Ecuador Bound

I decided close to a year ago that Ecuador is where I want to move to. I am not rich, I am handicapped and single so those obstacles have to be carefully maneuvered around. I have all but abandoned my dream of moving to Ecuador and as such I have abandoned this website.

I have been studying my Spanish in the meantime. I have joined many ex-pat forums to continue my learning. I almost procured a very nice apt. that an internet friend of mine offered me. It didn’t pan out after he closely rethought the low interest rate I was offering (it was necessary to make it affordable for me). I offered more for the apt. than it was worth to offset that fact, but in the end he switched gears and offered it to me as a rental. It still is not a bad deal, but I will pass for now.

I have discovered that even on Craigslist you can find rentals. I have re-looked at Costa Rica and Uruguay as well. I really like Ecuador, I actually embrace their President Correa. I find his policies refreshing and innovative. That is not a negative in any way for me, despite my well-meaning relatives telling me it is a “Communist” country. LOL

My granddaughter found her 2nd grade backpack buried way back in my closet this weekend. In it were general words for them to study for spelling, etc. I have snatched them & am going to put the Spanish words on the back for small flashcards. I think that will be a big help for me. My pronunciation of Spanish is getting better.

So Ecuador is still on my wish list, but I am just getting there a little slower than I had wished. Oh well – slow & steady won the race didn’t it?

The Condor (Vultur gryphus) is the Ecuador’s national symbol, much like the Eagle in the US. Their numbers are quite small compared to the Eagle’s population. There are only 30 Andean Condors left in Ecuador and one active pair who only lay one egg every 2 years, (Augui & Causay), who reside in Quito’s zoo. Not very good odds for their return.

In Ecuador and Chile Condor means “gold coin”. And the Incas of Peru thought the Condor flew the sun into they sky every morning. They thought it was a messenger to the gods.

These birds are seen as a symbol of power and health. Unfortunately, the native villagers think that their bones and organs have special healing powers or that they give males high virility. Their ground bones are believed to alleviate rheumatism. Many natives eat the stomach of the Andean Condor because they believe it cures breast cancer. The eyes of the Condor are often roasted and eaten to sharpen one’s sight, and their feathers are often placed under sleeping blankets to ward off nightmares.

Reproduction of the Andean Condor

The male begins his courtship display by drawing himself erect, fully extending his wings, and clicking his tongue, while the reddish skin of his neck becomes bright yellow. The birds do not build a nest, but lay their eggs on bare ground on a ledge or in a cave. The female lays a single egg which both parents incubate for about 54 to 58 days. Fledging takes another 180 days, so that a pair breeds onlyevery other year under normal conditions. Parents continue to care for the fledgling for a full year.