* Ecuador Real Estate – Compassion

* International Investments – IN-sured

* Natural Health Tip – Even More Debuggin

Ecuador has many wonderful features. Compassion is one. The system allows for a human touch, for interpretation of the spirit of a regulation that goes beyond the letter of the law. For example in our village of Cotacachi, a man stands in the main intersection and directs traffic. He is dressed in the typical grey camo of the traffic police. He has his whistle, works all day, saving the community the cost of a stop light. He gets the job done.

Where does compassion come in? This old man is not a policeman…not even an official of any kind. He’s an old homeless man who does this to keep busy instead of begging. People give him small tips as they drive by. This gives him his livelihood and his dignity. Does everyone know that this is just an old homeless guy? No human is a just. That’s the feeling in Ecuador. Everyone knows who he is and what he is doing and they leave him to it.

Imagine how long a homeless, self appointed traffic director would last in the West. In most places not long. The letter of the law would not let him do it! Not to mention the insurance and liability concerns.

Here is one of the homeless people we help feed at El Meson.

Because of this humanity there are few liability concerns so many costs are really low! For example our man in Ecuador, Steve Marchant, just wrote:

“I spent a couple of hours helping a guest who had an insect bite that became infected. We went to the hospital by taxi - $1. Waited half an hour in emergency, then a very sweet lady doctor and slightly sterner but also very pleasant nurse proceeded to clean and disinfect the wound on the swollen leg. Cost of treatment - $3 !! (It’s so low you feel kind of embarrassed paying). Then we were led by the nurse to the in-hospital pharmacy and bought anti-biotic pills, an antibiotic cream and a painkiller - total $5.10. Then we were shown out of the hospital and jumped back in a cab for El Meson - another $1. Grand Total $10.10. In the US this would have cost $150 for similar attention before any medicines were bought. That's inflation busting - Ecuadorian style!”

Ecuador also has wonderful culture. For example musician, Moti Deren, and his wife, dancer Suzanne Reyes, are in their fifth year bringing the world together to celebrate life, peace and global understanding through the Home of Dance festival.

They invite well known dancers, artists and musicians from around the world each year for the most important dance event in Ecuador. This is an international event…a festival without the likes in Latin America or really in the World.

The fifth anniversary of this event will be held March 8-18, 2007.

Moti recently sent me a note saying, “The heart of Andes mountains, la Casa de la Danza (The home for dance) of Quito, Ecuador, summons all brothers and sisters of the dance world, dancers, choreographers, companies, groups, historians, dance critics, writers, etc., people who from their different artistic languages, techniques and genre can join together for this Great Festivity for Peace, Unity and Identity, and we invite you to celebrate Life with our dance and chants, so that from the middle of the Sacred Center of the World we can put a ray of light towards the reconstruction of our Mother earth, society, and above all, reconstruct human hearts and thoughts.”

Learn more at http://www.casadeladanza.org/

Here is a group of musicians and dancers that our group visited during our last Super Thinking + Spanish course.

Ecuador also has good property value. Here are pictures of the interior of a house in San Miguel a project close to El Meson. A typical house like this in the 1,400 square foot range would cost about $40,000 to build.

Living Room

Bedroom

For those interested in Ecuador and in learning Spanish we have added two extra sessions of the Super Thinking + Spanish August 31-September 4 and October 12-16. These are special condensed five day programs conducted by our man in Ecuador, Steve Marchant. For details go to http://www.garyscott.com/catalog/sp/index.htm

International Investments – IN-sured. See more about hidden inflation and GSEs in tomorrow’s message.

Natural Health Tip – Even More DeBuggin. See yesterday’s message at

http://www.naturalhealthguidelines.com/natural_health_news_5.htm

Wherever in the world you go, I hope you find compassion, music and good value!

Gary

P.S. Ecuador also has good wine! The group at our last Super thinking + Spanish course visit a local organic vineyard about 20 minutes from El Meson! There is an excellent Swiss Cheese factory nearby as well.

Join Merri, Thomas Fischer of Jyske Bank and me at our last International Business and Investing Made EZ course in North Carolina this year. Review where to invest and do business now and learn which markets and currencies may be strong in the year ahead. Meet Steve Marchant, our man in Ecuador, and learn about products to export. Go to http://www.garyascott.com/catalog/ibeznc.html