AmberFenton
Canadian expat in Ecuador
Forum posts
85
Contacts
18
About me
Canadian
Lives in Ambato
Registration: 28 December 2013
Customer care in Ecuador by Priscilla
Hello everyone, The way customer services are handled can greatly affect your views on certain brands, products, companies or stores. As a consumer, it is important to get familiar with local practices regarding client assistance in Ecuador and ...
Thanks for letting me know, that after 3 years, I am doing o.k. with Spanish. Made sense. I still have a long way to go. They wanted $20 an hr. at a language school in Guayaquil and I politely declined. Then, I just did not feel like going to ... Read More
Customer care in Ecuador by Priscilla
Hello everyone, The way customer services are handled can greatly affect your views on certain brands, products, companies or stores. As a consumer, it is important to get familiar with local practices regarding client assistance in Ecuador and ...
Right off, I noticed that you live in Cuenca. When I first came to Ecuador, I only came for a visit and stayed with a lovely young couple outside of Guayaquil near the Via Samborondon. I really liked it, almost everybody I met spoke English, so I ... Read More
Customer care in Ecuador by Priscilla
Hello everyone, The way customer services are handled can greatly affect your views on certain brands, products, companies or stores. As a consumer, it is important to get familiar with local practices regarding client assistance in Ecuador and ...
Living in Ambato now for a year has been great. I really like the Centro City, and the customer service in the stores has been a very positive experience. Most of the better restaurants also have great staff. My Spanish is still kind of awful, but I ... Read More
Your new local habits in Ecuador by Priscilla
Hello everyone, Living in Ecuador is a great way to immerse in a new culture and lifestyle. Have you embraced local customs since you've lived in Ecuador? If so, which one(s)? Did local customs change the way you see things, appreciate life ...
Three years ago, I went to visit a young couple in Guayaquil and I liked it enough there, to come back to retire in Ecuador. I acquired a Visa to be a resident and a Cedula I.D. I also had to learn Spanish, which at my age is still a bit of a ... Read More
Best cities to live in Ecuador by Julien
Hi, Its not always easy to decide in which area to settle in when moving to Ecuador. According to you, what are the best cites to live in? Which regions offer most of the job opportunities, a good quality of life, an affordable cost of ...
Hola, vsimple: off and on, I was teaching English part-time at private schools, sometimes volunteering, and then I found a little elementary school in walking distance, and it said the name of the school: Aleman. Since I was born in Berlin, and ... Read More
Best cities to live in Ecuador by Julien
Hi, Its not always easy to decide in which area to settle in when moving to Ecuador. According to you, what are the best cites to live in? Which regions offer most of the job opportunities, a good quality of life, an affordable cost of ...
I am sure Quito is best for most Ex-pats. Ambato's weather seems warmer, which I like. I am not into mega-million people cities any more, and at my age [71], I do not need any kind of night-life. I have made a few new friends among local ... Read More
Best cities to live in Ecuador by Julien
Hi, Its not always easy to decide in which area to settle in when moving to Ecuador. According to you, what are the best cites to live in? Which regions offer most of the job opportunities, a good quality of life, an affordable cost of ...
Thank you. I have heard a few good things about that place. I think, however, that I have found the One place I like the best. Ambato is the right size, I live on a plateau overlooking the city - among the Native people, trying to learn more ... Read More
Environmental protection in Ecuador by Kenjee
Hi, Environmental protection is a challenging issue for all the countries around the world. Would you say this issue is deemed of significance in Ecuador? Is the country going green through initiatives like waste management and selective ...
I have absolutely No plans of leaving Ambato. It is up to me, to make adjustments and I will. I have been here for 8 mos., love the weather and the surroundings. This is the perfect place in Ecuador for my retirement. I have a few new acquaintances, ... Read More
Environmental protection in Ecuador by Kenjee
Hi, Environmental protection is a challenging issue for all the countries around the world. Would you say this issue is deemed of significance in Ecuador? Is the country going green through initiatives like waste management and selective ...
I have been living with my Ecuadorian companiero in the City of Ambato for 8 months, and we love it here. The city is about an hour and a half drive from Quito, and we are at 8,000 ft. elevation. Ambato is perfect for me [retirement] and my ... Read More
Environmental protection in Ecuador by Kenjee
Hi, Environmental protection is a challenging issue for all the countries around the world. Would you say this issue is deemed of significance in Ecuador? Is the country going green through initiatives like waste management and selective ...
