Panama Is NOT (Necessarily) Better Place to Retire than Ecuador, According to Us!

A question we often are asked, for those who know we explored Panama is, “Did you like Panama better than Ecuador?” But you see, our opinion doesn’t matter because we’re us and you’re you.  We’re different people with different requirements and you’re you with your requirements.  It’s ALL VERY relative depending on who you are and your particular lifestyle desires and requirements. However, we can still let you know our opinions but please don’t write them in stone unless it’s an actual fact.

Bike, walking, jogging trail Panama City, Panama

In many respects Ecuador is more livable (not better) according to our needs and circumstances; however, someone else might find Panama to be just what they need according to their circumstances.  Everyone has their own needs and circumstances that consequently will require different degrees and standards of living conditions, which cannot be found in any one-paradise that happens to be pumped that month!  That’s why taking someone else’s opinions as fact, no matter how popular that travel magazine might be, is a really bad idea.
 

The word “better” is often thrown around loosely with people who like to compare countries but perhaps they aren’t thinking about “better for whom”?  You’ll read on forums where users often say one country is better than another but according to whom? So, just remember that when you get all excited reading about a country being better than another, whether it’s on a forum or in an online travel magazine that they are talking about their own personal subjective opinion, not fact.

La Carolina Parque, Quito Ecuador

If you are serious about putting down roots in a city abroad, go visit first and do NOT believe all the hustlers. As you know, one of the BIG issues we have with travel abroad media is they pipe everyone into the same category.  For instance, just because a writer thinks the weather in Ecuador or Portugal is great, they also think it must be great for everyone else too, which clearly is not so.
 

I absolutely love the tropical weather of Panama. Sure it gets hot there, but I like tropical climates way more than the Andes climate, but that’s just me; it’s my personal opinion. Someone else might not be able to bear under the Equatorial heat and humidity of Panama. So then how can anyone say where the best place to retire is? See? 



So, with all of that out of the way, here is some of our opinions, experiences and observations about Panama compared with living in Ecuador.
 

There are many nice towns, outside of Panama City that one could surely set up roots and live a comfortable lifestyle on less, just about the same as in Cuenca. But living for less usually means going without the standards of living that most folks have become accustomed to in the U.S or Europe.

David, Panama

We’ve said from the beginning and will continue to say, “Don’t move somewhere just because it’s cheap”. It’s not a good enough reason to uproot your whole life and lifestyle that you are so accustom to because in most instances, if you go move somewhere just because it’s cheap, you’ll end up NOT liking it too much.
 

Travel somewhere because you want the adventure” or “move somewhere because you already have roots there” or “you already did the research”, but to simply pick up and move just because you’re being told it’s cheaper than where you are now is not a suitable enough reason for drastically changing your lifestyle. The important thing to remember is, what’s in it for the pumper?  There are many real estate pumpers and seminar pumpers on the internet.

Cuenca Ecuador - Turi view

Do you know how taxing and time-consuming it is just to move your household and family from one neighborhood to another in the same city you live in is?  It’s very stressful and takes adjustments just being in a new area of the city you already live in. Imagine moving clear across the world in a new continent with a totally different way of life!! Now that’s something to think about. 



And remember, a two or three month vacation, living as a tourist is much different than actually residing somewhere and being a resident abroad.

Puerto Armuelles, Panama

There are writers that will tell you what they like about Ecuador and there are writers that will tell you what they like about Panama and that’s great! Take it all in and absorb it all into your mental system, but in the end, you are the one who will need to experience it all for yourself anyway. 



One person’s paradise is Panama, another person’s paradise is Ecuador and another person’s paradise is…staying exactly where they are.  We will continue to give you the facts as we experience them, without the gloss and pump.
 

Until we write again, have a great adventure wherever you decide to move to abroad!



If you liked this article, we think you'll also like these.

