Time To Retire The Blog

Last year at this time I started "Faces Of Cuenca".  I was very excited about moving from Oregon to South America.  I still am. I can't say that I'm fully retired.  I started helping expats with their computer problems. I started the Ipad Users Group. I created Cuenca Tech Life
a blog about duh, tech stuff in Cuenca.

So after nearly 13,000 views it's time to stop. I will leave the blog up because there is some good posts about the cost of living, medical insurance and food.

Me gusta mucho Cuenca.

Un año en Cuenca

On May 13, 2011 Sharon, Feisty(the cat) and I boarded a Delta flight from Portland Oregon to Guayaquil, Ecuador beginning the journey of a lifetime.  We arrived in Ecuador around 5:30 am the next day and then traveled with 11 pieces of luggage and hope to Cuenca.

Ecuador has met or exceeded every one of my expectations. The people of Cuenca have been warm and inviting.  The expat community has been friendly and very helpful.

Sharon and I cherish our new Cuencano friends and the new expat friends we have met this year. We obtained our Residency Visa last November after just one or two minor hiccups. We enjoy learning Spanish and I especially like exploring Cuenca each day on foot or in the bus.

I love the fresh fruits and vegetables in Cuenca.  Everyday I make a smoothie from Pitahaya, chiromoya, papaya and strawberries. The chicken is to die for and the milk is outstanding.  I haven't tried the Cuy yet but its still on my todo list.

Is Ecuador Nirvana.  Of course not. No place is. There is a lot of poverty in Ecuador and like every country Ecuador has its share of social problems.  But, we feel very safe in our home and on the streets at all hours of the day and night.

I would like share some thoughts for those who are coming or contemplating retiring to Ecuador. Firstly start learning Spanish before you come down.  You can survive on Taxi and Restaurant Spanish but you will never thrive until you can converse in Spanish. Secondly, Ecuador is just not another Spanish speaking country but another culture. Learning and appreciating the customs will make it easier to adjust.

Finally, many thanks to the blogging community and to Mary Beckman and her husband for their hard work with South of Zero.  Reading the blogs was a great "fast start" to life in Cuenca.

Me gusta mucho Ecuador. Todo bien en Cuenca.

Medical Care In Cuenca (Revisited)

A reader said that they couldn't read the posting for some reason.  Below is the original posting with an added caveat.

Medical Care In Cuenca

I mentioned in an earlier post that Sharon and I enrolled in the Coopera Credit Union Medical Insurance.  The monthly premium is $4.75 for both of us. Yes, the decimal point is in the right place.  This premium entitles us to medical and dental visits for a $2 co-pay. The medical doctor is bilingual but the dentist only speaks Español. Coopera's medical office is in San Jacquin which an easy bus ride from Cuenca.

I have slightly elevated blood pressure so I was having my pressure checked when I mentioned to Dr. Peña (the Coopera Doctor) that I was having trouble with my hip. She gave me the name of a Orthopedic Specialist and I called and received an appointment the next day.

Cost For the Coopera Dr. - Copay  $2
Cost for 30 day supply of High Blood pressure medicine $1.85
Cost for Buses to San Jacquin and Latino Clinic $2 actually it was 96 cents since I am over 65 and eligible for a 12 cent bus ride.
Cost for Orthopedic Specialist after insurance reimbursement $5

Are there any drawbacks to the Coopera Insurance.  Yes, one doctor not easy to get to in an emergency.  $480 limit per person annually on health benefits. But, you can't beat getting an appointment with a specialist in one day and finding prescriptions that are 1/5 of the cost in The States.

*** Caveat ****

As it turns out the yearly limit is $400. You have to visit the doc every time you want to renew the Rx at the reduced price.  Still a good investment for non-emergency care. 

Arie & Gary's Art Students Showing

Arie and Gary had a showing of their student's work today.  The paintings and drawings were quite good.  Ok, I am a little biased on Sharon's work.  She never painted before and I was very impressed with her rendering of the New Cathedral.

Oh, and if you live in Cuenca don't forget to watch the video on Cuenca Tech Life to find out how you can win a meal for two at the fabulous California Kitchen.

Easter In Cuenca

We celebrated Easter in Cuenca with a spur of the moment pot luck dinner.  One of the benefits of being retired is having the time to establish new friendships.  Our new friends Gary and Arie came over with their Spanish teacher and 4 of their friends and our pot luck dinner had 11 participants including Sharon and me.

We had a great lamb stew with rice and salad. Sharon made Key Lime Pie and I made fruit smoothies.
Muy rico.

A Stroll Down Primero de Mayo

Sunday is definitely family day in Cuenca.  Primero de Mayo ( the street I live on) is fairly busy but on Sunday it looks like a Ghost town.  The movie below is a recreation of a walk back to my condo from Tres Puentes( Three Bridges).

A Short Walk On The Yanuncay River

Our rental unit is 20 meters from the Yanuncay River.  Everyday I walk along the river to get to El Centro.  Today, I had my video camera and I saw something unusual. Washing clothes in the river is almost always a family event. Today, an elderly woman was washing her clothes alone.  Seemed very sad to me.

Further down the walk I noticed 4 German Shepherds being trained what seemed to me to be "search and rescue' techniques.  Enjoy the video

Lab Tests In Cuenca

As I previously mentioned Sharon and I are members of the Coopera Health Insurance . Our premiums are approximately $4.75 per month and that gives us just under $1000 of medical benefits per year.  The doctor's visit at the San Jacquin Clinic is a $2 co-pay.

I needed some blood work for a cholesterol check. On Monday I walked to the lab  Mt. Sinai Hospital and had my blood drawn at 9:30 am My veins are not prominent and when I had blood drawn in the States I was always jabbed 3 or 4 times before they found a vein.  I was dreading this visit since I didn't think I had enough Spanish to explain about my weak veins.  The lab tech got the vein on the first try and I had to look twice to see if blood was flowing because I didn't even feel the needle go in.  There was a total of 11 tests and the bill came to $29. I had the lab results in my hand at 3:00 pm that day. The next day I saw the Coopera Doctor to go over my lab tests.  The doctor took me at 3:00 pm sharp and I spent twenty minutes going over each test.

Below is a picture of two of my favorite churches