A small coastal town in Ecuador A gringo story
by ILA ENDERS
(EX WISCONSIN USA)
My husband and I,decided to retire in Ecuador from gringoland.Aged mid fifties,401K in the crapper.We based the decision on our growing American contempt( Abu graib,Gitmo,waterboarding,1 million dollars per minute on the Illegal Iraq war,3 billion per year beefing up Israeli war criminals.The financial meltdown hoax to enrich the enriched. The Obama Emperor wearing no clothes, the Clintonistas and the Bushite clique. Afghan 1 trillion dollar heroin scam and laundering the dirty money in Israeli banks,Tazer deaths of innocent protesters,fascism,the land of the duped sheeples to mention a few of our perspectives about USAs dispicable agendas) and as Americanos, if you hate the direction of your country,get out!Simple as ABC. You think?
We chose a coastal town in Ecuador because of our love affair with it and a lifelong love of the ocean.Ecuador research,spanned several years and numerous visits.No Espanol gave us an opportunity, the Ecuadoreans lack of English,forced us,to learn fast.We were a curiosity at first, and the first Gringos .A year ortwo later twenty Gringos are there. We quickly made friends with many Ecuadoreans,as well as Italians ,Germans, English and other Gringos
To extricate ourselves from our American mire was no small task,decades of possession hoarding and accumulation of things. Middleclass striving to reach the top of the phony heap,only to discover a horrible lie. Empire propaganda, warocracy, greed and general disregard for the suffering of most of planet earth.But hey the USA military industrial complex prevails and that is what counts.Here a war, there a war, everywhere a war war and take the planet to the brink of extinction. why not
Our effort to thwart our USA Gringo indoctrination was always, God willing.Our spiritual awakening ensued We owned a business,a home and real estate was slip sliding.Retirement required some income and like many, we were under the illusion/disillusion. USA real estate = "nest egg" The financial meltdown was happening rapidly.The other Gringos/aspiring Ex-Pats, in our coastal town were in a similar boat.
We did not want to hop on the same train of empty acquisition obssession, we wanted to give back .Big time. Our "so called priveleged life" history was to be transformed in the twinkling of an eye.Ecuador could use a little help. Gringo upon Gringo seemed to share the same premise. The trick was to figure it all out.
Ecuador infatuation was immediate for us.With each visit there, we did not want to return to USA. A pattern was developing. Each return visit to Ecuador, we loved the country more.Now Ecuador, is our home in every way. Not only has Ecuador become so but if we go to USA it is like going to LA LA again.
We are proudly global citizens,our cause is Palestine,our home is planet earth.Ecuador is an adventure,a challenge,a privelege,a gift from God.