I’m so sorry you’re going through the loss of power. It’s got to be so frustrating. Re the tinnitus, Dad suffered with it on a regular basis for decades. I can’t imagine having to deal with that annoyance. Hang in there and I hope things improve quickly!
Don, I was once stuck in a horrible job. Terrible stress. I got the worst “ear infection” of my life. I could barely open my mouth to eat. I went to the doctor. He told me that my ear was fine. He said that I has tinnitus probably caused by stress. He told me whatever was causing me stress to take it out my life. I quit my job and bingo! One week later my “ear infection” went away!
Tinnitus is not caused by "stress". But IT causes stress and anxiety.It takes very long time to habituate and become less bothersome.It is usually caused by some hearing loss.
Don, hello from Peru. I would like to share with you some interesting data. These are the average rain per year in milimeters in Ecuador : Esmeraldas ( north coast) 1800mm , Guayaquil 760mm , Cuenca 800mm and Quito 1250mm. On the other hand, the peruvian northern coast (Tumbes) 340mm and the rest of the coast 200 to 100mm or less (deserts). In the northern Peruvian mountains Cajamarca (nearest city to Loja) 730mm, but as we travel south in the highlands it drops to 480mm and 270mm. From the data we can easily deduce that a comparison of anual-average-rain in both coast and highland are several more times in Ecuador than Peru. In the meanwhile Peru has no severe droughts, no blackouts, no power outages. The main problem is that Ecuador has only 2 main water reservoir as Mazar and CodaCodo, while here in Peru there are about 20 "mazars" as Tinajones, Chaglla, Huinco, Lagunillas, Poechos, San Lorenzo, and the list goes and goes. Conclusion, they are not saving enough water during the rainy season and they need to built several big water reservoirs. We are trying to help, building a high-voltage powerline toward Ecuador, but it will be ready in 2027. They need to open up the doors to international private investors in renewable energies, but the beaurocratic procedures are spreaded among several organizations. The president Noboa do not have enough power to redesign it all. The situation is very fragile. It should be centralized in only one organization as ProInversion here. This organization promote, receive the requirements of local governments, design the studies, make the international postulation , write the contracts, evaluate the international offer from companies around the world, Thanks for reading.
What is Peru’s chief power source? Or does it use a variety of sources of energy? Your data of average rainfall is helpful - assuming your source is reliable - but obviously Ecuador is undergoing an exceptional year during which these figures of yours don’t apply. Having water reserves is a good idea of course, but when there is a severe shortage of water, and people are thirsty, will you devote it to the power grid or to human consumption? Which will have the higher priority if you are the president? The answer is to diversify the power grid and not to rely on only one kind of energy source.
@@RJMincey right, the current President is working to reinstate a diversification plan for power. They did start one, but it got tossed away at some point in favor of dams financed and built by the Chinese government. Many of the dams here in Ecuador have never (and probably will never) work at capacity. They were engineered badly causing massive upstream erosion problems. Many of the pressure vessel areas of these dams have serious flaws during construction that were never fixed. I think that the diversification plan will eventually get Ecuador where it needs to be, but not until late 2025. Solar will be the real savior, as we have an unwavering 12 hour day all year long.
Hello there. Very interesting comments and questions. We all in Latin America are under the same tough climate change situation as in Ecuador. The same in Colombia, Chile, Uruguay and Mexico. Colombia is not providing power to Ecuador, now. Mexico had most of its dams and water reservoirs at less than 50% including the big lake Chapala, but Alberto cyclone came into rescue. Montevideo had the worst drought and rationing water during weeks but divine torrential rains changed the situation. Northern region of Chile has had a drought lasting almost a decade. We also have some droughts and our situation would be even more dramatic than Ecuador. Our northern neighbour's energy sector rely on regular rains all year around. Their system work fine only if rains is regular , but with actual climate change where flood / drought / flood / drought situation, their water reservoirs are now "small" to collect of the possible water during the "flood" . I hope you understand what I mean. Once their reservoir are full, the excess of water in the highlands that could be used as energy in the future is wasted going down into the Ocean, through rivers. Ecuador can only cope with some months of droughts, no more. Here, 20 years ago the only source of energy came from hydroelectric. Nowaday after 20 years of planning and building new infrastructure, the main power source in Peru still comes from hydroelectric ( about 65% ), we have built new hydro-power plants, but also new diversification of sources as solar energy Clemesi + wind power plants Punta Lomitas + natural gas. The natural gas comes from Camisea, deep in the jungle and goes down to the coast through a pipeline. We know very well that we cannot stop building new infrastructure because no-one will know how dramatic the situation will be in the future. Nowadays, we are building thousands of small water reservoir across the country, mainly for agriculture purpose. The gobierno regional of Cajamarca is building medium size to small size rural water reservoirs using geomembrana. Proinversion as mentioned above, is the organization doing all the work to bring investor to the country and built new infrastructure. A new 500kw powerline for Ecuador is under construction, too. because we have over-production of electricity to supply to Ecuador. We are also diversifying into new energy-sector as green-hydrogen ( hidrogeno verde). A new source where solar or wind energy is transformed into hydrogen and can be stored for using in gas-power-plants.
Hi Don, please hang in there, you’re not alone in this energy crisis. I’m in Cuenca and also in Quito, and I’m from NY and it’s very hard to plan for anything without power. Hopefully God willing your health will get better and this power outage will get resolved soon. Take care and thanks for sharing video.
Hello Don! I have always felt that living in a Latin American country will teach you patience as things don’t go the same way as we are accustomed to in the states…but this a different level of patience. Stay strong my friend and I pray for rain, good leadership in resolving the problems and for the country to come together through this crisis.
@@MrTmdenton indeed Don has built an honorable reputation for saying the truth and showing us "reality" . He is the only youtlard. I do believe! All the others are opportunists and most of them liars.
My cousin lives in Guayaquil and told me about the situation. She owns a hair salon 💈 with no electricity, and the bills keep coming. It's frustrating. I will pray for you, and I hope you feel better, Don. Have a better week.
Great update brother, glad to hear from you! I was going to say that I'm sitting here at work waiting for the power to go out and of course the power went out. It is 11:30 and I don't think this is part of the schedule.
Hi Don sorry to hear about your ear buzzing. I had this when I was 20 years old and am now 70 and it's the same. I tried all the tricks and advice and it always seemed to get worse, One day I went to the hearing Ear Institute in Los Angeles when I was 30 year old, I was at my end with this condition. The specialist DR told me there is no cure, but there is something that helps. He said first "are you aware that you are wearing a watch?" I looked at my watch and said yes and he said only because I put you attention on its same as your shoes and wallet in you pants. He said your brain will subjugate/ignore what is not important for you to be aware of. The more you focus on it the louder it gets. He said "I promise you if you stop trying to get rid of it, focus on staying busy in life and sleep with a small fan or aquarium noise you will have weeks go by that you have not noticed it". He put his hand on my shoulder and said good luck. I left that hospital and although I have had this severe sound for my whole life I did what he said, and my life is normal now. I did sleep with a small aquarium and a fan in the beginning but I can sleep with nothing too. So my friend Ignore it! Stay busy doing what you luv, don't try to listen to it or focus on it or worry about it and your brain will drop it into the unimportant background, make it your friend. It can't kill you, you are not sick, I never even bring it up anymore when I see a Dr for other things. Trust me you will survive and prosper.
I love South America. What irritates me is pollyannish videos talking about how perfect everything is there. South America is poor and if you go there, you will face challenges. Thank you for keeping it real, Don. Love your videos - the good, the bad, and the ugly!
I try to do both sides, the good and bad. It's obviously easier to bitch about the bad, so sometimes I gotta kick myself and ask why I stay here. But you are right, so many just want to say "Look at this pretty beach and gorgeous mountains and good prices and the Galapagos!"
South America is a continent, and like north America some parts are poor. And some parts are filthy rich. Even manta has a great many rich folk places, from housing to restaurants. I can watch dozens of Ecuadorians visit where I get my lattes and easily drop 50 bucks for 5 people getting Coffees and cakes, not even a meal. After they pulled up in their late model vehicles. There's a lot of money in these countries, if there wasn't then the president's of Brazil and Venezuela who got voted out wouldn't be so desperate to keep their positions
Well if you think it’s hard to live in South America, just wait till Dump is back in the WH. America will catch up and be more difficult place to be than Ecuador.
Hi Don. Judy here from USA. I've had tinnitus for about 12 years now. It never will go away, but in time your brain gets used to it where you don't hear it at all. I have to concentrate on it to hear it and say, yep, it's still there. Don't lose hope. It does and will get much better. Hang in there.
It made me feel like I was going insane. I felt dizzy at times. I just wanted it to stop. I had to resolve to accept it. Seemed like I got floaters in my eyes at the same time. Don't remember getting nausea. Tinnitus is very common as we age so a lot of my friends had it also and assured me I would just get used to it. Getting old sucks at times!
