16 Hours in Guayaquil Ecuador 2018 the Best Part!

We had to go back to Guayaquil to finish up some documents we're taking care of. So, here is our16 Hours in Guayaquil Ecuador 2018 the Best Part.  How much is a Dunkin Donut Where you live?        

          

The Most Undervalued Asset in Ecuador - Cuenca Ecuador Commentary

The Most Undervalued Asset in Ecuador - Cuenca Ecuador Commentary.How important is this to you?



      

The Terrible Truth about Ecuador's Amazing Country that You Need to Know!

The terrible truth about Ecuador's amazing country is this...We love to get right down into a matter to find out what's really happening. It's no secret, Ecuador has massive earthquakes and in this video we didn't even talk about the one in the Andes by Quito that killed over 60,000 people and flattened whole cities. That was before 1900's. We only spill the beans about the last big quakes over the past 110 years! Most people know Ecuador has earthquakes but this one big fact about Ecuador that we talk about, most people don't know! Watch the video to find out what it is. 

 

These Little Things Can STOP You COLD in Cuenca Ecuador – October 2018 VLOG

These Little Things Can STOP You COLD in Cuenca Ecuador – October 2018 VLOG. Frank and Angie's videos provide real life reports, insights and entertainment about everything traveling and living abroad in Ecuador, Panama and Beyond!  Our mission is to show you "what it's really like to live abroad" without any agendas!  Support our YouTube Channel and have access to more videos every month that go a bit deeper than what's uploaded on our YT Channel!   https://www.patreon.com/HMFamilyLife.



        

Heavy Drinker vs. Alcoholic in Expat Circles Abroad - Invasion of the Body Snatchers!

           Are You an Alcoholic or just a Heavy Drinker?



The heavy drinkers think they’re fooling people and maybe they are fooling some people, but they’ll say things like “Yeah, I can drink a lot but I’m not an alcoholic because I can stop at anytime".  That’s an interesting deduction but not entirely accurate. So, if you’re not an alcoholic, why drink at all? Why do you have to drink if you’re not addicted to alcohol?
 

Being marriage encouragers for over 25 years, we’ve heard the old song and dance many times before.  One of the major causes of divorce in the world is alcoholism by one or both spouses. We have heard all the drunken stories and have even lived inside the stories as an alcoholic and enabler, so no one can pull the wool over our eyes when it comes to addiction.  Please scroll below the video to read the rest of the article.

        

 

Alcoholics may say things like, “I only have a couple glasses of wine, sometimes three”.  But what the person forgets to mention is how they drink every single night and their glasses of wine are filled up more than the usual amount a non-alcoholic would consume with a meal.  
 

Alcoholism is an extremely serious health issue that affects not just you but all of the people you love and even those you don’t love but may interact with on a daily basis.  In the United States alone, 14 million adults have an alcohol problem or 1 in every 13 adults.  It goes without saying then that some of these adult alcoholics, who are still somewhat functioning, will be taking vacations abroad or moving abroad.
 

In the 7 plus years we have lived in Cuenca Ecuador and had occasion to meet gringos, several of them had drinking problems. When it’s only 10:00 am in the morning and their breath already smells like alcohol, which their trying to cover up with breath mints, you know there is a problem. And then there is the lady who actually got inebriated in front of us, and let’s not forget the older couple who couldn’t wait for their highballs in the evening, foregoing looking at good-priced rentals for their evening booze binge.  There’s more but we’ll spare you the details. 


 

Addiction by alcohol is one of the most sought out treatments in the addiction arena and yet it is also the most swept under the rug health problem world-wide.   That tells you something; it tells you how enormous the problem of alcoholism really is; and while many seek help, many prefer to keep it the family secret. Good luck with that.
 

           Americans Heavy Drinking Reputation Abroad



It’s well known in the expat circles and by the locals that many Americans from the U.S who come to these countries to set up house are ‘heavy drinkers”. Locals never use the term “alcoholic” because they do not really know what it means to be an alcoholic.  They think the alcoholics are people who pass out on the streets at night.
 