Pollution from Trucks and Buses is the worst, and one of my pet peeves. Loud barking dogs, dogs and cats all over the place and the garbage in the streets, plus the feces of all the animals. Non-existent sidewalks, or those, with repair badly ... Read More
Tips and advice to thrive in Ecuador by Priscilla
Hi, When living in a foreign country, you have to adapt to a new environment, various cultures and different social codes. How did you manage to adjust to Ecuador? How long does it take to feel at home? Would you say it is an easy ...
Your experiences in Ecuador sound almost like mine. I am living with an Ecuadorian man, younger than I am, but he found a nice job here in Ambato. We found a cute little retirement home for rent, about 15 min. by car outside of Amabto on a plateau ... Read More
Tips and advice to thrive in Ecuador by Priscilla
Hi, When living in a foreign country, you have to adapt to a new environment, various cultures and different social codes. How did you manage to adjust to Ecuador? How long does it take to feel at home? Would you say it is an easy ...
Hi there, I guess, I am the other Canuck on this site. Came to Guayaquil in 2013, and did not really like it much after a while. Although, I lived outside the city on the Via Samborondon and had some lady friends and the Internations Meetings once a ... Read More
New: Gatherings and events in Ecuador by Julien
Hi, Would you like to have a coffee, organize a dinner or find people for activities in Ecuador? To help you meet people and find outings in Ecuador, we launched a [b]Gatherings and Events section[/b] in Ecuador: you can now follow whats ...
Thank you for the Info. I know, where Esmeraldas is, so that gives me an idea. Went to Banos recently, and liked it - for a visit. The Cascades were great. Ecuador is a beautiful country, it just needs to be cleaned up some, in many places. Read More
New: Gatherings and events in Ecuador by Julien
Hi, Would you like to have a coffee, organize a dinner or find people for activities in Ecuador? To help you meet people and find outings in Ecuador, we launched a [b]Gatherings and Events section[/b] in Ecuador: you can now follow whats ...
No clue where Tonsupa is, sorry. I am in Ambato, hoping to meet some ex-pats. In 6 months, I have only met one couple from Canada, and they work 7 days a week with their bakery business. They go to Banos for Ex-pat meetings. For some reason, there ... Read More
Traveling to Ecuador with a large dog by Wnlight
If you can, take small dogs on board with you. We brought a standard poodle with us from Miami. So, he had to be in cargo. We used an approved (by AA) crate. When we arrived in Guayaquil Dec 27th, American Airlines dropped our dog and his crate ...
thanks for reply. that is one way to educate people. I noticed, that at the school, where I was part-time teaching, the kids were taught to use the bins for their garbage, and the school yard was very clean. I have also seen small kids putting ... Read More
Traveling to Ecuador with a large dog by Wnlight
If you can, take small dogs on board with you. We brought a standard poodle with us from Miami. So, he had to be in cargo. We used an approved (by AA) crate. When we arrived in Guayaquil Dec 27th, American Airlines dropped our dog and his crate ...
Thanks for your reply. I have been in Ecuador for 2 years, and like most of it so far. I am retired and I was able to teach English and German part-time. Enjoyed it a lot. Ambato is actually one of the cleanest, larger cities, I have seen so far in ... Read More
Traveling to Ecuador with a large dog by Wnlight
If you can, take small dogs on board with you. We brought a standard poodle with us from Miami. So, he had to be in cargo. We used an approved (by AA) crate. When we arrived in Guayaquil Dec 27th, American Airlines dropped our dog and his crate ...
There are more dogs than people in Ecuador. There are a lot of strays running around loose in the streets and entering open area restaurants to beg for food. One cannot get away from the constant barking, doggie-doodoo left on the side-walk and the ... Read More
New: Gatherings and events in Ecuador by Julien
Hi, Would you like to have a coffee, organize a dinner or find people for activities in Ecuador? To help you meet people and find outings in Ecuador, we launched a [b]Gatherings and Events section[/b] in Ecuador: you can now follow whats ...
Hi Julien: thank you for writing. I am originally from Germany, but have lived most of my adult-life in Canada and a few years in the USA, before I came here to Ecuador to retire, without speaking a word of Spanish. Maybe not the best idea, but I ... Read More
South America or Ecuador, alone, let me know how it was for you by 06michael018
HI-this is my first post- I am Michael-I live in Wa. now-but I am looking for a nice warm place to retire, and I here South America, mostly Ecuador, is where a lot of folks go to retire. I have not been outside the US yet, so when I visit there it ...
