12 countries in 12 years

Thursday, July 30, 2015

Reminiscing about Our Life in Cuenca Ecuador: Our Chapters

Everyone who moves to Cuenca has their own chapters to write or tell. For us the story goes something like this. We moved to Cuenca and everything was great; everyone was super nice; and nothing really ever bothered us, not even the smog seemed to bother us, much.  It was only after we had been living in Cuenca for awhile in the second chapter of our lives that we began noticing the environment we live in and how it affects our lives. 



Chapter 1 – 3 Months to 1 Year:
 


Culture Surprise: I wouldn’t say we had “shock” but we had lots of surprises when we first got here. Like men peeing right in front of you, or three people riding on a motorcycle, or pedestrians not having the right of way, or huge cow pies on the sidewalks, and many sickly, stray dogs roaming the streets; drunks sleeping it off in nice Cuenca areas; tall cement walls surrounding homes, topped off with electric wiring; noisy music, parties, and firecrackers whenever; and guards standing outside businesses with sawed off shot guns; etc, etc. Surprise, surprise.
 


Doing Errands: When we went out we’d kid with each other saying, “I wonder how many things on our “to do” list we’re going to get done today? A good day was getting a least one thing done, a REALLY good day was accomplishing two things on our list, and an amazing day was completing three errands. Why? Well mostly because of schedule differences with the local business community, or because of circumstances changing on that day, or people not showing up, or just because things are done VERY different here. You’ll see when you get here...lol


Processing Paperwork: It’s funny how when it is all over you stand back and laugh about it, but when you are going through it, it somehow is not that funny. 




Just to give you a hint of what processing paperwork is like here: how many times can you hand over the same paperwork for five people in a given month? How about four times, will that work for you?  Instead of telling you all on the same day that “This needs changed, we need this document for that person, and this sentence needs to read clearer and this needs translated…"; they will only tell you one thing your paperwork needs and then the next time you go in, they’ll let you know one more thing, and well, by this time days, weeks, even months have passed...and there is new immigration laws, and you need one more piece of paperwork from the states… In a hurry does not compute in Latin Land so, do not be in a hurry... I guess you'll see when you get here...lol
 


For the first year or so, the newness of everything about living abroad kept us in a euphoric type existence. “What’s the hurry anyway”? And that’s the attitude you have to have if you move here. Everything gets done eventually anyway, just not USA PRONTO, PRONTO!
 


Chapter one was good for us and it was a good learning experience. It was a fun and exciting time as we did all of the local festivals, events and foods, except for cuy; we simply have not had any curiosity about eating pets. We gobbled down lots of fattening and unhealthy but delicious pastries from the many bakeries; we have gotten to know many Ecuadorians on a personal level, learned Spanish, and have got acquainted with the public transportation, local businesses, the weather and local culture and customs, providing us with the familiarity we needed to make a more profound decision to stay or not to stay.  As you know, here we are. 
 


Chapter 2 – One to Two Years



After a year or two, you begin to notice more than just the surprising cultural things but some things that could make you want to leave, or stay in this place they call best retirement country in the world.
 


Here's something to think about: it’s funny because the environment hasn’t changed, the smog levels have not changed, the efficiency has not changed too much, the drivers and traffic has not changed BUT YOUR PERCEPTION about these things has changed!! 
 


Before, you didn’t care or didn’t notice, but in chapter two some of these things might start to annoy you, especially if you start getting sick, or get robbed too many times, get ran over by a car, or haven’t learned the language, etc, etc…you may wonder, “Why am I here?” This is only for some people, mind you, because not everybody is the same. We’re still here because we have accepted what is.


You may have to get out a piece of paper and write down the advantages and disadvantages of living abroad to put everything into perspective. Understand “nowhere on earth is paradise”.  I realize that may sound really cliché but there is so much truth in this statement that it must be said again.
 


Personal Safety: Here’s another funny one that happened to us in our second chapter of living in Cuenca.  After almost two years of living in Cuenca was the only time we were ever pick-pocketed in our entire lives. Who gets pick-pocketed in the USA?  Yes, it can and does happen in certain areas of the U.S, such as heavily populated airports or train stations, concerts and touristy destinations, but the likelihood of it actually happening in comparison to Ecuador is almost zilch.  In fact, plan on getting pick-pocketed in Ecuador unless you take the necessary precautions not to.
 


We wrote numerous articles explaining to our readers “how not to get pick pocketed” but we still got pick pocketed because of our carelessness; we broke our own safety guidelines that we wrote about!  Can you believe it? You can read about it here.
 


Most people who get pick-pocketed or purse snatched, are still in chapter one phase of their moving abroad experience; meaning they just do not exhibit the awareness they need to have in developing countries. It is not just about crime either. It’s not uncommon to be taken advantage of in other areas of our life and that is why you not only just need “eye awareness” but “trust awareness” and “understanding awareness” and finally “knowledge awareness” about how things work in a foreign land because they all sum up to discernment and diligence. Without them you are a naïve duck in a pond full of piranhas.  
 


The second chapter of our lives in Cuenca was the time when we learned to speak Spanish pretty well, we knew what to expect in most interactions and situations with the local folks, we knew how to get to anywhere we needed to go, we knew where we liked to eat, what bus to take anywhere we needed to go, and simply understanding the basics of how life works in Ecuador.  It all must still be great because after two years we stayed. One thing though, we have learned to avoid the real smoggy streets as much as possible, for now.
 


Chapter 3 – Four Years Plus



We’re living in this chapter right now and we have settled in and feel that Cuenca is our home. Cuenca has one drawback that we have not been able to adapt, however, and that’s the smog; everything else is small potatoes compared to this one downside about living in Cuenca. In fact, most things about living in Cuenca are wonderful aspects of life you wouldn’t have or get in the U.S.  We have so much to reminisce about that is great in Cuenca, but we'll save it for another day.
 


When Frank and I went to Panama recently, after about 3-days we realized all over again what we love about Cuenca are the things that originally led us to Cuenca, Ecuador in the first place! Actually in our hearts we knew it all along, but sometimes for it to “sink in” you have to leave it for a bit, or in our case, travel somewhere else to see the things we might “take for granted”.  Panama does not have the abundance of fresh, healthy foods at reasonable prices. Grocery store shopping in Panama is just like shopping at Safeway in the U.S – no, make that the highest priced stores in the u.s. and we left that four years ago. No thanks!
 