@@judycummings1552 Thanks Judy. I'm starting to get used to the idea that I will just have to get used to it. I think there is a strong coincidence between me getting this tinnitus and feeling sick all the time and I blame that on the crappy air pollution that we're having to deal with. I'm breathing exhaust fumes all day long now that we're going through this energy crisis. It really sucks being here right now.
I think it's a great time to visit Ecuador if you are considering living here. THIS is Ecuador, where the only truly reliable thing is everyday corruption! I still love it here. We have just been putting as much as we can into our own hands. Muled in power stations. Bought a gas generator. Refurbished an old underground cistern and bought a pump. We ain't rich, but we got some trustworthy friends.
It’s great that you are resourceful and blessed with friends who can help. But you are also (presumably) young and healthy. Not everyone falls in that category, as you know, so they may use different criteria in evaluating the merits of living in a particular place. As for corruption, I don’t think it’s fair to stain the entire country and to lump all government administrations into the same category as if there is no relevant difference among them. Don’t get me wrong - I have no doubt that corruption exists in Ecuador, and that it’s nothing new. But I also have no doubt that the degree and scope of corruption does vary from one decade to the next. Some periods of time are better than others when it comes to life in Ecuador - and, indeed, when it comes to life in general.
@@RJMincey nice to meet you! When I say trustworthy friends, I mean people I can pay to do the work reliably. That in itself is a serious issue. I watched the house across the street from us being built. The owner went through 6 different maestros (masters) and crews because as soon as he was not watching, they came back to steal the materials. They don't think of it as wrong or evil, just that "Hey, this guy can afford to give a little more". Please, ask an Ecuadorian. They will agree. I am not a young man and if I were in worse shape, I would still be here and still love it. But it's not safe here and my comment above is meant to encourage people to be realistic about Ecuador and not bring North American expectations. Come and accept reality and see how you do! And, respectfully, as for corruption... ask any Ecuadorian if I am being honest. There's a term in SPanish for it that roughly translates to Creole Liveliness (see GM Ace). I have had good, uncorrupt interactions. I have also had 4 times as many corrupt ones, some working in my favor. There is a program right now to root out all levels of corruption. QR Codes to scan at the Visa office if someone is asking you to pay more for better treatment. So hey, maybe it will get better. Ask any Ecuadorian what they think of the Transit Police.
@americangenxer I ended up bribing a transit police about 8 hours ago near guayaquil. Guy was friendly and it was more convenient (and possibly cheaper) than the standard fine. When in rome
You seem to know what's going on. No one is mentioning solar panels. Is that not done in Ecuador? Wouldn't that be a great benefit? I was in Panama recently and PA has a gigantic solar array, even though Panama has buckets of rainfall every year.
Hey Don, I just found your channel. I as well have tinnitus for about 6 years. Yup, mine for the most part sounds like the old steam water heaters. Only thing that drowns it out is other sound. I also bought a little $10.00 sound machine that has different calming sound like a trickle of a creek, etc. It helps to have a soothing noise while you’re sleeping. Positive thoughts Salud 🥂
My input on the issue of electrical power generating engines from my years of maintaining them in commercial settings: I can confirm these engines are NOT intended or designed for continual daily use over a period of weeks or months. They are designed for the occasional unpredictable and brief (minutes to a very few hours) requirement. In your circumstance of running hour-by-hour, day-to-day, you can be assured these engines will start to fail at an accelerating pace as time goes forward if they are not at great cost maintained and monitored intensively. Doing so may not even be possible if qualified diesel technicians are already over-stretched coping with all the breakdowns. While it's true diesel engines thrive on being worked hard and at full load, they do so at a cost of long term reliability. These engines throughout your area, with some assurance, will begin to suffer coolant hose leaks and burst lines, dead batteries from constant daily start cycling, engine cylinder head failure, blown gaskets, cracked cylinders and pistons, fuel line leaks, and the list goes on and on. If an engine suffers a failure within the engine block itself, either it will be no longer be available at all, or must be rebuilt or replaced at an enormous cost. That sounds like what may be the case at the building you pointed out across from you. The cost WILL quickly accelerate beyond just the ballooning cost of feeding fuel to the engine, instead, become a tall list of extremely costly engine repairs that will likely outstrip the tenants capacity to pay for them. If this situation keeps going on for months on end, the economy is going to suffer immensely and structurally as if a massive earthquake had occurred. Hence, many of these engines may never be repaired or returned to service for lack of money. Something to factor in for consideration for staying on longer term.
Don, I’m so sad to learn about your tinnitus 😢 I can hear it in your voice. Almost sounds like you’re congested. I really really am hoping this passes. I’m so bummed that I haven’t had a chance to explore beautiful Ecuador yet. I know this is not an easy way to live when your outages are not consistent and more than half of a 24 hour period. Much love and hang in there.
I planned to go there (to get to know Ecuador) late January 2025. But with the power cut I think I'll be in Colombia instead. No fun at all if in your hotel there is no electricity. Thanks for the info.
Hey Don, I’m watching this video at midnight because the power cut out 30 minutes earlier than it was supposed to be and I couldn’t finish the laundry 🤪. The rain in Cuenca has been very little compared to what is normal the rivers are so low in places that you can walk across them. My wife ( who is from Cuenca) said she has never seen the rivers so low before that she can remember. Anyway we are looking into getting a solar system installed to help with the power cuts. We don’t have a generator at the house because we lent it to the family business so we are just rolling with it at the moment. I think a better solution would be to cut the power at night when we are asleep and just give everyone a gun. If a thief wants to break in and steel he can have his share of lead. Exodus 22:2 “If a thief is caught breaking in at night and is struck a fatal blow, the defender is not guilty of bloodshed.
Thanks, Don. You are a beacon, much appreciated. Can not imagine anyone wanting to come to Ecuador. Also, I have had tinnitus for over ten years. THERE IS NO CURE. I have tried everything. You just have to learn to live with it. Sorry.
Interesting. When I lived Venezuela I lived in this nice Hotel, and my ex girlfriend ran into the same issue with water and electricity. That was 2004. My ex would ask if her daughter and herself could take a shower and use other electrical appliances. The hotel had emergency generator and also water for foreigners. But back then, Venezuela was really going down the tube's and my employer eventually moved me to Colombia. Good luck Don
Very sad. I was contemplating moving there after all the rosy videos from the expats and some of the very decent properties available to rent or buy. I went there at the beginning of the Paras and caught a whiff of chaos in the air. Lots of shops open with people "working," but no one was buying anything. Glad I didn't make the move. Ecuador has been unraveling since.
Don, an inexpensive investment could be a solar, electricity charged battery. I have one made by Yeti. You can charge it when the power comes on and when there's a cut in power you can keep it charged with a foldable solar panel from your balcony. It's never failed me in 3 years.
I acrually have a battery pack coming in today (supposed to ). I need it just to power my desktop computer and led light. It should be perect for that.
Don, I’m an expat in Cuenca and have had severe tinnitus since neurosurgery over thirty years ago. I suggest you see a neurologist and have an MRI done. Generally, it is from normal hearing loss as we age, but tinnitus can be very debilitating.
I have had tinnitus in one ear for over 40 years. Two things I have found. If for any reason I don't sleep well for any issue, the noise increases dramatically. Second there is an over the counter medication which is stated to relieve the level of noise. It is purported to contain high levels of flavonoids. Look up the stated benefits of flavonoids (anti inflammatory, among others). I have tried it and it does seem to help. However, I learned that cacao powder has the the absolute highest level of flavonoids found in nature. So for me, a large scoop of cacao powder in oatmeal (or any other you want to mix it in) does help reduce the level of noise. To my knowledge, there is no cure for the condition. What ever you can find that can help reduce the level of noise is for the most part the best one can hope for. Maybe for some it is a temporary issue, but for me due an injury, it is permanent.
Hi Don. What about a small power bank. It would allow you to have a tv, internet, charge your devices and have a couple of lights on. You will charge the power bank when the electricity is on. I think a good unit there costs about $500
Have you considered checking out Peru? Think i've mentioned this in a comment before but overall I've found it significantly cheaper (Lima vs Guayaquil) and never heard of these issues country wide.
@@TheodoreAnderson the only part of Lima that may be less expensive than Guayaquil is living in an undesirable area. Living in the Expat safe areas like barranco and Mira Flores is expensive. I was just there to explore and check out residency options. Besides cost-of-living the biggest problem is Peru has no type of agreement with the USA so all of your foreign income will be taxed by Peru, including Social Security pensions in any retirement investments. Peru has some of the highest taxes in South America next to Brazil, I was late disappointed because I love Peru And will definitely go back a couple of times a year to the northern coast. You could manage it if you lived six months there and maybe six months and another country for the year but after 183 days you are a tax resident if you are in Peru.
