend to go on outings to while walking. . . still losing some pounds here day by day.
Their living situation is at a multistory condo with two balconies for flowers and plants to enjoy - not all condos in their building enjoy that feature - and is secure with security gate and guard at the front desk. Nice view of the Rio Tomebamba, and in walking distance to Parque Calderon, the central park square of Cuenca's El Centro, as well as new Cuenca southwards and more shops, including a Supermaxi supermarket (we're not at their walking distance level just yet, though). Walking is the thing here in Cuenca, if one wants to be healthy. Great walking city. Three bedroom, two baths, 1200 square feet (Ecuador actually uses square meters, though) for around $375USD rent per month. This does not include utilities (and wifi Internet and DirectTV are considered utilities here) or furniture (Ecuadorians don't even supply a stove or refrigerator in with a rental). When you consider the Ecuadorian "Rule of 3's and 4's" this translates to a rent of about $1200 to $1600 per month in the States. . . so comparing apples to apples this way, you can see it's not overpriced, but dollar for dollar costs so much less in Ecuador. . . a main draw for folks Stateside wanting to stretch their dollars, as we seek to do. We could rent a smaller place similar to the Crawley's and probably pay less, keeping in mind that they signed their lease a few years ago when rents were lower than they are now.
Transportation costs are way down for the Crawley's compared to things Stateside. $90 a month includes all the taxis they use to get around when not walking - for places farther away like Mall del Rio, one of the two regional malls here, and foe Leanne's volunteering at a hospital in town. . . more about that later. When Leanne volunteers, she has the chofer - driver - pick up a friend out of the way along the way to the hospital, so that kind of expense is included in the monthly expense. I can see significant savings for us here walking and taking the taxi on an as needed basis. Great! Cars are more expensive in Ecuador btw when you consider the Rule of three's and four's. Doubtful we'll buy a car here. If anything, maybe rent a car to get out of town and see the country once in a while.
Medical and Dental costs are much less than in the States. Leanne had a kidney stone procedure done here, and the staff speaks English - trained in the US, UK or Canada - and has all the modern equipment and procedures you need in a large city like Cuenca. Her imaging costs (x-rays, cat scans and the like that were done to find the kidney stone) were considerably less than what one would find in the States as well. The whole procedure and hospital stay and doctor's visits all ended up a bit north of $1000USD. Just the tests alone would cost tens of thousands of dollars in the States if I recall correctly. Carolyn Anne was quoted a dental "deep cleaning" cost of $378 by her hygienist in Palmdale. Here the cost should be a quarter or a fifth of that, and the Dentista - Dentist - does the work instead of the hygienist. Keeping a good reputation among one's clients that way. We'll check out a couple of Dentistas today and see what they say. Ecuador does have several health pland to choose from that are available to expats, and the costs of a plan - which allows you to get very good private care - is very low by US standards, especially considering the effects of Obamacare now being felt in the US. We need to check it out further, of course.
Leanne and Ken left everything in the States behind by either selling it or giving it away to their four grown children. They sold their house, too. . . cutting off any reason (save for family visits) they might have for ever coming back to the US. They are Cuencanos now, and enjoy their life here very much. Ken is fluent in Spanish, and Leanne is very capable, though not completely fluent. My Spanish is good enough to have friendly conversation with taxi drivers, hotel clerks, and restaurant waiters and staff, and even get a Claro phone rental in country. Good to very good say the Ecuadorians that volunteer that feedback to me. Neat to hear. . . Praise God for the ability to communicate in a foreign land! Carolyn Anne likewise is learning Spanish at a rapid pace and needs more practice, though she is well on our way. She needs to remember the word for question - pregunta - and stop calling this country El Salvador (it's Ecuador, of course). Slips of the tongue that take practice and patient love, which God has graciously given us first, so we may love one another.
We have diligently avoided the street vendors with their little carts of food (often unsafe for extranjeros like us) and Montezuma has had no Revenge on us to date. Healthwise we are good and good with the high altitude, too. We *LOVE* Cuenca, and are seriously thinking of moving here. The only thing we see as a downside is the dog doo doo that is on the sidewalks in the mornings occasionally. Sidewalks are swept daily and clean - it's the law here. Ken relates a downside may be what the US government may be doing after July 1, 2014 regarding financial and tangible assets which could throw a monkey wrench into moving here. Need to study up more on all this. . . not the first time I've heard this, though.
Ken also asked me if we would hire a lawyer, hire a personal assistant, or do it yourself regarding getting a Cedula, or resident visa. I think a personal assistant is the way to go. The abogados - lawyers - have been known to rip gringos off for $2000 or more all the while holding back papers for the Ecuadorian government, and not doing the job as agreed to, and going the do it yourself route means a learning curve in legal and governmental Spanish usage I'm not sure I want to tackle just yet. So personal assistant it is, then. Ken advises going to the Ecuadorian Consulate in Ecuador (the office you start with is the office you must finish with, btw) and getting in writing the requirements for our Cedulas, and keeping these important papers in a safe place. The Ecuadotian government changes the requirements all the time, even daily and depending on whom you speak with, so getting it in writing is key.
All in all, I'd have to agree with novelty song singer Joe Dolce, to wit: "It's a not so bad, it's a nice a place, aw Shaddup a you face!"
