As some of you know, I will be moving to Ecuador soon (next 6 months or so is the idea).
For many years I have had a desire to leave the States and pursue a simpler and more relaxed environment with great weather. I documented some of this over the last two years in the retirement thread.
I finally have decided on Ecuador because I found it beautiful, welcoming, affordable, relaxing, and it also has the advantage of having a close friends family living there, with the possibility that friend will move to Ecuador with his wife at some point and keep me company :becky:
On a recent trip I visited about half of the country including Quito, Esmeraldas, Bahia, Manta, Olon, Montanita, Salinas, Playas, Guayaquil, and many surrounding areas in and around those cities. I enjoyed the Manta area the most, from its weather to its activities. I purchased some land just south east of Manta in Montecristi and will start building on it early next year. I am building on a new golf course, and am looking forward to getting back to my golf game.
Between now and then I plan to wrap up most of my affairs in the States and then move to Ecuador by March or so, then start construction once I am in the country. I will rent until the new house is complete.
I take care of my mom financially so she has said she wants to make the move as well to remain close to me. I'll sell my houses in the States between the time I arrive in Ecuador (renting) and when the new construction is completed on the land in Montecristi. I decided to give myself this buffer (not sell the houses immediately) just in case after living there for a few months I decide to reverse my decision, I have an easy out.
The weather is awesome, 340 days or so of sunshine and fantastic climate of approx 65-85 F. There is always a great breeze, so even when it was 85F I still felt very comfortable.
Anyway, I wanted to create this thread to share a bit about the whole process as things unfold. One of the first things I will do is share pictures and videos after I finish uploading and sorting them. I thought I would also talk about my progression of learning Spanish, and some of the other challenges faced with moving out of the country.
I have used the word "retirement" in the past to describe my action. To me it is an appropriate fit, meaning that up until this point in my life I required money (income) in order to live life. To me, retirement is not just a change in state of being but also the ability to no longer depend on work (income) in order to live. It does not mean I will stop trading or stop running the site, neither are true --- I have no desire to ever stop trading, and so long as futures.io (formerly BMT) remains an enjoyable hobby and is useful to the community at large, I will still be here... But "retirement" gives me the ability to just slow down and relax, something I am really looking forward to.
I don't pretend to be an expert on Ecuador and this is the first time I will be living outside the States. But if you guys have questions I'll try to answer them where I can.