There are over seven-million Americans living in foreign lands. My wife, Este, and I are two of these expats. We moved to south-central Ecuador, but not near any headhunters or active volcanoes. We don't think we are loco, but we might be wrong about that. Most of our friends in the U.S. think we are loco. We might need medical help.

We moved for the climate and the adventure. We got both a great climate and some incredible and funny adventures. This book describes those adventures as we said goodbye to friends and family, bought land, built a house, moved our stuff, bought a car, and tried to fit into our new environment. We are still trying.

We have learned a great deal in Ecuador. For example, if you eat pork after surgery, you will not heal. If a young girl gets caught near a rainbow, she will get pregnant. If you drive up the side of a volcano, it is dangerous. If an owl is near your house, someone will die. Who knew? Well, the volcano part is rather obvious. We are still learning, and we are still laughing. That is a good thing because we are committed to our new lives. Laugh with us; it's better than crying.