: December 11, 2017
10 Reasons Why I Love Ecuador
People ask me all the time why I came to Ecuador and honestly, the only thing I can say is because I hadn’t been there before. I didn’t know much about Ecuador before arriving besides that it was in South America, I didn’t need a special visa to go there, the Spanish was easy to understand, and the people were generally nice. But after living here for 2 years, I now have many reasons why I love this country and choose to make it my home. So here are 10 reasons why I LOVE Ecuador
- The beaches – I am from Wisconsin and I don’t care what you say, lake beaches are not the same as ocean beaches. I currently live in Puerto Lopez and every day I feel like I am on vacation. With bright afternoons that make the water the bluest of blues in color, and daily sunsets that could be on post cards, I feel like I live in paradise. That is why I moved to Puerto Lopez; I saw people living in paradise and asked myself “why can’t I live in paradise?” Goodbye snow shovel, hello sand castle.
- The food – You don’t know what a tomato really tastes like until you’ve tasted a tomato from here. Everything tastes better: it has more flavor, it is rich and juicy, and the best part, natural. I have never seen so many fruits and vegetables until I walked through an Ecuadorian market and wow let me tell you I sure felt stupid when I did because I didn’t know what anything was. My grade school knowledge of fruits and vegetables is still challenged every day as I continue to encounter foods that I have never seen before. But even if I don’t know what it is, I know it will be delicious.
- The landscapes – Amazon Jungle, Andes Mountains, Coastal Beaches, and the Galapagos Islands all in an area the size of Oregon, imagine that. In one bus ride I can literally go from seeing the highest mountain in the world (Cotopaxi) to the most virgin beach (Los Frailes) and see breath-taking views along the way. There is nowhere else in the world where that can happen. Each region is so beautiful and has so much adventure that it is impossible to ever say you are bored here.
- The relaxed style of life – I never realized how fast-paced my life was until I left the United States. Always with pressure to get things done, working and studying, having little time to enjoy life, family, and friends. Well here that fast paced life is not adapted by many but rather things like eating dinner every day at home, celebrating every birthday and resting if you are sick are much more valued. While I can’t lie that the “do it tomorrow” attitude does bother me sometimes because of how deeply rooted my culture and my OCD is, it has given me the chance to really reevaluate what is important in life and how important it is to enjoy life. We are not machines born to work then to die. There is a lot to enjoy in between and things that need to get done will get done.
- The healthy style of life – I came to Ecuador and weighed 190 pounds and thought I was pretty healthy. I ate decently, did some exercise, but I did enjoy a few chicken wings and hamburgers every now and then. After a year of living in Ecuador I was down to 150 pounds. What changed you ask? Really nothing besides the quality of food that I ate. I ate the same salads and chicken dinners but with vegetables and meat that were produced naturally and fresh. Most food that characterizes a traditional western diet comes from a global supply chain which has produced devastating effects on our economy, our health and the environment. Food here is NOT pumped full of chemicals and preservatives. It is natural, grown on local farms, consumed in the same day because there are no preservatives. I feel the difference every day as I wake up with more energy, less pain, and better skin and hair. I’m not an expert but I am a true believer that what we eat is a huge part of our health and my continuing weight loss and improved health is my evidence.
- The low cost of life – My friends think I am crazy when I say I earn $375 a month, but here, that $375 goes a much longer way than it would in other parts of the world. A traditional lunch in a restaurant cost $3. A 5 gallon jug of water cost $1.25. A 14 hour bus ride from the coast to the mountains cost $14. Everything is just generally cheaper. If I wanted to spend more and have a more luxurious life I could do that by buying imported items and eating only at chain restaurants but that is not my style. I live a perfectly comfortable life with everything I need and I do it all for a very low cost.
- The adventure – Around every corner there is adventure. I have climbed down a waterfall, swung on a swing that hangs over a cliff, zip lined through the amazon, and snorkeled with Manta Rays. And every weekend I can change what adventure I want to do. There is truly something for everyone which makes Ecuador such a desirable place. No matter who is here, they will find something they have never done before and maybe it will turn out to be something they love to do.
- The people – It is so refreshing to have people come up to me and talk to me with no hidden agenda. They aren’t trying to sell me something (not always), they aren’t trying to find out my gossip, they just genuinely want to talk, want to help, and are so nice. As a traveler, we often find ourselves needing help and having to ask questions and when that time comes, it can be nerve-racking because we are so accustomed to receiving the cold shoulder. But here, people are so friendly, warm and inviting that my fear of asking for directions went away almost immediately. They will invite you into their home for dinner, and tell you their stories and they look for nothing in return. I am blessed to have met everyone that I have so far.
- The potential and opportunity – Ecuador is a developing country which means there is a lot of room for growth. Technology and ideas that exist in other parts of the world have not found their way here yet so that leaves a lot of room for entrepreneurs like myself. I am the proud owner of Discoteca Wett and I can only see improvement and more growth in the future. It was easy to start my business and it is exciting to run. I love coming up with ideas that haven’t been done before and blowing people’s minds with something as simple as elegant decorations made from cardboard. Yes, I would say I am creative but having so much potential gives my creativity worth in this country where the market isn’t completely saturated.
- The welcoming atmosphere – Everywhere I ‘have gone in Ecuador I have been 100% welcomed. I know that there is major turmoil in the United States currently and it is sad to see people fighting people for being people. Ecuador and its people made me feel right at home from day one and I feel absolutely comfortable calling Ecuador my home because that is truly how it feels.
So there are my top 10 reasons why I love this country. I could go on and on but every person is different. So I invite you to visit and see why this country is so great and I bet you will find your own reasons as to why you love Ecuador!