Arrowsmiths in Ecuador: making friends

The internet is an amazing thing. Long before we arrived in Cuenca, we joined a Facebook group for "expats" living in Ecuador. Through this group, we got advice on how to obtain residency visas, what to bring, where to live, etc. We also discovered that a group of families, mostly with children, meet every Saturday afternoon at a local park. So before we even set foot in the country, we had a playdate. And we were all ready for it yesterday, especially the kids. They have not been able to play with other kids since the day after Christmas when they last saw their cousins in Texas. Craig and I really enjoy one another's company, but we were also ready to meet new people!

The meet-up location is Parque de el Paraiso and it is the largest park in Cuenca. It is spectacular! I chose to include this photo of the lake within the park (where you can borrow a paddleboat for free!), but it also has playground equipment, tons of bike paths and greenspaces. We met several, very nice couples and families with children (most of the children are tweens - teens, but 1 teen girl is very interested in babysitting and took a shine to Sofia and Grace! Yay for us!!) One family in particular has 2 daughters, ages 6 & 8, who are currently living in Costa Rica but plan to move here in August. An afternoon in the park turned into a walk downtown for dinner at a fantastic pizza place that will surely become a regular hangout for us. By the end of the night, Craig and I had signed up for a book club, the girls were hugging and giggling, and we all felt just a tiny bit "at home" here in Cuenca.