It’s quite amazing really, even if an expat humiliates himself because of his drinking, locals do not realize the guy cannot handle his alcohol.  They just think the guy is having a good time, after all, a real drunk wouldn’t be walking around wearing fancy clothing, jewelry  or have all that money he’s waving around to buy drinks for everyone.  People with drinking problems are bums, street hoodlums, thieves, right? NOT…very much NOT.
 

We all remain ignorant to issues in life if we do not get the education we need to understand them and alcoholism is one misunderstood problem in most developing countries and even in developed countries. Only in the last decades have developed countries started looking at heavy drinking as an addiction or what some folks call, a disease.
 

     Heavy Drinker vs. Alcoholic – What is the Difference
 

It’s ironic how some alcoholics like to say their only “heavy drinkers” and not alcoholics; but think about this for a moment:  Why does the heavy drinker NEED to consume so much alcohol and what constitutes heavy drinking?  Ironically, the heavy drinkers will be the first ones to speak up and tell you, heavy drinking is not addiction. Why do they have to even tell you this?
 

The truth is heavy drinkers are what they call “functioning alcoholics”.  We know functioning alcoholics very well. They can get up in the morning (they hide the hangovers well), go to work, interact with the colleagues in a normal way, stay sober all day, come back home and start the drinking process all over again.  They can live like this for years until one day, something triggers or changes and he bottoms out and at that moment he/she admits to him/herself he has been an alcoholic all along.
 

Just because an alcoholic can stop drinking after 10 beers or not pass out on the floor, doesn’t mean they are not alcoholics.  Calling oneself a “heavy drinker” is a form of denial from the addiction. You see, as long as he is just a “heavy drinker” he can continue to drink but if he is an “alcoholic” then he would be expected to quit drinking by everyone he knows.  It’s flat out denial. 



The thing an alcoholic fears the most is having his drink taken away from him and is exactly why the first step of denial is difficult to overcome.
 

                     Alcoholics Moving Abroad



So, whether you’re still in denial or the person that goes to AA, you have a few things to consider before moving abroad. Moving abroad will not necessarily help you to get sober or to remain sober, unless you are a long time sober person who does not need AA anymore.  If you still need AA for staying sober, it’s probably not a good idea to move abroad and go outside of your familiar surroundings and that is the person we’re talking about in this situation. Long-timers will do fine, usually.
 

In fact, for the newly sober (2 years or less) or for those who still need to go to AA, quite the opposite will happen; going abroad and all the things that go with such a move will exacerbate drinking.  Single, newly sober people are especially at risk of drinking when moving abroad because they tend to go out more and do not have anyone at home to be accountable to.
 

10 “I Need a Drink” Triggers Abroad
 

AA people know all the triggers that tempt them to drink, but what are the triggers when you go abroad?
 

1. Being stressed from the move and unwinding with drinks
 

2. Unable to speak the language and feeling frustrated and disconnected
 

3. Being around other expat drinkers at restaurants and bars
 

4. Being retired or semi retired and not staying busy with work anymore (idleness)
 

5. Not needing to be accountable to anyone but self
 

6. Being outside of usual AA meetings and familiar faces at the meetings
 

7. Feeling homesick or alone
 

8. Going out with friends that drink
 

9. Having a quarrel with your spouse or other
 

10. Going thru a bad experience with the local people
     11 Unintended Consequences that Can Happen
                          to an Alcoholic Abroad


1.  Suffering a health problem related to alcohol addiction
 

2.  Affairs and abusive marriages abroad (we know of one couple who separated because of this exact thing happening in their marriage when they moved abroad)
 

3.  Making a fool out of yourself in front of your new friends
 

4.  Becoming too trusting with strangers and
 

5.  Getting robbed or pick pocketed while inebriated
 

6.  Getting assaulted (raped, date rape) while inebriated
 

7.  Getting robbed by so called friends who take advantage of you while drinking
 

8.   Becoming hostile and abusive while drunk and going to 

jail in a foreign country
 

9.  Getting robbed of your important documents (passport)
 

10.  Drowning or other serious injury while drinking abroad
 

11.  Suicidal thoughts and depression when living abroad (alcohol really messes with your emotions and can cause depression and negative thoughts.




