By Donald Murray
On Tuesday, I will open my Ecuadorian
bank account. No big deal; just a savings account with an ATM card. So,
why am I so excited?
When we arrived in San Vicente, Ecuador
nearly 18 months ago, my wife Diane and I were as prepared as we were
able to be, which is to say: we had a lot to learn! We had done our best
to get ready for our transition, while attending to the myriad tasks
necessary when making an international move.
Yet, there was no way to learn the ropes of daily living until we got here on the ground for ourselves.
Stepping from the modern, efficient
infrastructure and technology-rich culture of the U.S. into a small town
on Ecuador's coast was just the sort of grand, life-changing experience
we wanted.
Our life immediately slowed to a very
healthy, almost sleepy pace compared to our old one. Life is simpler
here. In the small, coastal community of San Vicente where we live
across the bay from Bahia de Caraquez, farming is mostly done by hand
with donkeys to assist and fishing is most frequently done from small,
crude hand-made boats with fisherman tossing hand-tied throw nets.
In Ecuador, our stress and financial worries have melted away, too.
Our initial Ecuador budget was
established at $1,500 per month, an amount pretty tough to survive on in
the States, at least with any sort of comfort. Here on the coast, we
were able to move into a beautiful, furnished, two-bedroom, two-bathroom
condo in a low-rise, gated complex. The complex boasts two pools,
gorgeous landscaping and I can throw a rock and hit the Pacific surf.
The monthly rent for this lovely place? $450.
We've slashed our other costs living in
Ecuador, too. We buy most of our food locally at the large open market.
Fresh fruits and veggies are plentiful and inexpensive, as is the local
seafood. A week's worth of farm-fresh produce runs us around $6. Our
electric bill is $25-$30 per month. Gasoline for our very-used 4WD goes
for $1.48 per gallon and our car insurance is $65 per year...yes, that's
per year!
Our Spanish continues to improve.
Learning the names of fruits and vegetables, meat and various types of
fish happens daily as we shop. With continued practice, our
pronunciation gets better and we rely less on our charades-skills than
we used to.
I am excited about opening a bank
account because it is one more indication that we have made a life here.
My Ecuadorian driver's license is tucked into my wallet next to my
official national I.D. card, or Cedula. Our social circle includes both
Ecuadorians and expats. I know where to find the things we need and what
to ask for...in most cases. We are settled into our home and our
relaxed, comfortable life.
Our early days as expats were so
extraordinary that I collected the stories and wrote an e-book called,
"Our Ecuador Retirement...The First 8 Months." I sometimes reread
segments to measure how far we've come since then.
We are no longer just surviving; we are
thriving here on Ecuador's coast and that silly, simple bank account is
just another marker that San Vicente is truly home now.
Internationalliving.com
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