It's hard to believe, but we are just two weeks away from heading back to Ecuador. We'll spend one week in Quito to get our visas squared away, and then onto Cuenca.
It has been a whirlwind trying to get everything done before we could return. There were many days when it looked like we just weren't going to manage it, but our list of "to-do's" is finally starting to be a list of "done's."
Today, the piano was moved out!!!! That was a big relief. It is now going to have a new home with our lovely friends. Our sofa bed went to our wonderful housekeeper and that moved out today too.
The Salvation Army, which truly has been a salvation for us, is coming on Monday to take the rest of the furniture. We are essentially going to be camping out in our apartment for a couple of weeks. We're keeping something to sleep on, a few pots and pans and dishes and linens, but most everything else will be gone.
It's been very interesting reading everyone's blogs the last couple of days regarding the turmoil in Quito and Guayaquil. The news we were getting here about the problems in Ecuador made it look like a full blown armed revolution was taking place all over the country and there was general societal breakdown. While we knew better and never for a moment thought that was what was happening, it sure caused our friends and families some stomach churning. No amount of telling them that this would pass in a couple of days and not to worry would do the trick.
The news reports about Ecuador reminded me of when I was living on the east coast of the US at the time of the 1989 earthquake in San Francisco. Watching the reports about the earthquake led us all to believe that San Francisco had been leveled. When I arrived in San Francisco three weeks later for a job interview, I was shocked, shocked I tell you, that I couldn't see any evidence of earthquake damage. (I didn't go down to the Marina district where most of the damage was, but remember, on the east coast we'd been led to believe the earthquake had flattened the entire city.)
Anyway, we referred our worried loved ones to the blog postings of several of our new friends in Cuenca, and they all settled down. So we want to send a hardy THANK YOU to all of you there who have provided a dose of sanity and calmness.
We'll be seeing you in Cuenca on October 23rd, and we can't wait.
I so agree about the helpfulness of the blogs! My husband & I are heading to Ecuador in early December on a "scouting" mission to find the best location for us to retire there next year...either Cuenca or the coast. My sister called me to find out if we had cancelled our plans yet, & I told her not to worry b/c I had already ready several blogs from people there & as usual it had all been grossly exaggerated by the news media! The blogs are so helpful in other ways too. I actually cut & paste tips that they give about various things into an ongoing document I have entitled "Resources in Ecuador" so that I can refer back to them more easily. Good luck with your move. Perhaps we will have the opportunity to meet while we are there.
ReplyDeleteWe did the same thing you are doing with the blogs, Angela. We have a resources file with lots of helpful information that we found on the blogs of so many of the wonderful people in Ecuador. We too hope that we will have the chance to meet you when you come to Cuenca in December. Plan on going to an expat night or two when you are in Cuenca. You'll recognize faces from a number of blogs and make a lot of new friends.
ReplyDeleteThose last few days are tough, you just want to get out of there... but also all of the goodbyes. Look forward to meeting you when you get here and get settled.
ReplyDeleteI am loving your blog!!!! I am taking an extended vacation with my 4yr old to Cuenca in March and if I love it as much as I think I am, it will become indefinite!!!
ReplyDeleteQuick question though. I see a lot of people blogging about the paper work needed to get the visa's. Where can I get that information so that we can already have that with us when we get there???