We had been talking about South America so we started to explore the opportunities, with a focus on Chile and Argentina. We had visited both countries and felt we could be comfortable living there for a year. Politically, both countries are reasonably safe but some recent political unrest gave us some pause for thought. We learned from friends that an acquaintance of ours who had been teaching in China for several years was now teaching in Ecuador. Research, showed us a country that is very stable and becoming a destination for many ex-pats due to it's temperate climate and reasonable cost of living. She was living in a city called Guayaquil which is located on the coast of Ecuador. The year round temperature in Guayaquil hovers around 70 degrees and with a job waiting for us when we arrived, it sounded very promising. But for some reason, we had difficulty in making up our mind.
As the date to make our decision drew near our discussions more often then not kept returning to China. We had number of excuses why China kept moving to the top of the list. The need to start all over again in a new country when a return to Harbin would be so much simpler. A lame excuse really, as we have never been afraid to start over. The pay was lower than what we earned in Harbin. An even lamer excuse as money is at the bottom of the list of why we would be attracted to a new place. Bottom line, we missed our extended Chinese family and adding the lame excuse numbers 1 and 2 above, we are once again in Harbin. Oh, but we should not forget those seductive two hour long lunches and the chance to make new friends. 
Besides I had been immortalized on the walls of the English Department and I just had to see it for myself.
Stay tuned faithful readers.
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