Making Sense of the Censo

The last couple of days we have been trying to get our censo. It is the last step before we actually get our cedula -- Ecuadorian citizenship. The Office of Immigration is right down the street from our condo complex so we actually make it part of our exercise program!

Today we thought we had all our ducks lined up, but as it turned out...we did not. We were missing a signature on one of our documents which required us to go downtown (el centro), obtain the signature and make copies. By the time we returned to the immigration office, it was closed! So tomorrow, we will start the process all over again.

None of this upsets us because we're "retired" and what else do we have to do? So tomorrow we will try it again and most likely we will get another person who will ask for something else that we don't have.

We look at it this way...we get to meet more people, learn more of the language and go out to dinner when we're done. I would love to give you a list of things you need for your censo, but it really wouldn't make sense because for sure the list would change (again!).

After our censo "ordeal" we celebrated by having ice cream at our favorite place -- "Tutto Freddo," walked around "El Centro" and then came back and worked out at the gym in our complex. They just installed two new saunas (one for Mark and one for me!). We hear that people lose at least 20 pounds the first month they are here, but I'm afraid to say I've gained five pounds! Despite all the walking we do (at least 3-5 miles a day), I have a fascination for the ice cream "helado" in Cuenca. I'm sorry, but it's so much better than in Italy...(much better).

Be sure to come to Cuenca with your sense of humor, lots of patience, and your appetite. You will definitely need all three.

Until next time...hasta luego!

Marco y Concetta