By Heather Walters
NICK and Melanie Thompson are doing things their way. They and their four young children have embarked on a journey to explore parts of the world and experience the many cultures it contains firsthand and for real.
Currently, they are in southern Ecuador, at the edge of the rainforest. It is not an extended holiday for them, it is a lifestyle adjustment, one they have planned for, researched and then wholly embraced.
The couple left Norfolk County over a year ago and have rented a rural property that, in some way, resembles their off-grid homestead in St. Williams. However, their rented backyard in the Valley of Longevity contains mango trees, avocado, passion fruit and several varieties of banana trees. Local donkeys, dogs and chickens ramble through the property regularly to the delight of the kids.
Nick described their location as “the land of eternal spring, so it never gets below 16°C and never gets above 27°C. It’s sunny every day and there are no bugs because we are high enough in elevation.”
How they got there, and why, is the interesting part.
“We began taking adventures together the second we began our marriage,” Melanie said. “We had a clear understanding of values, so that when we took a look at where we wanted to spend our time, resources and energy, the path was clearly laid out and it was a matter of taking the steps needed to fulfill that path. To be clear, it’s not about getting away from what we had or have, it is more about creating a reality that allows us to live our best lives together.”
In other words, they would rather do things than have things, and have worked out a financial formula to make this work.
Melanie has always stayed home with the children and homeschooled them.
Nick has worked at many things, most recently as a realtor—a position that allowed him to have flexible hours and spend more time at home on the small farm they own locally.
When they are in Norfolk, they work diligently, spend carefully, save when they can, and grow much of their own food, while researching interesting, safe and affordable countries to visit.
They tested the waters, so to speak, by embarking on an extensive road trip through Mexico. At that time, they travelled with young kids (between ages three and seven) and a dog and camped or stayed in short-term rentals as they went along. They fondly recall “much excitement about the beach camping, off-roading, and many natural wonders” they could visit and explore fully, with no major timeline restriction.
Melanie stated that the kids have always been part of the planning process.
“We’ve involved the kids as much as we could when we initially left our home in St. Williams,” she said. “They helped us with the planning and packing and through constant conversations, shared our excitement. We have discussed the various needs and anticipations we might have. Leaving their friends wasn’t the biggest challenge, it was leaving the nature, animals and familiarity that comes from living on a farm.”
Melanie went on to explain how Ecuador became their next choice.
“We decided upon Ecuador for a number of reasons. We got a taste of Latin American culture [in Mexico] and although the country is eclectic, beautiful and inspiring, there were many drawbacks in that country as well. We were told by close friends and even a couple of strangers about how amazing Ecuador is, all that it may offer as visitors to that country. In fact, we were visiting Monte Alban, an archaeological site in Oaxaca, Mexico, when a couple felt compelled to tell us about Ecuador. After speaking with us for a short time and connecting us with one of their American family members living in Ecuador, they convinced us we should at least give it a look. Other coincidences pointed us in that direction, which led us to researching the country and how it may fit into our family’s next step on the travel path.”
The Thompsons say that Ecuador has many different visa options for how long you can stay in the country, depending on one’s lifestyle, financial capabilities and needs.
“We had an easy transition,” Melanie said. “We connected with a local community who welcomes foreigners. We are currently living on a farm, so the lifestyle is very similar to how we lived back in Canada.”
The freedom to adventure together as a young family of six is its own reward. The family has been enjoying cultivating the majority of their own food, learning as they go how year-round growing conditions are different than Canada’s.
In the dry season, they head to the river in their backyard daily to swim and cool off. They are surrounded by mountains, which means lots of hiking and camping with new vistas, flora and fauna all around them. The slower pace of life and the opportunity to meet many new people, both from Ecuador and visitors from elsewhere, are also highlights.
The kids are rapidly learning Spanish and are helping local children in the nearby village learn English.
The family’s stay in Ecuador will be done when they are called to another place or another opportunity presents itself that they can’t say no to.
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Originally published May 14, 2025
