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Vilcabamba Glimpse #32

The Emerging Community

In 1912, my father, then two years old, with several siblings and his mother, emigrated for many reasons from Italy to the United States. Like many immigrants, they settled in a community of their own ethnicity, i.e., Italians with Italians, Irish with Irish, and so forth.

In 2005, I emigrated from the United States to Vilcabamba, Ecuador. Though far from my intention, I acquired a large and strikingly beautiful, albeit neglected and overgrown, riverfront ranch, Hacienda San Joaquin. Here, my associate (Carl Wescott) and I transformed this property and developed a limited number of extraordinary home sites.

Quite remarkably, an international community, comprised of exceptional people leaving their respective countries for many reasons, is beginning to form on this unique ranch. It is a community bound together not by common nationality but by common mentality. These forward looking people with global perspectives seek a quality of life rich in relationships with each other, the land, and their Ecuadorian neighbors.

While the ranch, its setting and amenities are truly something to behold, I believe the quality of the community that will form here will transcend the place. Not only will these individuals take joy in each other in this magical setting, but together they will favorably impact this region and beyond. That is my sense as I observe the quality of people drawn here and the emerging pattern of what is coming together on this ranch.

Photo 5912 - Rainbows and double rainbows are frequent here.This photo was taken from the west end of the ranch looking east.
Photo 5921 - A view looking south from the Reception Center.

The photos:

Best, Joe

Joe Simonetta
Owner/Architect
Hacienda San Joaquin
Vilcabamba, Ecuador


P.S. International Living named Ecuador "The Best Place in the World to Retire" http://www.haciendasanjoaquin.com/best_in_the_world.html