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Editors’ Note: The American Dream! One of the things we love about living in Ecuador is meeting new people and hearing their unique stories. Gary and I met Lucilla and Pablo Alcivar in Ibarra, Ecuador. We were admiring their Toyota Land Cruiser, Gary’s dream vehicle, when they came out of a store and we began to talk. We took an instant liking to them and they invited us to travel to Atacames, a small Ecuador beach town, to see some real estate they had for sale. Two days later we were bouncing over the pothole-filled back roads that take you from Ibarra to the northern coast of Ecuador to Esmeraldas and then south to Atacames. This was the beginning of a wonderful relationship with them that expanded to include their son Antonio, who has lived for over a decade in the U.S. His most recent dream involves returning to Ecuador to continue investing in Ecuador and building beach condos. I Wasn’t Thinking of Getting Rich My name is Antonio Alcivar and I am 34 years old. After I graduated from high school I wanted to attend a military academy in Ecuador. On the day I was  supposed to register for the academy, we found
out that a crucial document was missing. The whole family
made a frantic search for the paper and I was very frustrated and upset.We never found the document, and a few days, my life's direction was changed forever. When I was 20 I decided to go to the United States. I just wanted to make some money, buy a house. I wasn’t thinking of getting rich. I ended up in the Bronx in New York City. I was alone, no job. My mom had taught me how to wash dishes but I didn’t want to do that. I got a job in construction, removing the trash. The company only paid me $40 a day. I learned how to build. It was really hard work. Then I said, that’s enough. Something had to change. I took six months to learn English by taking classes, reading books, meeting people, and watching tv. The Building Crew
Wouldn’t Do
What I Told Them to Do When I went back to construction, they made me a foreman because I could speak English and Spanish and there were so many Spanish workers. But I was young and inexperienced and nobody would do what I told them to do. I had to fire half the crew and hire a new crew. After that, things were better.  I heard about Amway and the promise of wealth. I believed it. I started with only one person and my down line grew to 20. I wore a suit. Guys on the construction site would laugh at me, say, “Here comes the millionaire.” Every day I would put on my suit at 4 p.m. and go to meetings. Sometimes I would travel around the country to take seminars in how to sell. I did well. But then I had to make a choice between Amway and the construction business. I chose construction over Amway. The day I decided to quit Amway was the day I decided to dedicate all of my time to construction. That was at the age of 23. I made lots of mistakes. I bid too low on several jobs, worked really hard and ended up with no money after the jobs were done. People really liked me but I stayed poor! I went to school, learned business skills and financial planning. With a plan, people didn’t like me as much, but I sure was getting better!  But I was still alone. I asked myself
, “What am I doing
here and what is my purpose in life?” In those days I was searching for God. In this seaching I found a Christian faith. I did not agree with all the rules and decided to continue my search. I studied the Mormon’s teachings, got baptized. Next came the Muslims, reading the Koran, but they teach a strict faith and I did not agree with that. I got enough religion to decide for myself that there is one God in all religions. People need to believe in something. Religion gives people what they need in a specific moment but the price could be that you lose yourself. I Give and the World Gives Back
I don’t live in the world, I make my world. I am creative. I give and the world gives back, like a big elastic band. The more I give, the more I receive back to me. There is one God, a God for everyone, and that force is what I call "a strong energy." After I learned how to get enough energy, I noticed that I could feel the  energies of others, whether
they were positive or
negative.
The negative energy of others can get into your system. This
can
cause you problems and you can have difficulties because of
it.
So I started to be more selective about who was around me.
