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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!
Welcome to Gringo Good Samaritans, integrated with our 8 years of living in Cuenca Ecuador and traveling the world. We create informative videos and articles helping people come to awareness of what's happening in our world so they can enjoy their retire early lifestyle with their families, healthy, happy and free!
Sunday, January 10, 2016
Saturday, January 9, 2016
The War on Parasites When Living in Developing Countries
It’s no laughing matter, moving to a developing country comes with some annoyances such as the presence of ugly bugs that contaminate the food, the water and the occasional (hope it is the occasional) food handler and server that prepares your food and has filthy hands. Ugh!
Now, certainly anyone can contract parasites living anywhere in the world but it is much more prevalent in certain areas of the world that are in the development stages…especially if eating from street vendors and eating out a lot. The more you eat out and not take precautions your chances are much greater for getting a parasitic infection or disease.
It started with our youngest son who began complaining of aches and pains in different parts of his body. Sometimes he would have jabbing pains in his liver and sometimes he complained of stomach aches with sharp pains in different areas of his intestines. He has never been ill like this in his life. He took a stool sample down to the lab here in Cuenca and it came back positive for parasites.
Then just to be on the safe side we all got checked and sure enough it was confirmed we all had the same parasites! EEK! Our son had a more pronounced stage (stage 2) said the lab technician and why he was having more intestinal issues. The rest of us had some cramping (stage 1) but didn't put two and two together. There are 4 stages; stage 3 is serious and 4 is fatal. We eat a lot of raw garlic, raw yogurt and sauerkraut and is probably why the parasitic infection did not reach a more advanced stage. Thank goodness.
This parasite we had is not your ordinary Giardia parasite that stays confined to your intestines. It’s a parasite that mutates if it breaches the intestines into a totally different creature, it normally lives in your intestines but in some people, (we think in constipated people) it travels through your blood stream to other parts of your body and makes home in your organs and that is when it begins to make bigger trouble. Rarely does this nasty parasite migrate to the lungs and brain but in severe cases, if left unchecked it can and does.
Entamoeba Histolytica is very common in South America. It is the third most dangerous parasite in the world and kills 70,000 people per year. In ten percent of the population it can become serious where the protozoans migrate out of the intestines and into other organs in the body where cysts feed off cells and tissues, causing ulcers and a myriad of other complications to its host. Yuck! And because we had it, we felt compelled to find out all we could about this disgusting parasitic attacker.
Facts about Entamoeba Histolytica
1. These parasites are very prevalent in rural Ecuador - 57.1% of the Quichua Highland children of Ecuador that were tested for E. Histolytica had it.
2. When the parasites migrate out of the intestines and into the organs it is called Amoebiasis Disease, and if left untreated it can be fatal.
3. Most people, about 90% live with these parasites without issue; however, 10% to 20% percent of people with it, contract Amoebiasis Disease where the cysts make homes in the organs, particularly the intestines and to the liver where they eat away at the tissues and cells.
3. E. Histolytica is rather easy to contract, either from fecal contaminated food and water, or from a food prep worker or server with dirty hands, or, the cysts can be transferred from objects you touch and then accidentally touch your mouth and you’ve got it; and amazingly enough, even flies can transfer the cysts from their furry little legs onto your food.
4. E. Histolytica infection (Amoebiasis) is the third leading cause of death from parasitic diseases worldwide, with its greatest impact on the people of developing countries; it is mostly seen in Asia and South American countries.
5. The infectious cyst form of the E. Histolytica Parasite is relatively resistant to chlorine.
6. Parasitic infections are the most prevalent infections of humans in developing countries.
7. World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that approximately 50 million people worldwide suffer from invasive amoebic infection each year, resulting in 40-100 thousand deaths annually
8. 203 stool samples were taken from children in rural Ecuador and the results showed that 85.7 percent of them had at least one type of intestinal parasite and 57% of those children had E. Histolytica.
