Lee Geiger

One’s destination is never a place, but a new way of seeing things.

Henry Miller

Where have you gone, Nelson Geiger?

Believe it or not folks, but there has been an actual Nelson Geiger sighting. It occurred in late August with an email titled “My Love/Hate Relationship with Ecuador.” After running Nelson’s lengthy missive through the Prophet-spin cycle, here are a few of his Latin American tidbits.

I love Ecuador… as I awake to the sound of birds chirping in my yard, I see why Ecuador is a top 3 destination in the world for bird watchers. Then my thought gets disrupted by the screech of a neighbor’s rooster, the same one that was crowing at 2am last night. I hate Ecuador.  

I love Ecuador… as I lift myself from bed as the warm, gentle breeze brushes past my forehead.  Then I get bit by a mosquito on the arm because the window were open all night. How do they live and rent properties without screens on the windows? I hate Ecuador. 

I love Ecuador as I get up to go to the bathroom and I’m feeling good because I’m noticeably lighter than I was in the states. Then my mood changes as I have to walk through my front yard to go to the one and only bathroom in my two bedroom house. And this is new 2014 construction. What were they thinking detaching the bathroom from the house?  I hate Ecuador.

I love Ecuador as I get in the nice, hot shower powered by a tank of natural gas that lasts a couple weeks which cost a mere $3 due to subsidies provided by the local government.  But my feeling shifts as i tweak the shower knob and the temperature goes from scolding hot to ice cold due to a millimeter shift. Really people, you can’t figure this one out?  I hate Ecuador.  

I love Ecuador as i drift through the aisles of the grocery store admiring all the delicious exotic fruits. However, the bathroom cleaning solution that I always buy is no longer available because of some new import restriction… yet I’m offered no alternative, which prompts me to wonder, “am I the only one who cleans his bathroom in this country?” I hate Ecuador.

I love Ecuador, I think as I catch the $1 taxi to the bus stop 10 minutes away. Afterwards, the driver changes the agreed upon price on the fly and asks for $2 because the main road was closed and he had to take a detour. I hate Ecuador.

I love Ecuador as I arrive home and glance at the moon which seems way brighter than any moon I saw growing up in North America.  Then I realize the moon seems so bright cause all the lights are out in my neighborhood, we’re without power. I hate Ecuador.

I love Ecuador as I walk in my front door and am warmly greeted by my beautiful girlfriend. Then I realize she’s being so nice because she’s about to tell me her sister and her sister’s kid just moved into our spare room. Permanently. I hate Ecuador.

Thank you, Nelson. Keep those cards and letters coming.