To have a great landing and find out more about the culture in Ecuador with a digital friend that acts like your best friend, get the DIY Cuenca Landing Guide.



 If you liked this article, we really think you will like these too!


We're an Expat Family of Five, Living Frugal, Healthy and Happy Abroad. We live in Cuenca, Ecuador and travel the Ecuador coast whenever we get a chance. We just adventured throughout the country of Panama for five weeks! Come along and enjoy some of our experiences with us!

Wednesday, July 29, 2015

Pretty Coronado Beach - Located 1 Hour (by car) from Panama City, Panama

Frank and I went to Coronado Beach by bus which takes about 2 hours from Panama City. Go to the main Albrook Bus Terminal and tell one of the attendants working there you want to go to Coronado and he'll get you on the right bus. The buses are over-sized vans and make a lot of stops along the way but the views are nice and you get to see many towns along the way. The buses do have air conditioning.



Coronado Beach (the one in this video) is a private beach and is about two miles from the main plaza where Super99 Grocery is. We saw several expat couples shopping in the store, btw. You can hail a taxi to take you the few miles it is to the beach. When you get there you'll see a guard's post and he may or may not ask for your ID...better to have it on you just in case. 



The beach was pretty with lovely fine sand but the tide (at least on the day we were there) was too strong. It gets deep real fast and there was a very strong current, wanting to pull us out.



We spent several hours basking on the beach and just wading in the ocean and during that time we saw two different people walk around the point to go swimming, so there might be a better swimming beach around the point. 



                      


We're an Expat Family of Five, Living Frugal, Healthy and Happy Abroad. We live in Cuenca, Ecuador and travel the Ecuador coast whenever we get a chance. We just adventured throughout the country of Panama for five weeks! Come along and enjoy some of our experiences with us!

Monday, July 27, 2015

5 Things We Missed the Most about Cuenca Ecuador When We Traveled to Panama

This is the five things we missed about Cuenca when we traveled to Panama recently. 


1. Abundance of fresh, clean food, namely fruits and vegetables! This aspect of life in Cuenca Ecuador is important to us because eating healthy keeps us healthy and feeling good.  It seems there is no other place we’ve ever been that has so much abundance of fresh (free of GMO) food at affordable prices!
 


2. Locally Grown and Prepared (ECUADOR) Food Brands. After spending five weeks in Panama we were ready to come back home to Cuenca and start eating again.  Of course, I am exaggerating just a bit, but healthy type foods were so high priced in Panama and other food so scarce or not found at all, that our whole diet changed for the five weeks we traveled in Panama. 


And it doesn’t take a rocket scientist to figure out that since the USA is Panama’s main food supplier then much of Panama’s food source/supply is also fake-food, or better known as “genetically modified organism’s (GMO) that wreck havoc on health.
 



In Panama they call GMO "transgenic foods", which basically means gene transformation of the foods. For anyone who cares anything about their health and how they eat, it is a BIG disappointment, especially if one is thinking about moving there.



To find out more about GMO in Panama’s food chain, click here.
 


GMO stands for Genetically Modified Organism. These are plant or meat products that have had their DNA artificially altered by genes from other plants, animals, viruses, or bacteria, in order to produce foreign compounds in that food. These genetic alterations occur in a laboratory and are not found in nature. 



It is important to understand what is happening in the world, so we can make better / smarter food choices in our lives, I think our health depends on it.



3. Health Food Stores – In Cuenca health food stores (naturistas) abound everywhere. You can walk into a shop and buy herbs, tinctures, healthy natural foods, health products, vitamins, and other health type foodstuffs. In Panama we did not see one health food store and we traveled the entire country!  



And we do not call GNC vitamin store a health food store for many obvious reasons but that is what is in Panama.  We don’t live in Panama so this is not a complaint but a reliable source of pertinent information that some people thinking of retiring there will want to know.
 


We think there are some great aspects to love about Panama, but reasonably priced, abundant produce and natural type foods is not one of them.
 


4. Healthy Food products such as FRESH HERBS - In Ecuadorian Mercados you are able to find and buy numerous different types of fresh herbs grown locally.  When you see fresh basil, dill, oregano, sage, etc in the grocery stores, it is freshly picked locally in Ecuador.
 


Frank loves pesto, but only a few stores sold fresh basil in Panama City; the store we first bought it from was out of fresh basil for three weeks. We kept going back but they did not replenish the shelves. Finally the last week we were in Panama City, Panama they had fresh basil, which by the way, costs three times as much as in Ecuador…oddly basil loves the weather in Panama so why the cost so high if it grows there? It’s difficult to understand, when something is produced locally, why so much?
 


5. Not Needing to Have a Car – Once you go outside of Panama City, it is spread out just like the USA and you will need a car. That is if you do not live right inside the city center area.  The other thing about that is, Panama is sizzling hot and you do not want to be out walking in the midday sun. 



Yes, you can live in Panama City and take public transportation everywhere and that’s fine, but the cost of living is very high in PC. In other towns of Panama such as David, Chitre, or Padasi, the buses are just oversized vans and if you are tall and have to stand up, which happens often, we don't fit in them, we're too tall! More about this later.
 


In Cuenca we find that we walk more than ride the buses or take taxis because everything you need is within walking (1 to 4 miles) distance. We have truly enjoyed so much about not owning a car that we’d never willingly go back to owning one again.
 


Although these are our five things we really missed when we traveled away from Cuenca, there is a lot more to appreciate about living in Cuenca Ecuador. Maybe someone else would like to add their thoughts in the comments below. Until we write again...



We're an Expat Family of Five, Living Frugal, Healthy and
Happy Abroad. We live in Cuenca, Ecuador and travel the Ecuador coast
whenever we get a chance. We just adventured throughout the country
of Panama for five weeks! Come along and enjoy some of our experiences
with us!  

Saturday, July 25, 2015

Rewarding Encounter with Local Panamanian in Casco Antigua - Panama City, Panama

We had an interesting encounter with a local Panamanian while walking around in Casco Viejo neighborhood of Panama City, Panama. Meet Conrad.

                         


We're an Expat Family of Five, Living Frugal, Healthy and Happy Abroad. We live in Cuenca and we travel the Ecuador coast whenever we get a chance and we just adventured throughout the country of Panama for five weeks! Come along and enjoy some of our experiences with us! 