NOTE: In all of these problems, they are only exacerbated by being outside of your familiar surroundings and moving to unfamiliar territory. 



This is a very serious subject: Travelers to foreign countries are scammed, ripped off, abused, and assaulted every day in these places abroad because of their drinking in public.  And especially when they can’t speak the language, look and act like a newbie and are too trusting.  Bad things happen to foreigners who are not drinking and so how much more will it be compounded for a foreigner who is drinking and doesn’t have their primary senses on guard?
 

Do you seriously think moving abroad is a good idea after knowing this? Bottom line: For the alcoholic and or newly sober alcoholic (less than two years) moving abroad can end up being a nightmare in hell. Why compound dependency problem?
 

In our experience and in the experience of thousands of others, the addicted person needs to come out of himself and receive the spiritual healing he needs for total sobriety to take place.
 

For those people who actually recognize their alcohol dependency and are trying to quit drinking or if you are still patronizing AA meetings back home, we strongly advise not to move abroad until you have stopped attending AA Meetings and have been sober for at least 2 years!
 

Long time sobers should have no problem traveling or moving abroad and there are English-speaking AA meetings in Cuenca Ecuador for travelers and residents who need it. 
 

Source
Project Know - https://www.projectknow.com/

A Delightful Drive in Spanish European City Cuenca Ecuador

We're enjoying a delightful drive in this lovely Spanish European city Cuenca Ecuador. The colonial architecture still amazes us. Plus we share a couple of short clips we made while we were still in Panama.

       
    

Who Is Latin America Residency Better For?

The notion that uprooting one’s life from North America and moving to a Latin American country somewhere in South America is somehow going to make our life better is unlikely, for everyone. Let us tell you why we think this way and who it works better for.
 

                                    Why it’s Unlikely
 

When we look at history of expats that have moved to Ecuador or anywhere else in Latin America it clearly shows that many of them decide that permanent living abroad is not for them. Now, there’s nothing wrong with these feelings and there is nothing wrong with moving back to your familiar surroundings, after all that is your home; it’s actually quite normal. 
 

In short, the emigration pattern shows that life abroad is not for everyone.
 

To elaborate on this a bit more, we can say that reading the hype the pumpers continuously print can mislead us into believing a certain way about a place until of course, we experience it for ourselves. Along with this buildup of how great somewhere is comes certain wording and adjectives that writers use to heighten a positive awareness in the reader; such as calling a city magical or whimsical or ideal or paradise or eden or….well, you get the point.
 

And then there’s always the part where they simply leave out anything that might sound negative and that’s because they NEED people to go there and spend money, stay in gringo priced rentals, buy property and so on and so forth. The insiders know what is good for their business.
 

This propaganda for pumping certain cities to death is designed to delude the reader to such an extent that they can’t wait to be entertained in this new magical, paradisaical city and so what do they do? They uproot their entire lives to move somewhere they only visited for 3 weeks while on a vacation.
 

We’re not at all saying that some of this stuff is not true because it is but there has to be a balance, otherwise the reader gets sucked in to a realm that isn’t. Deluding retirees and young families into believing so much greatness from so many different media outlets about one city on the map is ridiculous to say the least.  Did we say, “Over the top”? Did we mention overblown, out of proportion and just plain out of this world, weird?
 

We have fully recognized over the years the people that fall for these overblown, glowing reports are the people who usually only read the positive pitches about a place because they do not want their dream of moving to an exotic foreign country crushed. They don’t like people who tell it like it is” and some of them become hostile over it.
 