Source: Journal of Health, Population and Nutrition - Human Intestinal Parasites Rashidul Haque, Scientist and Head of Parasitology Laboratory
9. In the U.S the most dramatic incidence of E. Histolytica was the Chicago World's Fair outbreak in 1933 caused by contaminated drinking water; defective plumbing permitted sewage to contaminate the drinking water. There were 1,000 cases (with 58 deaths). In recent times, food handlers are suspected of causing many scattered infections, but there has been no single large outbreak in the U.S.
NOTE: It is safe to say that something like this could have happened in Cuenca Ecuador as well. If it can happen in the U.S it can happen in South America.
Source:FDA
10. Ecuadorians routinely get checked and rid themselves of parasites at least once a year, says the lab technician in Cuenca Ecuador. That tells us a lot!
Update November 2016 - We since learned that many Ecuadorians treat with antibiotics every 6 months!
Is Tap Water in Cuenca Ecuador Safe to Drink?
As our long time followers know we quit drinking the tap water several years ago, not because we think the tap water in Cuenca is dirty but because we wanted to filter out chlorine, heavy metals and fluoride. Overall, we feel the tap water in Cuenca is perfectly safe to drink and actually is cleaner than some parts of the U.S.
UPDATE 2016: No, the tap water is NOT SAFE to drink. We have expats that have reported to us they got the same parasite we did in Cuenca called Entamoeba Histolytica! Several expats have also goteen Giardia in Cuenca Ecuador. As much as we would like to tell people something is safe and healthy we no longer recommend anyone drink the water in Cuenca, Ecuador ever.
When the Tap Water in Cuenca Is UNSAFE to Drink
There are exceptions to every rule, however, and in this instance it’s when the water has been turned off. This has happened in Cuenca more times than we would like to admit, especially now since they have been working on the light rail. If the water has been turned off, the first rushes of water that runs through your pipes would be contaminated.
The other exception is drinking water from an old house with old pipes or washing fruits and vegetables with contaminated water or brushing your teeth with contaminated water by not letting it run long enough before using the water. After water has been shut off, running the water through the pipes for at least 5 minutes is a good rule of thumb. But now we will not use the water the first day after a shut off just to be safe. This calls for having a back up water plan.
How Did We Get Entamoeba Histolytica?
The lab technician kept telling us it was from dirty water, but we drink from Berkey filters that filter out 99.98% of parasites and amoebas (we checked) and so it is unlikely it that it was from the 0.2 percent chance. But we eat out and drink the juice drinks that come with the Almuerzo and we drink tap water when given to us from people we know.
NOTE: If the lab technicians that check people's stools samples day in and day out for parasites (it's their job, what they do for a living) say parasites are from the water in Cuenca, then they would know something that we're not privy to. Now we're privy to it and we're sharing it with you...you can do what you will with this information.
We think we got Entamoeba Histolytica from eating out and eating contaminated food or water, or perhaps the food prep worker had dirty hands, or we used the tap water too soon after the water was shut off to wash our fruits and vegetables with...or our Berkey failed us, which it has in the past...so there ya go.
We recommend buying bottled water if you're just visiting; why take chances with your health. You do not want this parasite!
Who Should Be Checked for Parasites?
Anyone living in or traveling in a developing country should be checked for parasites. In Cuenca Ecuador you can take a stool sample to any lab for a couple of bucks. You probably have to go there first and let them know that you think you might have parasites and they will give you the container for your sample.
Guidelines to Stay Healthy When Living in
Developing Countries
To make a long story short, we are happy to say after we took Nitazoxanide, an anti-parasite medicine for 6 days, we took stool samples back to the lab and it came back negative for E. Histolytica. And we are so happy!
big update!!! We are not parasite free. the medicine only kills the dangerous trophozoites not the cysts, and well, they hatched again and we're having stomach issues again. E. histolytica is difficult to get rid of. Saying this parasite creates a vicious cycle in your gut, is an understatement!
Instead of making the stupid mistkae we did, of taking the medicine three times in a row, just a few months apart from each other, here's what you need to do. You MUST have good eating habits and bowel movements and eat papaya seeds (1 large tablespoons) every single day to get rid of the cysts!!
