The Amenity Migrants of Cotacachi

This paper addresses amenity migration in Cotacachi, Ecuador. Amenity migration refers to the increasingly popular trend of North Americans (and occasionally Europeans), who are generally retirees, moving to countries such as Panama, Costa Rica and Ecuador in order to enjoy a higher standard of living at a lower cost. For retirees, a fixed income that would barely provide a comfortable middle-class lifestyle in the United States goes much further in countries such as Ecuador or Panama. The rising cost of health care in the United States is also an important factor, since health services are usually much more affordable in these places. These factors (housing, domestic help and health care) plus the overall lower cost of most goods and services in the host countries make this kind of migration increasingly attractive to many older North Americans. Using qualitative fieldwork and textual analysis, this paper examines why amenity migrants chose Cotacachi, Ecuador, how they perceive the town and how they perceive themselves in relation to the town. It also explores how Ecuadorians perceive their new neighbors and the effects the migrants have had on the local community. Applying the idea of the coloniality of power, the paper explores the similarities between amenity migration as it is currently practiced and colonial attitudes of centuries past. It concludes with suggestions of how amenity migrants can alter their practices and beliefs to engage more profoundly the community they now live in.

Name thesis:degree_name

Master of Arts

Level thesis:degree_level

masters

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Latin American Studies

Grantor dc:publisher

The Ohio State University

Year dc:date

2013

Author dc:creator

• Kline, Anisa May

Contributors dc:contributor

• Del-Sarto, Ana

• Latin American Studies
• amenity migration
• Ecuador
• Cotacachi
• tourism
• coloniality of power
• international retirement migration
• residential tourism

Statement dc:rights

• unrestricted
• This thesis or dissertation is protected by copyright: all rights reserved. It may not be copied or redistributed beyond the terms of applicable copyright laws.

Language dc:language

English

Repository record dc:identifier

http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1364551601

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:etd.ohiolink.edu:osu1364551601