Friday, Aug 11, 2017
Why or Wow?
Hola! Another week in Ecuador. It has been over a year and a half now, and I notice myself thinking (on occasion) “Now why am I here?” Gratefully, I also catch myself thinking “Wow, I can’t believe I am living here!” many more times than the other thought. When I’m in my “wow” moment, it is an incredible sensation. I feel free, charting my own path and connected to the now. Have all of that happen while walking on an Ecuadorian beach along the Pacific Ocean and, well, it is pretty much surreal.
Beautiful Ocean Shores
Loving the Beach
Pacific Paradise
We did get one full sunny day this week. Pretty incredible how the beauty of the beach can pop out at you when the clouds clear. The young Ecuadorian man who sells ice cream was pulling his little red Pinguino freezer behind his motorcycle as he made his way up and down the beach this day.
Ice Cream Man
Weekly Recap
Heidi has been busy creating art projects for the kids to do at the Olon orphanage. I have been coaching and building my practice. Life for Heidi and I hasn’t varied much since I checked in with you last week. We were able to talk to our sons and got updates.
Chase is in full swing teaching English to South Korean kids in Seoul. He is in a nice routine for the moment, and life is good for him while he waits to hear back on other opportunities. Easton has been catching lots of Salmon, which means he has been doing a lot of hard manual labor on the boat. He told us he plans on leaving Alaska around the 1st of September and head back to the lower Pacific Ocean beach…where life is all pina colada-like.
Behind Stage
Before I end my post this week I want to share my thought about House Hunters International. Maybe you have caught an episode or two on TV? I watched it a lot through the years. I would enjoy watching people try to find their perfect home in far off lands and exotic destinations. It made me excited to experience my own similar adventure.
(Spoiler Alert)
Just before Heidi and I moved to Ecuador I called them to ask if they would be interested in filming us finding our dream place to live. I did tell them that we were going to rent, and asked if that is something they would be interested in filming. Sure, they told me. “Just find your place then call us up to film”. What?
It was my first realization that the people on the show already have found their homes, moved in, and have been living in them. The show then films in reverse. It finds two other properties to film for the couple “to look at” in order to create the tension and drama around “the decision”.
You know, although disappointed, I understood. I mean it is TV right? Well, I just found out something more and this part is more problematic for me. We have some friends whose place was recently filmed as one of the “rejected” properties. What was disturbing was the show marketed and presented it as a 2 bedroom, 2 1/2 bath overooking the Pacific Ocean beach, when in reality it is a 3 bedroom, 3 1/2 bath. That wouldn’t be so bad, except they showed an asking price very close to the real price…but cut out a bedroom and a bath!
Why is this important? For me, it means the price and/or affordability of the properties presented in this show are off by a long shot. So, go ahead and “film in reverse”. Make stuff up regarding the “search” if you need dramatic flair…I mean this is entertainment. But my bad; I mistakenly thought the asking and sales prices reported were real. So the value I personally found in the show was to get an idea of what you could get for X amount of dollars somewhere. It appears however the only X is what they use to arbitrarily cut out square footage and living space in the properties they present. Sigh.
Night Out
Heidi and I enjoyed a great steak dinner on the beach in Montanita. It was at a restaurant called Lido Beach Grill which is attached to the Hostel Kundalini. Our friends Mark and Jeri introduced us to this place. The four of us were able to enjoy a great meal with a full evening of entertainment, and it was literally like our own private event. The place was empty.
So here the four of us sat eating. I had one of the best steaks I’ve eaten in Ecuador, am within 100 feet of the waves breaking on the night beach, and listening to very talented artists from Argentina sing and play for me.
Wow, I can’t believe I am living here!
Chau
Interesting about HHI. I have friends who are on a US episode in Palm Springs, and they actually took them to look at houses and it was a real purchase, except they did look at more than three, but only used three on the show. Wonder why it is done differently there. I also just saw an episode in Greece, and the gal rejected all of the places and opted to stay where she was already renting.
I don’t know all the ins and outs Pat, and maybe it is different elsewhere. As far as Ecuador, I have spoken to 2 people involved directly with HHI and their experience of “house first” was like mine. And it doesn’t make HHI bad, just “made for TV”.
Thanks for reading!
Todd
Thanks for sharing the info about House Hunters, I have heard similar about other “reality” shows. It is sad that the media is allowed to mislead the public viewers all for the sake of entertainment. Sadly, many people take what they see and hear on TV as fact.
The biggest shock to me Kim was when HHI told me to find my place “first”. Before that, I was excited to think they might be able to help me find a great place. When I thought about it after the fact though, it could potentially take several weeks to months to film an episode while buyers kept looking. So I get it.
It just burst my “Gee, this looks fun” bubble. Lol…guess that’s why the show is considered entertainment.
Thanks for reading!
Todd
Nice to read about normal!
I figured House Hunters were not on the up and up but purely entertainment. Thanks for the heads up!
Oh — also it is not a bad plan to fish all summer in Alaska and spend the winter at the beach! I have known several folks who did so. I spent 7 years in Alaska and found the winter there beautiful but cold. After 7 years I went to Seattle.
The pictures Easton has sent us of the bays and coastline where he is fishing around Kodiak are spectacular! You are brave Catherine because the winters in Alaska would do me in I think. 😮
Really enjoy hearing about your adventure, Todd!
Thanks for reading Lisa!
Todd