Being an ExPat - What it is Like to Live in Ecuador: grocery

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Sunday, June 5, 2016

Healing - Yet Another Begining

The stars represent app users who felt an aftershock

Yes, I have been neglecting the blog for a time and I feel pretty bad about it. Things have been tough here for awhile now and it felt too much like a chore, this writing thing. Perhaps I'm not being honest with you or myself if I do not fess up to what is probably a bit of depression. There is still fear here and things are not back to normal. They are not going to be for some time. It is not that things are bad for us. Not nearly as bad as they are for others anyway. It is however, very hard for us to exist through a disaster and the aftermath especially considering our lack of language skills.

In Florida we had the tropical systems just like most of the Eastern Seaboard. There is always stress during the season as this storm or that meanders through the Atlantic or Gulf of Mexico. You have days to prepare.

As a matter of fact Florida is being warned about one now. It is not even a storm yet. That preparation causes stress too and generally, nothing ever comes of it. One year we had three storms affect Jacksonville back to back. This feels a little like that felt. It is magnified by the surprise of terramotos; the lack of warning. For us specifically it is magnified further because our family is so far away.

Rebuilding takes time

It is impossible to feel "normal". We lost our city, Portoviejo which was a part of our routine. Going to the markets and learning so much while there is really non-existent for us right now. We can't get a lot of what we used to get from Portoviejo grocery stores. So I guess we are now on a different learning curve.

We are in the winter months here which also means a lot of wind. This is fantastic weather time where we need no air conditioning.

The wind makes noise though. Sometimes when it rattles doors and windows I wake up thinking it is another aftershock. Sometimes a car starting or a truck/bus simply driving by will put me on edge. I do not know how many times I've looked at my wife or she at me asking, "Is it another one?".

A Crucita hotel has structural damage resulting in a red tag

Then there are the dreams. Again, not horrifyingly destructive but each one takes a toll. Sometimes sleep won't come. I keep expecting another tremor or worse. I dream about terramotos a few times a week now. This is less than before indicating healing has begun but it is tougher than I ever imagined. Sometimes I feel tremors even though there weren't any. My wife is in the same boat. So is everyone else.

Of course that includes the healing.

So. It is time to get over the not writing thing. Hopefully it will be somewhat cathartic. I think it was just after the event. I hope it will be now too.

Crucita is also healing. The Government is here, inspecting buildings and designating them as unsafe to occupy, can be occupied but requiring work, or safe to occupy. Red, yellow, and green. As the buildings are inspected the corresponding sticker is placed on it with the official designation. It is very good to see them working on it but also sad. There are quite a few buildings here with red tags. That means businesses that can't function and families without homes.

A Crucita restaurant with a green tag

For the latter, large tents have been erected in the the town square and other areas. They were sent by the Chinese and are getting a lot of use. For the former there is not much which can be done. Many of the businesses are also the owner's homes adding insult to injury. No one is sitting on their hands though. They are making their way however they can.

The businesses that survived and there are many, are making money.

They are the only places to purchase everyday living necessities right now. There has been no price gouging at all. In fact when getting cash was so hard, prices were lowered by the vendors on the spot. The people who need help most are getting it. The people who can give help are giving it.

Workers gather for prayer on the Malecon prior to beginning inspections

The terramoto seems to have left the domestic dogs and cats just as they were before. Our cats do not even flinch anymore when the aftershocks do come. We can not get cat litter here so beach sand is our thing now. Not fun I can tell you. Also, cat food is not easy to find. I never thought this could be a problem here but cats can not survive on tuna or even fresh fish alone. You might be surprised to know that they prefer nasty dried food to fresh fish off the boat.

We make them their own special food and pepper it with the dry when we can get it.

We have bottled water again and that in and of itself is a morale booster. There are good days and bad when it comes to our morale. We are scared and I am glad my wife and I have each other. Being alone in this would be insufferable. Hopefully we will soon be at the point where there is more good than bad. I say that not just for my wife and I, but for everyone in Ecuador. For all of us it is another beginning. Chao!

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Saturday, November 28, 2015

Tamera's Take: Strange Trees, Cats and Rose Colored Glasses

Tamera's Take is about being here.
Are you ready? I am.

The ancient Maya of South America believed that a great Ceiba tree stood at the center of the earth, connecting the terrestrial world to the spirit-world above. The long thick vines hanging down from its spreading limbs provided a connection to the heavens for the souls that ascended them.

The Ceiba tree’s branches were believed by Mayans to act as a seat from which the gods watched the people walking below.

Humans are not separate from nature.