How it works is the seeds paralyze the cysts and they can no longer hang on to the wall of your intestines and hide in the crevices of your intestines and eventually you end up just flushing them out with bowel movements but it takes several weeks to maybe months, depending on how heavily infected you are!!
WE know because we've been dealing with this parasite for two years now!!!!
Update: three weeks later - We are parasite (trophozoite) free but the pharmaceutical medicine changed our intestinal flora and made us constipated. Doing research we find that this anti-parasite medicine is routinely given for people with parasites and dysentery, which none of us had dysentery!! We are working on building up our intestinal flora through natural ways and preventing parasites from making home in our intestines again, while living in South America, because the medicine really put our bodies out of whack.
Update November 2016 - Actually, we thought we were parasite free but we were not. This is what you are NOT told by anyone in the labs. The cysts are not killed off by the antibiotics; it's hard to kill those buggers because they hide in the crevices of your colon. Eventually, when not in an endemic area, the best way to rid the cysts is through good flora, and papaya seed drinks for several weeks in a row which overtime, hopefully (but still not sure), flush out the cysts.
UPDATE: If living in an endemic area, the best way to stay free of parasites is to stay very healthy and eat and drink fermented foods and papaya seeds DAILY to PREVENT infection.
We’re good to go for now (NOT) and hope that by following these guidelines we will not get parasites again, but as you know sometimes that’s hard to do unless you lock yourself up in your house all day and never do anything.
Another BIG Update 2018 - Living in rural Ecuador we're getting Giardia now! Just letting you know, Ecuador does not have clean water anywhere and all it takes is a simple squirt of water from the shower or brushing your teeth with th water. Even Cuenca does not have clean water all the time!!
Until we write again…
If you found this article informative, you will probably like these ones 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!
 |
| Amazing Garlic |
Now, certainly anyone can contract parasites living anywhere in the world but it is much more prevalent in certain areas of the world that are in the development stages…especially if eating from street vendors and eating out a lot. The more you eat out and not take precautions your chances are much greater for getting a parasitic infection or disease.
It started with our youngest son who began complaining of aches and pains in different parts of his body. Sometimes he would have jabbing pains in his liver and sometimes he complained of stomach aches with sharp pains in different areas of his intestines. He has never been ill like this in his life. He took a stool sample down to the lab here in Cuenca and it came back positive for parasites.
Then just to be on the safe side we all got checked and sure enough it was confirmed we all had the same parasites! EEK! Our son had a more pronounced stage (stage 2) said the lab technician and why he was having more intestinal issues. The rest of us had some cramping (stage 1) but didn't put two and two together. There are 4 stages; stage 3 is serious and 4 is fatal. We eat a lot of raw garlic, raw yogurt and sauerkraut and is probably why the parasitic infection did not reach a more advanced stage. Thank goodness.
This parasite we had is not your ordinary Giardia parasite that stays confined to your intestines. It’s a parasite that mutates if it breaches the intestines into a totally different creature, it normally lives in your intestines but in some people, (we think in constipated people) it travels through your blood stream to other parts of your body and makes home in your organs and that is when it begins to make bigger trouble. Rarely does this nasty parasite migrate to the lungs and brain but in severe cases, if left unchecked it can and does.
Entamoeba Histolytica is very common in South America. It is the third most dangerous parasite in the world and kills 70,000 people per year. In ten percent of the population it can become serious where the protozoans migrate out of the intestines and into other organs in the body where cysts feed off cells and tissues, causing ulcers and a myriad of other complications to its host. Yuck! And because we had it, we felt compelled to find out all we could about this disgusting parasitic attacker.
Facts about Entamoeba Histolytica
1. These parasites are very prevalent in rural Ecuador - 57.1% of the Quichua Highland children of Ecuador that were tested for E. Histolytica had it.
2. When the parasites migrate out of the intestines and into the organs it is called Amoebiasis Disease, and if left untreated it can be fatal.