Thursday, July 23, 2015

Are Mainstream Retirees Adopting a Foreign Persona When Moving Abroad?

Some people move to Cuenca Ecuador or any other foreign retirement destination and they become different people; for the first 6-months to a year, they seem to behave in ways that is not normally understood "back home".   Behaving “out of one’s normal character” when moving to a foreign land could only mean one thing; they have adopted a "new persona".
 


Being a "new persona" could be alright when we’re a visitor or guest because everything is wonderful; the people, the food, the culture, the laid-back slowness of everything, even the traffic, noise, or smog seems almost unnoticeable, who cares, right?  Everyone becomes enchanted with their new paradise; no one is immune to it.
 


However, once we are permanently living in a place AS A RESIDENT that means we are no longer a guest or a visitor; it means we are not on vacation anymore; it means we’ll need to interact on a daily basis with the local community and businesses, and go out into the environment to buy groceries, take a taxi, go to the bank, or enjoy a local event, dine out for a meal; you know, the usual mundane parts of life...it is only after around the 6-month mark most people begin to notice the world around them once again and let go of the new persona they adopted when they first got here.


In Cuenca Ecuador we are personal and up close to this; we see how enchanted newcomers can get and some of them have been here longer than one year.
 


1.  Socializing with our Next Door Neighbors - Because we’re new to an area, we think we want to go spend our days socializing with our next door neighbors. 



For instance, when we first moved here, our Ecuadorian next door neighbors would often invite us over for events they were hosting; they were very friendly and kind and really curious about us. At the same time we were also curious about the local culture and customs. For the first three months of living here, we got to know them and they got to know us. Early on we realized that these particular Ecuadorian neighbors liked to drink too much and they pushed the drinks, and so we had to stop going there. 



We’re still friendly with each other in passing-by but with our different values and lifestyles, we could never be very good friends with them and we certainly would not want to go “plant ourselves on their front porch” as they probably think we’re boring people for not enjoying a drink with them.
 


If we do not know someone very well we believe, or perhaps we “hope” we can be really good friends, especially when we’re the foreigner in a new city.  Newcomers want to feel as if they “belong” to the community. But many times, once we get to know someone on a more personal level we realize that we have absolutely nothing in common.  No matter where in the world we choose to live, we still must choose our friends wisely.
 


As foreigners, our only responsibility to the local population is to be respectful, and not “overly friendly” or “overly anything else”.
 


2. We Behave TOO Trusting.  For some reason our "new persona" tells us that we can trust all the people in the new land we retired in because we're the foreigner.  Here’s several ways we might behave too trusting.



A. We allow anyone into our home.  Of course we understand things need repaired and Internet installed, however when service techs and repairmen come into your home, it is a good idea to move out of eye view anything of value, if possible. Out of sight out of mind does work; its amazing.
 


As far as allowing strangers into our home, we have to be discerning.  What would you do if you were back home and a stranger rang your doorbell? The rule for us is: if we don’t know you, we aren’t going to let you into our home, or open the gate!
 


B. We hire anyone off the street, without references or credentials? In N. America this trusting behavior is unheard of. But abroad it happens all the time?
 


C. We sign contracts and agreements we do not understand and in languages we cannot read. This is a common occurrence in foreign lands.
 


D. We believe everything we are told.  When we first moved here, we believed what many of the people said, only to find out that some of them we’re lying to us! For instance, we believed a real estate agent about a rental house with only a built-in stove top when she said, “Yes the owner will add a built-in oven to the rental home”.  We even asked her again to make sure this was going to get done. Well, wouldn’t you know it; the landlord didn’t want to add the oven, so we decided not to take the rental. When we asked for the deposit money back, she wouldn’t give it.  We asked her three times for the deposit money, but she would not budge.  She is one of the few real estate agents we quit bringing business to because of the unethical practices.



E. We get pick-pocketed - Part of our new persona is the fact that we are not aware of our surroundings like we should be because after all, we're enjoying the beauty of the new place we are in, or we are concentrating on something else that takes our attention from the thieves who are eying us out....and oops, there goes our cell, iphone, purse, etc, you name it. 



F. Some of us enter into business relationships without truly knowing the person.  Sometimes we can’t always know a person too well before entering into a business agreement, such as signing rental leases; in those cases you absolutely NEED to hire someone you can trust to help you, especially if you do not speak the language well.



These are all aspects of being too trusting and allowing naivety to
control us because we’re outside of our "usual persona".




3.  We give overblown praise and flattery. One thing that is readily apparent is how some of us over-flatter or exaggerate our feelings with the locals.  It is way over-done. We see a lot of this on public forums, blogs and websites because the poster wants to be noted for being the perfect foreigner to the local population; and that’s fine as long as it is genuine.
 


I don’t know about you but in the states people do not act like that to anyone, unless of course they want something.  So it seems to us, when we see it going on here, it seems a bit contrary, inconsistent and usually way overdone.
 


All of the above scenarios happen daily in countries where unsuspecting foreigners reside.  Truly, most of us wouldn’t act like this if we were still living in N. America but the enchantment that believing we're in the "paradise"  of “name your city” makes us behave off our normal guard most of the time.
 


Back home we’re on guard; we check every single credential and reference before we hire someone or allow them into our home. But here in Cuenca the "paradise enchantment" has overtaken us for about 6-months to a year. Only when the spell wears off do we begin to tell others about some of the negative encounters we have had while living abroad. “Name your country”.
 


Disclaimer:  Most Ecuadorians can be trusted; but it does seem some of the ones that are dishonest, unethical, or not to be trusted are the ones that work with foreigners in some capacity.  We’re just saying to take heed and get to know someone well before allowing them into your private life. When you find one you can trust COMPLETELY, treat them well because you have found a gem that is worth keeping.





We're an Expat Family of Five, Living Frugal, Healthy and Happy in Cuenca Ecuador! We travel the Ecuador coast often and we recently spent five weeks adventuring off the beaten path Panama. Enjoy the Discover Cuenca Ecuador blog!

Cuenca Modern Town House 200M (2,152') 4-Bed/3.5-Baths

Cuenca Modern Town House 200M (2,152') 
4 bedrooms and 3.5 baths.  

Town home is located in private gated community. The first floor has a big living room and dining room with access to the patio and garden area; also on the first floor is the kitchen and guest bathroom and a laundry area. The home has nice finishes and is bright.  

living room area
Second floor has a big master bedroom with walk-in closets and bathroom ensuite (bath tub). Also on floor two is 2 more bedrooms with built-in closets and full bathroom.
 