Ceiba Tree facts:
During the dry season the symmetrical flowers can be rather small and inconspicuous at less than 3 cm (1 inch), to showy at more than 12 cm (5 inches); and are usually white, pinkish-white or red, with leathery petals. This tree has a largely branchless trunk which grows to 60-70 metres (200-230 feet) and buttress roots that can be taller than a grown person. The deep roots mean it is often one of the few trees left standing after a hurricane.

Borrowed photo. We were riding a bus.

Thanks to the following websites for the above information:

http://www.fauna-flora.org

http://www.ceiba.org

As I write this, we are currently at the end of the dry season. There is a bus route from our town of Crucita directly to the city of Portoviejo, about 30 km (18 miles) away. The buses are scheduled about every 10 minutes, cost $1.10 to ride, and you hail them like a cab. Equally, when you want to get off, you simply stand up and go to the front of the bus. The bus driver will immediately stop and let you off.

Groceries from Portoviejo

We needed to go to Portoviejo to do some grocery shopping. We do not have a car, scooter, motorcycle or even a bicycle - yet. There are two options. A cab or a bus. A bus it is.

The bus makes a circle around Crucita, on Calle Malecon (coastal road) and Calle Portoviejo. We are told by our friend Tamy to get on the bus at Calle Malecon, because it will be less crowded. We are not sure why it will be less crowded, but any advice Tamy gives us is good advice.

It is about 50 yards (45 metres) from our gate to Calle Malecon.

As a side note, during the writing of Tamera's Take, I decide to login and listen to Pandora Internet Radio, only to receive the following message:

Zahi is not amused.

Dear Pandora Visitor,
We are deeply, deeply sorry to say that due to licensing constraints, we can no longer allow access to Pandora for listeners located outside of the U.S., Australia and New Zealand. We will continue to work diligently to realize the vision of a truly global Pandora, but for the time being we are required to restrict its use. We are very sad to have to do this, but there is no other alternative.

This frustrates me, but only for a moment.

Three countries does not sound very global.

I go to the back up plan and play some of our music saved to the laptop.

After all, I am in Crucita. The sun is shining, the wind is blowing and the waves are crashing on the shore. This was not the case yesterday. It was raining on Friday. Bus Ride Friday. Black Friday for everyone in the U.S.

[listening to Under the Milky Way by The Church]

Back to Calle Malecon.

Calle Malecon

We are not sure what side of the Calle to catch the bus, but we know that there are no bus stops to search for, no increasingly confusing time schedules to decipher, no bus transfers to make.

Unlike the bus systems in the U.S. and probably many other countries, when we see the bus, just hail it like a cab. Simple enough.

This is going to be easy.

After standing on the Malecon for about 3 minutes we see a bus heading our way. Great. This is going to be easy. Our arms go up. The bus stops. "Este el Autobus a Portoviejo?" I say to the man who opens the bus door (not the driver). "Portoviejo? Otro... (something something something and I have no idea what)." Says the man who opens the bus door (not the driver). However I did catch the word "otro" which means "other". The man is smiling and pointing to the other side of the street. Like I said, this is going to be easy.

Views from the bus on the way to Portoviejo

We cross the street. Well that was simple anyway. Wait for it. Yes. Here it comes. Another bus. My husband says, "you put up your arm this time, I did it last time". I reply, "I held my arm up too". We both laugh and both put up our arms. Better safe than sorry right? It worked last time. It worked this time too.

I should say at this point that "CRUCITA" is painted on the side of the buses. In the front window is a sign that reads "Portoviejo".

[listening to Yer So Bad by Tom Petty]

The man (not the driver) opens the door. Portoviejo? Si. Good, this is going to be easy. Then there are those very steep steps. Only two of them. But very very steep. My husband Jason and I are taller than most people here.

Did I mention the bus had really steep steps?

Views from the bus - house for sale

After climbing the steps, the very steep ones, I try to give the man (not the driver) money. He does not take it. There is no meter to drop money into. No place to slide your Metrocard. Confused for just a moment I keep walking up the aisle looking for two seats together. Before I know it I am in the back of the bus and I get a look at the passengers for the first time. All children and teenagers in school uniforms. For the most part they are sitting in the window seat. No one in the aisle seats.

Views from the bus - Rice Fields!

Confusion sets back in as I look towards the front of the bus, which is moving. Instinct sets in and we both choose an aisle seat. Did we get on the wrong bus? Did I say this was going to be easy?

The bus stops again and the new passengers are not school children. Feeling a little better by the addition of passengers, who are obviously not coming home from school, I relax. It is 12:20pm.

We are on our way to Portoviejo. Us, the school children, the other passengers who are not school children, the man (not the driver), and the driver. We round the corner and a few more passengers get on the bus.

