Monday, August 17, 2009

Our little house in the Ecuadorian countryside













Having trouble with the script, so I'll type this in now and it will hopefully end up at the bottom of this post. So here we are in Tumbaco, Ecuador...about a 20-30 minute drive down from Quito, to the east. It's been quite warm here...about 26-27 everyday and down to 5-6 at night...like a Kelowna summer day...all year long! Taking our truckload of possesions across the border was quite an adventure...the customs officer wouldn't let us through without a pile of paperwork and surprisingly, wouldn't accept $50usd to go through, as is the standard way doing this. Fortunately, our driver knew a backroad route, paying a couple of farmers to pass through their fields! We arrived in Tumbaco expecting to move into the house I'd chosen a month earlier, but a couple of teachers who we'd met in Bogota, had found us an even better place, 1 block from the school! A 3 bedroom country bungalow, with a separate 2 bedroom guesthouse outside. Huge fenced property with bananas, avacado, peach and mandarin trees among others, with a crop of corn having just been harvested. I promised Ramon I'd buy him a wheelbarrow when we got to Quito and he's been going around the yard, picking up oranges, avacados and squash. A little girl from next door came to visit...just walked right in the house and asked if I was her new teacher. She then asked if there was anything to drink and proceded to help herself to what was in the fridge. This must be part of country living, and getting to know your neighbours! This is exactly what we were hoping for and this is just where I want to be at this point in life. Signed a two year lease, but hope to stay 4-5 years. After getting the house set up over the weekend, I'm now in the process of setting up my next classroom! PLEASE COME AND STAY WITH US!

2 comments:

Mountain Man said...

Nice job Tobes! Looks a great place and so close to school.

Logan said...

Dear Mr. Tober, I came across your blog on the British School in Quito when doing research about schools in the Cumbaya/Tumbaco area. My wife and I are considering the BSQ for our daughters during a short sabbatical at USFQ in Cumbaya. I'm wondering if I could get some advice on finding a place to stay / house to rent near the school? It looks like you nailed it, within a short walk of the campus. That's exactly what we'd like as well. Anyhow, if you happen to see this posted comment, by chance, please be in touch soon. Happy New Year and Many thanks, Logan loganhennessy "at" G mail dot com.