TV is 'Different' Here

As a self admitted life long TV addict, I'm sure some of you are wondering what I have been doing to get my fix here in Quito. The truth is, I am excited to be forcibly removed from the source of my addiction. Towards the end of our time in Warwick, I was watching a gross amount of TV. I mean hours and hours everyday. Even with my DVR I was having trouble keeping up with my schedule. There were too many shows to watch! Honestly, the fact that I was so hopelessly addicted to the TV was a motivating factor to moving to Ecuador. It was time for a change and I needed to get off my couch.

While we were looking forward to watching less TV, we had no intentions of going cold turkey upon our arrival. So, we bought 2 TVs and quickly signed up for the best service available here - DirectTV.  We get an odd hodgepodge of American channels including - WB, E!, MTV, Bio, History, Discovery, TBS, A&E, FX, Fox, TNT, NatGEO, TLC etc.

While this list may seem robust, none of the channels are playing the same content that you'd see in the states. We get a LOT of '90s sitcoms.  They LOVE Friends and Seinfeld.  But, oddly, they also play a ton of the Big Bang Theory, King of Queens, Everybody Loves Raymond, and my least favorite - Two and a half Men.  Of course, as is true in America, Law and Order is on some channel at all times. None of the channels are playing anything current, so I wont be watching any of the fall season's shows.

The main networks - NBC, ABC, CBS are not available through any of the service providers unfortunately. But, I have discovered a few pirate websites that let us stream them via a local Pennsylvania station. Its funny to watch and get the local news and weather.

Anyway, it's not so bad. I like that I watch so much less TV and that I appreciate the few things I do watch. Several websites wont let me stream their shows on-line from here, so I am officially off all the Real Housewives, which I don't mind, but I am missing Bill Mahar.  Of course, have no fear, Spencer purchased the NFL Game Pack on-line so he has access to every Football game this fall.  He is all set.