A man (not the other man or the driver) is walking up the aisle carrying a basket. What is in the basket? He is selling something to the passengers. Fresh baked bread. Rolls to be exact. They smell wonderful. I think about buying one, but decide not to. I just want to observe for this bus ride. There are two teenagers sitting behind me. They are sitting very close together. The teenage boy buys two rolls, one for himself and one for his girl-friend.

The man (not the driver). Very nice man.

The bus stops to let people on and let people off, as buses do. The school children are quiet or talking very softly. The other passengers talk socially to each other. The man (not the driver) walks towards the back of the bus to collect the fare from each passenger. The children pay a very small fare. I can not see exactly how much they give him, but it seems to be a few small coins. Jason and I each give him $1.10, he counts the money and smiles at us and nods. We got the fare right.

This is nothing like any other bus ride I have taken. I am actually enjoying it. I knew it would be easy.

I hear the teenage boy behind me say, "Americanos. No comprendo." Of course he meant us. He was right.

Am I wearing Rose Colored Glasses? Who can say?!

Maybe I am, maybe not. I will let you know.

Last Stop

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Sunday, November 22, 2015

Crazy People, Groceries, Fruit Salad, and Fish Markets

I should mention we moved to Ecuador without ever travelling here. You may find that stupid or incredibly naïve but all our decisions were based on painstaking research. If you are reading this you probably know there is not a lot of information about Ecuador on the internet, especially a fishing village like Crucita. The people of Ecuador do not seem to worry about the internet like Americans. They generally do not market their shops or businesses on the internet. The business comes when it comes. What you need can be found though. There are literally 30 or more cantinas, restaurants, and shops within a 5 minute walk from our front door and I can only find 3 of them on the web.

Calle Malecon

We dug in and found reliable, trustworthy people. We knew what we were doing and why. Many friends and family members (you know who you are!) thought we were crazy. Heck, we are right? We thought we knew exactly who we were dealing with. We were wrong. They are better people than we dared imagine.

We moved without ever seeing our new home in person, visiting the town, or travelling to Ecuador at all. We picked up, risked it all, and moved 1600 miles away to a third world country. So now you know. We are crazy. We are also happy!

Today we went grocery shopping with our former real estate agent, now friend, Tamy. She lives 30 kilometers away but came to pick us up. Perhaps a bit odd in the States but not here. I would tell you about her up front but you'll get to know her as we are; a little a time.

We went to Super Maxi Grocery (said in a huge booming voice with the echo on the end) which is located about 18 miles (30 km) from Crucita, in Portoviejo. Next time we will take one of the buses which are hailed like cabs. $1.10 to ride to Portoviejo.

Super Maxi Grocery!

Contrary to popular belief, markets in Ecuador carry many American or "Americanized" brands. They have peanut butter (though very expensive at $9.00 a jar), they have Doritos which will make my son supremely happy, they have Pepsi and Coke. We bought none of it.

Doritos!

We feel this way about it; we moved here. We want the experience. We eat what they eat. There was that KFC at the mall though-

We bought Latino labels.

Purchased today.

So far I have cooked breakfast (fresh laid eggs), lunch (the most important and largest meal of the day here) and we have enjoyed lime juice as well as dessert. Dinner is generally light and many times consists of leftover lunch. Everything was just as good as American brands except the vegetables and fruits which are wonderful. They have not been shipped or stored for long periods of time. They have taste. They come from the farms literally 5 minutes away. Of course we needed staples. We had no base. A large bag of salt was $0.95 as it is manufactured on the north end of Crucita. Milk comes in a box. A 5 gallon bottle of water is no more than $1.50.

Salt Manufacturing

On the whole we bought about 2 weeks worth of food and sundries including cat food, cat litter, toilet paper, and laundry detergent for $60.00. On the way home Tamy stopped at a roadside stand. "You must try this" she said. Iced fruit salad or ensalada de frutas, made in a bucket by the vendor's mother. It was excellent, as much a drink as a salad. Dole has nothing on this lady. We were told not to avoid the roadside stands and restaurants. They are regulated and inspected. We'll be back and next time I'll get pictures. We would've today but it was so good it was gone before we thought about it. Too bad for you right?

Well, tomorrow we hit the southern end of Crucita's fish market. There is one on the north end too. We'll be there at 06:00 to buy fresh shrimp at $4 a pound, fresh tuna, and whatever else we can get our hands on. The earlier the fresher, the less expensive, and the bigger we're told. Someone asked me and yes, they have lobster here. Also crab when in season.

Southern Fish Market.

I hope we can make the 15 minute walk there and back. One other thing- I accidentally left my reading glasses in Tamy's car. I figured I would get them next time we saw her. She and her husband Jared showed up at our door an hour later to return them. Remember they live 30 kilometers away. Adios!