Welcome to ECUADOR RAW & REAL đȘđš
After 2 years on the coast in Manta, I made my way up into the Andesâand Iâve been falling in love with Cuenca ever since. Five months deep into this mountain-city lifestyle, and thereâs no turning back.
This channel is all about showing the real, unfiltered expat life in Ecuador. From the laid-back coast to life in âThe Bowlâ of Cuenca, Iâm sharing the ups, downs, surprises, and everyday beauty of living abroad.
No fluff. No tourist gloss. Just real stories, real people, and real-life experiences as a long-term expat (aka gringo) embracing life in Ecuador.
đ Subscribe to follow the journey, get tips on moving/living here, and experience the RAW & REAL Ecuador with me.
Cuenca Ecuador đȘđš living life as an expat or gringo. 2 years in Manta but really loving đ„° The bowl here in Cuenca 5 months and counting
ECUADOR RAW & REAL
Chapter 1: I Woke Up Dead
I woke up dead. At least, thatâs how it felt.
One second, I was in a hospital bed in Saskatoon, the kind of place you think exists to keep you alive. The next, the air around me was different â sharp, electric, heavy like a storm about to snap. My heart was hammering over 200 beats per minute, pounding so violently I could feel my teeth rattle. The fluorescent lights hummed like angry hornets overhead, every flicker a threat.
The last thing I remembered was a doctor telling my partner, âHeâll probably be ready to go home later tonight.â
Yeah. Right.
Somewhere between now and then, Iâd slipped into another world.
My body felt strapped to a freight train, but my mind was in a carnival funhouse. Walls breathing. Shadows bending in ways they shouldnât. Voices whispering in tones just low enough to keep me guessing whether they were real. I couldnât tell if I was dreaming or dying, and honestly, both felt possible.
Hours vanished like spilled water. Then the whispers sharpened into orders. The doctors and nurses werenât here to save me â no, they were planning something else. Something surgical. Something final. My skin prickled. My breath was too fast, too loud, like it was betraying me.
I had to move.
The sheets tangled around my legs like restraints, and I tore them off with the strength of pure adrenaline. My bare feet slapped against the cold tile. The hallway looked endless â too long, too bright, too clean. Somewhere behind me, someone yelled my name. Or maybe it wasnât my name. Maybe it was a code word.
Security boots pounded closer. Rubber soles squealed on polished floor. A nurseâs voice tried to sound calm: âKarman, stop, youâre okayââ but she wasnât fooling me. Nobody says âyouâre okayâ that many times unless youâre not.
I took a sharp corner, almost wiping out on the turn, barreled through a set of double doors into another corridor. Every exit sign glowed red like it was mocking me â youâll never make it.
Then they were on me. Not gentle. Not patient. Arms around mine, locking me down, forcing me back into a room that stank of antiseptic and panic. Something cold and metallic bit my wrist â a restraint. My heart was a grenade about to blow. My last clear thought before the sedative dragged me under was that this was how theyâd kill me.
It wasnât the first time Iâd felt trapped, and it sure as hell wouldnât be the last
5 months ago | [YT] | 4
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ECUADOR RAW & REAL
5 months ago | [YT] | 5
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ECUADOR RAW & REAL
Ecuador is renowned for its diverse ecosystems, cultural heritage, and attractions such as the GalĂĄpagos Islands and the Andes mountains, which draw visitors from around the world. By 2023, the tourism sector has likely been recovering, but for the most accurate and current statistics regarding how much money tourists are bringing to Ecuador in 2023, I recommend checking official sources like Ecuadorâs Ministry of Tourism or reports from international tourism organizations.
6 months ago | [YT] | 2
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ECUADOR RAW & REAL
All right first of all thank you so much to all the subscribers old and new. This channel has been a work in progress and Iâve had a great time making these videos. I welcome any and pretty much all requests đso send em on. Since the garbage video and all the comments it really opened my eyes to a serious issue here in Ecuador đȘđš. Check out the comments and thanks for coming along for the ride
All my blessings
Karman
Bien, antes que nada, muchas gracias a todos los suscriptores, tanto antiguos como nuevos. Este canal ha sido un trabajo en progreso y me lo he pasado genial haciendo estos videos. Acepto casi todas las solicitudes đ, asĂ que envĂenlas. Desde el video basura y todos los comentarios, realmente me abriĂł los ojos a un problema grave aquĂ en Ecuador đȘđš. Revisen los comentarios y gracias por acompañarnos.
ÂĄBendiciones!
Karman
6 months ago | [YT] | 8
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ECUADOR RAW & REAL
Renting in Ecuador
1 year ago | [YT] | 5
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ECUADOR RAW & REAL
This is Carloâs and Iâm stoked to have sat down beside him one day and talk 4 hours. Turns out heâs super gifted when it comes to artwork. âȘ@animalhousealways⏠â Ecuador Raw and Real will team up with Carloâs to bring youâŠ. The awesome viewer (subscribers) an upfront and personal experience with the streets and people of Manta Ecuador đȘđš
Only will you find this type of content here on Ecuador đȘđš Raw&Real.
Yes Carlos also speaks English đ
2 years ago | [YT] | 6
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ECUADOR RAW & REAL
Carnival Manta EC. Raw & Real
2 years ago | [YT] | 10
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