So far, so good. We have been very lucky. Hopefully, it stays that way with Tungurahua. The reason, the house seems so small, is only, that I was in a house more than twice the size for $110 a mo. in Chillanes , but we just did not like it there. No ... Read More
South America or Ecuador, alone, let me know how it was for you by 06michael018
HI-this is my first post- I am Michael-I live in Wa. now-but I am looking for a nice warm place to retire, and I here South America, mostly Ecuador, is where a lot of folks go to retire. I have not been outside the US yet, so when I visit there it ...
thanks, that was nice. I always appreciate your informative comments as well. And now, you are only an hour and a half away from where I am. I still have Not met any "white" folks here. My hair is turning white, I am very white-skinned ... Read More
South America or Ecuador, alone, let me know how it was for you by 06michael018
HI-this is my first post- I am Michael-I live in Wa. now-but I am looking for a nice warm place to retire, and I here South America, mostly Ecuador, is where a lot of folks go to retire. I have not been outside the US yet, so when I visit there it ...
I have been in Ecuador for 2 years now. My Spanish is still not that great, but I can go shopping by myself, to the hair-dresser, restaurant, and I have no problems. The first year. I lived outside of Guayaquil on the Via Samborondon, near LaJoya. ... Read More
Making phone calls in Ecuador by Maximilien
Hi, When settling in Ecuador, one of the priorities is to be able to make phone calls. How to proceed to get a landline installed in Ecuador? What are the mobile operators? What is your average monthly budget? Thank you in advance for ...
When you first come to Ecuador, and you want to stay - let us say, on one of the 13 different visas, it is Not an easy task. Especially, when they hand you the List of Required Documents at the very end of your trial and error experience with the ... Read More
Diesel pollution from the buses in the larger cities by rjwagner
I am interested in finding credible sources that can speak to or offer reports on the diesel pollution from the buses in the larger cities. I would like to offer potential solutions to this and need to know more about the extent of the problem ...
You have a really good point there. I live on a street with a bus line, and a lot of trucks come along this way as well. The house I am renting is set at the back of a long and narrow property, so I do not get all the noise, but walking on a broken ... Read More
Volunteering in Ecuador by Maximilien
Hi, While living abroad, some expats wish to get involved in the local community life. What organizations expats can turn to if they want to volunteer in Ecuador? How to join a charitable institution, what are the steps? Which causes ...
I totally agree with all of you. Teaching and animal rescue are great volunteer opportunities. For a few months, I lived in a small town in the mountains this year. I walked into the local High School and asked, if they would be interested in an ... Read More
My name is Angel and I am 44 years old by Angel2018
Hello, My name is Angel and I am 44 years old. I plan to move to Ecuador in a couple of years. I am still working on convincing my husband that it is a good idea :) My son is 2 years away from obtaining a BA of Accounting, and says he may want to ...
Thank you for your reply. I applied for a teaching position, as an English teacher, and I was told, that I had to go through a language course and an equivalence test for teaching, in Guayaquil. I have been teaching 30 years and I am now retired, ... Read More
My name is Angel and I am 44 years old by Angel2018
Hello, My name is Angel and I am 44 years old. I plan to move to Ecuador in a couple of years. I am still working on convincing my husband that it is a good idea :) My son is 2 years away from obtaining a BA of Accounting, and says he may want to ...
Hi Angel: living in Ecuador takes an awful lot of adjusting. I came about 2 years ago, to retire here. It was extremely difficult to get a Visa to stay here permanently. It is also Not at all easy to learn Spanish, and I speak, read and write three ... Read More
Help! "I'm an Amazon Addict"! by cccmedia
New member and book-lover BC45 in Jacksonville, Florida, has just introduced himself as a frugal-living retiree, age 70. He is falling in love with Cuenca from afar, but won't be able afford to satisfy his book addiction if he has to pay the ...
I am having the same type of problem finding English books. They are only available in Guayaquil and Quito [I don't know about Cuenca]. I live in Ambato. So, I travel to Quito every 3 mos. or so and go to Mr. Books at the Mall in the North end. ... Read More
Diesel pollution from the buses in the larger cities by rjwagner
I am interested in finding credible sources that can speak to or offer reports on the diesel pollution from the buses in the larger cities. I would like to offer potential solutions to this and need to know more about the extent of the problem ...
You are right about the trucks and even some cars. The buses and trucks actually spew black smoke from their exhaust pipes. I don't know, how Ecuadorians can stand it. They don't seem to care or even notice. I have rented a small house at ... Read More
Diesel pollution from the buses in the larger cities by rjwagner
I am interested in finding credible sources that can speak to or offer reports on the diesel pollution from the buses in the larger cities. I would like to offer potential solutions to this and need to know more about the extent of the problem ...