3. Most people, about 90% live with these parasites without issue; however, 10% to 20% percent of people with it, contract Amoebiasis Disease where the cysts make homes in the organs, particularly the intestines and to the liver where they eat away at the tissues and cells.
3. E. Histolytica is rather easy to contract, either from fecal contaminated food and water, or from a food prep worker or server with dirty hands, or, the cysts can be transferred from objects you touch and then accidentally touch your mouth and you’ve got it; and amazingly enough, even flies can transfer the cysts from their furry little legs onto your food.
4. E. Histolytica infection (Amoebiasis) is the third leading cause of death from parasitic diseases worldwide, with its greatest impact on the people of developing countries; it is mostly seen in Asia and South American countries.
5. The infectious cyst form of the E. Histolytica Parasite is relatively resistant to chlorine.
6. Parasitic infections are the most prevalent infections of humans in developing countries.
7. World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that approximately 50 million people worldwide suffer from invasive amoebic infection each year, resulting in 40-100 thousand deaths annually
8. 203 stool samples were taken from children in rural Ecuador and the results showed that 85.7 percent of them had at least one type of intestinal parasite and 57% of those children had E. Histolytica.
Source: Journal of Health, Population and Nutrition - Human Intestinal Parasites Rashidul Haque, Scientist and Head of Parasitology Laboratory
9. In the U.S the most dramatic incidence of E. Histolytica was the Chicago World's Fair outbreak in 1933 caused by contaminated drinking water; defective plumbing permitted sewage to contaminate the drinking water. There were 1,000 cases (with 58 deaths). In recent times, food handlers are suspected of causing many scattered infections, but there has been no single large outbreak in the U.S.
NOTE: It is safe to say that something like this could have happened in Cuenca Ecuador as well. If it can happen in the U.S it can happen in South America.
Source:FDA
10. Ecuadorians routinely get checked and rid themselves of parasites at least once a year, says the lab technician in Cuenca Ecuador. That tells us a lot!
Update November 2016 - We since learned that many Ecuadorians treat with antibiotics every 6 months!
Is Tap Water in Cuenca Ecuador Safe to Drink?
As our long time followers know we quit drinking the tap water several years ago, not because we think the tap water in Cuenca is dirty but because we wanted to filter out chlorine, heavy metals and fluoride. Overall, we feel the tap water in Cuenca is perfectly safe to drink and actually is cleaner than some parts of the U.S.
UPDATE 2016: No, the tap water is NOT SAFE to drink. We have expats that have reported to us they got the same parasite we did in Cuenca called Entamoeba Histolytica! Several expats have also goteen Giardia in Cuenca Ecuador. As much as we would like to tell people something is safe and healthy we no longer recommend anyone drink the water in Cuenca, Ecuador ever.
When the Tap Water in Cuenca Is UNSAFE to Drink
There are exceptions to every rule, however, and in this instance it’s when the water has been turned off. This has happened in Cuenca more times than we would like to admit, especially now since they have been working on the light rail. If the water has been turned off, the first rushes of water that runs through your pipes would be contaminated.
The other exception is drinking water from an old house with old pipes or washing fruits and vegetables with contaminated water or brushing your teeth with contaminated water by not letting it run long enough before using the water. After water has been shut off, running the water through the pipes for at least 5 minutes is a good rule of thumb. But now we will not use the water the first day after a shut off just to be safe. This calls for having a back up water plan.
How Did We Get Entamoeba Histolytica?
The lab technician kept telling us it was from dirty water, but we drink from Berkey filters that filter out 99.98% of parasites and amoebas (we checked) and so it is unlikely it that it was from the 0.2 percent chance. But we eat out and drink the juice drinks that come with the Almuerzo and we drink tap water when given to us from people we know.
NOTE: If the lab technicians that check people's stools samples day in and day out for parasites (it's their job, what they do for a living) say parasites are from the water in Cuenca, then they would know something that we're not privy to. Now we're privy to it and we're sharing it with you...you can do what you will with this information.
