Journeyman Jack In Ecuador

Wednesday, December 31, 2014

Keith Lampe died earlier this week, in Vilcabamba, Ecuador, at the age of 83. Keith was also known as Ro-Non-So-Te, and affectionately as Pondo, short for ponderosa pine. And indeed he was strong and sturdy like a stout, towering pine tree.

I came to know Pondo
only in the last months of his life, through the agency of a mutual
friend, and then only by e-mail, though we both lived in Ecuador and had
a number of friends and acquaintances in common.

Pondo was a Korean War
veteran who subsequently took a radical turn towards peace, and spent
the last 60 years as a radical advocate for peace and environmentalism.
His commitment even extended to multiple acts of peaceful civil
disobedience that resulted in his arrest and incarceration. Pondo was
well known for his widely circulated, e-mail newsletter that dealt with a
wide variety of environmental and political issues.

Though he had been in
declining health for some time, I cannot help but feel that his
transition somehow presages great changes that lie just ahead....read more-
http://eventhorizonchronicle.blogspot.com/2014/11/the-passing-of-age-great-men-i-have.html

Sunday, December 28, 2014

Why do expats go home? Why do they seek new overseas ‘havens’? Interviews with departing and relocating expats reveal the reasons | CuencaHighLife

--"Here are comments from my interviews with those who have relocated within Ecuador.

“I thought I would like the big city
life in Quito and I did enjoy the classical concerts, the festivals, the
restaurants, and all the rest. After two years, however, I knew I
wanted a slower pace and land to grow a garden, so I moved to a farm
between Otavalo and Cotacachi.”-- C., Otavalo ...<read more> http://cuencahighlife.com/why-do-expats-go-home-why-do-they-seek-new-overseas-havens-a-long-time-expat-takes-a-hard-look-at-the-reasons-why/

Saturday, December 27, 2014

Why Ecuador?: Rumy Tola Casa #9 For Sale- Cotacachi, Ecuador

Why Ecuador?: Rumy Tola Casa #9 For Sale: This house is less than two years old! Beautiful fenced in yard with lots of fruit and ornamental trees and plants. Approximately 200 squa...

...We love this house and would gladly keep it and continue to live in it.
However, we have decided that for our children's education and our
careers we need to return to the United States. We are offering this
house for sale by owner in order to avoid paying a commission. This
allows us to price the house lower than other similar houses on the
market and share that savings with the buyer as well...<read more> http://www.why-ecuador.com/p/blog-page_30.html

Friday, December 26, 2014

Christmas Confessions… Ecuador 2014

Bless Me Father, For I’m About To Sin

Ecuador 2014

Part One (Jack and Paula)

We’ve decided to leave the country and retire in South America. It’s the place that seems to be the most affordable.

Dammit, I thought there would be more in our savings account, but things didn’t work out like I had hoped.

The equity in our home is gone. Not sure if there is even enough value in the property to pay the realtor fees.

We could just walk away. I hear of people doing that all the time.

Our retirement savings is just a smidge over $20,000.

I think by selling all the furniture, we could afford the airline tickets without touching the savings.

We don’t show enough income for a residency Visa… Our Social Security is all we have, and it’s off the mark by $32...<read more> http://www.ecuadorgeorge.com/ecuador-2014/#comment-168221

Expat Family: "All Together Now"

Expat Family: "All Together Now": Our last week before Elizabeth arrived was busy, but Christopher and I had a lot of fun. We managed to get some Skype time in with Elizabet...

Monday, December 1, 2014

Why Retiree Expats Adore Ecuador- MSN Money 26 NOV 2014

Why Retiree Expats Adore Ecuador- by Amy Fontinelle-
MSN Money 26 NOV 2014

Do you have less money saved for retirement than you’d hoped? Is your pension or Social Security check too small for you to live out your retirement years comfortably in the United States? Or maybe you have saved enough, but want to do something more exotic than strolling the back nine in your newfound free time.

In Ecuador, your money will stretch much further – perhaps even allowing you to afford things that would be considered luxuries in the United States –....

....The Realities of Life in a Developing Nation- When doing your research on whether to move to Ecuador, seek out the negative reports as well as the positive ones to get a more complete picture of the new life you’re considering. A good source of information from an American who knows Ecuador well is the book “100 Points to Consider Before Moving or Retiring in Ecuador” by Nicholas Crowder.: http://www.amazon.com/Points-Consider-Before-Retiring-Ecuador-ebook/dp/B00DZTZ4HC

The Bottom Line
Ecuador offers retirees a scenic backdrop, low cost of living and beautiful weather. It also has English-speaking expat communities, World Heritage sites, Amazon rainforests and miles of beaches. If you’re not on a tight budget, you can upgrade your lifestyle; if you are, you can stretch your dollars much further.

To enjoy retiring in Ecuador, you’ll need to have patience and a sense of adventure to overcome the culture shock and frustrations that can accompany life in a different and developing nation where you perhaps don’t speak the language. But plenty of American expats will attest that retiring in Ecuador is one of the best decisions they’ve ever made.

For more on retiring in another country, read Plan Your Retirement Abroad, Things To Consider Before Retiring Abroad and What Does Retirement Abroad Cost?
<read more, original link>...http://www.msn.com/en-ca/money/topstories/why-retiree-expats-adore-ecuador/ar-BBg3AFN

Sunday, November 30, 2014

"14 Reasons Why You Should Never Leave the US"- & come to EC. 26 NOV 2014

November 26, 2014 by Peter Simon

Out of 308 million citizens in the United States of America, only 30% have passports. Other nationalities frequently explore different lands and cultures for business or pleasure. They consider global travel to be an enlightening, enriching, horizon-expanding pastime, where getting out of one’s comfort zone is part of the adventure. So why do the majority of Americans prefer to stay on home turf? Well, if you talk to some of these folks, there are all sorts of justifications and rationalizations for this. Here are 14 reasons why you should never leave the US.

1. There’s Foreigners Out There-

If you listen to the politicians and the news, you know these foreigners are all jealous of our freedom and liberty. You can’t trust anyone who hasn’t been raised to worship the stars and stripes. Reason enough to stay on US soil.

2. Some of the Foreigners are Muslims-

Everyone knows they’re all out to get us. The mainstream media is kind enough to keep us informed of this fact day in and day out. Don’t make yourself an easy target. Stay back where Homeland Security can keep you safe.

3. Not Everyone has Bothered to Learn English Yet-

It seems that in a large part of the world the local population hasn’t bothered to learn English yet. What if you wanted to order a burger and fries? Their language barrier could cause all sorts of problems for you.