Our Journey to Ecuador There is a lot involved in moving abroad. Brian and I lived in the same home for 24 years. One of the most pressing issues was to decide what to do with the house. It was not an easy decision, and if you have been following us on Facebook, you know we decided to sell. This is risky, because we do plan on returning to the area, our precious daughter and son in law, and hopeful eventual grandchild(ren). There is a good chance we may be priced out of the area. But in the end there were two deciding factors. We raised our children in a no frills, very ethnically diverse working class neighborhood. The modest cul-de-sac all rose early, and went off to work. Those with limited opportunities found a way to own their own business. It set a good example for our kids that no job is too menial. We strongly value work ethic. I also did not have to contend with any feeling of one up man ship. Pretty m...
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jN6nCLol80Y Making the decision........... During the pandemic, I would come home from a day of pandemic life in a large teriary healthcare center, and Brian would have these video's lined up for me. JP and Amelia have a very elaborate Youtube channel, explaining everything anyone could possibly need to know about immigrating and flourishing in Ecuador. There were many, many other videos from others we watched as well, but after sifting through all of the expat friendly places we could go live, this video sums up our reasons. Enjoy!
Questions people keep asking us.....aka "FAQs"
As I start this blog, which exists for the sole purpose of updating friends and family on our lives abroad, it seems most reasonable to begin with some FAQs. So here they are. Why are you moving abroad, and how long will you be gone? A: For Brian, it was about wanting to get out of Portland and try something new. We have a small window of time where we are both in good health, the kids have left home, and no grandbabies are expected for a few years. This opportunity will never come again. We expect to be gone for at least just over 2 years, and then we will play it by ear. The other answer is to save for retirement. To be honest, we do not have as much as we are going to need, and the cost of living is much cheaper in Ecuador than the US, and there is a huge tax break living outside of the country. We are hoping to maximize our retirement savings. For Sarah (me) the decision centered around pandemic burnout. I...