Third floor has 1 large bedroom and bathroom, plus storage space. 
 

Outside area has covered parking for one car and more storage space. The house is fitted with a whole house alarm system, phone line and ready for cable; just need to call them out. 

This Cuenca home is located in a super location near Avenida las Americas, grocery shopping (Coral Centro) and bus line. Monthly rent is (Asking price) $350 plus $20 for condo fees. 
*****

Large 200M (2,152') Cuenca Apartment 3/2

This nice four year old apartment is all on one level (no stairs) and is comprised of kitchen, laundry, green area, living room/dining room, master bedroom with bath and two more bedrooms and full bath. Bedrooms all have built-in closets.  The apartment comes with one parking space. Near to shopping and bus line. Asking price $370 per month!

These are the best value rental options in Cuenca today and they are available now.  Take a look at our Assistance Packages and choose the one that fits your needs; and we'll provide the priceless protection for your smooth transition abroad from Gringo Good Samaritans. http://www.gringogoodsamaritans.com

Tuesday, July 21, 2015

Main Bus Terminal in Panama City, Panama: Albrook Bus Terminal

When you get off the subway, you then go up the escalator to the overpass. The overpass goes into a huge bus terminal (looks like a mall) that is in the video below. To get to the Albrook Mall from the Albrook Bus Terminal,
you then walk up the stairs and walk over another overpass and there's
an entrance to the biggest mall in Central America, Albrook Shopping
Mall.




                     




We're an Expat Family of Five, Living Frugal, Healthy and Happy in Cuenca Ecuador! Enjoy the Discover Cuenca Ecuador blog!

Sunday, July 19, 2015

7 Ways to Keep Your Home Safe & Secure When Renting Abroad

Note: this article does not apply to detached homes in a gated community with a guard 24/7 at the gate.
 


In developing countries detached homes can be more at risk for robberies and home invasions. Detached homes are much easier for the thieves to scale the wall and crawl through your window or lock-pick the door.  Some thieves, if they know they’re going to get something of value, will go to a lot of trouble to get inside your yard or home.
 


1. Whole House Alarm – Turning on the home alarm when you leave is something you WILL NEED to do, not something you should do. If thieves know you’re gone, even for a few hours, they will try and break in.
 


2. Electric Wiring or Motion Detection w/lights – A thief is going to have a difficult time scaling your wall if it is topped off with electric fencing. But if you do not have electric fence, the next best thing is motion detection. If you’re home in bed sleeping and the thief happens to get inside the gate or wall, you will need to have motion detection to scare them away. You want to make the thief aware someone is up in the house and hopefully they’ll scurry away with none of your things.
 


3. Tall Walls Surrounding whole House, preferably non-see-through - If you do not have a tall wall surrounding the home, you might as well say, “Come rob me”!  People are funny creatures; they think things won't happen to them, only other people. But things happen to everyone; you better believe it!
 


4. Locked Door upon Entering Yard Area - If you have the electric fencing than they might try to get in through the door or gate; make sure it is locked up tight. Never, ever leave your gate or door to your property unlocked or left open, even for a few minutes, or you’ll be asking for trouble. And do not allow strangers into your home or yard. Talk to them on the phone inside your home or through the gate.
 


5. Home like Everyone Else’s in the Neighborhood – If you have the nicest home in the neighborhood, then well, it is expected the thieves will think you have better and more valuable things inside your home too. It’s not our job to know what the thief is thinking; it is our job to keep our home safe. Let the Ecuadorians have the nicest home in the neighborhood; a modest home in an exclusively Ecuadorian neighborhood is what the foreigner needs!
 


6. Have a Low-Profile Attitude - Do not share your private Information with anyone, that includes letting workers into your home that will enjoy discussing your belongings with 'other people'.
 


7. Nothing of Value in Sight in the Yard, Carport, or Garage – We’ve said it before and we’ll keep saying it. Do not have anything of value in your yard that people can just walk by and see.
 


If you live in a developing Latin American country these are the safety measures that they do and that means it is the safety measures that we also should adhere to. Some of these safety measures are things that hopefully you would have been doing back home as well.  No one is immune to becoming the next home invasion victim, no matter where in the world we may live!

We're an Expat Family of Five, Living Frugal, Healthy and Happy in Cuenca Ecuador! Enjoy the Discover Cuenca Ecuador blog!

Friday, July 17, 2015

Spacious 4/3 Apt. W/Views & Terraza in Cuenca Ecuador for $350! Expat Rental Assistance

Steve and his wife like their spacious, new apartment which is located in a great Cuenca neighborhood.  Watch the video to see this apartment and listen to Steve talk about his experience with Gringo Good Samaritans. 
                      

Take a look at our Assistance Packages and choose the one that fits your needs; and we'll provide the priceless protection for your smooth transition abroad from Gringo Good Samaritans.

Cuenca Ecuador Expat Rental Assistance: Spacious 4/3 Apt W/Views & Terraza

Steve and his wife like their new apartment in Cuenca Ecuador. The apartment is spacious, new, with views and located in a nice quiet Cuenca neighborhood. What more could you ask for? In this video Steve talks a little bit about his experience with using Gringo Good Samaritans - Expat Rental Assistance. 


                        



We're an Expat Family of Five, Living Frugal, Healthy and Happy in Cuenca Ecuador! Enjoy the Discover Cuenca Ecuador blog!

Tuesday, July 14, 2015

Inside the Biggest Mall in Panama City - Albrook Shopping Mall

This is the Albrook Shopping Mall in Panama City, Panama; it is the largest mall in Panama! Albrook has some really great discount stores that amazed us. Usually malls have the reputation of being expensive but this mall has some great shopping and we'll show you in an upcoming video. 

                     


We're an Expat Family of Five, Living Frugal, Healthy and Happy in Cuenca Ecuador! Enjoy the Discover Cuenca Ecuador blog!

Monday, July 13, 2015

Great Rental Options Available Today in Cuenca!

