Not long ago I found myself suffering a major sinus infection. My head was pounding and I had a cough that kept me (and my husband) awake all night...I was exhausted. Nothing I was taking over-the-counter was helping. I needed to see a doctor. Unfortunately, I was visiting the States. At the doctor’s office in Omaha, I got right in. I did the interview with the nurse about my prior health history and what my symptoms were.
My husband Dan Prescher and I were in the States for the Christmas holidays last year—the most frenetic and stressful time to visit. There’s so much pressure, so much to do, so much to spend money on…and it’s icy cold! Temperatures for a few days running while we were visiting in Omaha hovered at about 5 degrees Fahrenheit. I hate to admit this, but there were a few days when I couldn’t bring myself to leave the house. I’m no longer used to (or very tolerant of) those kinds of bone-chilling, life-threatening temperatures. And that’s not to mention that the sun depressingly slips away at 4:30 p.m. on a winter afternoon.
What’s the weather like where you are right now? And what do the upcoming months have in store for you weather-wise? Are cold northerly winds, deadly ice, and heavy, wet snow part of the forecast? (And that’s not to mention the darkness.) I used to dread winter in the U.S.—when the sun didn’t show itself until well after breakfast and then slipped away again before the afternoon rush hour traffic even thought about getting started.
Last year, at the International Living Fast-Track Ecuador Conference in Quito, Ecuador, I spent a few minutes chatting with a woman from Idaho. She and her husband (well, mostly her husband) were thinking of retiring to Ecuador. "Before I got here," she said, "I wasn't at all sure about this idea. Heck, I didn't really even know where Ecuador was...but my husband convinced me to at least come down for a look. And I owe him that." We chatted a bit about the husband/wife dynamic and about how, when you're faced with retirement, there are so many decisions, and yes, compromises, to be made.
If you're planning a trip to Ecuador, my advice is simple: Bring the biggest suitcase you can find...two if your airline will allow it. Get on the Andean Craft Trail in the Sierra region along the Avenue of the Volcanoes that cuts north to south through Ecuador. It is full of artisan treasures that you won't be able to resist. Cotacachi, the village where I live, has a main street lined with leather shops selling jackets, boots, and shoes as well as beautiful handbags and luggage. You can even have things custom-made in a few days. And everything is so much cheaper than you would pay for it in a high-end store—either in the U.S. or in Ecuador. You'll adore Cotacachi.
I'm often asked about life in Ecuador and what it might be like to live or retire here. And I'm not shy about sharing my opinion on that topic. I've lived in Ecuador off and on for 13 years now. We spent a year in Quito beginning in 2001 and returned here in 2008. So yes, I think Ecuador is one of the best places on the planet to live.The people are wonderful. For the most part, they love foreigners and will go out of their way to help us discover how to fit into their culture and life here. (And they do it all with a warm smile.) The weather is superb. I'm from Nebraska so I am used to frigid temperatures in the winter and steamy hot summers. Here in the Andes Mountains where I live, temperatures hover around 75 F every single day of the year. I don't need heat or air conditioning, keeping my monthly utility bill at about $24 every month total.
“How much does it cost to live in Ecuador?” That’s a question I hear a lot from readers. From masses of anecdotal evidence and my own experience of living here, I can safely say that a typical couple will most likely spend somewhere between $1,600 and $2,400 a month to live in Ecuador. But what you will spend depends very much on your own needs and wants.
"Won't you miss your family and friends if you move overseas?" That's a question we at IL get asked a lot, and the answer is... "Of course you will." It's something my husband Dan and I have experience of. We didn't think about it too much when we moved to Ecuador back in 2001. With the exception of Dan's mother, none of our family—my parents and our siblings—lived in the same city as we did.
"Won't you miss your family and friends if you move overseas?" That's a question we at IL get asked a lot, and the answer is... "Of course you will." It's something my husband Dan and I have experience of. We didn't think about it too much when we moved to Ecuador back in 2001. With the exception of Dan's mother, none of our family—my parents and our siblings—lived in the same city as we did.
"Won't you miss your family and friends if you move overseas?" That's a question we at IL get asked a lot, and the answer is... "Of course you will." It's something my husband Dan and I have experience of. We didn't think about it too much when we moved to Ecuador back in 2001. With the exception of Dan's mother, none of our family—my parents and our siblings—lived in the same city as we did.