@@TheodoreAnderson I lived in lima and drove all over the country - north and south - never did find my happy place but it was fun looking - I did find Ecuador (at that time) much better and being on the dollar it was much less hassle pricing things and budgeting - but Arequipa might be decent in Peru but Lima and most of the coast is 💩
Hello There. I live in Lima all year around. I know all the mayor place of this big city. All that I am going to mention next is based on a vast knowledge of the city. Miraflores and Barranco are the 2 main and only mentioned districts while looking for information about living in Lima online. It is a sort of urban myth that expats can only live there. It is true that at the first glance most of them chose these 2 districts. I do not blame for this misinformation, but it is what it is. Both Miraflores and Barranco could be expensive (or not, according to our budget). The next information is probably gold. Some other areas give us a more family oriented life and less cost of living: Chorrillos, Magdalena del Mar, Jesus Maria, Lince, San Borja, La Molina, San Miguel, Pueblo Libre, Surco, etc. Among all of them I prefer Magdalena del Mar ( short name Magdalena) I am the owner of a beach house in the outskirts of Lima. I mention this because the city also has another group of totally unknown place in the near mountains or beaches. The next list is another pure gold information. San Bartolo, Pucusana, Ancon, Punta Hermosa, etc just to mention some of them. In the near mountain and in the outskirts Pachacamac, Cieneguilla, Huaral, Chaclacayo, etc.
2° round of information. Cities and towns in Peru is in general terms "ugly" by western-standards. I mean it does not have that kind of embelishment we can see in Mexico or Colombia or Ecuador. But on the other hand the Institutions , the Economy, the Infraestructure, Internet, etc. Is something that is totally hidden for the average traveler. Again, I do not blame for this, because most can only evaluate a country because of what they can see. Police for example is probably the best in the region if we want to chase and investigate crimes and arrest high ranked criminals. This has maintain a barrier from all those criminals coming from Colombia and Ecuador. Unfortunately no the same scenario with venezuelans who were allowed to enter the country in a generous wrong offer given to them. All services are good ( for latin american standards, not comparing to US or Europe or Japan) as Serpost, gas-delivery-at-home, almost-zero power outages ( only 1 or 2 hours per year for maintenance ), good food manipulation specially for fish and seafood, self-suficient in locally made food, self-suficient in locally made industry, good technicians in several areas, etc. This all, makes our live easier on every aspect. I think littering and traffic are the 2 most common unconfortable situation we can see in Peru ( in general ). The traffic is a "new" phenomenon due to the growing economy . A city as Lima has hundreds and hundreds of new building having all the ammenities we need for living including cheap natural-gas pipeline + some of them pool + some of them gym + some of them common areas, etc. If you have question , feel free to ask.
@@davidveraok I have been to every single location your mentioned- I lived in San Martin De Porres and I found San Miguel to be my go to location in Lima. I passed on buying a cheap place in San bartolo sur back in the day - that house was 30k with an ocean (not the prettiest view) on the sur side of San bartolo. My chicks was born in San Isidro. You are correct in everything you talked about - but miraflores is way overrated - loud - and more crime than my “rough” barrio. Side note - I had a 12 guage for road trips and a pocket 380 for around Lima
Hi Don, sorry for the loss of power, that's got to be rough without AC- hopefully getting a breeze off the ocean. I did see that the rivers that supply the power are bone dry now- on other videos -I know solar wouldn't help condos, just too big to supply, but I am surprised homes don't have solar, labor is cheap there, for 3-5000 I would put it on my home-and if everyone did- it would reduce the demand on power Co Mexico City is having very serious problems with water now-20 million people there, having to truck water into flush toilets, very bad, there hopefully you get a lot of rain to help, best of luck
I just wondering if instead of trying to fix the grid they just go solar. Maybe just your building put solar panels on the roof or maybe just you could put panels on your balcony. You have plenty of sunshine and think it would be more reliable than what is going on now.
I've had tinnitus for over a decade. I don't think it will ever go away. It compensates the frequency where I experienced hearing loss, so to stop it I would have to regain my hearing on that frequency. Anyway, preparing to fly to Ecuador.
I'm 81 years old. When I was in grade school in the Northern snow belt USA, I had to shovel the walk way to the street most every day or maybe sweet off the sidewalk if snow was light. I dreamed often of moving to somewhere on the equator of the world so I could be warm and have sunshine. I've been to Honduras, El Salvador and Texas. Why is it so hot there? I keep dreaming of my equator life but it may have to be over in Asia. Where I live now sometimes I wake up at 4 am and sometimes I go to bed at 4 am. I get up for a potty break mostly every several hours. I don't think I could make it with the intermittent electricity that you endure. I live near Chicago and we are already getting frost mornings about dawn. Nothing is perfect but here I am at home with money coming in each month and typical "always on" electricity. I'm thankful that when I needed emergency medical services, all I had to do was dial 911. Living on the equator is one dream I will likely just have to give up. But seeing the background of your balcony reminds me that there are beautiful places but nothing is perfect. I love your truth telling😃.
Lately, I feel as if my retirement dreams have been shattered because of all this, and it’s even worse that I really cannot go back to the US simply because of the outrageous cost of living.
@@DonShader I watch lots of RUclips channel about living in Non-American places. The stuff put out there about inexpensive living has a lot of BS or sacrificing quality of life. As we age our quality of care is very challenging. I hope you keep seeking that better life and finding some place where you can live safely.
@@DonShader 😀 I get some inspiration and healing from listening to the lectures of Dr. Brene Brown. Her lesson on vulnerability was helpful to me. Her lecture on what to do when hurt by someone came out a couple days ago. It made me think. Tomorrow is All Souls Day. We all could benefit from having our souls lifted. And, that's coming to you from an atheist. Thank you for sharing bits and pieces of your life....
I love Ecuador, but I might have to agree, maybe not the best time to come here. This could go on for sometime. The government is like all governments slow and reactive. I feel bad for the people here this has got to be hurting them. I pray for rain and a resolution to this problem.
Last night i went to a church procession event near me. The small food carts showed up, keep in mind no electrical power at this time. Someone had a cart with a generator and the guy used long cords and hooked the majority of them up with power for lights, and most were cooking over coals or gas. They find a way
What's wrong with good quality instant coffee? You can warm up water on gas stove.Prevalent in Ecuador.Orded a cheap or expensive set of solar cells from any American store.Why do you need a fridge? Buy couple of car batteries.When charged they will last several days to charge your laptop, phone etc.
When I hear a story like yours, I can't stop thinking about Cuba. As you might be aware Cuba has failing infrastructures it is somewhat expected there. What a sad story we are going through!! Stay strong..hope for the best! You should start looking at moving away.
Hello from Peru. It is correct that Ecuador receive high solar radiation , but also some cloudy days per week. This happens in both regions the coast and the highlands ( Manta, Guayaquil, Cuenca , Quito). On the other side, here we receive high-solar radiation in Piura and Tumbes with no cloudy days, but the rest of the coast less sunny days due to Humboldt Current, so most of our coast is not suitable for solar panels. The situation gets better for the peruvian highlands (500 mts or above) , where sunny days has no cloudy days. For wind energy power plants, Peru is ideal because of strong and permanent winds in the southern coastal region ( vientos Paracas ) Hope this helps.
Thanks so much for sharing dear Don! I am very sorry to hear about your hearing and, wish I had a solution for you. The weather - it'll be fine again Don. The psychopaths responsible for it, will come to pay and, pay big time.. It's not that we don't see them...we sure do dear Don. Hang in there and take care ❤🌹❤️
Hello from Peru. In spanish they are called "estabilizador de voltaje". They are imported when they have low-power-consumption (1000va). They are made in Peru for higher va ( 3000va or more ). As a side note "estabilizador de voltaje" is not the same as "transformador de voltaje" ( 220v to 110v or viceversa)
Additional note . Ecuador name for "estabilizador de voltaje" is "regulador de voltaje" . They are the same gadget. Some names are not the same in countries as avocado called in Ecuador aguacate, while in Peru as Palta.
I certainly recommend surge protectors for your better gear but I also use common sense, which is a lot cheaper, simply by keeping track of the outage schedule and turning off my stuff before the power goes out.
OMG!! Don just hang in there with all the other Expats living in Manta,,, yesterday it was confirmed it rained cats and dogs in Cuenca where our hydroelectric dams are situated,,lots more rain expected during the week 🙏🙏
Oh my. My heart bleeds for the people of Ecuador. How can you run a business under these conditions? The rainy season is coming, so maybe things will improve. It is also a challenge to the government, as they will be pressured to be ousted if they can't get a handle on this. And tinnitus is no picnic, hoping that improves for you Don.