Most
of the time I was alone.When you are good with yourself, that is most important of life. Then you realize that each of us is here for a purpose. There is something each of us must do. You can learn to feel when someone really needs you and when they don’t. Sometimes in my experience in New York, people would come up to me on the street and ask me for money. Many times people would want this money to buy drugs. Other people would ask me for legitimate help. I would take these people into a restaurant and tell them to order whatever they wanted to eat. I have talked to my family about these things---about life, religion. I ask them what they want. They just want peace. To find peace, the answer is Spirit. I can give my parents or others the key, but they must open the door to Spirit themselves. I can’t push them and I don’t. The Stress of Life in New York
Can Break You
New York City is a tough city where the system of work and life can break you if you are not open for change. I remember a day working on Honeywell Street in the Brox when I heard a couple gun shots. When I asked what happened, a tenant told me that another person had died in the street. In my experience, many imigrant couples get divorced after arriving in the United State because their lives lack the freedom of their home country. Both work up to 15 hours each day, come home tired, and don’t talk to each other because they need their space. Then sometimes the wife starts thinking her husband is having an affair. But the other woman really is a job! I Listened to Myself
"the Little Voice in
My Head"
During my commute between construction sites I enjoy the silence of my car to think. I 
ponder life and let my thoughts speak; I listen to the "little voice in
my head." I think about my life, my questions, and the
answers
always come.This struggle can make you strong, wise. When I see a carpenter in action, smiling, doing it right. . . making a perfect wall or perfect door. . . I know he’s a professional. I know that he loves his job. About the future, I want to move back to Ecuador, my own country, and teach people what I have learned. I want to invest in Ecuador, to build things here. My dream is to develop real estate projects throughout my country. I have been constructing my first beach condo in Atacames for two years. When I ran out of money, I stopped building for seven months, then started again. It is now complete. I know it isn’t about making money, it’s about being happy, being peaceful. But I know I can make money while I am doing all of that. As soon as I teach my two brothers, Alberto and Pablo, how to run a company in, I am going to spend more time in my beautiful country. Looking for Beach Condos? Find out how Pro-Ecuador can help. |
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| Life in Ecuador Life in Ecuador: Personal accounts of obstacles and triumphs encountered while living in Ecuador. |
| Real Estate in Ecuador Real estate in Ecuador is booming because prices are low and values are high. International real estate investors can build a foundation of wealth before the usual rush of discovery takes place |
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| Cotacachi: A Pastoral Ecuador Village Cotacachi: A pastoral Ecuador village is enticing foreigners from many shores with its vibrant hills and quaint colonial charm. |
| Cotacachi Hotels, Hostels and Retreats, Cotacachi, Ecuador Several Cotacachi Hotels, Hostels and Retreats are available, with a variety of prices, locations and amenities, from clean and economical to the most elegant settings you can imagine. |
| Cotacachi Real Estate For Sale: Real Estate listings in Cotacachi and surrounding areas Cotacachi Real Estate For sale, Cotacachi, Ecuador and the surrounding area offers great value for new Ecuador Residents. |
| Learn Spanish In Ecuador Learn Spanish In Ecuador shows how anyone can learn Spanish just by living in Ecuador. |
| Hidden Places in Ecuador Where to find those hidden places in Ecuador, those secret places in Ecuador that the locals keep to themselves, secret beaches, jungle hideaways, rare birds, orchids, wildlife. |
| Ecuador Economy Ecuador Economy explained in plain language and compared to the United States. |
| Responsible Global Citizen Responsible global citizen top 7 tips for global living |
| Move to Ecuador: Q and A’s Answers to many of your questions about you move to Ecuador. |
| Condos in Ecuador, Condos for sale in Ecuador Condos in Ecuador offer a wonderful bargain for the full-time resident or the part-time vacationer. Mountain Condominiums or Beachfront Condominiums offer great value. |
| Pictures of Ecuador A tour of Ecuador via pictures of Ecuador. Pictures and descriptions that tell a story |
| Spanish Phrases and Spanish Words Learning useful Spanish phrases, Spanish words and Spanish sayings is easy and makes navigating Ecuador so much more enjoyable. |
| Ecuador laws are Fair and Easy and Provide Protection
for Foreign Investors Following Ecuador laws is easy and provides protection for foreigners. Ecuador laws are favorable, visa requirements not complicated. |
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| Ecuador Beaches Ecuador Beaches from Pedernales to Manta are stunning, both the water and the weather is warm and it’s neither well developed nor heavily populated. |
| Healthy Living in Ecuador: A Country Where It’s Hard Not to Be Healthy Healthy Living in Ecuador, a country where good health is the norm, not the exception |
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