In 2013, I immigrated to Guayaquil, Ecuador from Canada, having had a lovely visit with friends in a suburb called LaJoya before. We found a fantastic apartment nearby, on the Via Samborondon. The pollution from buses and trucks was terrible. The ... Read More
New Ecuador health care system by seoulguy
I refer to the January changes indicated in this Huff Post article: http://huffingtonpost.com-kathleen-peddicord-retire-to-ecuador_b_4561063.html If I am to believe the writer, the new health care system is allowing P-I retirees, i.e., legal ...
In answer to cccmedia: I am in a small town in the mountains of the Province of Bolivar. The watchmaker looks like he is about 78, but his grand-daughter claimed, that he was actually 100 years young. I could not believe it. He still fixes watches ... Read More
New Ecuador health care system by seoulguy
I refer to the January changes indicated in this Huff Post article: http://huffingtonpost.com-kathleen-peddicord-retire-to-ecuador_b_4561063.html If I am to believe the writer, the new health care system is allowing P-I retirees, i.e., legal ...
thank you for your kind reply. I lived in Guayaquil for about a year and 4 mos., beautiful apartment near Samborondon. Unfortunately, no air condition, and since I was only renting, I decided against the extra expense. I am German/Canadian and the ... Read More
New Ecuador health care system by seoulguy
I refer to the January changes indicated in this Huff Post article: http://huffingtonpost.com-kathleen-peddicord-retire-to-ecuador_b_4561063.html If I am to believe the writer, the new health care system is allowing P-I retirees, i.e., legal ...
I have been paying into IESS since December 2014. There was a 3 mos. waiting period, before I could use it, unless there was an emergency. Then I was told, the Hospital I went to in Guayaquil - Kennedy - was Not accepting IESS and I would have to ... Read More
Moving to Ecuador from Canada by Barbara Suderman
Hi, everyone out there! I am hoping you can help me with some issues and would appreciate your feedback. I am returning to Calgary, Canada on Tuesday to prepare for my move here at the end of June. Yes, I realize it is not the most opportune time ...
@cccmedia: thank you so much for explaining, how it can be for some of us. Not all of us have the same experiences. My situation might have been a tad "unique" and perhaps it looked very "unorganized" to some other people, but ... Read More
Moving to Ecuador from Canada by Barbara Suderman
Hi, everyone out there! I am hoping you can help me with some issues and would appreciate your feedback. I am returning to Calgary, Canada on Tuesday to prepare for my move here at the end of June. Yes, I realize it is not the most opportune time ...
nobody asked me for a marriage licence or a divorce certificate, or a birth certificate. However, there was a list requiring more than 8 different documents, letters and certificates. That list seems to change every few months. They gave me the one ... Read More
Moving to Ecuador from Canada by Barbara Suderman
Hi, everyone out there! I am hoping you can help me with some issues and would appreciate your feedback. I am returning to Calgary, Canada on Tuesday to prepare for my move here at the end of June. Yes, I realize it is not the most opportune time ...
@cccmedia: thank you so very much for all your information. That is truly very king of you and totally appreciated by me. Good advice about the bank, too. I will make sure, that is taken care of as well. I will feel a heck of a lot better, once I ... Read More
Moving to Ecuador from Canada by Barbara Suderman
Hi, everyone out there! I am hoping you can help me with some issues and would appreciate your feedback. I am returning to Calgary, Canada on Tuesday to prepare for my move here at the end of June. Yes, I realize it is not the most opportune time ...
To Gardener1: sorry about the obviously false info on IESS. I was looking on the Internet, and must have misunderstood something somewhere. I also talked to English speaking Ecuadorians, who told me the same thing, maybe they did not know exactly ... Read More
Moving to Ecuador from Canada by Barbara Suderman
Hi, everyone out there! I am hoping you can help me with some issues and would appreciate your feedback. I am returning to Calgary, Canada on Tuesday to prepare for my move here at the end of June. Yes, I realize it is not the most opportune time ...
thank you so very much. That info about IESS was on the Internet. I need to go to their main office in Centro City or where-ever it may be, and find somebody, who speaks English or take my friend with me, who is a totally bi-lingual Ecuadorian lady. ... Read More
Moving to Ecuador from Canada by Barbara Suderman
Hi, everyone out there! I am hoping you can help me with some issues and would appreciate your feedback. I am returning to Calgary, Canada on Tuesday to prepare for my move here at the end of June. Yes, I realize it is not the most opportune time ...
thank you so very much for this information. I was getting scared. I wonder, how many single peeps know about this problem, finding health insurance after 65. Maybe not too many women come here alone at the age of 68. I was insured through a ... Read More
Moving to Ecuador from Canada by Barbara Suderman
Hi, everyone out there! I am hoping you can help me with some issues and would appreciate your feedback. I am returning to Calgary, Canada on Tuesday to prepare for my move here at the end of June. Yes, I realize it is not the most opportune time ...