All should know that Ecuador troubles started in 2017 when the US and its bankers at the IMFstarted intevening in Ecuador. They cut funding for the electrical, health, social programs, security programs and all the economic syatems which kept our country working. Ex president Correa built several hydrolic power plants and another power system which worked on fuel to be operated in situations we have now.
Anywhere in the world, be it Russia or Ecuador, where there is corruption, things break down. It doesn't help that corruption often goes along with incompetence. Not coming to Ecuador this year. Not because of the power cuts, just because there are other places to go. I have had tinnitus since I was 18 so 50 years. It sucks and there is no cure but as you found out, background noise, helps.
Don, im from Puerto Rico (US) territory and we have the same problem. I lived in Ecuador from 1978 to 1983. It was the same. So enjoy the ride lets tell the president to partner with china or Rusia so they can figure out an electrical solution. Or lets all move out to Paraguay. Even Brasil have the problem, In Panama we have 17 hidroplants plus juice from. Costa Rica, and the same. The only solution I see is nuclear power or put solar power. In Puerto Rico I have a small 2300 inverter gen and solar lights and a couple of solar generator to run the internet and one for my cpav, at a cost of 1300.00
hopefully you bought Cetralon Cefadroxilo that come in a pack of 20 i bought it a mall del pacifico it help my dad with his buzz we are neighbor so hope that helps you god bless
You’re not being negative at all, the truth is the truth…you can’t be Suzy sunshine about everything. Unfortunately gringos aren’t allowed to have opinions about the places we live, in the states on the other hand everyone is allowed to have an opinion, whether they live there or not. It’s almost comical 😂 At any rate…keep up the good work!
Don it sound like you need to get yourself out that mess and come back to America, and When and if Ecuador get their shit together then you can return back.I believed that this problem in Ecuador is never going to get fix anytime soon.
serviciosenlinea.cnelep.gob.ec/cortes-energia/?fbclid=IwY2xjawFuLWNleHRuA2FlbQIxMAABHT07AOZd5ExpkHcpMzl_PXVat7j9_iv2-1fcy2BALZ8eJ0DKXdvx4RfNRQ_aem_wCORgv8xpLxf5JD7wKxSIA You need your control code number that starts with 2000 and they will give you your schedule. It's been failry accurate give or take an hour or so.
What d'ya mean? I didn't get out, I went for a visit. This is where I live, good or bad and as long as I have my girlfriend here, I'll be staying here until I just can't stand it anymore.
@DonShader OK. It seemed to me that you were concerned about the situation there and returned to the US. Also we had chatted about you checking out Uruguay because of the unstability in Ecuador. I don't understand why you guys needlessly put yourselves at risk.
@@KC-in9px Yes, you are correct but I didn't MOVE back. I have money invested here, a car, and a lease on an apartment. I gave up Uruguay simply because of the cost of housing there. It's as bad as the US. Let me make something perfectly clear, I didn't "needlessly put myself at risk" by coming here. It's not any more risky than many cities in the US. When I came here, we were under a weak no-name president who finally had to give up and retire but now we have a new one that's willing to put up a fight against the Cartel, at least make an effort to right the wrongs of three different corrup administrations and from the standpoint of economics, it just makes sense to stick around and ride this out. I do have to say that the culture is and always has been my issue and if it becomes economically feasable for me to return to the US before I get too damned old, I will return. I will have to lose the love of my life which will probably be the beginning of the end for me.
@DonShader I wish you well Don. I understand what you mean regarding the costs in the US. I'm flying out to Bangkok this coming Tuesday. Nice seaview condos are $300/mo and less on the Thai coast. Good luck to you.
We're having 13 hours of daily outages in Olon during the morning and into dark. We are fortunate to have food and shelter. How the resident digital nomads without a UPS and small. businesses are handling this must be very difficult. Climate change is happening now, and we need to adjust.
The RE situation is getting better, after my dad passed I came up from central Mexico to spend a few months with my mom and from what I’ve seen it’s become a buyers market. Although their corner of Arizona remains out of reach for me new home builders in Texas are offering multiple concessions to attract buyers. There are even more sellers offering financing with incredibly reasonable down payments. Never though I’d say this but I’m actually considering a move back.
@@rafaeldla I'm a veteran and can get VA financing but I don't know if there is a age limit for me or not. But the problem is the actual cost of housing, even in retirement mobile home parks, it seems like it's very unreasonable. I'm scared for my own future and don't really feel very optimistic about it. I'm very saddened by it all.
This Ecuadoran RUclipsr has a video showing the river in Cuenca at very low levels: ruclips.net/video/GM_WdIZjcPk/видео.htmlsi=n2FBalS43w-6ES5F&t=764. Apparently there has not been enough rain to allow the hydroelectric power plants to operate.
Does nobody have any creativity? Take heavy duty extension cord and plug into your good outlet. Put a power bar into the extension cord. You now have multiple outlets for use in your condo.
Don, this is ridiculous. Don't understand how you are dealing with it. The impact on the country's already fragile economy has to be devastating. This can't be helping the crime situation either. I know what you mean about the limitations of generators. I have one here in FL for the occasional power outage from hurricanes, but fortunately have never had to use it. It's loud, smelly and I don't want to use it unless absolutely necessary. I am semi-retired, but do a lot of work on Zoom, and have to have electricity and internet to make money. I'm going to have to broaden my horizons to include other countries. Are you still considering Argentina? I would like to stay in the western hemisphere for the time zones. The idea of teaching Zoom classes at 2:00 am is NOT appealing!!!! Hope you come to some resolution with the tinnitus. I've had a mild case for years, and just deal with it. Hate to think of it worse! Take care of yourself, Don. Thanks for letting us know what's happening there! You are keeping it real, and providing a lot of much needed guidance. It's appreciated
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I’m so sorry you’re going through the loss of power. It’s got to be so frustrating. Re the tinnitus, Dad suffered with it on a regular basis for decades. I can’t imagine having to deal with that annoyance. Hang in there and I hope things improve quickly!
Don, I was once stuck in a horrible job. Terrible stress. I got the worst “ear infection” of my life. I could barely open my mouth to eat. I went to the doctor. He told me that my ear was fine. He said that I has tinnitus probably caused by stress. He told me whatever was causing me stress to take it out my life. I quit my job and bingo! One week later my “ear infection” went away!
Tinnitus is not caused by "stress". But IT causes stress and anxiety.It takes very long time to habituate and become less bothersome.It is usually caused by some hearing loss.
Don, hello from Peru. I would like to share with you some interesting data. These are the average rain per year in milimeters in Ecuador : Esmeraldas ( north coast) 1800mm , Guayaquil 760mm , Cuenca 800mm and Quito 1250mm. On the other hand, the peruvian northern coast (Tumbes) 340mm and the rest of the coast 200 to 100mm or less (deserts). In the northern Peruvian mountains Cajamarca (nearest city to Loja) 730mm, but as we travel south in the highlands it drops to 480mm and 270mm. From the data we can easily deduce that a comparison of anual-average-rain in both coast and highland are several more times in Ecuador than Peru. In the meanwhile Peru has no severe droughts, no blackouts, no power outages. The main problem is that Ecuador has only 2 main water reservoir as Mazar and CodaCodo, while here in Peru there are about 20 "mazars" as Tinajones, Chaglla, Huinco, Lagunillas, Poechos, San Lorenzo, and the list goes and goes. Conclusion, they are not saving enough water during the rainy season and they need to built several big water reservoirs. We are trying to help, building a high-voltage powerline toward Ecuador, but it will be ready in 2027. They need to open up the doors to international private investors in renewable energies, but the beaurocratic procedures are spreaded among several organizations. The president Noboa do not have enough power to redesign it all. The situation is very fragile. It should be centralized in only one organization as ProInversion here. This organization promote, receive the requirements of local governments, design the studies, make the international postulation , write the contracts, evaluate the international offer from companies around the world, Thanks for reading.
I live in Tumbes, saludos.
What is Peru’s chief power source? Or does it use a variety of sources of energy? Your data of average rainfall is helpful - assuming your source is reliable - but obviously Ecuador is undergoing an exceptional year during which these figures of yours don’t apply.
Having water reserves is a good idea of course, but when there is a severe shortage of water, and people are thirsty, will you devote it to the power grid or to human consumption? Which will have the higher priority if you are the president?
The answer is to diversify the power grid and not to rely on only one kind of energy source.
@@RJMincey right, the current President is working to reinstate a diversification plan for power. They did start one, but it got tossed away at some point in favor of dams financed and built by the Chinese government. Many of the dams here in Ecuador have never (and probably will never) work at capacity. They were engineered badly causing massive upstream erosion problems. Many of the pressure vessel areas of these dams have serious flaws during construction that were never fixed.
