Just how, "conservative" IS Cuenca?

I've never set foot in Ecuador, but since no one else has responded to your questions, I'll give you my thoughts.  My girl friend and I are Americans, plan on moving to Cuenca in a couple of years, have done a lot of online research, and share some of your concerns.  We're atheists, politically liberal, and while I don't have any tats, she has several.  We don't want to go where just being ourselves causes trouble, but, that said, you can't please everyone no matter where you live, and I think we'll be able to get along just fine in Ecuador.  If not, Uruguay, though more expensive, is known to be a progressive society and we'll go there.  One of the best ways I've found to get informed about expat life in Ecuador is reading the blogs here on this site.  Each blogger has links to other bloggers, those bloggers have links to still other bloggers, and you'll find that the gringos are a very diverse group of people.  You are courteous and thoughtful, so you should fit right in.  Good luck to you.

John

Hi John,
Thanks for your reply! I don't understand why so many forum posts go unanswered. Considering this is a place for people to ask and answer questions it doesn't get a lot of action. Oh well.
Our current goal is 2.5 years (to move) once hubs retires from the military. Maybe we'll cross paths one day!
cheers,
andrea

Nobody here (that matters) cares about your religious or personal grooming preferences.  Are you kind, thoughtful, positive, and interesting?  If so you'll have no problems.

Hi Ed,
Yes! We are all those things! At least I like to think that we are.
One of the reasons I was concerned was because a dozen or so years ago I spent a year living in Honduras with a friend of mine. We both had our noses pierced and it caused quite the stir at the school we were teaching at.
Anyhoo...thanks for your response!

I think that you have to understand "conservative" here as a holding on to certain values, like the importance of families, and not a political statement.

Christmas eve and New Year's eve are huge family gatherings.  Unlike, at least my experience of the States, it is adults of all ages, children, teens etc in one place.  My wife and I went to a New Year's Eve party at a local hotel in Quito.  It was a dress up (coat-tie etc) but it was filled with parents and children...  Children, even adult children tend to live with their parents.  This may be economic as well as "conservative".  But it is not seen as strange or different.

As to religion, yes their faith is important to them.  But, and I speak as a believer, neither at Sunday Mass nor in private conversations, have I ever heard a rant against any other group, including atheists.  When we arrived here in Cuenca I had to ask neighbors about the closest parish and Mass times. 

As a conservative culture, alternative life style in dress or tats are not the norm.  A few weeks ago we (wife and I) were in the park in front of the cathedral.  There was this young man with spiked hair.  No one paid him the least bit of attention nor to the young lady who was with him. 

Actually, I find them more accepting than I do certain groups in the US.  Of course, that might be because if you are not part of their family, you are not their concern.

Come down, stay a few weeks and see how you like it.  At best, all of this is just my opinion backed up by just my opinion.

Mike