Postcards from Ellen’s Edge

Wow, I have been in Ecuador for almost three months.  I have been retired for almost 7 months.  In many ways I feel like it is all just beginning.

We are at a beautiful lodge in Vilcabamba, Ecuador taking a vacation from our vacation.  I have gone to Yoga 3 days in a row, which I haven’t been able to do for almost 7 months!  Steve has gone on a long bike ride today so I get the computer.  The following will be all my musings.  If you are an English teacher, offended by run on sentences that may not make sense, or just not that interested in what I contemplate about myself, stop reading.  We will be posting more about where we are etc.

I have had more health challenges since August then I care to repeat and the consequences have really just begin to settle in.  When I left Minnesota, we were so devastated by not getting to go to South Africa, that it was hard to get our heads out of that mind set and into that of traveling, much less leaving my job behind, friends, family, and not being able to fathom not knowing when I’d be back, how long our money would last and or if we even liked this kind of thing.  I mainly just wanted to be healthy and figure out what I wanted.  For a while I just wanted to go back to work.  I was good at it and liked it.  I still miss being so intimately involved in people’s lives.  Traveling with Steve and meeting people is a whole nother way of building community and relationships.  People are very honest and open generally . We are all lonely at times and become good listeners and supporters of what ever the immediate need is for one another.  Everyone we meet is considering their next life steps.  Becoming expats or just travelers, being near their kids, or parents, their friends all thinking they are crazy to be doing this etc.  One couple we just met has been doing this for over a year and a half!!!!!

My longing for my own home is diminishing as I feel better and figure out ways to live my life where I am and in the moment more.  I do miss having dinner parties and my oriental rugs though.  I probably always will.

I do wish more people were on WhatsApp, the free internet phone calling service as I love calling people when I have good wifi and am laying around.  In the world now, we don’t have to wait for letters with news.  I can be just a phone call away!

I think a lot about having reapplied to Peace Corps and being considered for Thailand.  We won’t hear for a while and the medical clearance will start all over.  I resent the waiting to hear, more this time as it really gets in the way of planning.  Not to mention what else they might find wrong with me.  The hot and humidity concern me too, so I am putting it in the options category, not a plan. Other options are finding a house sitting gig, an Airbnb, for three months preferably on a lake or ocean with medical care nearby to do what the PC wants.  I am not asking to much am I?  I am trying to stay focused on where I am now.  We leave for Peru tomorrow, and I am very excited.  Mostly because I feel better over all and as pretty as Ecuador has been I have seen way to many hospitals, clinics and doctors here. I can only hope it is Ecuador and not my aging body.  I know it isn’t but ……

I have lost a lot of weight, I feel like I look a lot more like my sister Cathie then ever before.  Probably because of my grey blonde hair.  I am leaving clothes places as they just won’t fit any more and it has made me realize I packed with South Africa in mind, not traveling in South America.  We can pickup almost everything in the bigger cities so I don-t need all the tooth paste, socks, and shoes.  I love my wheels on my back packs! I hope I don’t regain the weight, but I am looking forward to having more endurance and strength.  The cruise ship will present some clothing concerns.  If you are coming to join us I may need you to bring some things.

Most of the time I like this life. Steve and I still like each other and in many ways we do best in this kind of living.  We are working through when to come home, where that would be, and what we would do if we did.  But we are not that far apart, we just aren’t done doing this yet.  We are very thankful to our children for being so supportive and self sufficient.  To Steve’s mom, for being so encouraging and supportive of our traveling and to all of you who follow and comment on the blog.  It is nice to know you are there.

I have to go get a hot stone massage and my chakras and aura balanced, ah life!

Ellen