          People Do Not Want Their Dream Crushed
 

Even though there are some bloggers that do talk about the negatives of a place, it seems that readers shy away from the REAL TALK or SCOFF at it or JUSTIFY reasons why they will be able to deal with that negative aspect. So, in reality we allow ourselves to be sucked in rather than carry a sensible head on our shoulders and half of the expats leave after a year or two.
 

Most of our followers who have hopes for Cuenca Ecuador have totally denounced Panama, saying things such as "Who would want to live there?", "Ecuador looks better than Panama" and we got a kick out of this one, "Why would you leave Ecuador for Panama"...like "what are you nuts?"  But these people have never set foot in Panama! Do you see what we're saying here?  



BTW, we're not touting Panama, just making videos of our travels there. We're not telling anyone to move there!
 

OK, we understand, no one wants their dream crushed! We don’t want our dreams crushed either but at the same time we don’t want to waste money or our time going to a place that we’ll not fit in. We have to fit-in otherwise we’ll feel disconnected and lonely for the familiar of home. So, what that means is our dream might be crushed for that particular place.
 

What really helped for us is that we came to Ecuador with our whole family. We would never have moved to Ecuador had our three sons not been on board and that is because we are very family connected and is the main reason why we chose Ecuador. Ecuador is very family-oriented and family-connected and that connection helps us to fit-in.
 

The health care can be great, the weather perfect, the landscape beautiful, the people pleasant and the food abundant but if you feel disconnected none of it matters…do you see? Where and how do you fit-in to your new place abroad is the deciding factor? There needs to be a foundational connection about your life now that will help you to fit-in wherever you decide to move.
 

Moving somewhere because it is touted as cheap or glorious, or paradise is not a good enough reason to move there.
 

Ok, we reiterate again “moving to Latin America is not for everyone”… but then who is it for?
 

           Who is Latin America Residency Better For?



Latin America works better for people who have a sense of adventure over sense of materialism.
 

It’s better for people who have the “live and let live attitude” rather than the “it must be my way attitude”.
 

Latin America works better for people who prefer living in the local neighborhoods and interacting with the locals, rather than living in the gringo enclaves and only interacting with gringos. (This doesn’t mean you do not have gringo friends and acquaintances, it only means balance in your friendships).
 

It’s better for people who actually LEARN the language because they need and want their interaction enhanced with the local people.
 

Latin America works better for people who love to walk, are healthy, energetic and active.
 

It’s better for expats who live in Latin America that understand what being respectful of other peoples and cultures is because it does make life easier for you and for the local’s.
 

We don’t have to change our beliefs to move to Latin America but we must be tolerant and accepting of others, otherwise Latin America will not work for you.
 

Latin America works great for retirees who understand the behavioral changes they will need to have to stay safe and secure from not just petty crime but home invasions and robbery. This is important for your safety and protection.
 

Moving to a Latin American country is better for those people who have a humble persona rather than a flaunty one. 
 

And lastly, Latin America works better for those expats who understand the financial differences in Latin America and respect those differences with their own lifestyle.
 

Is Latin America a good fit for you? Only you have the answer to that. Whatever you do, do it with thoroughness.
 

To end this, we say to you, the world is a big place, step outside of the few countries that the RAMM magazines so much love to pump every year over and over again and take a look around. Open your minds, study, research, travel, explore and learn.
 

There’s a lot more than just a Cuenca Ecuador out there!





If you are truly gung-ho about moving abroad we offer extensive, personal video consultations that can answer all of your pressing questions or concerns you might have about one of the most important decisions of your life.
 

Like this travel abroad article? Check out these ones too! And if you would like to support our  "Tell It Like It Is Adventure abroad we offer more goodies and details here.

• How to think CLEARLY about Retiring and INVESTING Overseas

•  We Know What They Won't Say about Ecuador BUT What Are They Going to Talk abour?!