• The Fallacy of Real Estate Purchasing Power and the Fickleness of Cheap Edens


• The Minimalists Guide to Living Well on Less Abroad

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!

Latest Rental Bargains August 30, 2015

LATEST BARGAIN FINDS as of August 30th 2015

1. West side, older but well kept home, has 4 bedrooms, 4 bathrooms with small lot. 155 meters construction. Lots of closet space. covered patio. Asking price: $350.

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2. This older but well kept home has 3 bedrooms 3 bathrooms. Nice tiled floor. 135 meters of floor place. On the way to Banos. Asking price: $290 

 

entry into living room

                                                                        

kitchen

These homes are available as of today! We work hard to find you the best value deals according to size, location and price. If you are interested in a rental abroad, take a look at our Assistance Packages and choose the one that fits your needs; Then tell us what you want and need in a rental, and we'll provide the priceless protection for your smooth transition abroad from Gringo Good Samaritans.

What's Happening in the City of Cuenca Ecuador - August 2015

Here's a little bit of what's happening in Cuenca Ecuador for August 2015.

                          

 

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!

4 Ways to Bring Your Favorite Books to Ecuador with You

Someone emailed and asked a really important question because it entails how we get information, learn about things and entertain ourselves. Call some of us old-fashioned but some people still want to have the physical book, whether it is a softback or hardback in their hands. 



But what do you do when you move clear across the US and into another land? What do you do about all of your books? And notice I said "favorite" books because book enthusiasts and avid readers simply cannot ship all their books to Ecuador (it would cost more than the worth of the books) unless they get a huge shipping container.
 

Hi, I'm wondering if you have any tips about how to most frugally ship books to Ecuador. I have a few hundred, but I don't really want to pay an arm and a leg to get them to Ecuador. Thanks.
 

Unfortunately, there is no frugal way to ship to Ecuador. Between Frank and I, we also had several hundred books and it was difficult not having them here with us, especially on rainy days when you get kind of bored; back in the US we’d simply go to our library and pick up a book but here, well, you read on your computer, iPad or kindle.



Some of our books were valuable, historical books and so heavy we couldn’t possibly have them shipped without it costing more than if we were to purchase them again. We gave some of our big and heavy books to friends; some we sold; and the lesser books, although no book is really lesser, we gave to the Good Will; and the rest (favorite) books…well, here’s what Frank did.
 

1. You can do like Frank did and scan your favorite books onto your laptop and then store them in the cloud, just in case something happens to your computer. This is with only your favorite books because it is a very tedious and time consuming operation. Frank spent weeks and days scanning his favorite books in, but he has them now and when he feels like reading one of them they are conveniently on his computer and it cost nothing but time.
 

2. You can bite the bullet and have your favorite books shipped abroad to Ecuador but it will cost you. Shipping to any South American/Central American country is going to be expensive.
 

After four years we’re still talking about our library of books we left behind because you cannot possibly scan every single book you own. And well, it’s not the same thing as having the book to hold in your hands either. The 21st Century has made some great advances in technology and that's fine, but some of those advances come with a mixed bag. A friend gave me her Kindle because she upgraded to a newer one, but I never used it and subsequently I gave it to one of my sons; he loves it. e-readers are not for everyone.
 

3.  Another thing you can do is bring only a handful of your favorite books in your suitcase and then buy a handheld book reader such as Kindle and buy the eBooks and read on Kindle or other favorite e-reader. Although, not all books are available on Kindle or other e-readers; that is a drawback about that.
We wish we could give you a better solution.
 

When we were packing, we each had two suitcases and I would slip in a few of my favorite 'natural health books' into a suitcase, a couple of  my favorite 'cookbooks' into another suitcase, and a book or two on my carry-on, but as you know, ALL US based international airlines and most of the internationally based airlines have a weight limit. For us it was 50lbs per suitcase and that was with Lan Ecuador (this was back in 2011 so check for any changes).
 