Cuenca: Almost New 3 bedroom apartment (1,200 sq ft) off of Ordenz Lasso ONLY $200!  It has one full bathroom. Great for a single person or a couple who doesn't mind sharing bathroom. Wow, the price cannot be beat on this apartment. It has a patio and is right on the bus line in a desirable location in west Cuenca.
             ************************
NEW Duplex Apartment (contemporary style). Located on the outskirts of Cuenca- 1,100 square foot 3/2 granite counter tops in the kitchen. Nice finishes throughout. Little green area. Everything is clean and new throughout this apartment. Asking $250!
            *************************
These apartments are available now. Take a look at our Assistance Packages and choose the one that fits your needs; and we'll provide the priceless protection for your smooth transition abroad from Gringo Good Samaritans. http://www.gringogoodsamaritans.com

Sunday, July 12, 2015

Under the Cuenca Ecuador Spell?

Are you under the "Best place to retire abroad" spell?
 


Let’s see….
 




It’s close to midnight, and something’s bugging you in the dark
 




Under the moon light you feel a sight that almost stops your heart
 




You try to scream but luxurious pictures take the sound before you make it
 




You start to freeze as crafty copy looks you right between the eyes
 




You’re paralyzed
 




Cuz this is dream night
 




Greener  night
 




And no one’s gonna save you from the clock about to strike
 




You know its Greener, Dreamer  night
 




You’re fighting for your Mind inside a dreamer, greener tonight
 




OOOHHH
 




You hear the door slam and realize that your wife is rolling her eyes
 




You feel the siren pulling and wonder if it’s all green grass abroad
 




You close your eyes and hope that this is just imagination
 




But all the while you wish your life was better anyway
 




You’re out of time
 




Cuz this is your retirement dream,   Dreamer night
 




There ain’t no second chance against the grim reaper
 




You know its Dreamer,   Greener night
 




You’re fighting for your life inside a greener, dreamer tonight
 




OOOHHH
 




There’s no escaping the jaws of father clock (they’re open wide)
 




This is the end of your life
 




They’re out to get you there’s emails closing in on every side
 




They will possess you unless you change that email address now
 




Now is the time for you and I to reason together
 




All through the while we’ll save you from the sizzle on the screen
 




We’ll let you see
 




That this is greener   Dreamer night
 




Cuz we can reason together more than any sales pitch would ever dare try
 




So let us hold your vision and share a reality check tonight
 




Cuz this is Dreamer 
 




Darkness falls across the land the midnight hour is close at hand
 




Sales pieces crawl in search of retirees to suck you into their daily breeze
 




And whosoever shall be found that dares tread clearly must stand and face the retirement wizard
 




And rot inside their solitude
 




The crafty copy is in the air the funk of 30 traveling years
 




And grizzly goblins from your home town are closing in to seal your doom
 




And though you fight to understand your mind and body start to shiver
 




For no mere mortal can resist the greenest lure of foreign lands
 




AHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA……………
 


We're an Expat Family of Five, Living Frugal, Healthy and Happy in Cuenca Ecuador! Enjoy the Discover Cuenca Ecuador blog!

Friday, July 10, 2015

Drama in Panama: Fire Alert, Hotel Evacuated, Frank on Panama News

When we were running to the stairs there was so much smoke filling into our lungs with every step we took, for a split second I was wondering if there was any stairs to go down, or were they burnt already. SCARY! I was in shock for about the first 30-seconds of me talking in the video. You can hear my voice shaking.

                       


We're an Expat Family of Five, Living Frugal, Healthy and Happy in Cuenca Ecuador! Enjoy the Discover Cuenca Ecuador blog!

Wednesday, July 8, 2015

Taking a Taxi Panama City, Panama (2015) Video 1.

One way to see a city is by taxi; it's safe hanging your camera out the window taping all the sights and sounds of the city. This particular video is going about 2.5 miles from one neighborhood to the other. Taxis in the city of Panama usually range anywhere between $2.50 and $4.

                     




We're an Expat Family of Five, Living Frugal, Healthy and Happy in Cuenca Ecuador! Enjoy the Discover Cuenca Ecuador blog!

Tuesday, July 7, 2015

Modern Apt. Quito Ecuador AND Furnished House in Santa Isabel, Azuay Available Today!

Modern, clean 3 bed, 2.5 apartment in QUITO ECUADOR! Asking price is $450, includes the condo fees. The apartment comes with two parking spaces in the parking garage under the building.  Centralized gas throughout the apartment. Curtains throughout and phone line installed. All three bedrooms have built-in closets as you see in the photo. Master with ensuite bath. Supermaxi Plaza one block away from this apartment.



Santa Isabel, Azuay Ecuador - 40 miles south of Cuenca!
Big Modern FURNISHED House with BIG Terreno in Santa Isabel. The house is 250M with 3 bedrooms and 4 bathrooms. Totally Furnished with unique pieces of furniture. Asking price is $500.  The property boasts 450M of green space for the pet(s). Santa isabel is a bit warmer than Cuenca and is located about 60Kilometers from Cuenca, which is about 40 miles south of Cuenca. 
We're finding some great deals today! Interested in these rentals? Let us know; they are available now. We scout and negotiate, working to find you the best rental deals in Ecuador. 

Take a look at our Assistance Packages and choose the one that fits your needs; and we'll provide the priceless protection for your smooth transition abroad from Gringo Good Samaritans. http://www.gringogoodsamaritans.com

Monday, July 6, 2015

Foreign Cops, Bribes, and Police Corruption When Living Abroad

In this article we explore a different side of this issue that curiously seems to be absent in the blogosphere and forums most of the time.  Brace yourselves.
 


Headlines read, “Tourists Paying Off Corrupt Traffic Cop in Panama” and “My Experience Giving Bribe Money to a Corrupt Police Officer in Panama City”.




DAVID, PANAMA





Well guess what?  Nine times out of ten the driver actually violated a traffic law.  Hm? Aren’t you initiating a confrontation when you break a traffic law?  How is it that gringos always put all the blame on the foreign policeman?  What about observing foreign traffic laws?  Interesting how you never see this issue come up when you read about ‘corrupt cops’ in foreign countries.  The blog post usually starts out with “I got pulled over for speeding in Panama and…”
 


What would happen if “rich” foreigners started showing up in the u.s. and upon breaking a traffic law and being pulled over they waved a week’s pay, a $1000 bill in front of the cop?  Eventually the word would get out: rich foreigners want to give us money!
 


A $100 dollar bill is a week’s pay in Ecuador and many South and Central American countries and isn’t chump change in Panama either.  Not only that but it’s a really curious fact that traffic fine amounts have increased exponentially in some foreign countries where lots of congregating gringos over pay on traffic bribes/fines.  
 