Ken is a retired pastor with the Seventh Day Adventist Church in the US (last based in South Carolina), and Leanne is a retired Respiratory Therapist. They live - with yet another moment of Serendipity involved - next to the Rio Tomebamba, Cuenca's most notable river, with scenic green walkways for walking or jogging (it's safe here for that) accented with trees and flowers throughout. I say Serendipitously because we moved Tuesday into a lovely vacation studio loft condo just two blocks away from the Crawley's. . . neat how all these little life details God puts together for us better than we could ever do ourselves! Our God is like that, though. . . no surprise. Now Carolyn Anne has a nearby friend to go on outings to while walking. . . still losing some pounds here day by day.
Their living situation is at a multistory condo with two balconies for flowers and plants to enjoy - not all condos in their building enjoy that feature - and is secure with security gate and guard at the front desk. Nice view of the Rio Tomebamba, and in walking distance to Parque Calderon, the central park square of Cuenca's El Centro, as well as new Cuenca southwards and more shops, including a Supermaxi supermarket (we're not at their walking distance level just yet, though). Walking is the thing here in Cuenca, if one wants to be healthy. Great walking city. Three bedroom, two baths, 1200 square feet (Ecuador actually uses square meters, though) for around $375USD rent per month. This does not include utilities (and wifi Internet and DirectTV are considered utilities here) or furniture (Ecuadorians don't even supply a stove or refrigerator in with a rental). When you consider the Ecuadorian "Rule of 3's and 4's" this translates to a rent of about $1200 to $1600 per month in the States. . . so comparing apples to apples this way, you can see it's not overpriced, but dollar for dollar costs so much less in Ecuador. . . a main draw for folks Stateside wanting to stretch their dollars, as we seek to do. We could rent a smaller place similar to the Crawley's and probably pay less, keeping in mind that they signed their lease a few years ago when rents were lower than they are now.
Transportation costs are way down for the Crawley's compared to things Stateside. $90 a month includes all the taxis they use to get around when not walking - for places farther away like Mall del Rio, one of the two regional malls here, and foe Leanne's volunteering at a hospital in town. . . more about that later. When Leanne volunteers, she has the chofer - driver - pick up a friend out of the way along the way to the hospital, so that kind of expense is included in the monthly expense. I can see significant savings for us here walking and taking the taxi on an as needed basis. Great! Cars are more expensive in Ecuador btw when you consider the Rule of three's and four's. Doubtful we'll buy a car here. If anything, maybe rent a car to get out of town and see the country once in a while.
Medical and Dental costs are much less than in the States. Leanne had a kidney stone procedure done here, and the staff speaks English - trained in the US, UK or Canada - and has all the modern equipment and procedures you need in a large city like Cuenca. Her imaging costs (x-rays, cat scans and the like that were done to find the kidney stone) were considerably less than what one would find in the States as well. The whole procedure and hospital stay and doctor's visits all ended up a bit north of $1000USD. Just the tests alone would cost tens of thousands of dollars in the States if I recall correctly. Carolyn Anne was quoted a dental "deep cleaning" cost of $378 by her hygienist in Palmdale. Here the cost should be a quarter or a fifth of that, and the Dentista - Dentist - does the work instead of the hygienist. Keeping a good reputation among one's clients that way. We'll check out a couple of Dentistas today and see what they say. Ecuador does have several health pland to choose from that are available to expats, and the costs of a plan - which allows you to get very good private care - is very low by US standards, especially considering the effects of Obamacare now being felt in the US. We need to check it out further, of course.
Leanne and Ken left everything in the States behind by either selling it or giving it away to their four grown children. They sold their house, too. . . cutting off any reason (save for family visits) they might have for ever coming back to the US. They are Cuencanos now, and enjoy their life here very much. Ken is fluent in Spanish, and Leanne is very capable, though not completely fluent. My Spanish is good enough to have friendly conversation with taxi drivers, hotel clerks, and restaurant waiters and staff, and even get a Claro phone rental in country. Good to very good say the Ecuadorians that volunteer that feedback to me. Neat to hear. . . Praise God for the ability to communicate in a foreign land! Carolyn Anne likewise is learning Spanish at a rapid pace and needs more practice, though she is well on our way. She needs to remember the word for question - pregunta - and stop calling this country El Salvador (it's Ecuador, of course). Slips of the tongue that take practice and patient love, which God has graciously given us first, so we may love one another.
We have diligently avoided the street vendors with their little carts of food (often unsafe for extranjeros like us) and Montezuma has had no Revenge on us to date. Healthwise we are good and good with the high altitude, too. We *LOVE* Cuenca, and are seriously thinking of moving here. The only thing we see as a downside is the dog doo doo that is on the sidewalks in the mornings occasionally. Sidewalks are swept daily and clean - it's the law here. Ken relates a downside may be what the US government may be doing after July 1, 2014 regarding financial and tangible assets which could throw a monkey wrench into moving here. Need to study up more on all this. . . not the first time I've heard this, though.
Ken also asked me if we would hire a lawyer, hire a personal assistant, or do it yourself regarding getting a Cedula, or resident visa. I think a personal assistant is the way to go. The abogados - lawyers - have been known to rip gringos off for $2000 or more all the while holding back papers for the Ecuadorian government, and not doing the job as agreed to, and going the do it yourself route means a learning curve in legal and governmental Spanish usage I'm not sure I want to tackle just yet. So personal assistant it is, then. Ken advises going to the Ecuadorian Consulate in Ecuador (the office you start with is the office you must finish with, btw) and getting in writing the requirements for our Cedulas, and keeping these important papers in a safe place. The Ecuadotian government changes the requirements all the time, even daily and depending on whom you speak with, so getting it in writing is key.
All in all, I'd have to agree with novelty song singer Joe Dolce, to wit: "It's a not so bad, it's a nice a place, aw Shaddup a you face!"
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