Greg Gilliam is an expat who started his odyssey by driving through Central America on a extended vacation. He found his paradise when he eventually arrived at Canoa Ecuador on the Pacific coast, where he became an expat.
What he has done since then is nothing short of amazing. Putting his architectural design skills to work, he began eventually creating his own hotel, The Canoa Beach Hotel. The following is interview with him over email.
Photo Credit: Greg Gilliam
1. Why did you leave the U.S.?
I left the states just on a brief vacation and quickly discovered that I knew relatively very little about Latin America and its cultures. I could not even think of going back when I came to the end of the road in Panama and I was so determined to continue with my discovery of Latin America, that I hopped on a sailboat and headed for Ecuador.
Not long after I arrived in Ecuador, I found myself designing and building some really cool stuff and best of all, I was unchecked by the appraisal/refinance monster that rides herd over creativity in the U.S. Housing market.
Here, in Ecuador, I found I had complete freedom in design and for the first time in my life I was, and still am, really excited about designing and building.
2. What were some of your favorite stops on the way down?
There were many places on the drive which were very special; one was Colima, Mexico. The people in Colima are by far some of the most hospitable I have ever found in my travels. They made it a great trip.
My brother and I were camped for a few weeks at an old airport turned into a dragstrip. We decided to have a little party for all the friends we had made while in Colima and invited everyone we could get in contact with and told them to come to the airport, where I thought we’d drink a few beers and eat a few snacks while we said our goodbyes.
Two hours passed and no one had shown up for our party and my brother and I were beginning to wonder what had went wrong, when suddenly our party guests arrived with what looked like the whole town in tow. I mean at least 100 people, all bringing food and drinks.
It took us another two more days to actually be able to leave Colima.
3. Where did you end up at the end of your drive?
Panama is another of the places with many nice people and a culture that has been created by the canal. Panamanians are easily some of the most resourceful people you will ever meet. I think they can tackle just about anything and everything.
In Panama City there is a very strong international culture, which lies only a few miles from a beautiful rural culture full of hardworking respectful people.
We were politely surprised once, when in gringo Spanish and really bad charades, hoping to get a band-aid, the guy behind the counter at a country tienda said in perfect English “You boys ain’t from around here are ya?” and then proceeded to wow us with tales of taxi driving in New York City and how this little store was what he wanted to do in his retirement.
Photo Credit: Canoa Beach Hotel
4. What are you doing now?
I became involved with a local architect, a great one, named Antonio Naranjo, who along with Enne Arquitectos have founded the green building council in Ecuador.
Once again, I am totally loving life. We just finished designing and building the Canoa Beach Hotel.
We are excited for the way it has become a haven of relaxation for my building clients, and as a popular spot for tourists. At Canoa Beach Hotel guests can experience firsthand my take on sustainable architecture. It is also a great springboard for our new project, Senderos of Canoa, where we are building condominiums on the same beach, Senderos.
It is a novel project in design and functionality, while keeping the same organic randomness that I believe comforts us so much about nature.
Photo Credit: Greg Gilian
5. What advice can you give someone who wants to build a dream home in Ecuador or even Canoa Ecuador?
If you want to build a dream home in Ecuador, I highly recommend first finding your dream location, and there are plenty. But before you leap into that place, rent in the area you like, and make sure you are still enamored with it 3 months later.
There are many qualified architects and builders in Ecuador, but due diligence is key to your success, so call their references and look at their projects, especially the older ones.
Most importantly really collaborate with your architect and create something that is really you, this is your dream home, to me, building is all about making your personal statement. This is sorta how I roll.
I love Ecuador. For many reasons, but it is hard to pick just one. The Ecuadorian people are great, especially if you take time to learn the language and the culture, but don’t confine your experience to a few expat locations.
In Ecuador you certainly will never be bored, but and as anywhere in the world, there are stories of bad deals, crime, and any number of the negative behaviors that trouble every place on the planet, so be smart and respectful, and you just might find that Ecuador is a dream place to live.