I think that the diversification plan will eventually get Ecuador where it needs to be, but not until late 2025. Solar will be the real savior, as we have an unwavering 12 hour day all year long.
Hello there. Very interesting comments and questions. We all in Latin America are under the same tough climate change situation as in Ecuador. The same in Colombia, Chile, Uruguay and Mexico. Colombia is not providing power to Ecuador, now. Mexico had most of its dams and water reservoirs at less than 50% including the big lake Chapala, but Alberto cyclone came into rescue. Montevideo had the worst drought and rationing water during weeks but divine torrential rains changed the situation. Northern region of Chile has had a drought lasting almost a decade. We also have some droughts and our situation would be even more dramatic than Ecuador. Our northern neighbour's energy sector rely on regular rains all year around. Their system work fine only if rains is regular , but with actual climate change where flood / drought / flood / drought situation, their water reservoirs are now "small" to collect of the possible water during the "flood" . I hope you understand what I mean. Once their reservoir are full, the excess of water in the highlands that could be used as energy in the future is wasted going down into the Ocean, through rivers. Ecuador can only cope with some months of droughts, no more. Here, 20 years ago the only source of energy came from hydroelectric. Nowaday after 20 years of planning and building new infrastructure, the main power source in Peru still comes from hydroelectric ( about 65% ), we have built new hydro-power plants, but also new diversification of sources as solar energy Clemesi + wind power plants Punta Lomitas + natural gas. The natural gas comes from Camisea, deep in the jungle and goes down to the coast through a pipeline. We know very well that we cannot stop building new infrastructure because no-one will know how dramatic the situation will be in the future. Nowadays, we are building thousands of small water reservoir across the country, mainly for agriculture purpose. The gobierno regional of Cajamarca is building medium size to small size rural water reservoirs using geomembrana. Proinversion as mentioned above, is the organization doing all the work to bring investor to the country and built new infrastructure. A new 500kw powerline for Ecuador is under construction, too. because we have over-production of electricity to supply to Ecuador. We are also diversifying into new energy-sector as green-hydrogen ( hidrogeno verde). A new source where solar or wind energy is transformed into hydrogen and can be stored for using in gas-power-plants.
@@donaldnaber7546 hello there, welcome to Peru .
Hi Don, please hang in there, you’re not alone in this energy crisis. I’m in Cuenca and also in Quito, and I’m from NY and it’s very hard to plan for anything without power. Hopefully God willing your health will get better and this power outage will get resolved soon. Take care and thanks for sharing video.
That's ridiculous a whole country in despair.
Hello Don! I have always felt that living in a Latin American country will teach you patience as things don’t go the same way as we are accustomed to in the states…but this a different level of patience. Stay strong my friend and I pray for rain, good leadership in resolving the problems and for the country to come together through this crisis.
I think it's the only thing we have left!
For what it's worth, I'm glad you are doing these updates. It helps to have the occasional reality check......thanks
You are welcome. The reality is bleak.
@@MrTmdenton indeed Don has built an honorable reputation for saying the truth and showing us "reality" . He is the only youtlard. I do believe! All the others are opportunists and most of them liars.
My cousin lives in Guayaquil and told me about the situation. She owns a hair salon 💈 with no electricity, and the bills keep coming. It's frustrating. I will pray for you, and I hope you feel better, Don. Have a better week.
Great update brother, glad to hear from you! I was going to say that I'm sitting here at work waiting for the power to go out and of course the power went out. It is 11:30 and I don't think this is part of the schedule.
Hi Don sorry to hear about your ear buzzing. I had this when I was 20 years old and am now 70 and it's the same. I tried all the tricks and advice and it always seemed to get worse, One day I went to the hearing Ear Institute in Los Angeles when I was 30 year old, I was at my end with this condition. The specialist DR told me there is no cure, but there is something that helps. He said first "are you aware that you are wearing a watch?" I looked at my watch and said yes and he said only because I put you attention on its same as your shoes and wallet in you pants. He said your brain will subjugate/ignore what is not important for you to be aware of. The more you focus on it the louder it gets. He said "I promise you if you stop trying to get rid of it, focus on staying busy in life and sleep with a small fan or aquarium noise you will have weeks go by that you have not noticed it". He put his hand on my shoulder and said good luck. I left that hospital and although I have had this severe sound for my whole life I did what he said, and my life is normal now. I did sleep with a small aquarium and a fan in the beginning but I can sleep with nothing too. So my friend Ignore it! Stay busy doing what you luv, don't try to listen to it or focus on it or worry about it and your brain will drop it into the unimportant background, make it your friend. It can't kill you, you are not sick, I never even bring it up anymore when I see a Dr for other things. Trust me you will survive and prosper.
Audiologist told my husband the same thing. He doesn’t complain about it anymore.
I love South America. What irritates me is pollyannish videos talking about how perfect everything is there. South America is poor and if you go there, you will face challenges. Thank you for keeping it real, Don. Love your videos - the good, the bad, and the ugly!
I entirely agree with you. South America is amazing, but it's a challenging place to live.
I try to do both sides, the good and bad. It's obviously easier to bitch about the bad, so sometimes I gotta kick myself and ask why I stay here. But you are right, so many just want to say "Look at this pretty beach and gorgeous mountains and good prices and the Galapagos!"
South America is a continent, and like north America some parts are poor. And some parts are filthy rich. Even manta has a great many rich folk places, from housing to restaurants. I can watch dozens of Ecuadorians visit where I get my lattes and easily drop 50 bucks for 5 people getting Coffees and cakes, not even a meal. After they pulled up in their late model vehicles. There's a lot of money in these countries, if there wasn't then the president's of Brazil and Venezuela who got voted out wouldn't be so desperate to keep their positions
Well if you think it’s hard to live in South America, just wait till Dump is back in the WH. America will catch up and be more difficult place to be than Ecuador.
Feel better Don and thank you for your honesty
Hi Don. Judy here from USA. I've had tinnitus for about 12 years now. It never will go away, but in time your brain gets used to it where you don't hear it at all. I have to concentrate on it to hear it and say, yep, it's still there. Don't lose hope. It does and will get much better. Hang in there.
Hi Judy,
When you first got it, did it make you feel nauseated and just feel crappy all over?
It made me feel like I was going insane. I felt dizzy at times. I just wanted it to stop. I had to resolve to accept it. Seemed like I got floaters in my eyes at the same time. Don't remember getting nausea. Tinnitus is very common as we age so a lot of my friends had it also and assured me I would just get used to it. Getting old sucks at times!
@@judycummings1552 Thanks Judy. I'm starting to get used to the idea that I will just have to get used to it. I think there is a strong coincidence between me getting this tinnitus and feeling sick all the time and I blame that on the crappy air pollution that we're having to deal with. I'm breathing exhaust fumes all day long now that we're going through this energy crisis. It really sucks being here right now.
I think it's a great time to visit Ecuador if you are considering living here. THIS is Ecuador, where the only truly reliable thing is everyday corruption! I still love it here. We have just been putting as much as we can into our own hands. Muled in power stations. Bought a gas generator. Refurbished an old underground cistern and bought a pump. We ain't rich, but we got some trustworthy friends.
It’s great that you are resourceful and blessed with friends who can help. But you are also (presumably) young and healthy. Not everyone falls in that category, as you know, so they may use different criteria in evaluating the merits of living in a particular place.
As for corruption, I don’t think it’s fair to stain the entire country and to lump all government administrations into the same category as if there is no relevant difference among them.
Don’t get me wrong - I have no doubt that corruption exists in Ecuador, and that it’s nothing new. But I also have no doubt that the degree and scope of corruption does vary from one decade to the next. Some periods of time are better than others when it comes to life in Ecuador - and, indeed, when it comes to life in general.
@@RJMincey nice to meet you! When I say trustworthy friends, I mean people I can pay to do the work reliably. That in itself is a serious issue. I watched the house across the street from us being built. The owner went through 6 different maestros (masters) and crews because as soon as he was not watching, they came back to steal the materials. They don't think of it as wrong or evil, just that "Hey, this guy can afford to give a little more". Please, ask an Ecuadorian. They will agree.
I am not a young man and if I were in worse shape, I would still be here and still love it. But it's not safe here and my comment above is meant to encourage people to be realistic about Ecuador and not bring North American expectations. Come and accept reality and see how you do!
And, respectfully, as for corruption... ask any Ecuadorian if I am being honest. There's a term in SPanish for it that roughly translates to Creole Liveliness (see GM Ace). I have had good, uncorrupt interactions. I have also had 4 times as many corrupt ones, some working in my favor. There is a program right now to root out all levels of corruption. QR Codes to scan at the Visa office if someone is asking you to pay more for better treatment. So hey, maybe it will get better. Ask any Ecuadorian what they think of the Transit Police.
