Here are a few pictures from my walks around the outskirts of Cuenca. Enjoy...
Tuesday, July 16, 2013
Sunday, April 21, 2013
Four months into the year
Wow, where has time gone? We are already in April. So much has happened in four months, I left Ecuador, Steve, Nick, Courtney, and Frank are still there. Our friends Bill and Tommy moved in with Steve and the kids. I have gone to church two times.
Let's start with me leaving Ecuador. I hated leaving behind my friends and family but I struggled so much with boredom in Ecuador. While other people went to social gatherings and day trips, Steve and I stayed home. While friends traveled the world we stayed home. Ecuador is a beautiful place to live and there are many obstacles to over come moving to a foreign land and I feel i overcame most of them, except for the boredom. I even volunteered while I lived there,was a co owner of a small cafe, and attended meditation almost every Sunday but it wasn't enough. So I am back in the US living with our youngest daughter looking for a job, hopefully another career. I have applied for a lot of jobs and I have had one interview with a BIG insurance company that I thought would be a lock in but no I am OVER qualified. They are most likely not willing to put the time and training into because they assume that I will leave when something better comes along. I guess they don't have much faith in their retention program.
Steve has stayed in Ecuador with the kids, while Nick finishes out the school year, and Frank and Courtney decide on staying or coming back. We are pretty sure that Frank will stay if he can get his cedula. He has a girlfriend and he had a job yet they let him go since he doesn't have a cedula yet. I miss them so much and this really isn't living the simple life. Steve is sending me money to help me with items I may need and my daughter and her new husband are putting me up in their apartment.
Or friends Bill and Tommy are still going through the immigration process so while they are in limbo they decided to move in with Steve and the kids. It helps are family a little since they contribute to the rent and utilities.Yet I think it also puts unintentional stress on the family by there being so many people under one roof. I hope they are all doing their share and leaving any one chore to one person.
Church. I miss my meditation time at the Windhorse Cafe so much I tried to replicate that here but I am in Georgia the Bible Belt. There is a Unitarian Universalist Church that our family attended a few times when we lived here before I though what the heck I will give it a try. I looked them up online and saw that they also had a Buddhist group that meets every other week. So why not. The church is beautiful they sermons and hymns are spiritual and intriguing yet not dominating as it can be in some church's. When I attended the Buddhist group last Tuesday there were only four of us, and of course I asked "do you want it to grow?" and then my mouth just kept again. I had promised myself to just go and enjoy the company learn their ways and be one with the group, but no I had to try to add my input. I was the only person out of the four without a high degree so they go for the education part and of course I have always loved going for the group meditation. I will go again and see how it goes maybe I can keep my mouth shut maybe not, but I will enjoy this time with like minded individuals.
On a sad note I am not going to be a grandmother. My daughter lost the baby. She has struggled with the loss and silently probably still does, but I hope she knows I am here for her when she needs me.
On a better note her boyfriend Avery decided to join the Army (with some nudging from Christina, I believe), so they moved up their wedding so she will be able to move with him when it is time. I love it he said to me one day, he said "well, I want to have a family with Christina and so it is time for me to step up to the plate, so I realized I needed to do something" He leaves in May for basic training.
So much has changed in my life yet so much is the same. Miss and love all of my friends and family and I can't wait to make so many more friends here. :)
Let's start with me leaving Ecuador. I hated leaving behind my friends and family but I struggled so much with boredom in Ecuador. While other people went to social gatherings and day trips, Steve and I stayed home. While friends traveled the world we stayed home. Ecuador is a beautiful place to live and there are many obstacles to over come moving to a foreign land and I feel i overcame most of them, except for the boredom. I even volunteered while I lived there,was a co owner of a small cafe, and attended meditation almost every Sunday but it wasn't enough. So I am back in the US living with our youngest daughter looking for a job, hopefully another career. I have applied for a lot of jobs and I have had one interview with a BIG insurance company that I thought would be a lock in but no I am OVER qualified. They are most likely not willing to put the time and training into because they assume that I will leave when something better comes along. I guess they don't have much faith in their retention program.
Steve has stayed in Ecuador with the kids, while Nick finishes out the school year, and Frank and Courtney decide on staying or coming back. We are pretty sure that Frank will stay if he can get his cedula. He has a girlfriend and he had a job yet they let him go since he doesn't have a cedula yet. I miss them so much and this really isn't living the simple life. Steve is sending me money to help me with items I may need and my daughter and her new husband are putting me up in their apartment.
Or friends Bill and Tommy are still going through the immigration process so while they are in limbo they decided to move in with Steve and the kids. It helps are family a little since they contribute to the rent and utilities.Yet I think it also puts unintentional stress on the family by there being so many people under one roof. I hope they are all doing their share and leaving any one chore to one person.
Church. I miss my meditation time at the Windhorse Cafe so much I tried to replicate that here but I am in Georgia the Bible Belt. There is a Unitarian Universalist Church that our family attended a few times when we lived here before I though what the heck I will give it a try. I looked them up online and saw that they also had a Buddhist group that meets every other week. So why not. The church is beautiful they sermons and hymns are spiritual and intriguing yet not dominating as it can be in some church's. When I attended the Buddhist group last Tuesday there were only four of us, and of course I asked "do you want it to grow?" and then my mouth just kept again. I had promised myself to just go and enjoy the company learn their ways and be one with the group, but no I had to try to add my input. I was the only person out of the four without a high degree so they go for the education part and of course I have always loved going for the group meditation. I will go again and see how it goes maybe I can keep my mouth shut maybe not, but I will enjoy this time with like minded individuals.
On a sad note I am not going to be a grandmother. My daughter lost the baby. She has struggled with the loss and silently probably still does, but I hope she knows I am here for her when she needs me.
On a better note her boyfriend Avery decided to join the Army (with some nudging from Christina, I believe), so they moved up their wedding so she will be able to move with him when it is time. I love it he said to me one day, he said "well, I want to have a family with Christina and so it is time for me to step up to the plate, so I realized I needed to do something" He leaves in May for basic training.
So much has changed in my life yet so much is the same. Miss and love all of my friends and family and I can't wait to make so many more friends here. :)
Tuesday, January 1, 2013
Happy New Year!
Wow, the new year sure has come up fast on us. We had a great visit with our son Ryan who was able to make it out for a visit this Christmas.
Ryan and Steve
We went to Pumapungo Park for a visit.
Our daughter Christina called us on Christmas day with the biggest gift of our lives.
Christina 2011
We are going to be grandparents.
Then New Years came and we invited our friends Bill and Tom over and we bought effigies and burned then on New Years eve to get rid of the bad juju from last year and move forward to a better year.
Happy New year all!
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