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.  It seems a huge risk to leave a beloved employer, a nice job, and even more beloved colleagues, but as awesome as St. Vincent's is, I discovered it is hard to be awesome in a vacuum.  I personally was only as effective as management and my team would support.  Their ability to provide that support was why I loved my job so much.  But in turn, hospital discharge planning is heavily dependent on the health of our community partners, and those outpatient services being intact.  And right now, they are struggling.  The struggles of the community became my everyday frustration.  This is not going away as Covid cases decline.  I.  Need. A. Break.  I feel too old to go back and get my master's degree, which is what I likely would do if I was 15 years younger.  Learning Spanish will not put me in debt, and provide a new, employable skill.  So this is my sabbatical.

Why Ecuador?

As Brian works remotely, it is very helpful to be somewhere in a similar time zone to other teammates.  Ecuador is on Eastern or Central time, depending on DLS time, which they don't have over there.  It is also on the US dollar, which is helpful.  We like the climate options.  There is a LARGE expat community, as it has become a very popular place for Americans and Canadains to retire.  You could afford to live there on a social security check.  We also wanted a Christian country.  That will at least be one consistancy, and a sense of community!  There are other reasons, but those are the major ones.

Will you still work?

As I said, Brian works remotely.  And as I alluded to, I will be taking some time off.  However, I hope to return to the US periodically to work 13 week stints as a travel nurse, to keep up hours for my nursing licence.  

Where will you live?

We plan to start out time in Manta, which is a beach town.  We will likely be there for several months.  Brian is attempting to secure our housing (he is flying out on August 11th to see the place, and sign, pay deposits, etc).  When we get tired of that, we plan on moving to a mountain town, most likely Cuena, which is generally in the 50's and 60's and trying that out.  We are also very interested in checking out a town called Loja.  The plan is meant to be flexible.  We want room to explore.

Are you taking your dog (Maya), and if so how does that work?

Yes.  we plan on taking Maya.  That being said, Maya is an 11 year old dog with a 10 year life span, so this is assuming she survives until travel.  She is doing good for an old girl!   A licensed vet in Ecuador has a business helping people bring their pets to Ecuador, and he is helping us with most of the process of getting her properly vetted, documented, and arranging for her flight from Miami, and getting her through whatever doggie customs is called.  Our main job, beside paying a lot of money, most of it for the doggie flight, is getting her to Miami.  She is too big to fly in cabin, and no airlines are currently letting dogs fly cargo, orginally because of Covid, and now presumably because they don't have enough staff to tend to the people flying, let alone animals.

Are you worried about your safety?  Crime?

Compared to Portland these days - no.  Crime in Cuenca in particular is objectively lower.  Most of the crime does involve theft, which is preventable.  Our building will be secure with a doorman.  Gringos (white people) are advised not to walk around by themselves at night.  Of course we plan on being cautious, but we are not scared.

Will you have a car there?

No.  The condo we are hoping to secure is close to any needed shopping.  The beach is right out the door.  Taxi rides are about $2, unless you want to go to the airport, then $5.  Driving in Ecuador seems to be like some type of cooperative dance we do not know the movements to.  Also, we are hearing on our expat board of many people getting mailed traffic tickets when their cars were not even being used.

Can we visit?

We sure hope so!  We are completely planning on a guest room, just for that purpose.  

When do you leave?

The short answer is - by the end of the year.  We are going through getting our 2 year residency through an immigration lawyer.  I (Sarah) am hoping to complete a 13 week travel assignment before we leave.  Maya must be properly vetted, with all of her paperwork filled out.  We will update when we have dates.