Before we left we weighed our suitcases on a bathroom scale to get approximate weight values because we didn’t want any surprises at the airport check-in and I had to take some books out of my suitcases because they weighed in over the limit; you’ll pay something like $70 more for anything over the 50lbs. Just a few books can easily weigh 5lbs or more...it's terrible!
 

4. We do know of a family that brought boxes (2 boxes per person) and they were held in the cargo bay with the other luggage and apparently they did not charge more for them, as long as they are packaged properly according to that airlines rule. So, you might want to check into that as well, however, we’re sure there is also a weight limit there as well. 
 

It seems that we old fashioned folks have to get with the program and start resorting to a handheld e-reader such as Kindle just so we can continue reading some of our favorite books. 



Until next time we write, everyone take care and have a great day! If you liked this article, you might like these too! 

•  Giving Up All Your Possessions to Move to Ecuador


• 100 Books Written about Ecuador: 7 Questions to Ask Yourself to Narrow Down Your Book Search

 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!

4 Story Multicentro Shopping Mall in Downtown Panama City, Panama

This is the second biggest mall in Panama City. It's four stories but it is still not as big as Albrook Mall of Panama City. Some folks have said the Albrook Mall is the largest in Central America. The Multicentro Mall is a nice mall but it is expensive, the discount stores are in Albrook Mall. 

                                 




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!

7 Ways to Save Money as a Tourist Traveling Abroad

When you are a tourist in a foreign country it is expected you will pay more than “expat residents” for most things such as lodgings, rents and food. But thankfully there are still several ways you can save money while being a tourist! Let’s take a closer look.
 

1. Save Money on Accommodations: The ways for discounts on lodging apply to hotels, motels, hostels, inns, and B&B’s.  

• If you are staying for three days or longer you can ALWAYS receive a discount of about 10% per night! But you have to ASK for it; in most cases they will not just give it to you.

• If staying for a full month or more, make sure you ask about the monthly rate and not the weekly rate. Always check several other lodgings in the area for comparison purposes and then let them know you are checking other accommodations in the area, that way you can smile and walk out.

• If you arrive to your destination late and are too tired and hungry to check around for the best value, only pay for one night. The next morning you can find a more suitable, budget friendly hotel. This is usually what we do because no matter how hard you try sometimes you will get in too late.

2. Save Money on Sight Seeing Tours: It’s fine spending money on sight-seeing tours and most of the time you might have to just because you're hiking out in the wilderness where a guide is absolutely necessary, but some tours you can go see on your own without spending large amounts of money for a tour guide. 



If there is a particular tour you are interested in, ask around with other expats and gringos and check to see if it is something a couple could do on their own, taking a bus or taxi, or walking. 



For instance, tour operators charge tourists $50 per person to go see El Chorro Falls in Giron, Ecuador, which is about 45-min. from Cuenca.  



We think El Chorro Falls is a DIY tour. Here’s our video when we went to the falls with a friend, which is another way to do it and just pitch in on gas; and here's how to do it yourself.
 

DIY El Chorro Falls: $8 per person. 

Frank, me, and friend at El Chorro Falls in Giron, Ecuador

Step 1. Take the bus from Cuenca (Terminal Terrestre) that goes to Santa Isabel; you can also catch this bus going south along Las Americas. Look for the sign that says "Santa Isabel". The bus costs $1 per person. You will not be going all the way to Santa Isabel but getting off in Giron, which is before Santa Isabel.



Step 2. Ask the bus driver to let you off at the road that leads up to El Chorro falls in the town of Giron. He'll know. Once in Giron, Flag down a taxi and he’ll take you up to the falls for $4 to $5. 



Step 3. When you get to the landing for the falls, the attendant there will ask for $2 per person and $1 for Ecuadorians.



Step 4: Walk up the well-marked trail to the falls and enjoy! No need for a tour guide on this one, just stay on the trail. Total savings about $42!



