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Ecuador Living: Caroline’s Story
Ecuador Living! Some days I Can’t Even Believe
I’ve Done It! How I got here was magic,
serendipitous.
I was born in England but lived much of my life in Florida.
My work as a hairdresser, a colorist, involved frequent commutes
between L.A. and Florida. It was hard work and I developed
carpel tunnel.
As a result of this occupational injury, I began to project ahead and
figured I had perhaps ten years left working as a
hairdresser. My house was paid for but I realized that social security
would barely cover the basics.
Where would money come from? I was screwed!
So I looked around on the Internet for places I could afford, places
that also had the right climate and culture for me. Uruguay
was my first choice because I speak Italian. However, it was
too far from the United States and from my daughter. Plus I
was sick of the heat and Uruguay is hot.
I’d Never Heard of
Quito!
I’m pretty well traveled, but I’d never heard of
Quito. I had heard of Ecuador but didn’t really
know where it was! As I began checking out places to live,
and living in Ecuador kept popping up. I felt led here.
Within 3 days, 3 different people spoke of Ecuador. Two were
in the salon where I was working---a woman’s husband was
going to Quito. Then while I was in a store, a man mentioned
that he was going to Quito.
I wanted
beauty, great climate, affordability and proximity to the states.
Those were my priorities. I did my research and originally I
was going to move to Vilcabamba, in southern
Ecuador. I never made it there.
I sold my house. Then began to wonder, “What if I hate living
in
Ecuador?” But I came anyway, with no job and
knowing
no one. I ended up in Cotacachi.
Within Five Minutes I Had Decided
This Was The Place
I remember the day I first went to San Miguel, a walled community being
built on the outskirts of Cotacachi. It was raining and there
was this amazing rainbow shining overhead. Within five
minutes I had decided that it was for
me! And
you know what? Many women who come here have done the
same---decided within about five minutes to buy in San
Miguel. It’s as if we were all guided here.
I love San Miguel. It reminds me of England in the summer
because I came from the Cotswolds.
Now I’ve gone back to doing what I used to do and what I
dreamed I would do. I dreamed of living in a hacienda-style
house. Now I have the house and I have the horses and ride
every day, walk, enjoy nature. I have created all of that here
and all within the eighteen months since I arrived.
In the morning I wake up, have my tea (my English heritage!).
I sit on my beautiful terrace, look at the volcano in the distance and
can’t believe I’ve done it!
Ecuador living...Hell yes! I did it! And I love
it! Not
one day since I have been here have I regretted it.
Ecuador
Living: My Favorite Kind of Day
My favorite kind of day is to go to Ibarra, a large town about a half
hour north of Cotacachi. I ride the bus; go to Supermaxi, a
great grocery with most everything I need, then have lunch across the
street at “Ruminahui.” They have
fantastic fried garlic shrimp, cucumber salad and plantain. A
nearby bakery has the best cappuccino I’ve found.
Next I get my mani and pedi.
Another excellent part of Ecuador living, I don’t do any
housework, gardening or laundry. I
get all of that for $70 a month, plus 24-hour security.
They Will
“Yes” You to Death!
There is one difficulty with living in Ecuador that I face.
People want
to please. They say yes to anything and are very
non-confrontational. Drives me crazy. They
“yes ” you to death! You confront
them with things like deadlines, inconsistencies, whatever, and they
look at you blankly. They give no excuses.
Then out of the blue you will find someone who operates
differently. For instance, I found a man who makes curtains
and he put up great rods, curtains, all at a reasonable price and most
of all, by the date he said he would!
One bit of
advice. Don’t go to a restaurant hungry.
It’s nothing in Ecuador to wait for an hour for your main
course. When this happens, I have learned to say,
Wait… This is what I came to Ecuador
for! The slow pace of Ecuador living.
I’ve gotten used to it. So have a little snack
before you go out to eat. . . Or you’ll want to kill somebody!
I’ve
Helped Six Women to Live Their Dreams
I had been searching for my life’s purpose and now I have
found it. Mine is to help women like me, in the second part
of life, to live their dreams. It is possible because I have
done it!
I didn’t intend to do real estate. But I am so
passionate about living in Ecuador that it is a natural choice for
me.
So far I have helped six women to find the courage to live their dreams
and make a new life in Ecuador. All have bought land here in
Cotacachi.
Some invest with the idea of retiring in Ecuador. Others will
build a house and live in Ecuador occasionally. They meet me
and say, “I can do this, too!” And they
are smart women, heads of corporations. It’s just
that meeting someone who has already done it can give you that little
bit of courage you need to do it yourself.
I didn’t come here with a lot of money. And I came
here with no income. I get calls from
people saying, “You
are an inspiration to me because you have made a success of
things!” All
my sales are to single women like me.
They are the ones I resonate with.
They can do the things living in Ecuador that they can no longer afford
to do in the states. Here in Cotacachi, they can go to the
spa, La Mirage, a really first-class five star spa with membership in
the Relais and Chateaux association, one of only a very few in all of
South America. They can pamper themselves with
fabulous massages and dine at the spa’s restaurant for
$30. An hour away there is a wonderful mountain hot springs
with medicinal waters.
If they own their own house in the states and sell it, they can easily
afford to buy land and a great house here for around $75,000, then
invest the rest. It’s really cheap to live here
compared to the United States, England or many places in Europe.
Since my house and land are now paid for, I can live on around $400 a
month which covers food, utilities including internet and direct tv,
maintenance, gardening, laundry, security guard and maid.
This is Ecuador living!
I’m having granite countertops put in my kitchen, getting
fitted for new riding boots, and looking forward to the arrival of my
mare, a former polo pony, so I can ride daily up to the land I am
developing in the hills above Cotacachi.
Creating Another Dream
There I am creating another dream—a place of serenity and
safety where women or anyone can live very reasonably yet
abundantly. The houses there will be brick covered with
adobe, two story duplexes of about 1200 square feet, built on
½ acre lots. They will all have
incredible views of the hills and volcanoes.
Near my house I am also going to build some adobe villas complete with
gardens. They’ll have two bedrooms and around 1000
square feet. Houses in both areas will cost about $60,000.
Cotacachi is now my home and I love it here. In the short
time I have been here I have developed an international circle of
friends, discovered a new lifestyle I never dreamed possible and found
lasting satisfaction in assisting others to do the same.
In helping
others
make their dreams come true, not only have I found my reason for
living, I am creating my own path to abundance, happiness and community.
Would you like to learn what Caroline is working on now? We work with Caroline on many projects in Cotacachi. Read about Pro-Ecuador's services.
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