In Panama a simple seat belt “violation” fine is almost the equivalent of a month’s wage for a Panamanian wage earner.  How did that happen?  Can you imagine a $3000 fine in the u.s. for seat belt? And while the foreigner snickers it’s the lower local earners that always get the short end of the stick.
 


I’ve personally met a few gringos that payed a $100 bribe on a $20 infraction just out of fear.  Fear because they don’t speak the language, fear of becoming embroiled, fear of… How many $100 foreign bribes will it take for that ticket to go from $20 to $300?
 


So then it appears that “not paying a bribe” is a red herring solution most talked about on blogs and forums.  The real issue appears to be foreigners breaking foreign traffic laws, and then overpaying on bribes. Culture clash anyone?  (rule of three and four)
 


And the reason they break these traffic laws in the first place, in many cases but certainly not all, appears to be an general attitude that the fines are “cheap compared to back home, so who cares, speed to your heart’s content”.  Where have we seen this attitude before regarding price comparisons? Why stop at traffic fines?
 


Now if foreigners were being targeted, that is, no traffic laws are broken, no infractions, no disrupting the peace, or any real issue and yet a foreign policeman stops you with an implied threat of making up an infraction if he doesn’t get a bribe, now that’s a fish of a different color!  But that’s not usually what you see being written about in Panama! 



All of a sudden going to the government office and paying the fines solves everything?  If that was the case, then why all these north Americans leaving their own country and one of the reasons is? Nanny state, big government and intimidating aggressive police presence with ever increasing reports of citizen abuses.  If you’re honest you’ll admit it.  What?  Aren’t Americans paying their fines directly to the magistrates’ offices? And yet, they still have the above mentioned problems? 
 


This article should not be construed as condoning behavior that is illegal in any country. We do not condone illegal behavior anywhere. Rather it is taking the other side and addressing all the facts at hand. 
 


Another curious thing we’ve noticed over the years about this general issue is N. Americans when they get to a foreign country and how they automatically think they know how the place should be governed.  Now, if that’s not a contradiction I don’t know what is.  People coming from a messed up country acting like they know best when they get to a new country.  Funny.
 


Well wasn’t it in the ancient writings that the apostles started arguing among themselves on what seats they were going to take in the “new Kingdom” as laid down by the master J.C?  It appears it must be human nature to want to govern/regulate other people.   But the master corrected them:  “This kingdom will not be like the others, where people lord it over one another, rather in my father’s kingdom the greatest is one who ‘serves’. 
 


Bottom line, when you’re in a foreign country, don’t break the traffic laws in the first place.  And if you find yourself on the other side of the pen, act like a local for goodness sakes, not a rich gringo.  And if you don’t know what that is, maybe you should re-think driving in foreign countries.  


We're an Expat Family of Five, Living Frugal, Healthy and Happy in Cuenca Ecuador! Enjoy the Discover Cuenca Ecuador blog!

Sunday, July 5, 2015

10 Aspects about Panama Life and Its People

NOTE: This article pertains to our experiences in Panama City only and not other areas of Panama.
 


1. Panamanians call Panama City just “Panama”, so if you are in David or Las Tablas and they are referring back to the big City of Panama they’ll just say, “Over there in Panama”.  It took a few conversations with the Panamanians to understand what they meant when they said “in Panama you can find…”
 


2. The main sport in Panama is not soccer; it is baseball! So you’ll find they love to talk about everything related to the sport; Panama’s baseball team ranks 13th in the world. They also play soccer but it is not the rage like it is in Ecuador and other Latin American countries. SOURCE
 


3. There are very few stray dogs roaming around on the streets in Panama City, at least during the day time. In fact, on two different occasions we spotted dog catcher’s trucks. However, when we ventured away from Panama City and into smaller towns there were plenty of malnourished dogs roaming the streets, so clearly this is just a Panama City thing.
 


4. Panama City has lots of traffic and they honk their horns more than in Ecuador, if you can believe that! Sometimes someone will get so irritated with the way someone is driving they will press down on the honker and not let up for a full thirty seconds. Drivers in Panama City are no different than any other Latin culture; it is erratic and seemingly unorganized.  And another thing, very few street signs with street names exist in the city of Panama, which makes the city confusing for drivers who are new to the city.
 


5. There does seem to be more intimidating police presence. You’ll often see a road block, stopping vehicles at random, checking ID’s. We do not drive anymore (yaaay) so we cannot say anything personally about bribes but we’ve heard through the grapevine that cops can be overly assertive in this arena. 



Doing some research we find that it is a common practice in Latin America. All over on the Internet you’ll read gringo stories of how corrupt police officers are accepting payments in lieu of a ticket but the gringos are just as corrupt for facilitating such bribes by breaking foreign traffic laws in the first place.
 


Headlines read, “Tourists Paying Off Corrupt Traffic Cop in Panama” and “My Experience Giving Bribe Money to a Corrupt Police Officer in Panama City”; however, when tourists give the cops money they are “playing the game” too and therefore should not be labeling the cops as being corrupt because it takes two to tango. On top of that, almost all gringos we’ve personally talked to and some we read about always overpay on a bribe, so then, how is that not tempting the policeman?  There’s more to say about this but not in this article.
 


When we take the time to look at it through their eyes, it’s actually quite generous of a police officer/government to allow gringos to pay ‘small’ fines upfront for minor traffic violations rather than having them go through the whole process of being given a ticket and having to navigate a foreign process.  However, on the other hand, if you’re drinking and driving or driving recklessly, then you deserve to go to a Panamanian jail.
 


6. Garbage littering the streets is a problem in Panama City. On several occasions we personally witnessed people littering, throwing garbage under buses, over fences and next to where other garbage is, even though there are garbage baskets on almost every corner, and they’re empty. The other problem is bags of garbage just sitting on the side of the road rotting.




This spot had garbage littering the street every day that we walked by...

Believe us when we say, it doesn’t take but a few hours in hot, humid weather for garbage to start stinking and reeking. Panama City is a nice city with some great services but sadly an organized garbage pickup is not one of them. 



Ok, it is time to compare, I cannot help myself. In Cuenca the garbage pickup service is excellent and prompt three times a week. Panama City is not perfect but no city is, right?
 


