Yes, you read that correctly! It’s one of the benefits of living in South Africa! And ironed sheets, too.

Neither of which I particularly care about, but these sort of things are taken for granted! I think it’s a waste of time. But because Jabu, who cleans my granny flat once a week, technically works for my landlord, I don’t correct her or tell her not to do it. But I do appreciate the scrubbed down bathroom, sparkling kitchen and mopped floors. And my ironed shirts.

In the States, for most people, having someone do the scut work in a household is a luxury, something you give up other things to have. But here, it’s the norm. And I love it, as housework is such a waste of time and energy.

So I sit here, looking out at the newly mowed grass, with a spotless house and wonder about giving this up.

But then…

I met with two of the Woza Moya beaders today. Nkulu, a man, which is quite unusual as a bead worker, and Tholo, a woman. I’m working on a press release about the group which is creating a lot of bead work for Princess Charlene of Monaco, who is also South African. We met at Philippa, the coordinator’s house. She is putting together the whole project. After talking to the two beaders about their lives, work and families, I said I would like to see them in their home environments for photos. But the ensuing conversation identified that I probably shouldn’t go, even with a bodyguard. Nkulu, who is a big burly guy just said, “Better be safe than sorry.”

And therein lies the rub. If a white guy said that to me, I’d not take it too seriously. But coming from Nkulu, it definitely had an impact. It boils down to me not being able to go places I want to go for stories and photos. Plain and simple.

So…

Last weekend I accepted a month-long house sit in Ecuador, in the fishing village of San Clemente, almost on the equator (0.7576° S) and will be there for all of December.

Ecuador isn’t new on my search list; it’s one of many South and Central American countries I’ve been looking at for years, always wanting and trying to move there, anywhere! From my first landing in California and visit to Mexico, I’ve thought of moving south of that border. We visited a lot for a lot of years.

In 2000, I made my first trip way south. I had hoped to go to Guatemala, but my traveling companion was too scared, so we went to Belize instead. I fell in love with that little country and actually rented a shack on the beach to move to. But other life forces intervened and I didn’t make the move. Then an illness nixed an exploratory, planned trip to Nicaragua in 2005. Then a plan to move to Panama was ambushed by a dog and the same scared traveling companion.

And I actually made the move to Mexico in 2017 (and you would think I would have learned by now about this flaky friend) but was left high and dry by her after a couple weeks.

2009 was when Ecuador first appeared on my horizon but there was a lot of unrest at the time, so it didn’t sound appealing at all! But apparently, the country is lot more stable now, which is one of the prerequisites of my moving. But it’s something I need to see - and feel - in person.

So the current plan (always subject to change) is to be here in South Africa until the end of June (coronavirus willing), head back to the States for the summer and then go to Ecuador and either do some exploring before the house sit or after.

Ecuador ticks just about every box on my list. It’s inexpensive, stable (I believe) and within a much more reasonable distance of the US which I hope encourages friends to come to visit! It also allows me to get a pensioner’s visa which entitles me to lots of discounts on travel, utilities and such. And apparently the health system there is good.

Of course, all this has to be checked out in person, which is one of the reasons I took the house sit. I will be able to meet other expats and locals - and this is a beach town, which appeals to me far more than a mountain town at 2’800 meters (9350’) way up in the Andes.

Until Then…

Until I leave here, I’m planning on some local trips which I haven’t sorted out yet. But which I hope include both North and South coasts and wildlife. And local jaunts into Durban and up to Howick for couple of days.