If you think bureaucracy is bad in the U.S., come to Ecuador. Have been here 5 months and still waiting for my residency visa (I should have had it 3.5 months ago). Sloooooooooow process 😳🤯🤪

Seen in Quito… gotta wonder if it’s any f..king good 😂🤔🤣

Truthfully - the “honeymoon” has worn off for me.

I knew it would.

I *thought* I was adaptable and culturally competent but what I learned is that there’s always one more nuance to the nuance…

Now it’s about finding peaceful coexistence with the shit that drives me nuts sometimes😳🤯

Images from recent hikes…

Seen in Quito the other day…

Ecuador presidential election tomorrow. No alcohol sales from yesterday (Friday) at noon until Monday morning. You’re fined if you don’t vote.

I had a mysterious internet outage yesterday. After speaking with someone (an actual real, live human being) in the local office, a technician was at my home in less than 30 minutes. I was back up and running 10 minutes after he arrived. Yet one more reason why living in Ecuador is amazing!

Tired of pooping in solitude? Have a kid.

Another spectacular day of hiking here in Ecuador! There was a light dusting of snow on Mama Cotacachi… I got to see it from a couple of angles (in town and from my trek near Cuicocha). What an enchanting country!

No actual florists or floral designers were harmed in the creation of this arrangement 😂

An embarrassment of riches in my yard… I think I’ll be making guacamole later today 😂

I moved here with some very basic Spanish language capacity. Ya gotta know a good bit more than the basics if you’re gonna make this your home, though! I have a great 1:1 tutor and keep my nose in the book (and chat in Spanish with *lots* of people every day 😊)

Good morning from Cotacachi!
Today’s agenda: coffee with a friend; then accompanying a local dogsitter/dog walker on her work day - with *11* dogs today.” It’s a good thing I love dogs 🤣 …and walking! Great Spanish language learning opportunity, too (she speaks very little English).

I love flowers, btw…

A few pix from my first few weeks after “escaping” the USA. My departure was challenged b/c I was smack-dab in the middle of Hurricane Helene’s fury in western North Carolina. But I made it out alive to much more tranquil environs…

What’s life in Ecuador like for a recently retired gringo? Follow me here to get the straight skinny on one expat’s adventure! No politics, no BS - only joy, humor, and kindness here.

New to Blue Sky - and hoping is smashes FB/Z-berg into dust!