Expat Life: Edd and Cynthia's Shocking Revelation: "We're Addicted"

Cynthia:  After railing about the mainstream media using sensational headlines in our last blog, that’s the title you come up with? “Shocking revelation?” “Addicted?”

Edd:  Ha! I did it on purpose as a spoof of what we wrote about. The idea came from a recent conversation we had while sitting on the terrace enjoying breakfast. It was a pleasant sunny morning—in the middle of February I might add—and you said, “You know what? We’re addicted to this weather in Cuenca.”

C:  We had just returned from a long family visit that included two snowstorms at our daughter’s home in New Jersey and a Caribbean cruise. So we were exposed to both ends of the temperature spectrum. Maybe “addicted” was a little strong, but over the years we’ve developed a preference for what we call “Goldilocks weather.”

E:  I actually think that “addicted” is spot on. What’s the harm in having a positive addiction that supports a rewarding and healthy life?

C:  There’s also nothing wrong with getting clear on what makes you happy and actively pursuing it. Since we both grew up in the South, neither of us ever cared for frigid winters. Then moving to Las Vegas, we found that extreme heat doesn’t suit us either.

E:  But it’s dry heat, many say. Listen, higher than 110℉ is insufferable no matter what. So, yeah, finding a temperate climate was definitely on our wish list when we began searching for a new home abroad 15 years ago. Little did we know then how important it would become to us.

C:  When we describe the weather here as being like spring year-round, some people say, “That sounds nice, but I enjoy the change of seasons.” To which we reply, “We do too, especially autumn. So almost every year we board a plane and head north to spend a few weeks experiencing the fall foliage—then return home before it gets too cold!”

E:  If your job dictates where you live, temperature extremes are often just tolerated rather than actually enjoyed. Transplanting yourself to a more moderate climate in retirement is an opportunity to improve your health and well-being by spending more of your days outdoors.

C:  So true, and there is research that supports what you’re saying. While we’re having this conversation, I think we should point out how much we love our pedestrian lifestyle.

E:  Yes indeed. We had a taste of that when we lived in downtown Charleston for 4 years and walked most everywhere. As was the case with the mild climate, we had no idea when we sold our car before leaving Vegas that we would still be without a vehicle 14 years later.

C:  As dependent on cars as most people are, I’m sure it’s difficult to imagine living this way. In the neighborhood where we’ve recently moved, 90% of our daily needs are within a 10-minute walk. Supermarket. Restaurants. Gym and yoga studio. Friends. Everything else is a $2 taxi ride away.

E:  The excellent weather certainly helps. What a joy it is on any given day to spontaneously decide to take a walk along the Tomebamba River running beside our building. The rushing water—the scent of the towering eucalyptus trees—sorry to sound corny, but it’s all so pleasant and relaxing. And the walking we do certainly contributes to our overall fitness.

C:  You know, it’s hard to envision having a car again. Should we ever decide to leave Cuenca, we would make sure that, health permitting, the next place would offer a similar situation. Even if we were in the States, having to take an Uber now and then would be much more affordable than the costs of owning, maintaining, and insuring a vehicle.

E:  Speaking of health, I’ll add one final positive addiction of ours to the mix—the local fresh food available here all year. We can take some credit for thinking about the weather and the walking lifestyle. Moving to a place with a 365-day growing season was something we never took into consideration.

C:  Honestly, the food has been exceptional most everywhere we’ve traveled except the States. It’s unfortunate that the modification of the food supply there, especially the fruits and vegetables, has sacrificed flavor for shelf life and attractiveness to a startling degree.

E:  Those reading this conversation in the U.S. are perhaps thinking, “What are they talking about? The food here tastes just fine.” We get it. When it’s all you know, like a fish surrounded by water, it’s all you know. Only when you go somewhere else and bite into a strawberry or even a lowly baked potato that sparks a distant memory of what they used to taste like do you understand.

C:  OK, so what’s your next misleading headline? “Shameful Confession—We’re Seeing Other People” when it’s about getting together with friends?

E:  Hmmm, that’s intriguing… No, seriously, one was probably enough. Let’s see what happens in the next couple of weeks that we think is worth sharing.