There are several restaurants up there, by the way where you can eat lunch for $3. DIY ‘Saves Money’ once again!!
 

Targeted as a Tourist
 

They can always tell a tourist from someone who lives in the area. Tourists have back-packs or tote bags like the locals do but they also look around a lot, dress different and look like their searching for something.  The minute a tourist gets off the bus, or out of the car or taxi, the tour guides come leaping out of the woodwork.
 

For instance when we went to Puerto Lopez, the second we got off the bus, tour operators started quoting prices for the whale-watching tour.  The first price quoted was $60 per person. We knew that price was waaaay out of line so we kept walking and he came running up behind us and lowered the price to $40, and we smiled and still kept walking.
 

It was about 45 minutes and three sales people later we were quoted the real price of $15 per person to go see the whales. That was in 2013 and so the prices might have gone up a bit, but anything over $20 per person will be too much.  But of course as a tourist, feel free to spend as much as you want. Curiously, we wondered how many gullible tourists actually pay the $60 per person. That’s three times the typical employee wage in Ecuador.
 

3. Save Money on Restaurants. When you ask the gringos where is a good tasty, good priced restaurant to go eat at they usually send you to an expensive international cuisine restaurant. There’s nothing wrong with that unless of course you want to save money eating out.
 

Tip: Ask the Locals Where to Eat: When you ask the local business earners where is a good tasty restaurant to go eat at they always send you to a place they would eat at and can afford. This is what we do when we travel because it is difficult to decide where to eat when you are new to a city or town. Why pay more when you don’t have to? We have never been sorry for doing this.
 

4. Save Money on Taxis. Some cities abroad may use meters in the taxis, but that might not mean much when the driver rigs the meter to run faster; we’ve seen this happening in our home town of Cuenca, Ecuador. What you’ll need to do is have the driver start the meter, before getting in the taxi, just to see if it is running fast. You’ll only be able to do this if you’ve already taken several taxis in Cuenca and know how fast the normal meter should run.  



5. Learn what the taxi fares are in the city you are in so you can negotiate.  In countries that do not use meters in the taxis ALWAYS negotiate the price 



6. Learn to Smile and Walk Away: There's a lot of tourism going on and that means a lot of tour operators running the same service or tour. When one seems out of line, simply smile and walk away. sometimes they call you back and sometimes they don't. Go check out the next one in line. For an example, have you seen all of van operators that take people to and from Guayaquil; the prices are all over the map. Remember, you can negotiate too.
 

7. Do NOT Behave Rich. This is a biggie and pertains to anything you are paying for as a tourist. Paying for a $3 dollar taxi ride with a $20 bill is a no no.  Start collecting small bills before you’ll need them. Seriously, most places in Latin America will not have change for a $20. You don't want to give him a $5 dollar bill for a $3 ride either, or you may never see your $2 bucks again!



It’s already given that tourists have money to spend, however if the tourist acts rich, or flashes expensive jewelry, watches, etc, and pulls out big wads of cash from their wallet, you will be treated as such. Heck, you might even get pick-pocketed if you’re not careful. It is never a good idea to act too rich in developing countries.



Until we write again, have a wonderful visit wherever abroad you are going! And we think if you liked this article, you'll enjoy these too!

• 3 Ways Going Local (Integrating) Helps Ecuador

• How to Get Discounts on Flights to Ecuador and Within Ecuador

• 10 Ways to Save Money in Cuenca and Quito Ecuador

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!

New SUPERMAXI Grocery Store on Don Bosco in Cuenca Ecuador

Sunday we strolled over to the new Supermaxi store just to see what it was like and this is the video. The store was really nice inside and we were greeted by a door greeter and the folks tending the tills were super nice and smiling a lot, we like that.

                              
 

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!

Why Some Tourists Get Sick with Intestinal Issues When Traveling Abroad

Eating bad food or water is a serious problem with travelers to other countries, especially in countries where there are no restaurant health inspections to speak of.   Every time we eat out we are putting our trust in cooks, cleaners and servers that work in restaurants and that’s putting our trust in a lot of people, don’t you think?



