People that called Ecuador home

Larry Marler Moved to the Philippines

$145,000 (Negotiable)  Preferable for Buyer to have account in US, due to 5% Ecuador bank tax. If you have an account in the US, you can transfer my funds directly to my friend in the Philippines. Penthouse apartment for sale consisting of 3 Bedrooms, 2 baths, an office with 2 printers included and some books, and possibly a BBQ room with a few modifications, 24 hour security, 1 parking space and storage unit, Price includes refrigerator, stove, washer and gas dryer, microwave, furniture in two bedrooms, plus living room and dining room furniture. Television with DVD player. Small applicances include: Coffee Maker, Toaster, Food Processor, Blender, Crockpot, Pressure Cooker and Mixer. 12-Piece Place Setting of ARTESA dishes. All Artwork Included This Penthouse apartment is on the TOP floor (6th Floor). There is a small gym on the 1st Floor. The VIEW from our apartment is FANTASTIC (from 2 sides). It is a 25 minute walk to El Centro. It is 3 blocks to the bus line (Bus 5 and Bus 22). The River Rio Yanuncay with a track alongside the river with exercise machines 1/2 block from our condo. It is only a 10 minute walk to Mall del Rio. Apartment Area: 133 SqMtrs 1410 SqFt Owner is MOVING to Philippines for Health Reasons Edificio La Glorieta #6C Larry Marler - 0994989496

About Me

Larry Marler

Cuenca, Azuay, Ecuador

Ph.D. in Industrial and Organizational Psychology, I was a Disco dancer in the late 70s and early 80s.

Adrienne moved back to WA

Then also, despite having made a lengthy career out of all things Latin American, and feeling like I really knew the place, I have been very disappointed by life in Ecuador. I am the kind of person who will put up with a lot of incompetence and delays if people are friendly and apologetic about it. But I have a lot of trouble dealing with it when people deny any responsibility for anything ever and act like it's outrageous of you to even mention it. I have trouble with a lot of the rudeness and hostility that I encounter here (in fact, as a European I had never really understood what the term “passive aggressive” meant in the US, but I sure do now!). And it's not a gringo thing - it would actually be easier for me to put up with if it was - but they are possibly/probably even worse to each other. Linked to the latter, I cannot bear the class/racial hierarchy which sees poor brown people bowing their heads to white or even marginally lighter-skinned people with “licenciado” on their ID card, which to me means nothing at all (I have a PhD but my ID card basically says I'm illiterate!). And rich white people believing in their heart of hearts that really they are entitled to everything they have because there's just something very special about the way they were born. I just find the lack of fundamental respect that Ecuadorians generally have for each other very saddening.

So, having originally lauded Ecuadorians as much nicer than most others in the region (on this forum, maybe 4 years ago), I've come to realise that there is an important distinction between the way Ecuadorians respond to their family and good friends (and friends of family or good friends) and the way they treat everyone else. If you are in the first group, they will open their homes to you and go to extraordinary lengths to welcome and support you - much greater lengths than we are used to at home. But if you are in the latter group - well, you might as well not exist. You can live or die, it really doesn't matter very much to them. Of COURSE, I'm generalizing here - I've met truly lovely Ecuadorians who I will remember fondly. But overall for me, this is not a society that I feel comfortable in. I've come to realise after years of naivety that there is tremendous value in a society (Europe, US) where people might not be as overtly friendly, but where basic values are shared and there is generally a fundamental level of respect for fellow citizens - even the ones you've never met and will probably never meet.

(Plus, you know what - Ecuador isn't actually even that cheap! I'm moving to the US (WA) and on balance I think life will be more expensive for me there but not THAT much more….)

That's it in a (large) nutshell!