Residentes!

Yesterday,  Steve and I went back down to the immigration office in Quito accompanied by our hostess, Nora and another couple who are in the same process we are, only they are just beginning.  We spent the day waiting…waiting…and waiting some more, but by last night we were official residents of Ecuador.  We also have the paperwork done to get our cedulas which will allow us to open a checking account, buy a car, get a license if we dare, and allows us to utilize all the half price and free services available to seniors.   The other couple that went with us is just trying to get their paperwork approved, and they had a small setback.  They will get it right and join the ranks of resident soon.

We are considering getting a used vehicle (the Russian Lada has been recommended to us) to make it easier to visit all the corners of this country, but the idea of driving is scary.  The drivers here are crazy.  They have to be, especially in the cities.  To get anywhere in the cities drivers play a continuous game of chicken as busses, trucks, cars and motorcycles jockey for position.  What amazes me is that I have yet to see, or even hear of an accident.  What we would consider a one lane road passes for two lanes.  But, in the small town of Sucua, a car might prove handy. 

We went to the mall a couple days ago to send a money-gram to our guide, Jorge, in Sucua to hold the house he found for us.  That didn’t sound too difficult, as supposedly every bank can do this.  Wrong.  We wandered into several banks, and could find no information about money-grams, so I got brave and asked someone.   We were told to try a different bank.  We went there and couldn’t figure out how to send the money, because even though that bank had a sign saying “Moneygrams” there were no tellers – only machines.  We must have looked lost, because a super nice family of three asked us if they could help.  The women spoke broken English and we spoke very broken Spanish, but it was working.  Suddenly the son, about 17, who had been watching the scene, spoke up in perfect English.  The parents went to California for work before he was born, and stayed in the USA for 10 years before returning to Ecuador.  He said he would help us, and before we knew it, he was ushering us around to all the banks.  It turned out only one bank could send money grams, the rest could only receive.  The one that could send could only do so until 12:30 and it was around 2pm.  So he suggested we try Western Union.  We went there and they wanted our passport –the real thing - color copies would not do.  We were about to give up when his mother and father showed up again, and she said she would send it for us, which she did.   The house is being held for us, and we made some wonderful friends who want to come visit us once we get set up in Sucua.  Steve offered to buy them lunch in gratitude, but they refused, saying it was only right they help.  Such great people.

We are going to stay here at Bonanza until the end of the month so that the owners of our rental have time to finish the fence, and a few other things.  I am going to call to get the address today and arrange for our move.  I cannot wait to have my own internet again so I can get my Magic Jack hooked up.  It will work here, but I have to drag the computer and phone into the main house.  I can sometimes get enough signal to send/receive email from our room, but more often I have to go sit outside to make any connection – or go into the house.  I am so looking forward to hearing your voices again.