• 5 Ways to Emotionally Prepare for Culture Shock - UPDATED 2018

Secrets to Recognize Property Bubbles in Latin America vs. USA - Avoid Gringo Vicious Cycle

Avoid the gringo vicious cycle! Latin American real estate markets can fool you if you're not paying close attention to these secrets. Yes, there are certain things to look out for to recognize a property bubble in a Latin American country and here they are.
             

I Am Moving...Not to Panama

I am moving but not to Panama. The best way to find out what Frank and Angie are doing is to keep following along!

        

5 Best Things about Living in Latin America

1. Latin Americans are much more friendly and personable than people from North
America and they are so much easier to get along with...excluding the southern
U.S where people are friendlier than in other parts of the U.S. 
 

In Latin
America, most everyone says good day and if they know you, expect a hug and a
kiss.

Remember this: If
you get treated badly by a Latin American it is because they have had negative
experiences with gringos. Unfortunately, when a few gringos become ugly with a
local, we’re all treated by that local as one of the ugly gringos”.  All
you can do is smile and hope that one day the stigma will cease to exist.

Consider that NOT
all gringos are patient and nice people and when they move to these touted
countries in droves…well you get the point. 

2. Latin Americans generally like gringos. The term “gringo” is not to be taken as
derogatory but actually it is quite endearing to be referred to as a
gringo. 

Interacting with
the people of Ecuador, Panama and Mexico has given us the wonderful opportunity
to see that Latin folks are genuinely interested in how gringos do things,
dress, eat, live, you name it. However, we always need to present ourselves in
respectful ways and bide by the cultural norms of the country we’re residing
in. One example would be greeting people appropriately when we meet them. As
long as we are respectful, we will be treated with respect.

3. Latin Americans are not suspicious of differences in people and are not apt to
call the cops because someone is wearing a black hoodie on the street or
because she is looking into a closed store window. North Americans are so apt
to call the police on anyone that looks just a bit different and everyone has
become suspicious of everyone. So sad.

We’ve had the
cops called on us in the U.S for walking down the road as a family. Yep, that’s
right…all we we’re doing was walking down the road with our three teenage sons,
enjoying our day. In most areas no one walks in the U.S and so it was looked
upon as suspicious.  Are you laughing out loud yet?

On another time,
many years ago when we were traveling in our travel trailer and staying in a
travel park, a rather nosy, retired snowbird called the cops because our children
were not in a school. Of course when the police arrived and we told him we were
traveling and home-school, he felt frustrated that he came out for nothing. He
was really nice and bade us well for the rest of our travels.   

The U.S is a
place where you can’t be who you are if it’s different than the majority…it’s
become inhospitable. Glad we live in Latin America!

4. Latin Americans have a “live and let live” attitude. They aren’t in a rush to
call the cops because it’s 9pm on a Friday night and you’re playing your music
too loud.  Living in Latin America is nothing like living in North
America. People enjoy their life here with fireworks, music, food, laughter and
family fun…and Latins seem to be happier and more content with what they have
rather than keep up with the Jones attitude.

Latinos are not
sue-happy either; many times in a civil complaint or grievance they actually
try and work things out amicably amongst each other until a compensation
agreement is satisfactory between both parties. “Let me live and I’ll let you
live”. Great motto!

5.
Latin Americans are really family focused! One of the first things we noticed
when we moved to Ecuador was how close the families were. Seeing parents
walking down the street holding hands with their daughters and sons was an
amazing picture.

And noticing the
older children walking with their parents at events and fiestas was a sight for
sore eyes. Coming from the U.S where rebelliousness runs rampant among
teenagers and where families do nothing together anymore, this Latin American
family scene was a positive culture shock and one we embraced immediately!

Thumbs up for
Latin America on these scores!

If you would like to know more about the Latin American culture, don't forget to see these articles.  Adios Amgios!

• What Are Ecuadorian Women Like?


• How Do Ecuadorians Protect Themselves from Crime? 


• Marriage and Family Values Still Exist in Cuenca Ecuador!