NOTE: before you begin reading this article, we want to let our readers know that we have never gotten sick from eating out in Quito, Panama, or Cuenca. However, I did fall ill several years ago with intestinal issues when we traveled to Salinas from a cream filled pastry from one of the Panaderias.   

UPDATE 2015: I've been sick with food poisoning twice and Frank once, in Cuenca Ecuador. We do not touch our food with our hands at all, so it is either from unsanitary restaurant food preparation, spoiled food (unlikely) or dirty hands from the prep/cook. Take your pick. I do not want to name the popular restaurant because we did not go to the doctor, or have tests done or any other facts to back up these unfortunate events, although it was food poisoning, a person just knows that kind of thing...especially when you have all the symptoms. 

Restaurant we ate at in Quito, Ecuador

Being a tourist we are more apt to eat out for every meal because we don’t have a choice, at least not usually; and because we’re traveling and can’t cook our own meals that ups our chances of getting sick. However, we have to remember that there are many factors to look at when traveling abroad that would make a traveler sick, not just food borne bacterium.
 

Usually what happens when we become ill with intestinal issues while traveling abroad is, we think we ate something spoiled in the last restaurant we ate in, but is it really from food poisoning or could it be attributed to something else?
 

Four Main Types of Food Poisoning
 

There are many different types of food borne illnesses but some of them are rare to travelers, so we’re going to only talk about the four main ones that people seem to get most often when eating out or sometimes, just being in the wrong place at the wrong time.
 

Norovirus – Norovirus is highly contagious bacteria and the most prevalent of the four types and is usually spread from not washing hands and then handling food. Noroviruses are the ones the cruise ships seem to always have which sends multitudes of people on board rushing to the toilet with vomiting and diarrhea.  Ugh! Onset of symptoms after ingested is 12 to 48 hours. Talk about being in the wrong place at the wrong time.
 

E-Coli –  E-Coli is a prevalent food borne bacteria found in some US meat factories; E-coli is found most often in processed ground beef?  It can also be found on raw vegetables where the ground water is contaminated with feces. E-coli bacterium, like the norovirus is not always from food but can be spread from an infected person’s hands to food preparation and other objects. Onset after ingesting is 1 to 3 days.
 

Salmonella - Salmonella is caused usually from undercooked beef, poultry and eggs. It is also possible to get salmonella from an infected food handler that did not wash their hands. Cooking the food very done or at the very least, all the way through, kills the bacteria.  Onset after ingesting is 6 to 36 hours.



Staphylococcus – Staph food poisoning is the bacteria most often found in foods that have been sitting for hours unrefrigerated; it can be found in street carts and buffet type cafeterias and restaurants where food sits on warmers or hot plates. Once the bacterium hatch they continue to grow and multiply. Staph poisoning comes on quickly so you’ll definitely know if it was the meal you just ate a few hours earlier. Onset after ingesting is 1 to 6 hours.
 

Source: http://www.fda.gov/food/resourcesforyou/consumers/ucm103263.htm
 

As you can clearly see getting intestinal illness abroad is not always from bacteria in the food. It’s gross to think about, but often times the prep person who prepared your food was infected and didn’t wash his or her hands. If bathrooms do not have soap, it’s best to turn around and walk out. 



Sometimes the restaurant kitchen counters and cutting boards are contaminated with a myriad of bacteria and that's where they prep the food. This kind of thing happens where the cooks and servers are ignorant about food and kitchen sanitation, and usually where health inspection is nonexistent.

Fast food in Quito, Ecuador

And heck, it’s scary to think about but perhaps a fly or two or three landed on your food while it sits around in the kitchen. Flies are dirty, hairy little creatures that can and do transfer E-coli, Salmonella and Norovirus onto your food from their hairy little legs. All it takes is a fly to land on your food for a few seconds to contaminate your food and you will get sick. And many times we think the food was spoiled but it wasn’t; the dirty fly that landed on your food while the food sat around in the kitchen contaminated it. 

