Gypsies Wanted for Travel Abroad

I'm just kidding about the Gypsies, at least the ones we grew up hearing stories of. You know the old threat "I'm going to ship you off with the Gypsies when the carnival leaves town;" those are the ones I'm not talking about.

No; I'm looking for the modern-day version. The people who fearlessly pack a few bags and move to another part of the country, or better yet, a different country altogether. I have belonged to the American version for the last twenty years of my life. After spending over forty years of my life in Massachusetts, I picked up and moved to Indiana for a job. That job took me to parts of the country I'd never been in before.

I spent a good deal of time in Texas, which is like being in a different country all by itself. I went from one end of Texas to the other, marveling at the differences throughout that state. From Texas I crossed over into places like Oklahoma, Missouri, Arkansas, Tennessee, Louisiana and Alabama. From my office in Indiana, I visited states like Michigan, Ohio, Pennsylvania and Kentucky. Later ventures brought me to the Carolinas, Virginia, Delaware and Georgia. But when I moved to Florida almost twenty years ago, I thought I had found my forever home.

Whether you live here, or are just a tourist once in a while, this state has a lot to offer. If you like mild weather, America's largest coastline (Florida is ranked second behind Alaska, but it's not quite the same) and true diversity, this is a great place to be. Most cities in Florida are rarely more than a two-hour drive from a terrific beach, and outdoor activities are enjoyed year-round. What more could you want, right?

Well, I'm ready for a new adventure. I'm retired, and spend a great deal of time every day on my computer. I write and edit mostly, both of which can be done from anywhere in the world. I've decided to look for a new place to settle (I'm certain that I would have been on a Conestoga wagon 150 years ago moving west, as thousands did); the world is my oyster!

So where am I heading? South; to Ecuador, unless something happens to change my mind. I was sold on the southern part of Portugal, a place called the Algarve Region, until I started investigating more. I've sifted through a ton of information and decided that Ecuador may be the best place for me. The Algarve is beautiful, with spectacular beaches and colonial cities and towns, but I've heard that Portuguese is a difficult language to learn.

I took Spanish in High School, then a year of Intermediate in college. I always did well with it, so it would seem to be a sounder decision to move to a Spanish-speaking country. I've done a complete turnaround in locale; the area I'm looking at is eight thousand feet above sea level in a major valley of the Andes, and is nowhere near the ocean. There are beaches to the west, about three hours away, and hotels there are very inexpensive. The weather? The temps are fifties at night and seventies during the day in the valley; very comfortable! The Pacific Ocean beaches are usually in the 85-90 range; quite tropical.

By now, most of you probably think I'm crazy. I possibly am, but the idea of living in an idyllic setting in a small town nestled between two mountain ranges, whiling away the days writing are very Hemingway-esque, if you know what I mean. I grew up in the hustle-bustle of the great Northeast, where every day is "bang-bang!" When I moved to Florida, I changed all that and slowed my life down. Now, I'm ready to slow it down even more.

For me, the move is an adventure! It's another chance  to explore new places and things, to learn a new language and to make new friends. I'm going to start out in the mountains and see if that takes me back to the ocean, or to another country altogether, perhaps.

I'm signing up for my official "21st Century Gypsy" card and packing up my bags next summer. It's much more advantageous for me to wait until my 65th birthday in August before going to Ecuador, so I'm going to spend the time learning Spanish and getting rid of everything I've collected over the years. That alone will take months!

I'd love to hear from any of you out there who might have some experience or knowledge about Ecuador. Please share your comments with me if you have something to pass on. I'd love to hear from you!

                                    The Central Plaza of Cotacochi, Ecuador

Buenos dias, mi familia y mis amigos! Tenga un buen fin de semana!

For those of you not speaking or learning Spanish, that's "Have a great weekend!"


Mark


Here's a link to my books on Amazon.com. Please take a moment to check them out if you haven't already.

                               http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=ntt_athr_dp_sr_1

"The only mystery in life is why the kamikaze pilots wore helmets."
             From Al McGuire, Basketball Player, Coach and Commentator with NBC