Rick Snyder
Rick Snyder is semi-retired and has loved living in Cuenca since October 2017. His move from Chicago to Cuenca came after a brief career as a financial advisor that followed a 25 year career of managing commercial relationships with some of the best known financial institutions in the U.S. Rick served as lead writer for yapatree.com and he volunteers on the Board of Directors of Azuay Community Theater. He is an author, a fan of live theatre and directing, music, great food and cooking, and his 2 cats, Negrita and Panchita. Rick graduated with an MBA in Marketing and Finance from Northwestern University's Kellogg School of Management in 1981.
Articles by Rick Snyder
Why I Wrote "Things To Do In Retirement Playbook" - And How Cuenca Helped Me Do It
Editor's Note: We're excited to share an inspiring article from Rick Snyder, former editor and longtime friend of YapaTree. After seven years of retirement in...
Landlord Hide and Seek and Other Games
Editor's Note A tenant and long-term YapaTree contributor, Rick Snyder, wrote this informative article from a tenant’s point of view. YapaTree Properties...
Cash or Card? Navigating Payment Methods in Cuenca
Some things take expats a while to figure out after they move here. One vexing (though unsexy) topic is how to pay for goods and services. Like many day-to-day...
Foodie Follow-up: 7 More El Vergel Restaurant Highlights
Welcome back to our cavalcade of cuisines. This article is a follow-up to another that was published recently called The “Secret” Cuenca Park Surrounded By...
The “Secret” Cuenca Park Surrounded by Sensational Restaurants
My first apartment when I moved to Cuenca 6 years ago was in El Vergel. We would head over to Santa Anita Park just a few blocks away where a few lonely food...
Ecuador Jazz Festival 2023: A Tornado of Tradition and Innovation
From September 14 to 23, the transformative sounds of jazz filled the air in Quito at the 18th edition of the Ecuador Jazz Festival. This year the festival...
Quito Travelog Part 1: Papallacta Hot Springs
Quito and its environs don’t seem to come up much when Cuenca expats talk about traveling in Ecuador. I hear about trips to the coast and the jungle but the...
Todos Santos Heritage Complex: Cuenca’s Hottest Tour Destination
I always get inspired when I gaze up at Todos Santos church and its beautiful white spire and bell tower. Because there are so many vantage points from which...
Guide to Learning Spanish for Retirees in Cuenca
Now to a topic of regular discussion between expats: Learning Spanish. For us expats to get along here, knowing some conversational Spanish is essential as...
Home Tech Support Provider Roundup and Streaming TV Help
What do you do with a FUBAR computer, pokey internet speeds, or the black screen of death on your phone or TV? Panic is a common response because for me,...
ACT Evening of Short Plays Opens Friday, February 17
February Comedies at Azuay Community Theater An evening of laughs awaits Cuenca theater-goers starting Friday, February 17 with the opening of An Evening of...
Cuenca’s Cultural Differences - What US Retirees Should Know
Cuenca is full of surprises, and as an expat, you can count on more than a few! From the moment you arrive, you might be taken aback by some of the quirky...
Finding Your Perfect Massage in Cuenca
If you're looking to relax and rejuvenate in Cuenca, a massage might be just what you need. Not only is massage an enjoyable way to unwind, it also has a host...
Specialty And Gourmet Foods: Cuenca Shopping Guide (Part 3)
So, this is becoming a bit ridiculous. This is the 3rd installment in my Cuenca Specialty & Gourmet food series. I just keep finding more and more exceptional...
Specialty and Gourmet Foods: Cuenca Shopping Guide (Part 2)
At last, what you have all been breathlessly waiting for these many months. We previously published Part 1 of Specialty and Gourmet Foods: Cuenca Shopping...
Tercera Edad Benefits: Promises and Reality
If you are a 65+ year old expat with temporary or permanent residency in Ecuador, you are eligible for certain benefits. But, sometimes there can be a...
International Travel Tips and Tricks
Lately, I've found myself doing more traveling. It seems to be that time of year for many of us wanting to take advantage of better weather back in our...
Specialty and Gourmet Foods: Cuenca Shopping Guide (Part 1)
With a bit more time on my hands these days, I have found that preparing meals and cooking gives me a creative outlet and a more interesting diet and I also...
How Expats Can Save Big on Medications and Supplements
One of the inevitable developments for many of us as we “gain maturity” (i.e., become “viejitos”) is the onset of different, chronic, health conditions that...
Cuenca Animal Causes and Volunteer Opportunities
This article is a continuation of our Cuenca Volunteer Series . We previously looked at Cuenca volunteer opportunities and today we're introducing you to local...
Giving Back - Cuenca Expat Volunteer Opportunities
Many of us with time on our hands feel the itch to lend a hand to Cuenca’s less fortunate but don’t know how to get started. This article will tell you how to...
Azuay Community Theater Presents the Comedy, How The Other Half Loves
If you enjoy a live stage comedy, get ready for some fun with Azuay Community Theater’s production of How The Other Half Loves by renowned playwright, Alan...
Guide to CD Investing in Ecuador
Editor's Note This article was contributed by Rick Snyder. Rick is a long-term resident of Cuenca and has been very generous with his time & effort in helping...