Hi Jo Ann: thanks for your nice reply. Yes, I am happy here, and now, I am busy trying to sort other important things out as well. Like getting a bank account here, which I somehow managed. And now the all important Health Insurance. That seems to ... Read More
Moving to Ecuador from Canada by Barbara Suderman
Hi, everyone out there! I am hoping you can help me with some issues and would appreciate your feedback. I am returning to Calgary, Canada on Tuesday to prepare for my move here at the end of June. Yes, I realize it is not the most opportune time ...
I still have an address in Toronto. My house in another city is lost. The renters have not paid for 10 mos. and the Bank is taking the house back to sell it. I was unable to sell it, while I was still in Canada last year and gave it over to my ... Read More
Moving to Ecuador from Canada by Barbara Suderman
Hi, everyone out there! I am hoping you can help me with some issues and would appreciate your feedback. I am returning to Calgary, Canada on Tuesday to prepare for my move here at the end of June. Yes, I realize it is not the most opportune time ...
Hi Barbara: thanks for your reply. I finally managed to get myself a bank account here, which required the permanent visa in my passport, the Cedula and a Letter of Recommendation from someone I have known here for 2 years. Slightly impossible, ... Read More
New Ecuador health care system by seoulguy
I refer to the January changes indicated in this Huff Post article: http://huffingtonpost.com-kathleen-peddicord-retire-to-ecuador_b_4561063.html If I am to believe the writer, the new health care system is allowing P-I retirees, i.e., legal ...
I have been reading all these comments about Heath Insurance in Ecuador. Unfortunately, I gave it little thought, when I left Canada, it sort of slipped my mind. Now, after hearing good things about S...d, I find out, that they do not take on new ... Read More
Moving to Ecuador from Canada by Barbara Suderman
Hi, everyone out there! I am hoping you can help me with some issues and would appreciate your feedback. I am returning to Calgary, Canada on Tuesday to prepare for my move here at the end of June. Yes, I realize it is not the most opportune time ...
thank you - I am certainly very relieved to have this all done and over with. Now I can concentrate on where I want to live for the next few years. Read More
Moving to Ecuador from Canada by Barbara Suderman
Hi, everyone out there! I am hoping you can help me with some issues and would appreciate your feedback. I am returning to Calgary, Canada on Tuesday to prepare for my move here at the end of June. Yes, I realize it is not the most opportune time ...
As a Canadian, it was different with the documents, than it is for Americans. I did not need a birth certificate, nor a marriage licence or divorce papers. The most important papers were the Pension certification and the Police Clearance. The rest ... Read More
Moving to Ecuador from Canada by Barbara Suderman
Hi, everyone out there! I am hoping you can help me with some issues and would appreciate your feedback. I am returning to Calgary, Canada on Tuesday to prepare for my move here at the end of June. Yes, I realize it is not the most opportune time ...
Barbara: I forgot to tell you, that once you let the Canadian Pension people know, that you live here now, they want 30% of the pension. I pay 15% now, and haven't heard anything back from them yet. Perhaps you knew this already, but there ... Read More
Moving to Ecuador from Canada by Barbara Suderman
Hi, everyone out there! I am hoping you can help me with some issues and would appreciate your feedback. I am returning to Calgary, Canada on Tuesday to prepare for my move here at the end of June. Yes, I realize it is not the most opportune time ...
Hi Barb: Glad you made it back and forth to Canada. I just received the Permanent Residence Visa and the Cedula, which is all important. The I.D. card, everybody HAS to have here, to open a Bank account, to get Health Insurance, and so, so much ... Read More
Moving to Ecuador from Canada by Barbara Suderman
Hi, everyone out there! I am hoping you can help me with some issues and would appreciate your feedback. I am returning to Calgary, Canada on Tuesday to prepare for my move here at the end of June. Yes, I realize it is not the most opportune time ...