7. The people of Panama are helpful, friendly and non-confrontational. They would rather tell you something positive than tell you “no” or something negative.  For an example, the Internet was not working in our hotel room and so we asked the lady behind the desk to please reboot the modem as we know that works. She proceeded to inform us that the modem was located in the locked office and the manager of the hotel was gone and she is the only one who has access.
 


Now understand, this was on a Sunday and to top it off it was Father’s Day.  But the wonderful lady behind the hotel desk would rather tell us the manager will be coming in soon, that very same day to reboot the modem than tell us something we do not want to hear, such as the manager really is not coming in until the next day at mid morning!  Having lived in Ecuador and understanding the culture, we both knew the modem would not get rebooted until Monday sometime, so we simply accepted it and spent most of the day out. 
 


The point is, bless her heart, she didn’t want to tell us anything negative, and so every time we asked her about the Internet she would say with a smile, “Soon the manager will be in to reboot the modem”.  Sure enough the manager did come in just when we thought, mid morning on Monday a full day without internet!
 


8. About taking taxis in Panama City: Taxis are not metered and many times the driver will ask you, “What do you want to pay?” or “How much have you been charged from other taxis?” Now understand, this is a question he is asking you because some foreigners pay big fares and he wants that from you too, otherwise why he would even ask you what you’ve paid rather than just quote the price?
 


A normal taxi fare, within the city limits of Panama City will cost anywhere between $2.50 and $4.00, depending on how far you’re going. Taxis are generally fair and will not try and overcharge unless you are “coming out from”, or “going to” the airport, bus terminal, Mall, or tourist attraction/event, or if you simply let them overcharge you. Now you know what the going rate is.  



We’ve written a lot about taxis and how to handle them in the DIY Cuenca Landing Guide, and we left this subject in the guide intact so that foreigners could use the information in countries other than Ecuador where taxis have been ‘metered’.
 


Most taxi drivers are gregarious in Panama, much more so than Ecuador. They will talk your ears off if they know you understand Spanish. This is good because Frank always like to strike up conversations with the locals about crime in certain neighborhoods, where are the bad areas, where is a good place to go eat for a good price, and where to get “hard to find” food items, etc, etc.  After awhile of doing this you begin to see a consistency in what the local folks are saying, and well, it provides us with a clearer picture of local life in Panama.
 


9.  Crime and Safety in a nutshell: 1 out of 2 Panamanians walk around with their iphones or ipads in Panama City. It is so prevalent in Panama that I’m surprised they do not trip on the bad sidewalks. We also noticed in restaurants people leave their purses, cell phones, etc just sitting at the empty table while they order or use the restroom. We saw this over and over again. Coming from Ecuador, where you have to keep a close eye/grasp on your things, this was a big eye-opener.
 


While traveling in the country of Panama City on the inter-state buses, the locals put their stuff in the overhead bins. Buses stop for a 30-minute lunch break and people leave their back-packs, carry-on luggage, etc on the bus while they go eat; some people stay on the bus. This observation is a clear sign which shows us there is less threat of pick-pockets and snatch and grabs in Panama. 
 


Bottom Line: From what we witnessed day in and day out from the locals is, PETTY crime (overall) in Panama is much safer from pick-pockets and personal robberies than Ecuador.  But that doesn’t mean there’s no crime in Panama City. Violent crimes in the bad neighborhoods can be a problem. But we never are out at night so we miss all the action. Just remember: you can make yourself a target anywhere in South or Central America.
 


10.  Typical working man’s (executive) almuerzo cost $4.50, touristy areas $6.  It is a big lunch which usually consists of 2 pieces of chicken, rice with beans or rice with peas, potato salad or coleslaw, and a couple slices of plantain. 




$4.50 almuerzo in Panama City, Panama

We're an Expat Family of Five, Living Frugal, Healthy and Happy in Cuenca Ecuador! Enjoy the Discover Cuenca Ecuador blog!

Friday, July 3, 2015

Beautiful Casco Viejo of Panama City, Panama

Casco Viejo is an neighborhood in Panama City with beautifully restored colonial homes and buildings. If we were to compare it with Cuenca's old town, here's what comes to mind; Casco Viejo is touristy, expensive, no locals. It is not bustling with local businesses and people like Cuenca's El Centro is. The first thing I noticed was "Where is everybody"?

                     


We're an Expat Family of Five, Living Frugal, Healthy and Happy in Cuenca Ecuador! Enjoy the Discover Cuenca Ecuador blog!

Wednesday, July 1, 2015

Fantastic Rentals in Quito and Manta Today!

Beautiful Apartment in North Quito! The 120M apartment is located on the third floor of a privately owned apartment building. It has 3 bedrooms and 3 bathrooms, plus a spacious kitchen. It is NOT furnished. Here are some of the details: arched doorways, beige wall paint, white trim on the floors, beautiful parquet tiles and terraza! Asking $300 per month.

Apartment in Manta Ecuador for $300 - 2 Blocks from Supermaxi! This apartment is centrally located near buses, beaches, shopping and restaurants. The apartment is a 3 bedroom 3 bathroom with Patio (unfurnished). Price includes, water, cable and Internet!

Supermaxi - Manta Ecuador
We're finding some great deals today! Interested in these rentals? Let us know; they are available now. We scout and negotiate, working to find you the best rental deals in Ecuador. 

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What's the Number One (Biggest) Difference Between Ecuador and Panama?

People love comparisons; they love to compare different cities and countries amongst each other but we have to be careful because many times these comparisons said just off the cuff are mostly based upon opinion and conjecture.
 


For instance, we just posted a video called “What Is Panama Like?”  on YT and the first commenter said: “Panama is much better than Ecuador”.  Now, there’s not much worth to this comment as it is not only insufficient in information, but it is based purely upon opinion. It’s like eating bread and leaving out the germ and bran, leaving your body with insufficient nutritional content. We viewers and readers want more!
 


Truly, Panama is not better than Ecuador and Ecuador is not better than Panama, but they do have their differences and that is what this article is about. We have found the number one biggest difference is…
 


1. Grocery Store Shopping
 


In Panama in the grocery stores (big chain stores and mom and pop tiendas) almost everything is imported. Panama, unlike Ecuador does not appear to manufacture their own local brands of anything; I mean absolutely nothing; leaving the shopper with only high-priced imports.  This is the experience we had visiting dozens of stores, over and over in different areas of Panama. Panama imports most of their packaged foods and grains from the U.S.  What a big surprise that was to us!




