Final Post

The Ecuador Experiment is finished. I went to Cuenca, lived there three months, and found I could live there happily.  I plan to return in 2015.

Cuenca, Ecuador

Meanwhile, I’ll be allocating the bulk of my time to studying Spanish, also saving money to have more of it with me when I go.

When I start to live in Cuenca, my two main goals will be to become fluent in Spanish speaking ability, and also, to plan and implement visits to various locations.  Since I will be living in a Spanish speaking country, the “immersion technique” will considerably facilitate the goal of learning to speak Spanish.  Since living in Ecuador will be very affordable for me, the opportunity will exist to set aside surplus money to visit places I couldn't afford to visit if I lived in the United States. [Rome, Paris, London, Jerusalem, Athens, Madrid, Santiago, Mexico City]

So, this is my last post to Ecuador Experiment. The purpose for which the blog began has been completed, so this is a proper move. The blog will stay on the internet. This keeps it alive as an archive and allows the possibility to start writing posts for it again in the future, in some other form.

My thanks go to Len Hodgeman for suggesting I begin Ecuador Experiment and for his guidance in setting it up. My thanks also go to members of the Society for the Promotion of Writers, Poets & Artists,  who critiqued my posts.

Having the Ecuador Experiment blog was a great experience for me. It encouraged me to write; I felt a desire and an obligation to write weekly posts, and up until the time I returned from Ecuador, this is what happened almost always. I learned much about computer and internet technology, and enjoyed doing so. 

Especially to those who subscribed or followed Ecuador Experiment, thanks for your interest and support.

Michael Bell

Dog friend.

I don’t know this dog’s name. I don’t know its gender or age.  All I know--- is I count this dog a friend.

The dog is Enma’s. Enma is the Ecuadorian lady who hosted my three month stay of living in Cuenca. I had no responsibility for the animal. The dog owed me no loyalty or affection in return for its shelter and food. Yet we were friends.

Enma and her family own three dogs total that look almost like clones to the dog pictured. It was hard to tell which dog was which. I don’t pay that much attention and they look so much alike. One of these dogs disliked me. That dog would lunge at my ankle as I walked by--- try to bite.  I had to be on guard. Enma said he treated everyone that way, but it didn’t seem so to me. It seemed he had a particular dislike for me.  One of the other three little mops of a dog was neutral towards me. He had no particular affection, but he left me alone---he didn’t try to bite. And sometimes he’d visit in my room. One of those dogs, maybe more than one, for some dog reason appeared to come in my room just to go to the bathroom.

But the dog pictured above, he had a definite affection for me, and I grew to have more and more affection for him. I don’t know why that little rascal of a dog liked me, that furry funny little thing of a jumble of dog hair.  He just did. He’d scratch the door to my room, wanting entrance. I’d open the door---he’d jump on my bed. He might start licking my face.  Nose---lips--- ears…cheeks…continuously. Maybe five minutes.  He has a small raspy feeling tongue. I don’t know--- it's a mystery. Seems he could tell if I was feeling bad. Once when I was bummed---I swear--- that dog’s little licks were just the cure.

Sometimes he clambered on the bedspread, lay on his back and I’d pet his stomach. Other times we’d play. I’d dart my finger to the dog and quickly pull it back. He’d try to catch it. He’d run around the room excitedly while I kidded him with this finger teasing.

Once, in the kitchen--- I got up from the table after lunch, and my dog friend snapped at that other dog who liked to nip at me. He intervened to protect me from getting bit. That's a friend.

"Wiki Leaks 3"

Michael Bell 5:31pm Jan 2 The 'Oasis' according to the account of an Cuencano friend of mine  is the best quality brothel in Cuenca. Since probably every taxi  driver in town knows how to get there, all you have to do is get in  and say 'quero Oasis'. I went there twice while I was in Cuenca, and instead of the $800 an hour price tag at Mustang Ranch in Nevada,  at Oasis the cost was $25 an hour. Many of the prostitutes were  extremely attractive and it was easy to tell because what they wore  often revealed 90 percent of their bodies. Most of the customers  were working class men in their 20s and 30s. The woman I was  with said the owner did a good job of protecting the working girls  from abuse by clients. I was with the same woman both times and paid her about $300 total. Just from that short but intimate  time with her, I feel it's quite true that having an Ecuadorian  girlfriend is one of the best ways for a gringo to learn Spanish.

	Gregory Rowland 7:27pm Jan 2 WOW, GUESS YA THREW OUT A SPARK!!! HAVE FUN MR> BELL
	Brad Courson 7:28pm Jan 2 Did you miss the first post about this subject Joan?

Sheryl Cooper 7:28pm Jan 2 Help, David or Gerard!

