I remember 7th-grade geography class and learning about the many countries of South America. Then, the only ones that really caught my eye were Brazil, Argentina, and Chile, and probably because of their sizes, or strategic locations on the map. Ecuador, Bolivia, Uruguay and Paraguay were exotic sounding but just blips on the map to me, then. I could blink and never see them. Never did I imagine that I would ever wind up in Ecuador.
Ecuador is biodiverse and is thought of as 4 worlds in one place. From the Andes mountains, to the Amazon jungle, to the coastal regions, to the Galapagos Islands - everything is here.
"In an area of 98.985 square miles (256.370 Km2), Ecuador has the highest active volcanoes in the world, the magical Galapagos Islands, an Amazon jungle with the greatest concentration of species by area, beaches with tall waves and white sand; in addition to great cultural diversity that brings four very different regions to life - the Pacific Coast, the Andes Mountains, the Amazon jungle, and an insular region that is a Natural World Heritage Site." (The Business Journals) *
It is all that. Arguably, unparalleled beauty. Ecuador, for me is also easy living, kind people, adventure, and most importantly for me, a chance to feel myself a part of the larger scheme of things, a global woman. All of my life I have wanted to taste the world to know it from all angles - it's richness, it's diversity and variety, its people, customs, cultures - all that divine expression of Life - and I concluded that the best way to do so was from the inside. I started with Ecuador, in part, because it is close to the USA. I wanted to have the familiar comforts of home close-by in case I did not prove to be the rugged trooper I think I am. I needn't have worried. I am who I thought myself to be - a citizen of the world not bound by borders or national identity, those man-made artificial lines meant to divide people from each other. Nearness to home only suits those occasional urges to see friends and family, or maybe to quench a real strong craving for some food I cannot get or make here. No, the only way to know the Creation, the diversity, the beauty, the wonder, the style, the magic of all that is Life, is to do my best to experience however much I can, be in the midst of it.
"Like nowhere else, all in one place and so close." (Ecuador Ministry of Tourism)
I can't say I will always be here. After all, there are worlds for me to explore. And who knows how much time I have to get it all in, and how much I will be actually be able to do? I don't worry about that. I am happy that I had the courage and ability to step out, take a leap of faith, and fly toward my dreams. Ah! Thank you, Ecuador, for welcoming me into your kind embrace. I love looking at life and myself through your eyes.