Woman Crush Wednesday: Expats in Ecuador
Expat is short for expatriate – or a person who lives in another country.
Five women met for lunch – it happens everyday, all over the world. This time it was at Guayoyo – a restaurant in Cuenca, Ecuador. I was visiting my daughter Kelly (on the far right), and got to meet her ex-pat friends ( L to R) Jess, Aubree and Sarah.
It was fascinating to hear the stories of how these women chose to live abroad and got to Cuenca.
Jess is an English teacher who tutors privately. Home was just outside of London and she has been in Cuenca for 5 years. Jess is the only non-American of the group. This winter she is headed back to England to work a week at an international travel expo representing her Ecuadorian partner’s company and to visit her family for a few weeks.
Aubree is a yoga instructor who began teaching a few years ago and has expanded her business, RumiSol Yoga to include 5 staff. She’s been an expat for 4 years and first came to Ecuador on a 9 month internship.
Sarah met Aubree in the internship program for teaching English and has been living in Cuenca for 3 years. She makes a living as an artist and has her work in a few galleries, coffee shops and on Etsy.
Kelly has been in Cuenca for 2 years and serves as the program director for the Hearts of Gold Foundation, writes as a travel blogger and works as a part time fashion model. She did an internship for her master’s program at a shelter in Cuenca and returned to live there after graduation.
Yoga is the the common interest that brought them together. And now they make plans to see each other weekly outside the studio. Each woman also is dating an Ecuadorian – and so there is a sisterhood of support as they adapt to the the culture of their significant others.
As I listened to these women, I was struck by their sense of adventure. Each left behind the place they knew as home and traveled to a foreign country where few speak their native language. They have had to navigate the waters of obtaining visas to work and live in Ecuador. They are supporting themselves and following their passions. They are part of a small subset of young expats which makes them a unique group – as most non Ecuadorians are retired folks, since Cuenca often makes the top ten list of places to retire affordably.
So this – my first “Woman Crush Wednesday” – is dedicated to the woman who calls me mom – and to her dear friends. I admire their courage to seek out a new world, to understand it and to thrive within it. The have dared to live abroad and to separate themselves from all that they knew. They are self reliant, intrepid travelers. I wish you knew these gutsy ex-pats- and I am so glad that I do. Hasta luego!