Thanks for checking out today's article. Want to know more about what it is really like to travel and live abroad, you can support our endeavors on Patreon! 

3 Good Reasons NOT Move to Panama RIGHT NOW!

Yes guys, we have 3 good reasons NOT to move to Panama AT THIS TIME. As we all know things can change but it will take time. When the real estate prices become so out of control that you can't or don't want to afford it and when the major banks are in turmoil from their past mistakes, it makes for a poor quality of life, actually, it makes it unlivable. This is why you should take discovery trips so you can research an area BEFORE you move there.



         

Are We Getting Paid to Live in Panama? The Truth about Our YouTube Channel

Ecuador lovers want to know: Are We Getting Paid to Live in Panama! Well, here's the truth about our YouTube Channel and who we are...

 

Ecuador-Panama-USA Differences - Don't Believe the Forums!

We outline some of the Ecuador-Panama-USA differences and comparisons in this VLOG. BTW, don't believe the forums!

        

What I really miss about Cuenca Ecuador right now!

When you travel there are certain things you miss back home like your bed, your favorite food or whatever it is... and this is what I'm missing right now!

          

Ecuador, Mexico, Colombia, Panama...What They Have in Common

What do Ecuador, Mexico, Colombia, Panama and other developing countries have in common? Many commonalities are actually shared by these countries and these are our top 11 picks chosen for this video.

       

We 're in Bogota, Colombia and Then Panama! Latin America Travel VLOG

We're in Bogota, Colombia and it looks like Cuenca Ecuador!  Next stop, Panama! Latin America Travel Vlog.

 

Andes Ecuador Women vs. Coastal Ecuador Women - Discover Cuenca Ecuador VLOG

It's exactly as the title says: Andes Ecuador women vs. coastal Ecuador women.

           


DO YOU LIKE OUR VIDEOS?
We're glad you appreciate what we do and you get something out of our videos. With Patreon it's fast and easy to show your appreciation. You will enjoy access to our community where you will receive two exclusive videos each month, plus more rewards!
Join our exclusive community today!
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Goodbye Mexico, Hello Dominican Republic! DR Travel VLOG

We have more great insights for you today with our Goodbye Mexico, Hello Dominican Republic VLOG. If you didn't already know, the DR is the new kid on the retirement abroad circuit which means more Americans getting deceived into believing they can live in luxury for a low-cost on their Social Security pension, however let us know if you think this is luxury living. You'll be able to live better in Ecuador for that money.

            


DO YOU LIKE OUR VIDEOS?
We're glad you appreciate what we do and you get something out of our videos. With Patreon it's fast and easy to show your appreciation. You will enjoy access to our community where you will receive two exclusive videos each month, plus more rewards!
Join our exclusive community today!
https://www.patreon.com/HMFamilyLife

3 Language Learning Challenges Most People Never Overcome - Cuenca Ecuador Vlog

Hello everyone! Our next video is a commentary about 3 challenges we face when trying to learn a new language. Language learning is not just about going to Language classes and studying...that's just one aspect of it. Find out what the 3 challenges are in this video while we eat lunch and walk the city of Cuenca Ecuador!

           


DO YOU LIKE OUR VIDEOS?
We're glad you appreciate what we do and you get something out of our videos. With Patreon it's fast and easy to show your appreciation. You will enjoy access to our community where you will receive two exclusive videos each month, plus more rewards!
Join our exclusive community today!
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Can You Spot the Gringos in Cuenca Ecuador? Tourism VLOG

Let's play "spot the gringos". How many gringos can you spot in this video. We can safely say there are far more tourists in Cuenca now than we've ever seen before.

                 
 

Hello Friends!
For 6 years now we have posted great information about crucial insights that provide the other side of living abroad. From us, you'll get REALITY. We are now making exclusive videos for those people who want a deeper understanding of life in a developing country; to find out more about visit us on Patreon. https://www.patreon.com/HMFamilyLife