@americangenxer I ended up bribing a transit police about 8 hours ago near guayaquil. Guy was friendly and it was more convenient (and possibly cheaper) than the standard fine. When in rome
@genERICexpats thank you! Exactly what I mean. Reliable corruption is reliable. 😉
You seem to know what's going on. No one is mentioning solar panels. Is that not done in Ecuador? Wouldn't that be a great benefit? I was in Panama recently and PA has a gigantic solar array, even though Panama has buckets of rainfall every year.
Hey Don,
I just found your channel. I as well have tinnitus for about 6 years. Yup, mine for the most part sounds like the old steam water heaters. Only thing that drowns it out is other sound. I also bought a little $10.00 sound machine that has different calming sound like a trickle of a creek, etc. It helps to have a soothing noise while you’re sleeping. Positive thoughts
Salud 🥂
Don I love your channel I'm from Ecuador been living in New york for 52 yrs and I'm moving back to Quito in January
Thanks Don informative like the show
Praying for relief and peace🙏
My input on the issue of electrical power generating engines from my years of maintaining them in commercial settings: I can confirm these engines are NOT intended or designed for continual daily use over a period of weeks or months. They are designed for the occasional unpredictable and brief (minutes to a very few hours) requirement.
In your circumstance of running hour-by-hour, day-to-day, you can be assured these engines will start to fail at an accelerating pace as time goes forward if they are not at great cost maintained and monitored intensively. Doing so may not even be possible if qualified diesel technicians are already over-stretched coping with all the breakdowns.
While it's true diesel engines thrive on being worked hard and at full load, they do so at a cost of long term reliability. These engines throughout your area, with some assurance, will begin to suffer coolant hose leaks and burst lines, dead batteries from constant daily start cycling, engine cylinder head failure, blown gaskets, cracked cylinders and pistons, fuel line leaks, and the list goes on and on. If an engine suffers a failure within the engine block itself, either it will be no longer be available at all, or must be rebuilt or replaced at an enormous cost. That sounds like what may be the case at the building you pointed out across from you.
The cost WILL quickly accelerate beyond just the ballooning cost of feeding fuel to the engine, instead, become a tall list of extremely costly engine repairs that will likely outstrip the tenants capacity to pay for them.
If this situation keeps going on for months on end, the economy is going to suffer immensely and structurally as if a massive earthquake had occurred. Hence, many of these engines may never be repaired or returned to service for lack of money.
Something to factor in for consideration for staying on longer term.
Don, I’m so sad to learn about your tinnitus 😢 I can hear it in your voice. Almost sounds like you’re congested. I really really am hoping this passes. I’m so bummed that I haven’t had a chance to explore beautiful Ecuador yet. I know this is not an easy way to live when your outages are not consistent and more than half of a 24 hour period.
Much love and hang in there.
I planned to go there (to get to know Ecuador) late January 2025. But with the power cut I think I'll be in Colombia instead. No fun at all if in your hotel there is no electricity. Thanks for the info.
Absolutely correct. The electricity outages are killing tourism
Hang in there Brother. Going through the same up here in Rio Canoa. Running on solar and generator.
Hey Don, I’m watching this video at midnight because the power cut out 30 minutes earlier than it was supposed to be and I couldn’t finish the laundry 🤪. The rain in Cuenca has been very little compared to what is normal the rivers are so low in places that you can walk across them. My wife ( who is from Cuenca) said she has never seen the rivers so low before that she can remember. Anyway we are looking into getting a solar system installed to help with the power cuts. We don’t have a generator at the house because we lent it to the family business so we are just rolling with it at the moment. I think a better solution would be to cut the power at night when we are asleep and just give everyone a gun. If a thief wants to break in and steel he can have his share of lead. Exodus 22:2 “If a thief is caught breaking in at night and is struck a fatal blow, the defender is not guilty of bloodshed.
Thanks, Don. You are a beacon, much appreciated. Can not imagine anyone wanting to come to Ecuador. Also, I have had tinnitus for over ten years. THERE IS NO CURE. I have tried everything. You just have to learn to live with it. Sorry.
At least the car horns are working fine.
They never run out of power! HA!
Interesting. When I lived Venezuela I lived in this nice Hotel, and my ex girlfriend ran into the same issue with water and electricity. That was 2004. My ex would ask if her daughter and herself could take a shower and use other electrical appliances. The hotel had emergency generator and also water for foreigners. But back then, Venezuela was really going down the tube's and my employer eventually moved me to Colombia. Good luck Don
Good morning Don, So good to see you! 🌞✨
Good morning! Thank you so much.
Very sad. I was contemplating moving there after all the rosy videos from the expats and some of the very decent properties available to rent or buy. I went there at the beginning of the Paras and caught a whiff of chaos in the air. Lots of shops open with people "working," but no one was buying anything. Glad I didn't make the move. Ecuador has been unraveling since.
Hang in you are so real !!!!
Can you supplement your power with backup batteries using solar panels?
I'd have to find them first. This country is way too far behind to even be thinking about technology such as solar power.
Well we were planning on coming down to Amanda for the month of December.
Change of plans we are going to Portugal instead.
Thanks Don!
It's ironic and painful that a guy who likes quiet now has inner noise 24/7. I'm keeping my fingers crossed that the tinnitus resolves. One can hope.
Don, an inexpensive investment could be a solar, electricity charged battery. I have one made by Yeti. You can charge it when the power comes on and when there's a cut in power you can keep it charged with a foldable solar panel from your balcony. It's never failed me in 3 years.
You say inexpensive so you are either not in Ecuador or you are a rich man.
I acrually have a battery pack coming in today (supposed to ). I need it just to power my desktop computer and led light. It should be perect for that.
@@DonShader Is it from a local shop or via the internet?
What a nightmare
Don, I’m an expat in Cuenca and have had severe tinnitus since neurosurgery over thirty years ago. I suggest you see a neurologist and have an MRI done. Generally, it is from normal hearing loss as we age, but tinnitus can be very debilitating.
Yes, that is my next step.
I have had tinnitus in one ear for over 40 years. Two things I have found. If for any reason I don't sleep well for any issue, the noise increases dramatically. Second there is an over the counter medication which is stated to relieve the level of noise. It is purported to contain high levels of flavonoids. Look up the stated benefits of flavonoids (anti inflammatory, among others). I have tried it and it does seem to help. However, I learned that cacao powder has the the absolute highest level of flavonoids found in nature. So for me, a large scoop of cacao powder in oatmeal (or any other you want to mix it in) does help reduce the level of noise. To my knowledge, there is no cure for the condition. What ever you can find that can help reduce the level of noise is for the most part the best one can hope for. Maybe for some it is a temporary issue, but for me due an injury, it is permanent.
Hi Don. What about a small power bank. It would allow you to have a tv, internet, charge your devices and have a couple of lights on. You will charge the power bank when the electricity is on. I think a good unit there costs about $500
I have one on the way.
Isnt most of the power outages caused by the countries heavily reliance on hydropower but we have a severe drought now?
That's what they are saying but lack of maintanence is also a major contributor.
@@DonShader I wouldn't be surprised. Well, I hope you receive lots of rain soon
Have you considered checking out Peru? Think i've mentioned this in a comment before but overall I've found it significantly cheaper (Lima vs Guayaquil) and never heard of these issues country wide.
@@TheodoreAnderson the only part of Lima that may be less expensive than Guayaquil is living in an undesirable area. Living in the Expat safe areas like barranco and Mira Flores is expensive. I was just there to explore and check out residency options. Besides cost-of-living the biggest problem is Peru has no type of agreement with the USA so all of your foreign income will be taxed by Peru, including Social Security pensions in any retirement investments. Peru has some of the highest taxes in South America next to Brazil, I was late disappointed because I love Peru And will definitely go back a couple of times a year to the northern coast. You could manage it if you lived six months there and maybe six months and another country for the year but after 183 days you are a tax resident if you are in Peru.
@@TheodoreAnderson I lived in lima and drove all over the country - north and south - never did find my happy place but it was fun looking - I did find Ecuador (at that time) much better and being on the dollar it was much less hassle pricing things and budgeting - but Arequipa might be decent in Peru but Lima and most of the coast is 💩
Hello There. I live in Lima all year around. I know all the mayor place of this big city. All that I am going to mention next is based on a vast knowledge of the city. Miraflores and Barranco are the 2 main and only mentioned districts while looking for information about living in Lima online. It is a sort of urban myth that expats can only live there. It is true that at the first glance most of them chose these 2 districts. I do not blame for this misinformation, but it is what it is. Both Miraflores and Barranco could be expensive (or not, according to our budget). The next information is probably gold. Some other areas give us a more family oriented life and less cost of living: Chorrillos, Magdalena del Mar, Jesus Maria, Lince, San Borja, La Molina, San Miguel, Pueblo Libre, Surco, etc. Among all of them I prefer Magdalena del Mar ( short name Magdalena) I am the owner of a beach house in the outskirts of Lima. I mention this because the city also has another group of totally unknown place in the near mountains or beaches. The next list is another pure gold information. San Bartolo, Pucusana, Ancon, Punta Hermosa, etc just to mention some of them. In the near mountain and in the outskirts Pachacamac, Cieneguilla, Huaral, Chaclacayo, etc.
