2018 in review … a bit late

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So last year it was pretty busy, as we were not only still under construction, but Roger started brewing and selling more beer. Malena was also super busy with work and between the two of us, we were not making time for ourselves as individuals or as social beings, and even as a couple. It’s strange to open up about this, but the reality is, when you are stressed out about getting a million things done, you start to de-prioritize the things that make you smile. No energy, no drive, just tired, and on a one mind-track, going through a checklist. That was pretty much the first half of last year.

Being more mindful of burn out.

We had to have moments to reflect. Coming down to Ecuador was a fresh start, and sometimes we needed to remind ourselves, that this so called “fresh start” doesn’t happen immediately.

So the second half of the year, things started to make more sense. Being more open about our mental states, our needs and being honest with ourselves has helped us both mature in ways we would have never imagined 5 years ago. It has felt like we’ve been working on the same thing for over 3 years but we are finally at a point where we don’t feel anxious about the stage we are in. We are now finally ready to open up, be more social, share our good moments, and be more positive about our accomplishments, even when they are small.

So in that note, we’ll share a few moments we had last year, and hope this year will bring us more joy and passion, to continue working on the things we love to do. With all the stress, and still so much to do we’re very happy to already have so many great memories making this journey so much fun.

Lifestyle in Cotacachi

Sunday afternoon walk with our dogs. We occasionally grab a soda to sit and drink under the sun. Oh and this time we bought some blueberries from a lady carrying them in a bucket on her back.
Street food in Ecuador, is pretty much meat on a stick. Does in a pinch (they actually are called “Pinchos”), and is definitely something a street dog loves.
We occasionally get freshly squeezed orange juice during hot days. This guy is at the corner of a park almost every day.
We went for a walk with a volunteer who came over for a night. He tagged along for our dog walk and was taken in by the mountain view. This guy was quite a character, and ran a yoga session the next morning as well as blew a horn after meditating on our terrace! Good vibes all around.
We try and make time to have a thoughtful breakfasts so it’s been a habit to make french toast on Saturday mornings and sit on our terrace to enjoy the view.
Not sure what Malena is laughing about, but it looks contagious. Also that big drink is a mora shake. Mora berries are extremely common here in Ecuador and those shakes are delicious.
This chocolate milkshake with ice cream wafers and m&m’s is glorious! From our local sports bar.
Our daily dog walks are always interesting since we end up making more floofy friends.

View From above

Ecuador from above! Malena flew into Quito at sunrise for the first time, and got some shots of the mountains/volcanoes and clouds surrounding them.
One of the best views from an airplane. Mountains felt so close!

New Years Eve

On new years eve everyone basically burns a bunch of effigy’s. These are available for sale, but you can also make your own.

Effigy’s outside of the museum, looking like a stage for a concert.
A tienda set up their dolls to look like a scene at a bar!

Taking a trip to Apuela in the Intag

  • Lisa teaches yoga and breathing techniques. She also runs this farm with her partner.
  • In order to get up to this farm, the owner Kerri had to build this road. Their farm is literally on the edge of a valley and it’s stunning.
  • Catching a ride back down into town.
  • Saying a short thank you for the food we are about to eat and the moments we get to share with different people.

Our Hostel so far!

  • Before, while we were getting our basement fixed.
  • Still a mess, but now we have grass, our back wall is smooth, garbage from construction still there, and dog bowls blown around by strong winds.

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