Hi Barbara: welcome to Ecuador. I would really like to keep in touch with you, as I am planning to visit Cuenca in the not too far of future. There is a possibility, that if I really like it there, I might move from Guayaquil to Cuenca eventually. ... Read More
Moving to Ecuador from Canada by Barbara Suderman
Hi, everyone out there! I am hoping you can help me with some issues and would appreciate your feedback. I am returning to Calgary, Canada on Tuesday to prepare for my move here at the end of June. Yes, I realize it is not the most opportune time ...
why wait? Things are not getting any cheaper in Canada. That is one reason I left. Another was the awful weather in Ontario. Get all the info you need, and there is a lot, and a lot you only find out about, once you get here. Canada has no ... Read More
Moving to Ecuador from Canada by Barbara Suderman
Hi, everyone out there! I am hoping you can help me with some issues and would appreciate your feedback. I am returning to Calgary, Canada on Tuesday to prepare for my move here at the end of June. Yes, I realize it is not the most opportune time ...
Hi Mikking: I live on the outskirts of Samborondon, in a gated community by the river Daule. It is affordable, with a decent income. Seguro taxi are not expensive. Friends take me to markets and other inexpensive places to go shopping. I do not ... Read More
Moving to Ecuador from Canada by Barbara Suderman
Hi, everyone out there! I am hoping you can help me with some issues and would appreciate your feedback. I am returning to Calgary, Canada on Tuesday to prepare for my move here at the end of June. Yes, I realize it is not the most opportune time ...
Hi, welcome to Ecuador! I have been here almost 9 mos. - 3mos. visiting visa, and a 6 mos. $250 visitor`s extension visa, in order to get all my documents together, plus letters in Spanish, plus local Police Clearance Record, plus all docs. ... Read More
Crime Rate in Ecuador by DXBDINO28
I am considering moving to Ecuador but after reading this article https://www.osac.gov/pages/ContentReportDetails.aspx?cid=13476 I am bit scared . How true is the article? Can Expats please tell me is it safe for family life? Thanks
just like in my home-country Canada, Ecuador does not allow guns. If you bring one and smuggle it in, you risk an uncomfortable visit to a prison, and then you are sent back. Of course, those who wish to have one, which usually are the criminals ... Read More
Crime Rate in Ecuador by DXBDINO28
I am considering moving to Ecuador but after reading this article https://www.osac.gov/pages/ContentReportDetails.aspx?cid=13476 I am bit scared . How true is the article? Can Expats please tell me is it safe for family life? Thanks
very unfortunately, in Toronto, Canada at the Ecuadorian Consulate, I was NOT told the truth. I was told that I had 8 months, in which I could easily apply for Resident Status. I had been in Ecuador in August of 2013 for a 10 day visit, so I decided ... Read More
Crime Rate in Ecuador by DXBDINO28
I am considering moving to Ecuador but after reading this article https://www.osac.gov/pages/ContentReportDetails.aspx?cid=13476 I am bit scared . How true is the article? Can Expats please tell me is it safe for family life? Thanks
thank you, Jo Ann in Wichita, Kansas. I love positivity in peeps and that kind of out-look has been with me as long as I can remember back. I used to go to all the Festivals in downtown Detroit, and believe me - I did look a whole lot different ... Read More
Crime Rate in Ecuador by DXBDINO28
I am considering moving to Ecuador but after reading this article https://www.osac.gov/pages/ContentReportDetails.aspx?cid=13476 I am bit scared . How true is the article? Can Expats please tell me is it safe for family life? Thanks
Hi Joan... forgot the rest. You gave me something to think about. I am applying for my Permanent Resident Visa for retired folks here tomorrow [in Ecuador] and it has been exhausting, costly and exasperating, especially since I am no Spring ... Read More
Crime Rate in Ecuador by DXBDINO28
I am considering moving to Ecuador but after reading this article https://www.osac.gov/pages/ContentReportDetails.aspx?cid=13476 I am bit scared . How true is the article? Can Expats please tell me is it safe for family life? Thanks
I really liked your blog. It was informative and unbiased and I totally agreed with everything you wrote about. You know what you are telling people, is just the simple truth. South America is not everybody's bag, but I love it here so far. Read More
Crime Rate in Ecuador by DXBDINO28
I am considering moving to Ecuador but after reading this article https://www.osac.gov/pages/ContentReportDetails.aspx?cid=13476 I am bit scared . How true is the article? Can Expats please tell me is it safe for family life? Thanks
If you are thinking of coming to Guayaquil, a city of 4 million people, with the whole family, the only safe place I can think of is the suburb of Samborondon. It is a tad more expensive than other places, but I think it is safer. I live on the ... Read More
Crime Rate in Ecuador by DXBDINO28
I am considering moving to Ecuador but after reading this article https://www.osac.gov/pages/ContentReportDetails.aspx?cid=13476 I am bit scared . How true is the article? Can Expats please tell me is it safe for family life? Thanks
this adventurous type, at 69, moved alone to Guayaquil, Ecuador last year at the end of November. I had been here visiting last year in August, and really liked it. Investigated statistics such as crime rate, etc. on Google. I rented an apartment ... Read More
Single Lady wanting to move to Ecuador by TahoeTrish
Would love to hear from Expats living in Ecuador I am wanting to retire soon and rent a place there large enough for a garden.......not a condo would like a home. Is it safe for a single lady living alone in Ecuador... thank you for your ...
