So, Why the New Website?

I started this page in response to my increasing dissatisfaction with social media in general and Facebook specifically. I have been keeping my Facebook account because I really thought I needed it to stay in touch with my friends and family outside of Ecuador. But, over time more and more of my friends were posting less or leaving FB completely. Additionally there is FB's baffling decision to fill my feed with an ever increasing amount of advertising and "suggested" accounts that I have zero interest in while regularly asking me to click on a button for the privilege of seeing more posts from people and groups that I actually care about. With the time spent scrolling through the garbage and "hiding" and reporting all the spam content, I was spending more time doom scrolling (which I am sure is the goal) and getting less and less benefit. Time is short and mine is too valuable for that nonsense. When Mr. Zuckerberg announced Meta's dangerous and abhorrent new policies on fact checking and hate speech I was appalled. I am a believer in Free Speech, but I believe that freedoms come with responsibility. Facebook couldn’t care less if its users spread hate and lies. Time to pull the plug.

After deciding to deactivate my FB account, I needed an alternative for staying in touch with folks and this is what I came up with. Next step was deciding what I wanted this site to be. Here’s what I came up with and what you can expect if you decide to join me. My intent is to share my observations and photographs of this country and its people that I have come to love so much. I don’t want this experiment to be about me, but rather Ecuador and its people. Of course I will add personal updates about my life and what I am up to. When I do make it about me, I want the focus to be about the impact this country has had on me and my life. I typically hate discussing politics, so don’t expect much of that, but the content will definitely reflect my values. Any talk of politics will typically be around how specific policies impact this country and the lives of the people who live here.

I am very concerned about the global rise of hate and intolerance and issues that accompany it. Immigration, border issues, war, famine, poverty, civil rights, and climate change are complex issues with no easy answers, but getting to know people and making an attempt to understand their lives is a good place to start. Ecuador has its share of problems. There has been a steady influx of folks from Venezuela looking to escape tyranny, crime, poverty, and corruption. For the most part the Ecuadorians have welcomed these new immigrants and do their best to help them and many have become good friends of mine. In recent years the drug cartels have gained a foothold and crime in some areas is out of control. Climate change has taken a serious toll on the Amazon and Andes regions. The challenges are many, but the people of this county show me everyday that these things do not define them and I want to share their stories. Facebook is designed to keep you scrolling with memes and quick hits. The stories I want to tell deserve better. My hope is that if people do me the favor of visiting my site, they will slow down, read, and enjoy the photos (you will find the link to the Photo Albums in the menu bar at the top of the page). Ecuador has done me a great honor in allowing me to live here and it deserves more than I feel I can contribute on Facebook. Also, expect to A LOT of content about the arts.

If you’re still with me, please consider scrolling to the bottom of this page and sign up for the email list. I promise not to spam you, I will only send you a message when there is a new blog post so you don’t miss anything (maybe two or three times a month-ish). Also, I would love it if you would leave a comment when you visit so that I know that you were here. You can either join as a member or leave a comment without joining, but if you choose the second option your comment will be anonymous so, please sign your comment with your name so that I know it was you. You can also go to the contact page and send me a private message if you want. Feel free to provide feedback on any navigation glitches or on how I can make this a better experience. Thanks for reading this really long post.

~Hasta la proxima!

"Freedom"