Tuesday, May 3 , 2016
One more day and we will move into our place. A place that we can put our clothes away in drawers and closets and stop living out of a suitcase. It will be our home where we can stock our fridge and cupboards with the things we enjoy eating, and have available when we want to eat them. A place that at night we can crawl into a cozy bed with our own pillows and blankets and fall safely asleep.
We are renting a semi-furnished house. It was advertised as furnished but what that means in Ecuador and in the US is a bit different. There are several things we will, over time, want to get to make this house a home. My wife has a gift for making our living space special, warm, and inviting. She will do her magic on this semi-painted canvas, filling it in with her own brush strokes and colors that will make it truly beautiful and one of a kind.
We went on the hunt for linens for the various beds in our house. We have a king, a double, and two twins. The mattresses look good and are very thick. Too thick actually for any standard sheet available in the department stores. We found sheets, the type with deep pockets for the thicker mattress, at a furniture store. Cost was $60-$100 per set depending on size. These are the same sheets that cost $30 online in the states. Ouch.
I put a call out to Ecuador Expats on fb asking where we can find these type of sheets. Among the replies I was told about Manolo at Casa Flores who can make them. My wife and I stopped in and found many of the items we need (mattress covers, bedskirts, bedspreads) already made and at better prices than what we bought earlier in the day. Manolo can make what we need as well.
Living in Ecuador means getting creative and/or being ok that many things cost more that are readily available and cheaper in the US. I still haven’t come to terms with this, I’m working on it. This means I usually have a period where I am pissed off spending what I consider exorbitant amounts of money for products that have no business being priced that much.
I drive my family crazy. They point out to me that if I want some of the things I’m used to having in the US, this is the new reality. They are absolutely correct. My pissed off demeanor doesn’t do anyone any good.
The key to living here and surrounding yourself with creature comforts is being patient, being resourceful, and thinking outside of the box. Find someone to make what you want. People who have been here awhile have this down. It usually looks better and is of better quality than buying that same or similar item in the stores. It becomes an opportunity to get creative and have some fun.
I didn’t move to Ecuador to be grumpy. I moved here to enjoy my life and do different things.
For lunch today our realtor and local Ecuadorian dude took us to a hole in the wall restaurant. For $2 we had a delicious roasted pork sandwich and a glass of great tasting coconut juice. It was fun, delicious, and a great buy!
The owner took our picture while we were eating and posted it on his fb page. I took a picture of him and his wife when we left. I don’t know if it’s an Ecuadorian thing, but it seems like Ecuadorians don’t smile when posing for a picture.
He was all smiles when he was talking with us and took our picture. Lot’s for me to learn here in Ecuador!
Chau.
Great blog! Family looking good!
Happy to be enjoying Cuenca together Mom. Much more like modern civilization here. Maybe you can visit!