Wednesday, May 9, 2012

Escapar de la JubilaciĆ³n

Ecuador -- for us, the right place at the wrong time.

We have decided to un-retire.   We are going back to the United States, perhaps permanently, perhaps not.  There are more opportunities for us to do what we do there than there are here.  We want to go back to work.  I want to teach again -- really teach, in daily contact with students.  Ray wants to build again using materials with which he is more familiar.

Oh, we thought we were through.  I had been a university-level professor for more than 30 years.  Ray had built house after house.  We wanted a change. We got the change, and the change has been, for the most part, good for us.  And we have been very happy here.  We own a beautiful 8 hectare property in the country.  We have friends and plenty of things to do. 

But we are going back. 

Retirement has been a trap for me.  I don't like it.  I was one of those lucky people who found a career that fit them perfectly.  And in the US I can do that again.

We like Ecuador a great deal. It has been a wonderful, rejuvenating time.  The weather is perfect.  The people are, for the most part, wonderful. But, as I said, right place, wrong time. 

Yes, we know what things will cost in the U.S.  We know about the weather and the politics and all the things that are "wrong" with it.  We also know all the things that are "right" with it. 

And Ecuador will be going through some changes of its own.    I wish the country, and its residents, well.

This is my last post on DocBop and AlphaDog.  I have a new blog, http://www.escapefromretirement.wordpress.com which will cover the rest of our time in Ecuador (about a month)  and what we do in the States.  Ray also has a new blog, http://www.thisoldmandotcom.wordpress.com. Our views on things will likely diverge.

I would like to end by thanking Mary and Steve, of South of Zero, for including DocBop and Alpha Dog in their blog roll.  Keep up the good work! 

Take care and be well.

Barb