Deborah March 7:29pm Jan 2 HEY Marsha Gardner Waltz...what alternative forum would you suggest?  We don't have to AGREE with everything posted here, but I DO support freedom of speech...isn't that one of the central tenets of the  good old U S of A? (speaking a a Canadian ex pat , and willing to be educated)

Joan Dale 7:30pm Jan 2 Brad did you read my earlier comments?

Deborah March 7:31pm Jan 2 NO-NO-NO...no help needed from the moderators yet... let's see where this goes Sheryl Cooper and others ...might be an interesting discussion!

Marsha Gardner Waltz 7:32pm Jan 2 Deborah March: they can create a forum just as others have.  I am all for freedom of speech...but it is like magazines  at the store check out...certain ones are shielded.

Joan Dale 7:32pm Jan 2 This forum is for questions and information on all aspects of making  a move to Ecuador and all that it has to offer the Expat population - right!

Marsha Gardner Waltz 7:33pm Jan 2 Not a problem...when I see his name I will just avoid reading his comments.

Joan Dale 7:35pm Jan 2 That would be too bad Marsha as Michael has shared so great info  in his previous posts when he was in Cuenca.

George M Forgues 7:35pm Jan 2 Welcome to the jungle...

Joan Dale 7:36pm Jan 2 George be a good boy now.

Joan Dale 7:38pm Jan 2 Well I have learned more than my educational quota for  tonight so I will say good night all.

Deborah March 7:39pm Jan 2 Ha ha, me too Joan Dale...it'll be interesting to see what  pops up here tomorrow. I applaud Michael Bell's honesty.

Sheryl Cooper 7:40pm Jan 2 O.K., I've been joking about this, but it'd turned serious.  Say we want to help meet all incoming expats' needs: where to buy drugs,  the best hook-up for kiddie porn, where to buy your own sex slave???? Oh, you say, it won't come to those things?

Deborah March 7:42pm Jan 2 Hmmm, Sheryl, I think...similar to North America, there will be  "underground" places where folks can find such information.  ME...I'll stick to knitting, thanks...

Michael Bell 7:45pm Jan 2 Brad no I've been back in the states since the tail end of October. I lived in Cuenca August, September and October. I was disappointed  with Simon Bolivar Spanish language school because most of the tutors  let me run the show of how to be taught instead of insisting I learn  according to a disciplined form of instruction. Monica Astudillo Monroe  was the exception. She took charge and ran me through grammar and  vocabulary exercises repeatedly. Then after a short time the head of the  school replaced her. When I get to Cuenca I'm going to look for  her and see if she won't tutor me privately.

Taylor Brooke 7:48pm Jan 2 Hats off to Joan and Marsha. If you don't like it, move on. No one asked you if you found Correa attractive, Amy, but you put  it out there and some of us enjoyed it. Well, Michael's putting his interest out there and some of us will enjoy That too. If what he's  talking about is legal and consensual, and it is, I think  it's outrageous that anyone deem themselves fit to  decide what's appropriate for others.

Debby Plumlee Larsen 7:56pm Jan 2 Young girls are being stolen and sold into sexual slavery around the  world to meet the needs of customers such as Michael.  Prostitution is not always legal or consensual.

Richard Signes 8:01pm Jan 2 Michael, where is the Oasis? Is it in a neighborhood of Cuenca or in the outskirts; I've seen "motels" on the old Panamerican Highway  near Guangarcucho and have visited their websites but have seen nothing about prostitution. Is the area safe? Are their other similar establishments? (Others may not be interested in my question or your  response any more than I'm interested in knit 1 - purl 2.)

Taylor Brooke 8:02pm Jan 2 Relax, Sheryl. Talking about where to meet consensual partners  is no more akin to kiddie porn than gay sex is to bestiality.  If it offends your sensibilities, as many things on this forum offend mine, drop your 2 cents and move on to something that floats your boat.

Glenn Specht 8:03pm Jan 2 Prostitution is legal in Ecuador....

Sheryl Cooper 8:03pm Jan 2 I think you missed my point, Taylor.

Taylor Brooke 8:04pm Jan 2 Paying for sex is not supporting sexual slavery.

Taylor Brooke 8:05pm Jan 2 I'm listening, Sheryl.

Sheryl Cooper 8:06pm Jan 2 I've spoken.

Taylor Brooke 8:12pm Jan 2 You spoke, I responded, you said I missed the point. I'm asking you to clarify.

Amy Freyn 8:24pm Jan 2 Wow

Debby Plumlee Larsen 8:26pm Jan 2 Paying for sex directly supports sexual slavery when forced prostitution  and/or the exploitation of underage children are involved.