  

Source: http://www.food-safety-and-you.com/flies.html
 

So whether you are eating out in a restaurant in Cuenca, Salinas, Quito, Panama City, Lake Chapala or San Jose, there is always a chance for intestinal illness, either directly from the food or contaminated kitchen surfaces, or from dirty unsanitary handlers and environments. 
 

Other Reasons Vacationers Might

Get Intestinal Illnesses



Intestinal illness can also be caused from having dirty hands. Many times it is difficult to find a public restroom to wash your hands in; and in some developing countries when you do find a restroom there’s no soap! Yikes.
 

Think about this scenario for a moment. You just got off the bus or out of a taxi where hundreds of people ride in every single day. Some of the people are sick and coughing and sneezing.  Our resistance is compromised because of traveling and being out of our normal environment and then we become exposed to all of these viruses and contaminates on the bus or in the taxi, and later, without thinking, we touch our mouth area with our hands and this will make us sick.
 

All it takes is a little bit of a bad germ to give us Montezuma’s revenge and one reason why many vacationers become ill; carelessness trumps when we are in a new city or town abroad because we simply do not take the same hygienic measures like we would if we were back home.  For instance, people use alcohol-based wipes before they touch a grocery cart in the US, they use alcohol sanitizer gels at the checkout counters in the US and before they leave public department stores, etc, etc, etc...and then they come to a developing country where none of these things are present, not even soap in some of the restrooms and, BOOM, they get sick!   



Our best tip for eating out: Ask the local office workers where a good tasty and inexpensive restaurant is and they will gladly send you to their favorite.  They eat out almost every day in their city and so they know where to go; that’s what we did in Panama and we were not disappointed. See the video here where one Panamanian office worker eats at and recommended to us. 

Boca Deli - Panama City, Panama

Our second best tip for eating out:
Once you find a place that you know is sanitary with clean restrooms,
clean kitchen, and you see the wait staff eat the food, keep it in your
favorite restaurant list. It's not 100% percent full-proof but is an added measure against falling ill. 



Have You Gotten Sick Abroad? Here’s How to Replenish Your System BACK TO HEALTH in a Jiffy!



Once you can keep a little something down, start sipping on a little water. When you know for sure you can eat something, try these things. When our children were little and on the rare occasion they got sick with diarrhea, we would always put them on the BRAT Diet (bananas, rice, apple sauce, toast) for one full day before eating rich foods.
 

Soda crackers
Plain toast
Plain rice (preferably whole brown rice, if possible)
Bananas (ripe)
Water
Coconut (water) milk (fresh from the coconut)
 

Coconut water, by the way is excellent for bringing back nourishment to the body after intestinal illness. Later in the evening, if you get hungry enough, vegetable or chicken broth with a little rice will sit well in the stomach. 



After one full day on the BRAT diet, it’s time to graduate to foods that will bring back good bugs to your tummy and stabilize your intestinal tract.
 

Kefir
Yogurt
Sauerkraut

And any other fermented foods to your liking.
 

PS…when Frank and I travel we have a set up where we either cook in the hostel kitchen we are staying at, or we use our handy, dandy rice cooker and cook (most) of our own meals right in the hotel room. Sure, we eat out occasionally but we always eat where the locals love to go and have recommended to us and that seems to work well for us. To find out more about this, click here. 
 

If you liked this article we think you will like these too. Enjoy your day!

• What about Food Poisoning in Cuenca Ecuador? Is It Safe Eating Out?

• How We Stay Healthy Eating from Street Vendors and Restaurants in Cuenca

• FREE Restaurant Guide - 16 Good, Inexpensive Restaurants in Cuenca Ecuador

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!

