By Jack Abercrombie Hi Neighbors,
Back in mid SEP 2008 - mid MAR 2009 EC.: I did my exploratory whirlwind tour via the auto bus / backpacking / hosteling about 90 days on the coast & 90 days in the sierra, I did not want to leave.: https://plus.google.com/photos/108089047953129234429/albums
..by mid MAR to mid JUN '09 I flew (ran) home to GA to get my docs & last minute affairs in order, and I have not set foot out of EC since my last entry into this diversely rich country since JUN 2009...
This is exactly how my EC Migration Movement doc reads, I not long ago got one for the 5th or 6th time to complete my naturalization / citizenship back on 21 APR 2014 when I got sworn in as an Ecuadorian Citizen.
I can tell / write you how much I like / dislike EC until I am blue in the face, but the above dates of my actions & example may speak more clearly & loudly.
I liked & loved GA for the first 45 yrs. of my life, not each and every aspect, but for the most part.
..as a traveling tractor salesman (heavy equipment) backpacking / hosteling I spent OCT NOV DEC 2002 in Europe from Amsterdam NL to the bottom to Athens, Greece, liked & loved it for the most part.
..new years eve 2002 I flew from Athens to Cairo, spent JAN FEB to MAR 14th 2003 in Egypt, Israel, Jordan & Lower (South) Egypt liked it, had a blast for the most part. ..it was an adventure / learning - eye opening experience that made my mind up, that I indeed wanted to live abroad.
(nice place to visit or part time work, but not to live permanently)
..it took me about 5 yrs to wrap up GA on my mind and make up my mind just where to go look, so by 2008- the time my opportunity to check EC out came up, I absolutely fell in LOVE with it.
I whine (cheese) & complain at times about GOV Bureaucracy back in GA & as well here in EC,
EC has changed drastically on it's own in the past 5 yrs & will change even more drastically in the next 5 to come, ..but EC has changed me as well, little by little.
--“Change is the only constant in life”
“No man ever steps into the same river twice”. An ever flowing river is there and even has a name, yet the water in it keeps changing so that from one second to the next it is really a different river. ~ Heraclitus~ (the pre-Socractic Greek philosopher)--
To me, just IMHO, your & others MPG may vary, the pros are still outweighing the cons in EC 5+ yrs later from my standpoint..
I travel about 20,000km's per / yr from one end of EC to the other coastal & sierra: https://www.facebook.com/JourneymanJackinEcuador/photos_albums
I don't just stay on my keyboard / PC monitor- reporting in from my little mountain or coastal village or town, telling folks this is the only paradise spot on planet earth:)
If I stayed put in my little village of Mitad del Mundo 20 km's N. of Quito, I would go Loco / bonkers, it's nice to visit w/ my friends on the coast - cuenca - cotacachi - ibarra - mindo - banos - tena - esmeraldas - loja - vilcabamba - macas - GYE etc etc...for a reality check & compare notes.
I've seen a lot of folks come and go from EC since 2008
I am supposedly to be way past the honeymoon phase, but I just haven't been able to shake it off just yet:)..as long as EC is magical, challenging, discovering & teaching me lessons culturally & spiritually - that I am able to learn & grow from & able to share & benefit others, I'm all in.
But if it ever gets dull & boring - Jack will pack his little tool box and go play somewhere's else, probably in SA on an EC passport. (but it won't be GA nor NA)
EC has a pulse & gives me a pulse, it helps me to feel ALIVE...heck, maybe I will make it another 5+ yrs... thus far I'm Loving Every Minute of it: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IPKAwJKGSDc
No comments:
Post a Comment