2° round of information. Cities and towns in Peru is in general terms "ugly" by western-standards. I mean it does not have that kind of embelishment we can see in Mexico or Colombia or Ecuador. But on the other hand the Institutions , the Economy, the Infraestructure, Internet, etc. Is something that is totally hidden for the average traveler. Again, I do not blame for this, because most can only evaluate a country because of what they can see. Police for example is probably the best in the region if we want to chase and investigate crimes and arrest high ranked criminals. This has maintain a barrier from all those criminals coming from Colombia and Ecuador. Unfortunately no the same scenario with venezuelans who were allowed to enter the country in a generous wrong offer given to them. All services are good ( for latin american standards, not comparing to US or Europe or Japan) as Serpost, gas-delivery-at-home, almost-zero power outages ( only 1 or 2 hours per year for maintenance ), good food manipulation specially for fish and seafood, self-suficient in locally made food, self-suficient in locally made industry, good technicians in several areas, etc. This all, makes our live easier on every aspect. I think littering and traffic are the 2 most common unconfortable situation we can see in Peru ( in general ). The traffic is a "new" phenomenon due to the growing economy . A city as Lima has hundreds and hundreds of new building having all the ammenities we need for living including cheap natural-gas pipeline + some of them pool + some of them gym + some of them common areas, etc. If you have question , feel free to ask.
@@davidveraok I have been to every single location your mentioned- I lived in San Martin De Porres and I found San Miguel to be my go to location in Lima. I passed on buying a cheap place in San bartolo sur back in the day - that house was 30k with an ocean (not the prettiest view) on the sur side of San bartolo. My chicks was born in San Isidro. You are correct in everything you talked about - but miraflores is way overrated - loud - and more crime than my “rough” barrio. Side note - I had a 12 guage for road trips and a pocket 380 for around Lima
Lucky you that it runs your frig and coffee. We waited to long to get a generator and now they are too expensive
I meant to say..."I can not imagine anyone wanting to come to Ecuador AT THIS TIME. Correction.
Hi Don, sorry for the loss of power, that's got to be rough without AC- hopefully getting a breeze off the ocean. I did see that the rivers that supply the power are bone dry now- on other videos -I know solar wouldn't help condos, just too big to supply, but I am surprised homes don't have solar, labor is cheap there, for 3-5000 I would put it on my home-and if everyone did- it would reduce the demand on power Co
Mexico City is having very serious problems with water now-20 million people there, having to truck water into flush toilets, very bad, there hopefully you get a lot of rain to help, best of luck
I just wondering if instead of trying to fix the grid they just go solar. Maybe just your building put solar panels on the roof or maybe just you could put panels on your balcony. You have plenty of sunshine and think it would be more reliable than what is going on now.
I have tinitus exactly like you! It sounds like a million crickets! The only thing that helps is having sounds louder than the buzzing around me
I've had tinnitus for over a decade. I don't think it will ever go away. It compensates the frequency where I experienced hearing loss, so to stop it I would have to regain my hearing on that frequency. Anyway, preparing to fly to Ecuador.
Good luck, hope you like it here!
@@DonShader We have a home in Ecuador and we love our place. It's even better with electricity!
I'm 81 years old. When I was in grade school in the Northern snow belt USA, I had to shovel the walk way to the street most every day or maybe sweet off the sidewalk if snow was light. I dreamed often of moving to somewhere on the equator of the world so I could be warm and have sunshine. I've been to Honduras, El Salvador and Texas. Why is it so hot there? I keep dreaming of my equator life but it may have to be over in Asia. Where I live now sometimes I wake up at 4 am and sometimes I go to bed at 4 am. I get up for a potty break mostly every several hours. I don't think I could make it with the intermittent electricity that you endure. I live near Chicago and we are already getting frost mornings about dawn. Nothing is perfect but here I am at home with money coming in each month and typical "always on" electricity. I'm thankful that when I needed emergency medical services, all I had to do was dial 911. Living on the equator is one dream I will likely just have to give up. But seeing the background of your balcony reminds me that there are beautiful places but nothing is perfect. I love your truth telling😃.
Lately, I feel as if my retirement dreams have been shattered because of all this, and it’s even worse that I really cannot go back to the US simply because of the outrageous cost of living.
@@DonShader I watch lots of RUclips channel about living in Non-American places. The stuff put out there about inexpensive living has a lot of BS or sacrificing quality of life. As we age our quality of care is very challenging. I hope you keep seeking that better life and finding some place where you can live safely.
@@juligrlee556 Thank you so much.
@@DonShader 😀 I get some inspiration and healing from listening to the lectures of Dr. Brene Brown. Her lesson on vulnerability was helpful to me. Her lecture on what to do when hurt by someone came out a couple days ago. It made me think. Tomorrow is All Souls Day. We all could benefit from having our souls lifted. And, that's coming to you from an atheist. Thank you for sharing bits and pieces of your life....
I love Ecuador, but I might have to agree, maybe not the best time to come here. This could go on for sometime. The government is like all governments slow and reactive. I feel bad for the people here this has got to be hurting them. I pray for rain and a resolution to this problem.
Last night i went to a church procession event near me. The small food carts showed up, keep in mind no electrical power at this time. Someone had a cart with a generator and the guy used long cords and hooked the majority of them up with power for lights, and most were cooking over coals or gas. They find a way
And in the meantime, they're choking everyone out with the gases from their exhaust. Way to go EC!
What's wrong with good quality instant coffee? You can warm up water on gas stove.Prevalent in Ecuador.Orded a cheap or expensive set of solar cells from any American store.Why do you need a fridge? Buy couple of car batteries.When charged they will last several days to charge your laptop, phone etc.
When I hear a story like yours, I can't stop thinking about Cuba. As you might be aware Cuba has failing infrastructures it is somewhat expected there. What a sad story we are going through!! Stay strong..hope for the best! You should start looking at moving away.
Cuba is a whole other level of bad - the blackouts in La Habana are the pits and that’s the capitol city - I cant imagine the orient
@@jimmy999-z2j I concur with you!!
This is unbearable Don😮😮I will probably take the next flight out...just be patient.
Seems like Ecuador would be an ideal place for Solar 🤔 Can you buy yourself a portable Solar setup similar to what RV'ers use?
Hello from Peru. It is correct that Ecuador receive high solar radiation , but also some cloudy days per week. This happens in both regions the coast and the highlands ( Manta, Guayaquil, Cuenca , Quito). On the other side, here we receive high-solar radiation in Piura and Tumbes with no cloudy days, but the rest of the coast less sunny days due to Humboldt Current, so most of our coast is not suitable for solar panels. The situation gets better for the peruvian highlands (500 mts or above) , where sunny days has no cloudy days. For wind energy power plants, Peru is ideal because of strong and permanent winds in the southern coastal region ( vientos Paracas ) Hope this helps.
Thanks so much for sharing dear Don!
I am very sorry to hear about your hearing and, wish I had a solution for you.
The weather - it'll be fine again Don. The psychopaths responsible for it, will come to pay and, pay big time.. It's not that we don't see them...we sure do dear Don. Hang in there and take care ❤🌹❤️
As a tech guy, can you say a little about the best way to protect sensitive electronics when the power outages are so unpredictable?
Hello from Peru. In spanish they are called "estabilizador de voltaje". They are imported when they have low-power-consumption (1000va). They are made in Peru for higher va ( 3000va or more ). As a side note "estabilizador de voltaje" is not the same as "transformador de voltaje" ( 220v to 110v or viceversa)
Additional note . Ecuador name for "estabilizador de voltaje" is "regulador de voltaje" . They are the same gadget. Some names are not the same in countries as avocado called in Ecuador aguacate, while in Peru as Palta.
I certainly recommend surge protectors for your better gear but I also use common sense, which is a lot cheaper, simply by keeping track of the outage schedule and turning off my stuff before the power goes out.
@@DonShader that would be a bit easier if they actually stuck to the schedule! LOL
Have a great day!
OMG!! Don just hang in there with all the other Expats living in Manta,,, yesterday it was confirmed it rained cats and dogs in Cuenca where our hydroelectric dams are situated,,lots more rain expected during the week 🙏🙏
Oh my. My heart bleeds for the people of Ecuador. How can you run a business under these conditions? The rainy season is coming, so maybe things will improve. It is also a challenge to the government, as they will be pressured to be ousted if they can't get a handle on this. And tinnitus is no picnic, hoping that improves for you Don.
