What Expats Say They Miss the Most When Moving to Ecuador

We’ve done our share of research about Ecuador before we moved here, about two years to be exact. Frank talked (on Skype) with other expats who have already lived here for a couple years on just about everything we could think of. Our questions were never ending. We asked about cost of food, clothes, restaurants, furniture, housing costs, dental work, entertainment, weather, etc, etc. Before moving to Ecuador we also considered moving to the countries of either Panama or Chile. Well, we did our research and chose Ecuador and we are so glad we did. Why we chose Ecuador is a whole other blog post, which will be coming soon!Our Family Does Not Miss Anything Back in the States We (Frank, Angie, Brandon, Angelo, and Alex) do not miss anything back in the United States! These pictures were taken on the last day of living in the United States. We love it here! It is everything we thought it would be and more. The people are friendly, the weather is great, the cost of living is amazing (if you know how to shop for food, housing, clothing, furniture, etc)and the scenery is amazing. From colonial downtown architecture to beautiful parks with a flowing river running through it, to every kind of family run shop, and store imaginable. There are beautiful malls and shopping centers here too, nicer than in the states! There are beautiful mountains and countryside, and everything is so green. The flowers and trees are amazing! And the food is incredibly fresh. People like to call Ecuador third world, but it’s amazing because we have everything we need. Ok, ok, so things are slower here (manana) and many things are done somewhat differently than what most people are used to, but that is the beauty of it. Live and let live. enjoy the simplicity and be happy!! We live in a beautiful home, we drink the tap water, we eat out in family run restaurants and eat wholesome home cooked meals, we buy extra virgin olive oil and Parmesan cheese from a big, clean grocery store, we meet friendly people, we have all of the comforts of home but at a far better financial means and lifestyle. There is nothing that we miss in the States. Expats Miss Their Family Talking to other expats and reading several expats blogs the one thing they miss the most when they move to Ecuador is “family”. Many expats have moved to Cuenca or Quito because of the better health care system and cost of living for their retirement, meaning their retirement money goes a lot further here than back in the states. But most expats have daughters, sons, and grandchildren back in the sates. This means they must travel back and forth if they want to visit their children or grandchildren. It is difficult to leave family behind. Fortunately we have our three sons with us here in Ecuador, and it is a wonderful blessing to have all three of them here with us!! We do, of course have extended family members, such as brothers and sisters in the states, and Frank and I both have our mothers living in the states as well. I’m trying to talk my mother into coming here for a visit so she can see if she likes it here. But I lived 3,000 miles away from all of my family anyway, since they lived on the west coast and I on the east coast. If you are a family oriented person, leaving children and grandchildren (missing their growing up years) and moving to a far away country may not be right for you. This is something you must truly think about and contemplate. Unless you have the financial resources, good health, and time to travel back and forth to visit with your family a couple times a year, you may want to advise against moving to a far away country, or bring them with you.

Read more at livingfrugalandhappy.blogspot.com