2 Fabulous Cuanca Ecuador Apartment Deals $280 & $380

1. We found a new, modern, and spacious apartment. It has 2 bedrooms 2 bathrooms with a one car parking space. It has pretty views and is located next to the Yanuncay river. Asking $380
                                            

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2. Updated second floor apartment located in a nice area in Totoracocha - Cuenca area.  The apartment has 3 bedrooms, 1 bath, terrace with views on the 3rd floor. 

living room

The apartment has nice hardwood floors, and ceramic,1 parking space. In a building with two apartments.  Price is only $280 per month plus utilities. No pets allowed on the property. 

kitchen

 And look at this nice terraza!

terraza

These homes are available as of today! We work hard to find you the best value deals according to size, location and price. If you are interested in a rental abroad, take a look at our Assistance Packages and choose the one that fits your needs; Then tell us what you want and need in a rental, and we'll provide the priceless protection for your smooth transition abroad from Gringo Good Samaritans.

Grande Almuerzo Roast Chicken Plate $5 in Cuenca Ecuador

We pass by this rotisserie chicken place when we go to Mall Del Rio and it always looks busy with the locals and that's a good thing when eating out in South America, and actually is one of our rules for eating in unfamiliar restaurants. The rule is: always go where it's busy with the locals and you will stay healthy. Anyhow, we tried it out and we were pleased. They serve you lots of food for the price. So if you're hungry, go here!                             



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!

Vegetarian Pot Pie Recipe from our Cuenca Cocina

Do you like vegetarian comfort food? Here's a vegetarian pot pie recipe that most veggies lovers will like. It's pretty involved and does take some time in the kitchen but it is delicious. For the meat lovers out there, try adding your favorite diced meat to the veggies after they are cooked.  Until the next recipe from our Cuenca Cocina.


                            



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!

What's the Difference between Foreign GUEST and Permanent RESIDENT Abroad?

There are some big differences between being a guest and being a permanent resident abroad. As a guest it is easy to accept the first price quoted. After all, we’re not staying; money is not on our mind as vacationers; we just want to have fun!  Guests always pay more for everything because, truly, it’s not a big deal; it’s expected that as a tourist (90-day stay) we will pay tourist pricing, so what. It’s not always about money however. It’s about how we behave as travelers. Let me explain.
 

Frank and I always “go local” when we travel; we speak Spanish; we take the local transportation; we eat in the local eateries; and we shop in the local Mercado's; we know most of the cultural quirks and customs of living in Latin America since we’ve lived here for four plus years now. So we do not consider ourselves guests in Latin America but more like permanent expats. Which means, we behave with a certain amount of confidence when doing things in foreign countries. This self-confidence shows in our mannerisms when for instance, we are looking at rentals or buying produce from the local market.

Group of tourists in El Centro - Cuenca Ecuador

 Where Does the Term EXPAT Come In?
 

Ecuador opens their doors to foreign guests for full 90-days and if a foreigner decides to put down roots after the visitor stamp is up, they will then need to process a resident VISA. This is why some foreigners have been given the title of EXPAT.



However, technically speaking an “EXPAT” is one who renounces citizenship in their home country and becomes a citizen of another country, which is called EXPATRIATION, and is where the term EXPAT comes from.  But from a world traveler standpoint, the name is given to many foreigners who have left their home country and have moved abroad, whether or not they have renounced their citizenship somewhere else or not.
 

EXPATS are not GUESTS


Once a person packs up their belongings, whether they sell them or bring them with them abroad, and they begin renting permanently, (not just 3 months) they are no longer guests or tourists, but residents; this also applies even if there is still paperwork going through the process stage. If the intent is to live somewhere on a full-time basis then how is that being a guest? 


For personal fulfillment we believe it is necessary and respectful to adapt to the ways of the new land we are moving to, even if that means to negotiate prices. In all Latin American countries, negotiating is what the locals do, and if you are not a guest any longer then it is what they expect you to do too. They will not gringo you if you play the game with them; in fact they will respect you more for it. Watch them grin as you try and negotiate with them; they like it!
 

