Expat Community > Ecuador

rodreego
Joined 2012
Posts: 239

APRIL FOOLED!!!

9 years ago

As some of you may remember, I posted a little parody for April Fool’s day here and elsewhere.

It took off on Cuenca High Life’s gaffe when they printed a spurious article about expats being required to learn Spanish to stay in Ecuador PRIOR to the April Fool’s date. Basically, I profiled a guest population in turmoil and evacuating the country like someone flushed!

One of those submissions was to Gringo Tree. Here is, in part, the response of their editor, Maryanne Marble (cc to Gerente de Operaciones; Neil Mailer):

“Wow! That was hilarious. I shared it with most everybody here at the GringoTree office, and we were rolling. Thank you for that!

Unfortunately, we won’t be publishing it. It hits too close to home for too many people, and GringoTree is trying to stay out of the Cuenca HighLife controversy.”

So I wrote back to them:

“The way you worded it; that's a damn shame! I say this without rancor or resentment but look at what you said: Why would you possibly deprive your readership of a laugh as enjoyable as your office experienced?

It reeks of timidity and shows an unwillingness to allow your readership to laugh at themselves, implying distrust in their discernment.

Oh, maybe I'm just pissed off because a couple of times I've asked you how to write for you and/or what's going on with Gringo Tree in Quito and I've never been responded to.

Whatever, and respectfully,”

So this is what I got back, from the Jefe, Mr. Mailer himself!

“Thanks for the response. No need to discuss the article at this point since the opportunity is behind us now. That being said, I would love to talk to you more about the later half of your email regarding writing for us. I'm not sure where your previous emails were going when you sent the request but i got this one and you have my attention.

GringoTree is actively looking for writers from all areas of the country and we would love to have someone like yourself on our team. With the launch of our new webpage in the coming weeks we are making a huge push for original content so writers are extremely valuable to us at this point.

With your permission, I would like forward your contact info to our Editor Joanna Bender. She can outline some of our needs in greater detail and you can decide from there if it's a good fit for you.

Let me know how you would like me to proceed.”

So, I did and he didn’t and embarrassed to have been the butt of my own joke, I am leaving Ecuador forever, knowing that none of my insights are valued.

I do pride myself, however, on having forced Mr. Mailer to compose an all-purpose rejection letter that he can use whenever he desires to insult a writer.

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SJB Global is a top-rated financial advisory firm specializing in expat financial advice worldwide, offering retirement planning & tax-efficient solutions with a regressive fee model.
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SJB Global

SJB Global is a top-rated financial advisory firm specializing in expat financial advice worldwide, offering retirement planning & tax-efficient solutions with a regressive fee model.
Learn More

SJB Global

SJB Global is a top-rated financial advisory firm specializing in expat financial advice worldwide, offering retirement planning & tax-efficient solutions with a regressive fee model.
Learn More

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Expat Community > Ecuador

APRIL FOOLED!!!

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