@suefrankdahl: good to hear from you, glad you have not given up on your plans to retire here. The best way of doing this, is that you can do everything with your documents in the States, and for Americans it is slightly different than it is for ... Read More
Single Lady wanting to move to Ecuador by TahoeTrish
Would love to hear from Expats living in Ecuador I am wanting to retire soon and rent a place there large enough for a garden.......not a condo would like a home. Is it safe for a single lady living alone in Ecuador... thank you for your ...
@frankdahl: the best thing I ever did, was coming to Ecuador as a visitor for 10 days in August last year. I had "local" friends, who showed me around, and I started liking it pretty quickly. We looked at apartments and found one I ... Read More
Single Lady wanting to move to Ecuador by TahoeTrish
Would love to hear from Expats living in Ecuador I am wanting to retire soon and rent a place there large enough for a garden.......not a condo would like a home. Is it safe for a single lady living alone in Ecuador... thank you for your ...
it was NOT offensive, just an innocent mistake. At our age, we just got used to saying what's on our minds. People might think we are a tad weird. I am 70 and I am now dating an extremely handsome Ecuadorian, quite a bit younger. I know, this is ... Read More
Moving to Ecuador from Canada by Barbara Suderman
Hi, everyone out there! I am hoping you can help me with some issues and would appreciate your feedback. I am returning to Calgary, Canada on Tuesday to prepare for my move here at the end of June. Yes, I realize it is not the most opportune time ...
Thank you Louieg, you sound like one of the nicest peeps. There is a meeting in Guayaquil on June 19th, at 6:30pm at the Wyndham Hotel downtown somewhere, and I am planning to attend - InterNations - group, leader Noelia Roldan. Fun people ... Read More
Moving to Ecuador from Canada by Barbara Suderman
Hi, everyone out there! I am hoping you can help me with some issues and would appreciate your feedback. I am returning to Calgary, Canada on Tuesday to prepare for my move here at the end of June. Yes, I realize it is not the most opportune time ...
Hi Barbara: I totally agree with you about the Lawyer, but I cannot afford one any more. I have already spent too much of my savings to get everything done, that the Ministry had asked me to do. Now, if it is just that one last thing, and it will ... Read More
Moving to Ecuador from Canada by Barbara Suderman
Hi, everyone out there! I am hoping you can help me with some issues and would appreciate your feedback. I am returning to Calgary, Canada on Tuesday to prepare for my move here at the end of June. Yes, I realize it is not the most opportune time ...
Thank you Louieg: that was nice. Thank you for your encouraging words. I needed that. Good thing that there is always a way, if there is a will - or something like that. If I get a chance to speak with the actual Canadian Consul himself, I will ... Read More
Moving to Ecuador from Canada by Barbara Suderman
Hi, everyone out there! I am hoping you can help me with some issues and would appreciate your feedback. I am returning to Calgary, Canada on Tuesday to prepare for my move here at the end of June. Yes, I realize it is not the most opportune time ...
Hi Barbara: thank you for the encouragement. I wish you and your pets all the best of luck and success with the travel and the stay here in Ecuador. I am basically very happy here, and have adapted well, except when it comes to dealing with ... Read More
Moving to Ecuador from Canada by Barbara Suderman
Hi, everyone out there! I am hoping you can help me with some issues and would appreciate your feedback. I am returning to Calgary, Canada on Tuesday to prepare for my move here at the end of June. Yes, I realize it is not the most opportune time ...
