GARY PHILLIPS
A View From the Roof
Sitting
here looking out the window of our 4th floor penthouse in Cotacachi,
I’m contemplating my new life in Ecuador and the
Pro-Ecuador.com
newsletter to which I contribute my thoughts in a dialogue
called, “A View From the
Roof.”
I’ve
lived in many
places but never one with a view like this!
My wife Linda and I live high above Calle Bolivar, one of the main
streets in
Cotacachi.
This very active and beautiful little community is tucked into a valley
between two volcanoes---Cotacachi, which the natives call Mama, and
Papa Imbabura.
From our
roof terraces and windows,
we have incredible views of both volcanoes. To our delight,
much
of the activity in this largely indigenous community takes place on the
street below us.
My task today was to write my bio for this website. Linda was
writing hers at the same time. We laughed when we compared
notes,
because hers started out almost identical to mine. The travel
bug
bit me, too, at a young age, and it came from my mother.
Mom
and I took to the Road
Following
my dad’s death when I was 9, my mother and I took to the
road. By
age 14, I had been in every state west of the Mississippi. My
Minnesota farm boy eyes loved every minute of it. Reptile
Gardens
in the Black Hills was astonishing, and Old Faithful, who would have ever believed that
such a thing could exist! The roller coaster at
Santa Monica Pier nearly scared me to death!
I’ve
never really stopped
traveling or dreaming---dreaming of things that might be, of a better
world, a better life for everyone, and of exploring the visions and
mysteries of other cultures. 
As I travel
the world, nearly 25 countries at last count, I never cease to be amazed at the
incredible diversity of cultures and the richness that permeates my
being as I open my mind and heart to experience what life
in a foreign country has to offer.
A
Desire to Share Ideas and Opportunities
In the days
ahead, I want to share
with you ideas and perceptions about Ecuador as well as the
many opportunities that come my way as I travel the country
and rest and work from our perch above the fair city of
Cotacachi.
I have to
give pause now, as I
recognize the futility of trying to figure out how a man of 60+ years
can write a short biography of 500 words. That’s less than 10
words per year. Impossible!
A Viking Ship
Museum???
So
I
will give you a few words describing my life: hunter, high
school
athlete (star, I might add), honor student, soldier, hippie,
journalist, historian, horseman, father of beautiful twin daughters,
dreamer, promoter of a Viking ship museum, public speaker, graduate student of
holographic
theory. . .
Traveling
sales engineer, factory production manager for the Japanese
multinational company Kyocera, seeker, monk and meditation teacher,
world traveler, sugar beet truck driver, counselor, and now, resident
of Ecuador and partner in Ecuador Development Group, Inc. Whew!
I was once
jailed for three days in
North Platte, Nebraska, caught by Officer Trackwell for a youthful
indiscretion, had all my belongings stolen on my first trip to
Guatemala in 1974, witnessed a student revolt and wept tears of joy at
the beauty of the most incredible sunset imaginable in Nelson, New
Zealand.
Ecuador is a
Land Filled With Adventure
Now
the adventures continue here in Ecuador. All of us are excited about this
website. Linda and I have been talking about a
website for 4 years. Finally, with enough thought
energy, it is now happening. Mostly, I look forward to
sharing
our experiences with you, because frequently, we happen upon things of
great value.
I would
love it if many of you take
the ideas we share and use them to grab hold of the possibility of
international living and investing. On the other hand, there
is
nothing wrong with just having some vicarious travel adventures. . .
and
with our blessings!
Whatever
your desire, if you have
read this far in our website, I am honored. I encourage you
to
sign up for our newsletter and e-zine. Linda and I are
going to share in the writing duties.
With our very different experiences of living in Ecuador, rest assured that you are going to read something that will touch your heart or be inspired by an idea that may fill your pocketbook. Me, I'm going to enjoying sharing with you, "A View from the Roof."