Michael Bell 8:30pm Jan 2 Richard, it is on a street in a neighborhood of Cuenca that has a special name  which I forgot. It takes about 40 minutes to get the there by taxi starting from Parque Calderón. It's on the outskirts in the hills, and there are other brothels  in that area, according to what I heard from my friend. There is a police station  across the street from Oasis... I was wary of danger but nobody payed attention to me. The guy behind the bar didn't seem to like it too much when  the young woman I was with went out to dinner and a movie with me, but she said it was okay as long as I paid him $10.

Brad Courson 8:31pm Jan 2 Hey Joan, you remind me of someone. I've never been good at gathering  an answer, when my question was answered with a question.  Am I suppose to ask a question in reply of yours? Oooohhhh, I just did! lol

Brad Courson 8:34pm Jan 2 Good luck with the teacher Michael.

Taylor Brooke 8:49pm Jan 2 Buying legal sex does not support buying illegal sex. If a man paid you,  me or Gerard to have sex with him, what in the world does that have to do with  slavery. IMO, telling people what they can and can't do with their very  own bodies is dominating, enslaving behavior.

Debby Plumlee Larsen 9:10pm Jan 2 My point is you may think you are buying a legal-age consenting adult  and in fact be getting someone who is underage and/or has been forced  into prostitution. They are not going to tell you their age and their situation because they live in fear of violence and potential death at the hands of their captors.

Taylor Brooke 9:13pm Jan 2 One of the wonderful things about legalized prostitution is that it  allows for regulation.

Debby Plumlee Larsen 9:20pm Jan 2 Actually, studies are proving that legalized prostitution increases human trafficking. http://2001-2009.state.gov/documents/organization/38901.pdf

9:22pm Jan 2

Cindy DePeron Jackson 9:23pm Jan 2 So it's legal in Ecuador, but is it regulated like you say Taylor?

Verónica Kartchner 9:59pm Jan 2 Let's say I am talking about a great OBGYN in Ecuador, do I seriously have to be explicit for people to get the info? No. This post wasn't meant  to be informative, give the address if you must but his description  went beyond that. People have the right to do whatever they want  but since he was so straight foward about his believes now everyone  is allowed to post the other side of this issue, is how arguments go.  Just because prostitution is legalized in Ecuador doesn't mean there  is no human trafficking there. You see those poor kids selling candy in the corners? There was big news about men taking them and forcing them into selling themselves from young ages,  those and more cases are the legalized help you find in places like Oasis in Ecuador. Plus just because is legalized it doesn't  mean is sanitary either. People worry so much about drinking bottle water and not eating in the street, just wait and see what  legal illnesses you can be exposed too as well ( karma).

Leigh Frost 10:06pm Jan 2 Okee-dokey....can I just say I am "flabber-gasted" and  laughing so hard about this post? Michael Bell - you sayin' "that is one of the best ways  for a gringo to learn Spanish"???? Now I know "why oh why" I don't have the language down pat yet.

Leigh Frost 10:10pm Jan 2 Gerard Tretton -oh golly.....please don't deltete this just yet....

Leigh Frost 10:26pm Jan 2 Kinda makes me think that Michael might have a limited Spanish vocabulary.... Still laughing.

Leigh Hudson 10:32pm Jan 2 Leigh - I was just thinking ... I don't talk much, and even less if I was uhm  .. 'getting my moneys worth' ... so I'd only know "gracias" under those circumstances.

Leigh Frost 10:38pm Jan 2 Well, Leigh Hudson, I was thinking along the same lines.....except for grunting,  I don't talk much when I'm getting a massage... What a way to ruin a great Spanish learning opportunity.

	Leigh Hudson 10:53pm Jan 2 I could also learn ... "Más rápido, más fuerte, más suave, más lento"
	Leigh Frost 10:57pm Jan 2 Well, hell..had to look up "lento".

Linda Todd Murphy 12:28am Jan 3 OMG.

	Aggie Carter 1:47am Jan 3 I learn so much from this group.
	Geri Jeter 2:24am Jan 3 Jo Ellen Kuney: Not sure about Ecuador, but there are some counties in  Nevada in which running and working in a brothel is perfectly legal –  not a crime, victimless or otherwise. (Oddly, prostitution IS a crime  in Las Vegas/Clark County.) I'm not defending the practice, nor am I condemning it -- it's just that in this case,  it isn't a crime in the legal sense.
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				Ecuador Journey 9:02am Jan 3 Oh great another older gringo man coming here for women,  I am so sick of this. Do you not understand NO one wants to hear about it?

Vickie Capers 9:03am Jan 3 As liberal as I am, I think there are things in Ecuador that those  "clients" who may "partake" need to be aware of. The age of consent in Ecuador is 14. Read this. http://womensenews.org/story/the-world/090506/brothels-ecuador-skirt-law-banning-minors#.UOW4i5PjkxY

David Sasaki 9:08am Jan 3 Unless there are any objections, this post will be deleted in about five minutes.  I think most of the active members have seen it.