I was recently approached by Erica Mills who is the managing editor of International Living’s Daily Postcards to share an article on what motivated me to relocate to Cuenca, Ecuador and what my life is like now. To get a more in-depth view of my life in Cuenca be sure to check out the various blog posts in "Cuenca Perspectives by Jim".
International Living Postcards—your daily escape
Thursday, Nov. 21, 2013
Thursday, Nov. 21, 2013
Dear
Reader,
Sometimes
life has a way of taking you to where you need to be. That's what
happened to James Mola. He clicked on an interesting headline on the
Internet...one
that put him on a search to find out everything.
But though it looked good on paper, could it ever live up to his idea of the ideal retirement?
The More I Got to Know Cuenca, the More I Fell in Love
By James Mola
By James Mola
It
was Christmas vacation 2009. I turned on my computer and clicked on
Yahoo where a headline caught my attention: "The Top 10 Places in the
World
to Retire."
I
had never heard of the number one city listed, Cuenca, Ecuador. But as I
perused the other nine cities, I found something wrong with each of
them.
They were too hot or too cold, or hot in the summer and cold in the
winter, which was just what I wanted to leave behind in Chicago; or they
were too far from the U.S.
I
looked again at Cuenca, and, intrigued, decided to research why it was
chosen as the number one city for retirement. The more I researched, the
more
I fell in love with it.
At
the age of 63, retirement was on my mind. I didn't want to work until I
was 70 to max out my Social Security and pension, but I wasn't sitting
on
large cash reserves. I found Cuenca offered me the opportunity to have
the kind of lifestyle I had in Chicago on a salary—but on a retirement
income.
I
was blessed with good Social Security and a good pension—I could live
nicely in Cuenca on one–third of my income, with money left over for
travel
and savings. Rentals were a fraction of what they would cost in New
York City, Chicago, or San Francisco. From a financial prospect, moving
to Cuenca was a no–brainer.
Because
Cuenca's a city, I knew I wouldn't have to sacrifice modern
conveniences; Cuenca has thousands of family–owned stores and
single–owned artisan
factories, and numerous shopping malls.
I
decided to visit from mid–July until mid–August in 2010. I found a nice
furnished apartment, and attempted to live in Cuenca as I would if I
lived
there permanently.
I
was already in love with the city before I arrived. I worried that
Cuenca couldn't live up to the hype, and to what I had built up in my
mind from
my research. I needn't have worried. When the time came for me to
leave, I didn't want to go.
I
retired in January of 2011, and moved to Cuenca in March of 2011. I
love the city now more than ever—so much so that I've been keeping a
blog about
it, "Cuenca Perspectives by Jim," to help other retirees learn more
about it.
So, what do I love about Cuenca besides the lower cost of living?
I
really like the very friendly, respectful, and helpful Cuencano people,
who take a great deal of pride in their city. Cuenca is "tranquilo"
(tranquil)
and its people relaxed. The pace of life is not hectic.
I
also love how Cuenca blends modernity and tradition. It's a city of
professionals on one hand and various indigenous groups on the other,
who earn
their living by farming and agricultural marketing in the mercados, or by selling their produce from wheelbarrows as they make their way down the city streets of El Centro.
I
live in a luxury high rise surrounded by modern upper–middle class
homes, and just below me there are open lots where I can sit and watch
the indigenous
people—in traditional dress—bring their cows, sheep, and goats to
pasture.
Traditional
16th century colonial structures are contrasted with new high rises and
modern housing. The city is beautiful, from the UNESCO–sited historical
section of El Centro, to the beauty along the three rivers that run
through Cuenca, to the fact that the city is nestled in a basin
surrounded by awe–inspiring mountains and low–lying cloud formations.
And,
though it's a big city, it has a small town feel. Getting to know
people is very easy. I love socializing, and get to meet new people all
the
time.
The
weather is spring–like year round. I had my fill of freezing cold
temperatures and snow and ice; and as I am older, I no longer relish hot
or humid
weather either.
The city has the cleanest drinking water in all of South America, and is rated among the best in the world as well.
The
health care is very inexpensive by American standards. The quality of
care is excellent and the time the doctors take with patients is rarely
experienced
in the States.
Of
course, Cuenca, as with anywhere, is not for everybody. My best advice
is, if you seriously consider Cuenca as a place to retire, visit for a
month.
Don't rush to buy when you arrive or before you arrive. Get to know the
city, the neighborhoods, and the real estate market before you
purchase. Take the time to make the decision that's right for you.
You might find you love Cuenca as much as I do.
Editor's note:
Stunning colonial cities, like
Cuenca and Quito...little mountain towns where the weather is
spring–like year round...miles of Pacific Coast beaches and laid–back
beach towns...and an incredibly affordable cost of living in all of
those places...there's a very good reason why Ecuador is
so popular with International Living readers.
That's why it's not surprising that seats at our only Ecuador event of the year, the
Fast Track Ecuador Conference,
are going so fast. (We officially opened this event for registrations
just one week ago...and already 215 places have gone.) If you're
interested in discovering
more about what Ecuador has to offer you, don't wait and miss out.
Ask for your seat today.