We think we got Entamoeba Histolytica from eating out and eating contaminated food or water, or perhaps the food prep worker had dirty hands, or we used the tap water too soon after the water was shut off to wash our fruits and vegetables with...or our Berkey failed us, which it has in the past...so there ya go.
We recommend buying bottled water if you're just visiting; why take chances with your health. You do not want this parasite!
Who Should Be Checked for Parasites?
Anyone living in or traveling in a developing country should be checked for parasites. In Cuenca Ecuador you can take a stool sample to any lab for a couple of bucks. You probably have to go there first and let them know that you think you might have parasites and they will give you the container for your sample.
Guidelines to Stay Healthy When Living in
Developing Countries
- Only eat from restaurants that you know are safe (we have only a few restaurants we go to now, since both of us got food poisoning eating out in Cuenca)
- Cook at home and avoid illness altogether.
- Run the water through tap for at least 5-minutes if water has been shut off before drinking, brushing teeth or washing your vegetables.
- Be careful and do not touch your face with your hands after riding public buses and taxis, after touching fruits and vegetables that may have been washed with contaminated water.
- When eating from street vendors never eat anything that did not just come off the grill. Anything sitting around is suspect and should not be eaten.
- Make sure street vendors wear gloves or use napkins when handling your food.
- Don’t allow flies in the home; flies are carriers of many germs and diseases and they are filthy creatures. Make sure all foods sitting out in the open are covered.
- If the water is not clean to drink then not a good idea to brush your teeth with it either. We used to brush our teeth with the water on the Ecuador coast but now, after getting this parasite, we’re going to quit doing that too.
To make a long story short, we are happy to say after we took Nitazoxanide, an anti-parasite medicine for 6 days, we took stool samples back to the lab and it came back negative for E. Histolytica. And we are so happy!
big update!!! We are not parasite free. the medicine only kills the dangerous trophozoites not the cysts, and well, they hatched again and we're having stomach issues again. E. histolytica is difficult to get rid of. Saying this parasite creates a vicious cycle in your gut, is an understatement!
Instead of making the stupid mistkae we did, of taking the medicine three times in a row, just a few months apart from each other, here's what you need to do. You MUST have good eating habits and bowel movements and eat papaya seeds (1 large tablespoons) every single day to get rid of the cysts!!
How it works is the seeds paralyze the cysts and they can no longer hang on to the wall of your intestines and hide in the crevices of your intestines and eventually you end up just flushing them out with bowel movements but it takes several weeks to maybe months, depending on how heavily infected you are!!
WE know because we've been dealing with this parasite for two years now!!!!
Update: three weeks later - We are parasite (trophozoite) free but the pharmaceutical medicine changed our intestinal flora and made us constipated. Doing research we find that this anti-parasite medicine is routinely given for people with parasites and dysentery, which none of us had dysentery!! We are working on building up our intestinal flora through natural ways and preventing parasites from making home in our intestines again, while living in South America, because the medicine really put our bodies out of whack.
Update November 2016 - Actually, we thought we were parasite free but we were not. This is what you are NOT told by anyone in the labs. The cysts are not killed off by the antibiotics; it's hard to kill those buggers because they hide in the crevices of your colon. Eventually, when not in an endemic area, the best way to rid the cysts is through good flora, and papaya seed drinks for several weeks in a row which overtime, hopefully (but still not sure), flush out the cysts.
UPDATE: If living in an endemic area, the best way to stay free of parasites is to stay very healthy and eat and drink fermented foods and papaya seeds DAILY to PREVENT infection.
Another BIG Update 2018 - Living in rural Ecuador we're getting Giardia now! Just letting you know, Ecuador does not have clean water anywhere and all it takes is a simple squirt of water from the shower or brushing your teeth with th water. Even Cuenca does not have clean water all the time!!
Until we write again…
If you found this article informative, you will probably like these ones 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!
