Hello from canada

Hi Freddy,

I am Canadian in Ottawa presently, but soon to move to Ecuador - Loja province in the southernmost part, bordering Peru.  From experience I would offer:  you may not be psychologically ready yet.  You will absolutely know when you are ready.  Whatever ties hold you back in Canada, you make your peace with what separation you can manage.   On the purely physical side, you , being a Newfie, may want to go visit various countries to get an idea of what is out there and what you do and do not like about parts of those countries.  Every country is different.  I made my choice based on many factors.  Climate was quite important.
I have never actually been to Ecuador, but been to other Latin American countries and have friends from many L.A. countries here in Ottawa.  I am certain that this move is right for me.  What is right for you is very individual choice. ! Buena suerte!

HelenPivoine

“So I am just looking at places that would offer a new direction in life.”

Ecuador won't provide that unless you know what you are doing. You were "once a chef", submit your resume to hotels and restaurants to get a feel of availability. Realistically, maybe you don't have a chance in Ecuador. So be proactive in whatever you want to do.

travelxc wrote:

“So I am just looking at places that would offer a new direction in life.”

Ecuador won't provide that unless you know what you are doing.

I disagree. I think living in a new location can make a profound difference in a persons life. There are many expats I have say this same thing. I now live in Cuenca, after living in Canada most of my life. I did a lot of reading about Ecuador before coming here. I watched video interviews with expats that are living here and I looked at a lot of photos and videos as well. When I arrived I fell in love with the place almost from day one. I did not do a preliminary visit I just uprooted and came here. It was also easier for me as I don't have any immediate family except for my cat that made the journey from Canada with me. My idea was that if I didn't like it I could always leave and go somewhere else. Nothing binds anyone to any particular place if you don't let it. For me, this hasn't been a profound experience as it has for some I have read about, but it certainly is different than what I have been used to. The experience of living in a different place can be very rewarding. But you have to be open to the experience. If you let too many things get in your way it probably won't work.

Yes it's all relative, and my situation requires diligence.  As for “profound difference”, I really don't know what people mean by that. Love? Career? Change of Scenery?  Choosing Ecuador for me is more or less based on, and in no particular order: People and Culture, Housing, Climate, Residency, Schools, Food, Safety, Activities, Natural Beauty, Healthcare, and last but not least Cost of Living.

thanks for the replies all, very interesting comments. I would tend to agree with those who have basically  said to each his/her own...we are all different. I would like to point out as this seems important that I am not  naive 20 something looking for `change`. I am a 53 year old that has worked and traveled quite a bit and am quite capable of adapting to various situations and lifestyles. On that note, |I am a low maintenance type of person who can get by, relish challenge, and look to the positive in such a move.

On another note, not sure with what `being a newfie` really means as someone mentioned. For starters, most Newfoundlanders (sorry Labradorians!) that I hang out with realize that that term alone is historically a derogatory moniker established by American servicemen and it snowballed into a derisive way to label people from a given area. One thing, I would point out is economically we have  as a people migrated form confederation on through Canada to fuel other provincial economies, and well, that probably pre dates confederation.

freddychef wrote:

relish challenge, and look to the positive in such a move.

That is all you need. Go for it and enjoy your life.