Time Flies When Your Having Fun!

Cotacachi Volcano from our front porch.

 Another week has flown by.  It's amazing when you're not working how much there is to do.   We started the week meeting with Emma a senior from Tufts University in Boston.  She is writing a thesis on people who move to Ecuador from other countries, primarily North America.  She ask if she could interview us so we gladly obliged.  It was fun sharing and learning about her.

Later in the week we took a ride through the country with one of our neighbors.  They come from Idaho and moved in around Thanksgiving time.  They came for a visit the end of Sept...loved it, rented a house, bought a car and then went home to tell their family they were moving.  Because of their  car we were able to take our time and explore some back roads to a couple of the neighboring towns.  What beautiful views we had of valleys, farms,  and volcanoes.  It was time well spent getting to know each other and enjoying this beautiful country.

Wednesday we met with a couple from our church who we had spent time with on our first visit.  He is from Iowa and knows good friends of ours back there.  They are having a house built on the edge of town.  It was a wonderful time of sharing the many ways God has worked in each of our lives.  They ask if we would be willing to start a bible study with them so we will begin next week.   They had lived in Cuenca before moving to Cotacachi.  While there they had been part of a bible study with 4 other couples.  Because they had gained so much from those close relationships they have been anxious to experience a similar time here.  They feel as we do that God has lead them here for a reason so it will be fun to explore the possibilities together.

Had our first power outage yesterday.  The electricity was off for a few hours.  Ask our neighbor about it and he said he figured it would be on in the next 30 minutes because the Municipal building would be opening and they had to have power before then.  He was right...it was on in the next few minutes.  It is interesting to note that there is no one you call if your power is out.  It's not just an area..it's the whole town so you just wait.

Also got an email this week from the local network of gringos that there would be a gas shortage for the next 2 weeks so that affects our stove, hot water heater and dryer.  Seems they are doing repairs on the refinery and they are anticipating completion in a couple of weeks.  It's funny though, no one gets upset they just take it in stride.  They just say...remember, you're in Ecuador! 

The local flower man came yesterday.  He comes once a week and sells fresh flowers out of the back of his pickup.  Lillies and roses are your choices.  We bought 4 dozen roses for $6.  They are a little more expensive than the market ($1 a dozen) but after all he does comes to your door!  :-)

Also yesterday went down the road and cut eucalyptus branches for the house.  Our landlord puts them under the sink, on top of cupboards, in the bathrooms, under the bed,  etc.  It's a natural mold and insect fighter.  You cut the younger branches and change them every month or so.  Isn't it great the way God provides us everything we need.

Until next week...

Emma from Boston.

How's this for a bouquet of roses!

WE ARE HERE!

OK, we have been here in our new home in Cotacachi, Ecuador for one week.  It has been the best week.  Things here are just so beautiful.  There is still a volcano out our front door and one out our back door.  Every day is an adventure to see if we can figure out where to get something we need. Will it be in Cotacachi, Ibarra or Otovalo?  We have met all of our neighbors, a very interesting bunch - all very kind people.

We arrived in Cotacachi around 9:30pm on Saturday night.. Our landlord had offered a few days prior to have some food for breakfast for us so we would not need to go shopping right away. So, we had fresh eggs, bread, butter, milk - along with a dozen fresh white roses - waiting for us.. It was a good thing we had what we did because nothing was open the next day, New Years.  One of our neighbors came over to check on us on Sunday and kindly offered a couple of frozen hamburgers so we wouldn't have to eat eggs all day.  Monday we were able to get a few things in Cotacachi and Wed in Ibarra more esentials were added.  We didn't have internet access until Wed due to some technical problems (that being we couldn't figure it out so the "computer guy" took care of it)  but all in all everything went great.

I remember as we shared with so many, that the question was -"Is there anything that is not just perfect down there?"  Well, we found something.. They are called "noseeums" - a little, invisible bug that bites. Some people react with furious itching, while others have no reaction at all. You guessed it, Claudia is one who reacted with furious itching; Bruce really no reaction at all, just a bunch of bites.  Guess this is why you see no shorts in Cotacachi. :-)

Today we went to the open market and here is what we bought. 1 large zucchini; 3 large tomatoes; 10 large carrots; 3 red onions; huge head of cabbage; 1 head of red cabbage;  3 red peppers; 3 garlics; bunch of radishes; couple handfulls of green beans; two mangoes; two pineapples; 10 bananas; bunch of grapes; 7 mystery fruits; and 30 eggs.  ALL were fresh, locally grown and all for the whopping cost of $14.50. (the fresh pineapple were .50 each)

The weather has been beautiful every day.  Warm 70'+ during the day; 50' at night. Great sleeping..Imagine living in a place where no one has a furnace, just a fireplace for those times it may be a bit chilly.  Most days are clear and both volcanos are visible from our picture windows.  Even with a few showers in the night, every day is special.  We are together.  What can we say we feel so blessed.  This place is already home and we are loving every day.

Almost forgot, the few hours before our departure from Federal Way, we spent weighing and re-weighing our six checked bags to make sure we were within limits - add some, take some out, what is important now, what was not.  In the end, we did get six checked bags and four carry on bags all the way to Cotacachi, with no incident.  We did leave a few things behind, that we will get at one of our future visits to the States.

You must know that we miss family and friends very much, but you also know that we are enjoying this new life, being together 100% of the time, no schedules, in a beautiful place.. We give thanks to God every day for this amazing blessing.

More to follow,

Bruce & Claudia