Edd:  In our last post we talked about why we love our expat life. During that conversation we mentioned the year-round, springlike weather and inexpensive public transportation here in Cuenca. I’m not sure we’ve shared with our readers the many other reasons we, and thousands of other expats, think this Ecuadorian city is so great.

Cynthia:  Don’t want to dwell on the climate since we have covered that topic before, but as most of the United States is welcoming spring after the coldest winter in years, it sure is nice to wake up to blooming flowers and warm temps every day.

E:  Another constant that is a big plus is the country’s use of the U.S. dollar as its official currency. When visiting Argentina a couple of years ago we were living large, because we could exchange one hundred dollar bills on the informal Blue Dollar market for twice the official rate. Today that rate is only twenty percent more, which means American expats there have seen their purchasing power shrink sign...

Edd:  Our latest article for MarketWatch about reasons you probably shouldn’t retire abroad was just published. That may seem like a curious subject for us to be writing about, but we know expat life is not for everyone.

Cynthia:  Let’s clarify up front that “expat” isn’t a shortened version of “ex-patriot.” Sure, some leave the country and go so far as renouncing their citizenship. I think most expats, like us, love their home country and have moved abroad for other reasons, quite often financial. We wrote an in-depth special report about this subject for anyone interested in knowing more.

E:  After 14+ years in Cuenca, it’s easy to take for granted all the reasons we’re so glad we did leave the country. Climate is always at the top of the list. While the Arctic blast swept across the U.S. last month sending temperatures into single digits along with tons of snow, we were sitting on the terrace enjoying a warm sunny day.

C:  Friends in Atlanta and Charleston, places where we used t...

Edd:  I just realized something. We rented this apartment in Cuenca a little over three months ago. That’s the longest we’ve been in one place for over 2½ years!

Cynthia:  You’re right, and most of our readers will probably find that revelation shocking. It was a bit strange at first to be reunited with our own things. When the movers started bringing the furniture in you asked, “Has our stuff grown? I feel like we’re seeing the grandchildren after we’ve been away for a while!”

E:  Our new home is smaller than where we previously lived, and at first we were concerned we had made a mistake. But we’ve managed to make it work.

C:  And you’ve been busy with your recent side hustle—selling a lot of things online that we either don’t have room for or no longer need.

E:  Indeed I have, and what an adventure it’s been. I went through a similar experience with Craigslist when we were moving here from Las Vegas years ago. Now there’s Facebook Marketplace as well as our local GringoPost commu...