Thank Gawd I'm not running a business.
Got it, open up a generator sales and repair business!
All should know that Ecuador troubles started in 2017 when the US and its bankers at the IMFstarted intevening in Ecuador. They cut funding for the electrical, health, social programs, security programs and all the economic syatems which kept our country working. Ex president Correa built several hydrolic power plants and another power system which worked on fuel to be operated in situations we have now.
🙏✝️🙏
Best Wishes For A Speedy Recovery.
Anywhere in the world, be it Russia or Ecuador, where there is corruption, things break down. It doesn't help that corruption often goes along with incompetence. Not coming to Ecuador this year. Not because of the power cuts, just because there are other places to go. I have had tinnitus since I was 18 so 50 years. It sucks and there is no cure but as you found out, background noise, helps.
No place is more corrupt than the US. If you haven't seen that in the last 4.5 years writ large, I cannot help you.
Don, im from Puerto Rico (US) territory and we have the same problem. I lived in Ecuador from 1978 to 1983. It was the same. So enjoy the ride lets tell the president to partner with china or Rusia so they can figure out an electrical solution. Or lets all move out to Paraguay.
Even Brasil have the problem, In Panama we have 17 hidroplants plus juice from. Costa Rica, and the same.
The only solution I see is nuclear power or put solar power. In Puerto Rico I have a small 2300 inverter gen and solar lights and a couple of solar generator to run the internet and one for my cpav, at a cost of 1300.00
No worries. The USVI has outages everyday
hopefully you bought Cetralon Cefadroxilo that come in a pack of 20 i bought it a mall del pacifico it help my dad with his buzz we are neighbor so hope that helps you god bless
Id move
Would this affect you voting nov 4
No, not at all.
I'm very disappointed to have come to a country that lacks the ability to have a good economy.
At least I'm in the mountains where it's not hot.
As if the economy wasn't bad enough without this catastrophe. Now this.
Is this all the major cities Don? Cuenca, Quito?
Yes, it's country-wide.
We keep getting 5 hour plus stints with no power.
The accuracy on the outages has been hit or miss at best..
RUclips wackos - yep. Some level of background or “white” noise can be helpful. Helps your brain to tune out the buzzing.
I have a fan on high near me for tinnitus... white noise helps me... ever consider a solar generator... hang in there pal ... it'll get better
You’re not being negative at all, the truth is the truth…you can’t be Suzy sunshine about everything. Unfortunately gringos aren’t allowed to have opinions about the places we live, in the states on the other hand everyone is allowed to have an opinion, whether they live there or not. It’s almost comical 😂
At any rate…keep up the good work!
Don it sound like you need to get yourself out that mess and come back to America, and When and if Ecuador get their shit together then you can return back.I believed that this problem in Ecuador is never going to get fix anytime soon.
Yeah, or they would have fixed it, by now. Where's the will? I don't see it in the president.
Yes why not rent a place in Arizona for 6-12 months and see if the ringing stops? The news says prices are going down for real estate in AZ.
nope. not the lifestyle i've ever dreamed of.
whats the link you use for power outages?
serviciosenlinea.cnelep.gob.ec/cortes-energia/?fbclid=IwY2xjawFuLWNleHRuA2FlbQIxMAABHT07AOZd5ExpkHcpMzl_PXVat7j9_iv2-1fcy2BALZ8eJ0DKXdvx4RfNRQ_aem_wCORgv8xpLxf5JD7wKxSIA
You need your control code number that starts with 2000 and they will give you your schedule.
It's been failry accurate give or take an hour or so.
Is there any reason to believe things will get better energy wise? Maybe you ought to cut your losses.
Yes there is. If it starts raining when the rain season has started, this will be overwitch till the next draught.
and pray for rain!😂
This is not good, I spent 10 yrs in SA.
This is not going away anytime soon.
It sucks glad I haven't booked my flight.
I agree for now. Don't waste your money.
Don, I can't believe that you returned to Ecuador after you were lucky enough to get out. Why?
What d'ya mean? I didn't get out, I went for a visit. This is where I live, good or bad and as long as I have my girlfriend here, I'll be staying here until I just can't stand it anymore.
@DonShader OK. It seemed to me that you were concerned about the situation there and returned to the US. Also we had chatted about you checking out Uruguay because of the unstability in Ecuador. I don't understand why you guys needlessly put yourselves at risk.
@@KC-in9px Yes, you are correct but I didn't MOVE back. I have money invested here, a car, and a lease on an apartment.
I gave up Uruguay simply because of the cost of housing there. It's as bad as the US.
Let me make something perfectly clear, I didn't "needlessly put myself at risk" by coming here. It's not any more risky than many cities in the US. When I came here, we were under a weak no-name president who finally had to give up and retire but now we have a new one that's willing to put up a fight against the Cartel, at least make an effort to right the wrongs of three different corrup administrations and from the standpoint of economics, it just makes sense to stick around and ride this out.
I do have to say that the culture is and always has been my issue and if it becomes economically feasable for me to return to the US before I get too damned old, I will return. I will have to lose the love of my life which will probably be the beginning of the end for me.
@DonShader I wish you well Don. I understand what you mean regarding the costs in the US. I'm flying out to Bangkok this coming Tuesday. Nice seaview condos are $300/mo and less on the Thai coast. Good luck to you.
Oracion para ti. Mis hijos y yo oramos para ti. Escuchas normal más pronto.
Gracias.
We're having 13 hours of daily outages in Olon during the morning and into dark. We are fortunate to have food and shelter. How the resident digital nomads without a UPS and small. businesses are handling this must be very difficult. Climate change is happening now, and we need to adjust.
Hello , Don! Its a neurological condition with you ear.
It's MY understanding it has nothing to do with my ears. I've been examined twice and both doctors conclude there is nothing wrong with my ears.
¡Bienvenidos a Ecuador 🇪🇨!
¿Usted no tienes pacencia,? es posible Ecuador no es para ti.
@@tomb727 Don’s no longer young, so looks like he’s planning on staying in Ecuador… Thx!
Patience my ass. I've been practicing that for three plus years and look at me now.
Don, by now you should have realized you would be far better off in medellin, Colombia.
NO WAY! Thanks just the same. That would be like jumping out of the frying pan, right into the fire for me.
Tinnitus listed in VAERS. Just sayin'.
What the heck is that?
Oh, Don. Come home. There must be some way to make AZ work for you. Retirement should not be full of aggravation.
I would be there in a heartbeat if I could find affordable housing.
The RE situation is getting better, after my dad passed I came up from central Mexico to spend a few months with my mom and from what I’ve seen it’s become a buyers market. Although their corner of Arizona remains out of reach for me new home builders in Texas are offering multiple concessions to attract buyers. There are even more sellers offering financing with incredibly reasonable down payments. Never though I’d say this but I’m actually considering a move back.
@@rafaeldla I'm a veteran and can get VA financing but I don't know if there is a age limit for me or not. But the problem is the actual cost of housing, even in retirement mobile home parks, it seems like it's very unreasonable. I'm scared for my own future and don't really feel very optimistic about it. I'm very saddened by it all.
This Ecuadoran RUclipsr has a video showing the river in Cuenca at very low levels: ruclips.net/video/GM_WdIZjcPk/видео.htmlsi=n2FBalS43w-6ES5F&t=764.
Apparently there has not been enough rain to allow the hydroelectric power plants to operate.
You mean rain is the only way to produce energy in 2024.
F that crap can get that at home.
Does nobody have any creativity? Take heavy duty extension cord and plug into your good outlet. Put a power bar into the extension cord. You now have multiple outlets for use in your condo.
Does anyone pay attention to what I have been saying? I have a solution that works for me.
I thought you left ecuador when the gangs/cartels took over?
I did for three months but I needed to come back to home. I can't maintain two places at once and the US is entirely too rich for my blood.
Don, this is ridiculous. Don't understand how you are dealing with it. The impact on the country's already fragile economy has to be devastating. This can't be helping the crime situation either.
I know what you mean about the limitations of generators. I have one here in FL for the occasional power outage from hurricanes, but fortunately have never had to use it. It's loud, smelly and I don't want to use it unless absolutely necessary.
I am semi-retired, but do a lot of work on Zoom, and have to have electricity and internet to make money. I'm going to have to broaden my horizons to include other countries. Are you still considering Argentina? I would like to stay in the western hemisphere for the time zones. The idea of teaching Zoom classes at 2:00 am is NOT appealing!!!!
Hope you come to some resolution with the tinnitus. I've had a mild case for years, and just deal with it. Hate to think of it worse!
Take care of yourself, Don. Thanks for letting us know what's happening there! You are keeping it real, and providing a lot of much needed guidance. It's appreciated