Dividend Update: August 25

 

 The power of routines is strange and sometimes somewhat frightening. I've been living in Ecuador for a month now and after weeks of living out of my suitcase and some very shady real estate agents offering us departments, we've found one with which we (for now comfortable with). School has already started for two weeks and it's astounding how quickly one can go from being overwhelmed, amazed and at the same time frightened by a new setting to quickly settling in and having it become second nature. If a month ago somebody had told me that it would be normal for me to walk along palm tress while looking at mountain peaks while walking in the school yard, I would have called him crazy. Two weeks later and I sometimes have to pinch myself to notice it anew and that this really is happening.

When it comes to work, any new school is like a cruise ship and it takes time to learn all the new names, your way around the school, to learn about the gossip within the school, to know who to ask if you want to see something done, etc. Thanks to very supportive colleagues which I've met here, you get by though. But when it comes to the students, the adaptation was surprisingly easy, which is also thanks to very supportive colleagues which I've met here. What it (I think) comes down to that kids, regardless of where they are from, more or less have the same needs, the same weaknesses and the same strengths. Though the school is a private one and you can tell me from the stories of the kids' holidays that they come from money, I don't feel a big difference in dealing with them. What is different though, and what I still find somewhat funny and both endearing, is that the kids call me by my first name here, which is very common. I still sometimes don't react to it because I'm used to being called Mr. ... 

Privately, I'm happy so far and very relieved that the security issues which I thought might influence my life in a substantial way have so far not materialized. Throughout the day, I don't feel insecure in the neighbourhoods I'm frequenting. This doesn't mean that I walk around with my phone all the time in my hand and a fancy watch on my wrist, but if you use common sense, so far everything has been fine. At night though, life is different here. You don't just step out of the door at night to go for a walk or to stroll along the neighbourhood. If you do go out at night, you go where you want to go by taxi or (better yet) Uber to get there. There is very little aimless wandering about the place at night as safety becomes more of a pressing issue once you lose daylight.

One issue I do face is that I rarely ever get the chance to see the stock market live in action as I'm either asleep at work most of the time the stock market is open (because of the time difference). So far this has been somewhat neglectable as I've been "hoarding" a bit of cash as I'm still living off my savings: the first two salaries have yet to be paid, which is due to the visa process taking a bit longer than I (and my employer) expected. In total, I haven't invested (I think) since May and I still don't know how much of my salary here I can reserve for investing as I have yet to go through a full month without any out of the ordinary expenses or a full salary.

Needless to say, my portfolio remained unchanged as I didn't buy or sell anything in the last two months. All of this inaction amounted to a rather weak August, which is not surprising as February, August and November tend to be poorer months. I also suspect that the weaker dollar didn't help in increasing my dividend, but I tend to have a rather relaxed perspective on that and think that in the long run this will balance out. In total, I collected 395.58€ from 35 stocks and/or funds.

 

1. British American Tobacco: 54,62 
2. SPDR S&P Global Dividend Aristocrats: 35,52 
3. Hercules Capital: 34,16 
4. Agree Realty: 30,72 
5. Realty Income: 30,32 
6. Arbor Realty Trust: 30,13 
7. Omega Healthcare: 29,87 
8. Main Street: 15,82 
9. Starbucks: 15,17
10. Foresight Solar Fund: 11,73 
11. AbbVie: 10,43 
12. Sequoia Economic Infrastructure Inc Ord: 9,40 
13. Greencoat UK Wind: 9,29 
14. Verizon: 8,38
15. Texas Instruments: 7,85
16. Sabra Health Care: 7,65 
17. Equinor: 6,38 
18. The City of London Investment Trust: 5,89 
19. Kinder Morgan: 5,59 
20. JPMorgan Nasdaq Premium Equity Income: 5,34 
21. CII: 4,14 
22. BSTZ: 4,06 
23. NNN Reit: 3,81 
24. BUI: 2,81 
25. EPR Properties: 2,64 
26. LTC Properties: 2,07 
27. SL Green Realty: 1,80 
28. RQI: 1,75
29. RNP: 1,70 
30. IncomeShares Gold+ Yield ETP: 1,56 
31. Global X S&P 500 Covered Call: 1,20 
32. Horizon Technology: 0,68 
33. Air Products & Chemicals: 0,51 
34. Stag Industrial: 0,39 
35. Ahold Delhaize: 0,15 

 

Greetings from my new school in Ecuador - take care!