Major chain grocery store in Panama

For instance: If you like Smuckers peanut butter then you’ll find it in Panama.  On the other side of the coin, Ecuador farms peanuts and they locally prepare their own brand of peanut butter, which on the coast is the freshest tasting we’ve ever had. And it costs a fraction of the price the jar of Smuckers does, as it should. 

Source
 


Another point we should make here is in Panama the wage earners can’t afford to buy imported peanut butter or Hershey’s cocoa powder, as they are considered a luxury item to them. While in Ecuador, the wage earners can still enjoy having regular access to their locally produced peanut butter and locally prepared brand of cocoa powder.  It’s essentially the same with many products that are locally manufactured in Ecuador, which are many things. Ecuador is a self-sufficient food country and that's a good thing.
 


Living in Ecuador now, 90% of the things we buy and use are manufactured or prepared/produced in Ecuador. From our peanut butter to brown rice, from our coffee and to our cocoa and honey!  We keep our food costs low partly because we buy the Ecuador brands over the imports! Which actually are healthier, fresher, and taste better!
 


In Panama trying to find wheat berries (kernels) for bread making was an escapade. They don’t sell them.  After searching for over 3 weeks, in ten different stores, we found one grocery store chain that did sell the small 1 pound bags of wheat berries but the price was as if you were buying a luxury product!!  



Doing some research we found out that Panama imports most of their wheat from the U.S.  (Source PDF). Panama is year round tropical and therefore does not grow its own wheat and other grains.  Panama does grow corn however, and corn at regular whole grain prices is readily available.




Oddly, Panama City has two huge flour mills and only a few of the grocery stores even sell small bags of whole wheat flour. This is because Panamanians generally appear to be not so health conscious as Ecuadorians are. Even in the bakeries, you'll be hard pressed to find whole wheat breads and rolls; it’s all white flour products.
 


Health food stores are practically non-existent in Panama; what you will find in Panama is GNC Vitamin stores. You’ll also find that most of the grocery store chains have a few shelves with some health food items, but at exorbitant prices at least 300-400% higher, catering to rich foreigners.






Popular grocery store chain in Panama, "REY"

While trying to find a local brand of peanut butter without sugar it literally took us to every single grocery store chain and then some off-beat stores. We finally found a brand without sugar and it was Smuckers imported from the U.S; a small jar was $4.80. And that’s all that was available as a pure peanuts and salt product.  In the u.s. I was not buying Smuckers.  I was buying Laura Lynn’s brand pure peanut butter without the salt even, just pure peanuts, with all the oil included just the way we like it, and that was only $2.80.  At least I had a choice there, -- not in Panama.



As those of us who live in Cuenca, we know that Ecuador makes their own brand of peanut butter and it only has peanuts and salt, nothing else added to it and the price reflects local production not foreign import.
 


In Ecuador, health food stores abound on every corner! They sell just about everything, and if you can’t find something you need, you can just walk to another Naturista and find it. Also you can ask the store owner if they can get something you need and they will do their best to find it and convenience their customers. When we asked the flour mill guys in Panama if they could get us 50lb  bags of wheat kernels they told us, “No, we don’t make any money selling the kernels, we only sell the flour, sorry”.
 


The bottom line is, the ability to find the food items you need, especially if they are either considered a health type food or just food in its natural state are easily found throughout Ecuador and hard to get in Panama.  This is not a complaint but our on the ground research and personal observations of grocery store shopping in Panama.
 


Eating healthy is important to us and so we think it might be important to you too, and that’s why we’re sharing our discoveries. We live in Ecuador, thank goodness, but for anyone thinking of retiring/moving to Panama we just thought you’d want to know the inside scoop to grocery shopping, especially for those who are striving for a healthier eating lifestyle.  Everybody has to eat, but not everybody puts a high priority on healthy food and so this might not matter to you. Simply disregard it and move on, smile and be happy!
 


Where are the Greens, Cabbage and Broccoli?
 


Oh my goodness. We couldn’t believe how sparse the greens, like Swiss Chard, spinach, and kale were in the grocery stores. And when you could find them they were wilted and old, but still costing huge amounts. Panama does not grow most greens we take for granted here in the Andes mountains of Cuenca Ecuador; it’s too hot!  It’s the same with cabbage and broccoli.
 


Panama does grow and sell a heat resistant type of spinach but if you don’t like the slimy feeling after biting into it you’re out of luck.  If you like cruciferous vegetables they’re hard to come by in Panama. Even the cauliflower is imported, and the price reflects that.  



In Ecuador it is a totally different story. You can buy huge, and I mean HUUUGE cabbages, kale, spinach, broccoli and cauliflower at prices reflecting year round local production and availability. And it’s because they grow in Cuenca Ecuador year round! 



To health conscious individuals like us, having ready access to fresh locally produced cruciferous vegetables on a regular basis at local prices is a high priority that we enjoy in Cuenca Ecuador.
 


We grow our own kale year round in the Andes mountains here in Cuenca Ecuador, and according to Panamanian Kale prices, we’re rich!!! The other side of that coin is that if we lived in Panama we would HAVE TO BE RICH in order to buy kale in Panama. Life has just been too good to us in Ecuador and that is why we’re still here living it up! Smile.
 


MERCADO food shopping is not all so bad in Panama, if you like tropical fruits you’ll be living it up if you move to Panama City!  Mangos, pineapples, grapes and coconuts are abundant in Panama City with better prices than Ecuador. For instance you can get a medium fresh pineapple for $0.50 cents and large ones for $1.00 to $1.50...and these pineapples are really fresh. You can find six to nine freshly picked mangoes for $1.00 and 2 coconuts for $1.00, plus grapes are $1.00 to $1.25 a pound in the outdoor Mercado's. 



Calidonia Mercado - Panama City












Calidonia Mercado - Panama City

You can also buy Roma tomatoes, which are great for Italian cooking for $0.50 cents a pound! This is true-grit Mercado shopping, you will not get these prices in the grocery stores, however.  




Another thing that Panama does grow and produce is coffee and a little bit of Cocoa but you still can only find the imported HERSHEY'S cocoa powder on the grocery store shelves in Panama, and that is almost inconceivable.  



We're an Expat Family of Five, Living Frugal, Healthy and Happy in Cuenca Ecuador! Enjoy the Discover Cuenca Ecuador blog!