Thursday, January 7, 2016
What We Miss the Most about the U.S-UPDATED JAN 2016
The other day we had the family all together in Park Calderon in downtown Cuenca and we asked the family what they missed about the U.S. We even did a video (not rehearsed of course) about it, and not surprisingly, there really is nothing that we miss about the U.S. We did make a couple of off-handed comments but they were just a regurgitation of our 12 annoyances video, and even most of those things aren’t that big of a deal anymore.
Note - Jan 2016: When we do updates to our articles, the original article remains intact, we take nothing out so you can actually see how is was then and any new changes with our updates.
Update January 2016 - This video was made 4 years ago and not much has changed. However, if we had to suggest two or three things we miss the most about the U.S after having lived here for almost 5 years, they would be:
1. We miss efficient postal service: including DHL and UPS. We never once lost anything. Receiving packages and letters from within the U.S and from other countries was always timely, and sending packages to other people was always efficient and timely.
We are disappointed with the shipping and receiving in Ecuador and apparently this unorganized system is throughout Latin America. When the manager of the post office tells you there are thieves in the customs that steel packages, it can be a bit disconcerting. If your package does not have a tracking number, he told us, you will NEVER receive it.
Watch the video we made 4 years ago then below it, we add our last two things we miss about the U.S.
2. Our Big Yard - We have a small postage stamp green area in Cuenca for gardening but it is tiny. The houses in the city have very small yards, so if you need green space you will have to go outside the city for it. Rents are higher outside the city when you have space.
3. Inexpensive Electronic prices - This one is especially important for our three sons who are always wanting the latest electronics and they cost twice as much here. So if you're moving to Ecuador you might want to bring new electronics with you. Sure, you can order online and have them shipped in but that's scary.
The truth is we have adapted to the things we used to miss and really don’t miss them anymore. After living here for 6-months you get used to the higher electronic prices, well sort of…LOL. The biggest thing I missed when we first got here was that there were no thrift stores in Cuenca, but that is not really that big of a deal anymore either since now there's lots of things for sell on the gringo portals.
Yes, the Internet connectivity is substandard compared to the U.S, but after awhile you get used to the Internet cutting out for five minutes at a time, several times during the day. And we still cannot stream Netflix or Hulu, or watch You Tube videos in the evening, but we’re also getting used to that. At first it was truly annoying but we live here now and it is something that you have to just let go and try and stay patient—there is nothing you can do about it, so why complain?
Update January 2016 - We have been able to stream video and netflix now for years without any problems. Long gone is the really draggy Internet connection. Internet service has also improved in Cuenca Ecuador.
There are many advantages to living here that make up for the few annoyances or things we miss in the U.S. For example, dental procedures are quite affordable here. In Ecuador they make dental work affordable for everyone. Most locals do not have health / dental insurance and the costs for many procedures are available to all, not just the rich and those who have health insurance.
The food is much cleaner and fresher in Ecuador than in the U.S. And that means a lot when it comes to health. Not only is the food cleaner but everyone can afford to eat organically grown food, not just the wealthy.
The other day we were just talking about how in Cuenca you can buy a huge purple head of organically grown cabbage for just $0.33 and in the U.S the same cabbage would cost about $5—no kidding! Fresh heads of broccoli and cauliflower are the same way. Cost of living for rent, food, dental care, and non imported items are amazing here!
Update 2016 - those cabbages might be $0.44 to $0.50 cents a pound now....inflation... LOL
But it is not just about cost of living. The weather is mild and tolerable and Ecuador is a very family oriented culture—families mean everything here—even more important than business. There is not a lot for us NOT to like about Cuenca and most people after they have settled in and adjusted feel the same way as us.
January 2016 - Do most people really settle in (adapt) to living in Cuenca Ecuador? We don't believe that is entirely true anymore. Perhaps half of the people settle in well and the other half go home...just guessing, but we do hear all the time about folks who have left Cuenca. However, there's always a new batch of tourist and retirees visiting Cuenca Ecuador. Some stay some leave.
We hope you enjoyed this updated article about Cuenca Ecuador. We strive to keep our articles updated as it helps to show people that life is still good (for us) in Cuenca Ecuador! It also shows the updates and changes that might occur over the years. So we lost a few packages and our yard is tiny, adapt, adapt, adapt!
