Short Timer!  


Sunday and I'm thinking about packing.  I don't hit the tarmac till Wednesday, but hey, I'm ready.  We all know it's nice to travel and see new lands and meet new people and cultures, but I know there's a pillow just over there on the side of a beautiful volcano that still holds the impression of my tired head.  I long for my own bed, my shower, my kitchen, my lousy cooking my Recliner!  It is time to be home.

I'm in Ecuador with the thought of possibly moving here.  There are lots of considerations before a decision like that can be made.  I've been through the process before when deciding to move to Costa Rica or not.  Needless to say that decision was made and I have never regretted it for a moment.  Why do it again?

Here are the things I have to consider and compare to Costa Rica my home.

* Cost of Living:  A couple can live a comfortable lifestyle in Cotacachi for $1,500 a month including rent payments.  It's pretty much impossible in Costa Rica now unless one chooses to live a stoic lifestyle.

* Climate:  Cotacachi is cooler than I am used to.  Daily temps are consistently 60 to 70 degrees and can go lower once in a while.  All my comparisons to Costa Rica are based on where I live in San Isidro de Grecia at about 4,000 feet altitude.  There temps run 68 to 78 pretty much every day all year.  Both have rainy seasons that last seven months or so.

*  Altitude:  Cotacachi is in the Andes mountains at about 8,000 feet.  I was not affected by the altitude.  My home in CR is at 4,000 feet.

*  Infrastructure:  Both Ecuador and Costa Rica are developing countries.  Not third world by a long shot.  Cotacachi's infrastructure seems somewhat better than Grecia.  The roads are well maintained, electrical improvements are continuing including an effort to put all electric lines under ground.  Water is not as good by a long shot as in Grecia and I'm a victim of it.

* Availability:  First world conveniences are about forty minutes away by bus.  Cotacachi has the bare essentials other than their specialty trade in leather.

* Other Expats:  Some of us need contact with the familiar even if we choose to live in the midst of a different culture.  Over the past five years or so the expat community has grown from a dozen to hundreds.  Some live in gated communities others choose to live amongst the Ecuadoreans either owning a home near the residents or renting a home or apartment near or in town.  New western style housing is under construction in and around the town in anticipation of many more expats arriving.

* Accessibility:  Cotacachi is connected to the capitol of Quito by a well maintained highway and is 1 1/2 hours away by taxi.  A taxi to the airport is about $40.

* Health Care:  Besides the nationally run socialized medical program that costs about $80 a month per person and covers everything at no extra cost including prescriptions, glasses and dental care, there are a number of private insurance options that differ in cost and coverage depending on the individuals preferences.  Cotacach has a government operated hospital that is clean and efficient, but any major issue would be referred to the modern facilities in major cities like Quito and Cuenca.

* Crime:  Cotacachi is a small town, smaller than Grecia, and has little crime compared to the bigger cities like Quito and San Jose.  However, both towns of Cotacachi and Grecia have a poor population and the crimes of burglary and theft are increasing with the increase of an expat population.

I just returned from having lunch at my favorite little hole in the wall restaurant that really doesn't have a name.  It's run by a very friendly lady that has been in Ecuador since 1975.  Besides being an encyclopedia of this little country and knowing all the shades of Cotacachi she's a wonderful cook. Her very eclectic place has about five tables, a resident dog named "Gringo" and an atmosphere of being in someones kitchen.  Today I had eggplant parmigiana and chicken cachitorre.  Half of it came home with me for later.  Having been ill for a week, I didn't get to eat at all the places in town, but many have great reputations and a couple are very upscale.  Grecia is so needing of good restaurants I don't want to think about it.

This has been a  good experience filled with enough looking around and getting to know to be able to make a good decision about moving here.  No, I have not made that decision yet.  I have other friends in Grecia that are planning a visit to Ecuador in the next few month and others that recently visited here.  I think after my friends visit to come, we'll all get together and talk about the pros and cons and maybe then I'll decide.  As of now I'm headed home to visit that dent in my pillow, renew my friendships that I have been greatly missing and maybe head to the clear waters of the Caribbean coast to recover from this vacation.

This blog has been fun for me and it has helped me focus on what I am actually doing here.  I'm sorry for the dearth of pictures but I just cannot get them to upload.  There are great videos on Youtube and tons of pictures on the web of Cotacachi and Ecuador in general.  Thanks for visiting my blog and if and when I do make a decision, you'll know as well.  Love you all.