Karla Freeman

Travel is so important to writers. We get inspiration for stories as we experience the world. Of course, travel is also important for anyone who likes to learn in the “field” about life and culture. Last year’s trip to Berlin, Prague, Vienna, Istanbul and Greece came during the heat of the immigration crisis in Europe....

You know the advice about putting on your oxygen mask or your life jacket first before you help others. It is true because you are better able to help others when you are not reacting from your own trauma. In light of the terrible earthquake on Ecuador’s coast, I think it’s important to refresh ourselves...

I went to the Galapagos for three weeks and didn’t set foot on a cruise ship. Three weeks? No cruise? Don’t you have to go on a cruise when you go to the Galapagos? With all the advertising for cruises, it’s easy to overlook the fact that it’s possible to explore the Galapagos from a...

By Karla Freeman Ecuador: Come sick, get healthy. No, I don’t mean cure your arthritis or cancer, although that may happen too. I mean get healthy from all the stress-related attributes of Western culture that, in my opinion, cause a lot of our problems, both physical and mental. So what are those attributes and conditions...

By Karla Freeman I live with questions. Since I live to learn, I understand that questions are the raw material that lead to knowledge. My questions change daily. Before moving to Cuenca, I lived in Buenos Aires and I had very different sets of questions. Who were the good tango teachers? Where could I see...

By Karla Freeman Now that you’re an expat, how do you plan a life in Cuenca? Do you try to do the same things you did in your home country? Or, do you understand the need to adapt? For some advice, let’s turn to Paul Simon’s 1975 song “50 Ways to Leave Your Lover,” which...

By Karla Freeman When I arrived in Cuenca and began scouting grocery stores, I walked around wondering, “Where is my Trader Joe’s? I miss getting everything I need in one familiar place.” These days, I go to my friends’ Yanni’s and Tonya’s and Ken’s take out, called Tienda Nectar (Bengino Malo 12-27) and get fresh,...

Editor’s note: Karla Freeman, expat, traveler, tango dancer, writer, currently lives in Cuenca and is the author of Creating Magic in Midlife: 101 Questions and Answers to Reinvent Your Work, Relationships and Life! Available on Amazon Kindle and in Carolina’s bookstore in Cuenca. By Karla Freeman Every year, thousands of people uproot themselves from their...