Until we write again, you might like these articles 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!
Note - Jan 2016: When we do updates to our articles, the original article remains intact, we take nothing out so you can actually see how is was then and any new changes with our updates.
Update January 2016 - This video was made 4 years ago and not much has changed. However, if we had to suggest two or three things we miss the most about the U.S after having lived here for almost 5 years, they would be:
1. We miss efficient postal service: including DHL and UPS. We never once lost anything. Receiving packages and letters from within the U.S and from other countries was always timely, and sending packages to other people was always efficient and timely.
We are disappointed with the shipping and receiving in Ecuador and apparently this unorganized system is throughout Latin America. When the manager of the post office tells you there are thieves in the customs that steel packages, it can be a bit disconcerting. If your package does not have a tracking number, he told us, you will NEVER receive it.
Watch the video we made 4 years ago then below it, we add our last two things we miss about the U.S.
2. Our Big Yard - We have a small postage stamp green area in Cuenca for gardening but it is tiny. The houses in the city have very small yards, so if you need green space you will have to go outside the city for it. Rents are higher outside the city when you have space.
3. Inexpensive Electronic prices - This one is especially important for our three sons who are always wanting the latest electronics and they cost twice as much here. So if you're moving to Ecuador you might want to bring new electronics with you. Sure, you can order online and have them shipped in but that's scary.
The truth is we have adapted to the things we used to miss and really don’t miss them anymore. After living here for 6-months you get used to the higher electronic prices, well sort of…LOL. The biggest thing I missed when we first got here was that there were no thrift stores in Cuenca, but that is not really that big of a deal anymore either since now there's lots of things for sell on the gringo portals.
Yes, the Internet connectivity is substandard compared to the U.S, but after awhile you get used to the Internet cutting out for five minutes at a time, several times during the day. And we still cannot stream Netflix or Hulu, or watch You Tube videos in the evening, but we’re also getting used to that. At first it was truly annoying but we live here now and it is something that you have to just let go and try and stay patient—there is nothing you can do about it, so why complain?
Update January 2016 - We have been able to stream video and netflix now for years without any problems. Long gone is the really draggy Internet connection. Internet service has also improved in Cuenca Ecuador.
There are many advantages to living here that make up for the few annoyances or things we miss in the U.S. For example, dental procedures are quite affordable here. In Ecuador they make dental work affordable for everyone. Most locals do not have health / dental insurance and the costs for many procedures are available to all, not just the rich and those who have health insurance.
The food is much cleaner and fresher in Ecuador than in the U.S. And that means a lot when it comes to health. Not only is the food cleaner but everyone can afford to eat organically grown food, not just the wealthy.
The other day we were just talking about how in Cuenca you can buy a huge purple head of organically grown cabbage for just $0.33 and in the U.S the same cabbage would cost about $5—no kidding! Fresh heads of broccoli and cauliflower are the same way. Cost of living for rent, food, dental care, and non imported items are amazing here!
Update 2016 - those cabbages might be $0.44 to $0.50 cents a pound now....inflation... LOL
But it is not just about cost of living. The weather is mild and tolerable and Ecuador is a very family oriented culture—families mean everything here—even more important than business. There is not a lot for us NOT to like about Cuenca and most people after they have settled in and adjusted feel the same way as us.
January 2016 - Do most people really settle in (adapt) to living in Cuenca Ecuador? We don't believe that is entirely true anymore. Perhaps half of the people settle in well and the other half go home...just guessing, but we do hear all the time about folks who have left Cuenca. However, there's always a new batch of tourist and retirees visiting Cuenca Ecuador. Some stay some leave.
We hope you enjoyed this updated article about Cuenca Ecuador. We strive to keep our articles updated as it helps to show people that life is still good (for us) in Cuenca Ecuador! It also shows the updates and changes that might occur over the years. So we lost a few packages and our yard is tiny, adapt, adapt, adapt!
Until we write again, you might like these articles 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!
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