Now, when you hear “John and Jane Doe's cost of living is $2,300 and Mr. and Mrs. Smith’s cost of living is $1,300 in the same city or town somewhere abroad then you’ll know that one couple is still living as guests, while the other couple has “integrated into the community”.  This is one reason why cost of living statistics of foreigners living abroad are all over the map; it’s ambiguous at best.
 

If you think it is all about money and pricing, or how much time spent in a place, it’s not, it’s also about our attitude. Many expats that have been living abroad for several years “feel” like they are still guests in the country they reside in.  A resident abroad can certainly make themselves “feel” like they are a guest where they live permanently, and it is certainly ok to have that feeling...but...


The point is not whether we think of ourselves as guests or not, but that we ALWAYS treat everyone with respect.  That’s all about it. If I were to wonder why some folks still feel like guests when living abroad it would be because they feel disconnected from the local community and possibly even the expat community.
 

Certainly, not everyone can blend in, speak Spanish in a few years and start living like a local; and we do not expect everyone to do that or even want to do that. Again the point is, foreign residents that live permanently abroad are not guests any longer, although many of them behave like they are still guests; some folks might think because they are “foreigners” abroad then they must be a guest”.  But this is only “a way of thinking” that bases assumptions on their foreignness and goes directly back to our attitude.
 

What is a “Foreigner”?
 

When you look up the definition of a foreigner it means “stranger”, an “alien”, an “outsider”.  So then some foreigners who are living as permanent residents may feel they are still guests and is why they often express themselves to others as being guests. It’s perfectly ok to feel this way. However, when looking at this issue from both sides of the apple cart, we see this way of thinking can be disadvantageous to both parties as long as the foreigner is still living abroad, and here’s why.
 

1. The foreigner will always feel like a guest
 

When the foreigner always feels like a foreigner they are less likely to learn the language, blend in, interact, negotiate, and feel comfortable in their new home land.  Humans have an inherit need to “fit-in” and it can be disconcerting when one does not feel good about where they live. This is why many foreigners move back to their home country; it’s perfectly fine. They still have the adventure of traveling to a new foreign land and seeing what it’s like living in a totally different cultural environment and that’s great.
 

2. The locals will always treat the foreigner as a foreigner
 

When the foreigner continues to behave like a guest, by not speaking Spanish, dressing differently, not living in the same kind of housing and neighborhood, and not shopping and negotiating where they do, etc, etc, they will never get to know you, respect you, and be your friend because you are keeping yourself at a distance from them, not just physically, but mentally, and emotionally as well and that can and does come across as somewhat disrespectful.
 

Not only that, but your cost of living will be much higher because the guest (tourist) attitude gets taken advantage of in Latin American cultures. For instance when the landlord knows he can get $600 from the foreigner he will gladly skip over the local who can only pay $300, to rent to you instead. Who does this hurt? It hurts everyone.
 

The question we must ask ourselves is this: “For how long are we foreigners for”? Until we live somewhere abroad for 2 years? Or until we become permanent residents on paper and have an ID card? Until we renounce our citizenship in our home country? Or ?...? 


NONE OF THE ABOVE.
 

Using the term “foreigner” is a label, meaning it is only how one feels in their heart and mind, which makes up our attitude. A person can allow themselves to feel like a foreign guest forever and continue to get taken advantage of by the locals, or they can break out of this labeling and realize that they have just as much right to live anywhere they dream as long as they are respectful of the people and culture of their new life location abroad.



When we negotiate, ride the local transportation, dress like they dress, live in a house like their house and enjoy the same restaurants and events as they do, then where is the guest attitude now? It’s gone with the wind and that my friend will make you and them the happiest while living together in the same community. We think life has much more fulfillment when going local abroad. 



Until we write again!



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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!