@luieg: thank you for your encouraging words, yes, I know, I have to go by the book, or the book will be thrown at me. Here is the problem: I do not have the money to go back to Canada, and come back here. To pay for all of the legal stuff, I ... Read More
Moving to Ecuador from Canada by Barbara Suderman
Hi, everyone out there! I am hoping you can help me with some issues and would appreciate your feedback. I am returning to Calgary, Canada on Tuesday to prepare for my move here at the end of June. Yes, I realize it is not the most opportune time ...
at Mike GB: o.k. here is what happened. I was not familiar with any ex-pat blogs, while living in Canada. I came to Canada in 1966 and it was the easiest move I ever made [from Europe]. I traveled from Windsor to Toronto to get information ... Read More
Moving to Ecuador from Canada by Barbara Suderman
Hi, everyone out there! I am hoping you can help me with some issues and would appreciate your feedback. I am returning to Calgary, Canada on Tuesday to prepare for my move here at the end of June. Yes, I realize it is not the most opportune time ...
after spending all the money I have already spent, getting the wrong info from the Ecuadorian Consulate in Toronto in the first place, I have little money left to spend on an attorney. I was positive for a long time, before all this crap with the ... Read More
Moving to Ecuador from Canada by Barbara Suderman
Hi, everyone out there! I am hoping you can help me with some issues and would appreciate your feedback. I am returning to Calgary, Canada on Tuesday to prepare for my move here at the end of June. Yes, I realize it is not the most opportune time ...
you would not believe what all happened to me, coming here from Canada. I am just now trying to get my Permanent Resident Visa for Retirees. In Toronto, I was told that I should apply here and have everything translated here. I have my Pension ... Read More
Single Lady wanting to move to Ecuador by TahoeTrish
Would love to hear from Expats living in Ecuador I am wanting to retire soon and rent a place there large enough for a garden.......not a condo would like a home. Is it safe for a single lady living alone in Ecuador... thank you for your ...
I hear you, but it is not my real name, if you actually mean me. I am, in a way, overprotected already. People noticed that I was a little too trusting, and started to worry about me right away. My new acquaintances from the Internations meeting and ... Read More
Moving to Ecuador from Canada by Barbara Suderman
Hi, everyone out there! I am hoping you can help me with some issues and would appreciate your feedback. I am returning to Calgary, Canada on Tuesday to prepare for my move here at the end of June. Yes, I realize it is not the most opportune time ...
Hi, I am a German/Canadian who has been in Guayaquil since December 2013, and I love it here in the suburb of Samborondon. Ex-teacher/librarian, I am retiring here as well. I was told in Toronto at the Ecuadorian Consulate, that I should just come ... Read More
The other side of the Ecuadorian postcard by Julien
Hi, As a tourist in a foreign country, very often, we are enchanted with what we discover. Living abroad is different. It's a rich experience but there are also some difficulties to face. When people ask me for advice on living abroad, I ...
Hi, I am the lady that likes Samborondon. I live just outside of that part of Guayaquil, in a gated community by the Daule River. What a view!!! I pay $500 a month plus $110 condo fees. That is still a lot less, than what this place would cost in ... Read More
The other side of the Ecuadorian postcard by Julien
Hi, As a tourist in a foreign country, very often, we are enchanted with what we discover. Living abroad is different. It's a rich experience but there are also some difficulties to face. When people ask me for advice on living abroad, I ...
In August of last year, I came for 10 days, and I fell in love with Samborondon, a really nice part of Guayaquil, Ecuador. I was staying with a young couple in their 3 bedroom/2 bathroom bungalow and they showed me around, and also took me to look ... Read More
Conflicting visa info by Howardofocal
It is unbelievable how much conflicting information there is regarding the visa process. I'm trying to put together my best cut at a detailed list of requirements and have run into an interesting "catch-22" Several web sites say you must enter ...
really liked your positive post, it gives me hope. Just got an extension on my visiting visa for another 6 mos. I am like you, if I can avoid lawyers and attorneys, I will. Since I am Canadian, I was told, things will be a little different anyhow. ... Read More
Conflicting visa info by Howardofocal
It is unbelievable how much conflicting information there is regarding the visa process. I'm trying to put together my best cut at a detailed list of requirements and have run into an interesting "catch-22" Several web sites say you must enter ...
thank you so much for your advice. It came in very handy. I knew that Canada does not have the same International Agreements, if any, with Ecuador, that the USA have. My son lives in Toronto, and I was told that he can gather up all the documents, ... Read More
Conflicting visa info by Howardofocal
It is unbelievable how much conflicting information there is regarding the visa process. I'm trying to put together my best cut at a detailed list of requirements and have run into an interesting "catch-22" Several web sites say you must enter ...
thank you so very much for the advice about that "apostiling" - what-ever that is. Sorry, I just don't know yet. I guess, I'll find out. I sincerely hope that I don't have to make a trip back to Canada, 12 hours - why would they ask senior citizens ... Read More
Conflicting visa info by Howardofocal
It is unbelievable how much conflicting information there is regarding the visa process. I'm trying to put together my best cut at a detailed list of requirements and have run into an interesting "catch-22" Several web sites say you must enter ...
I am from Canada, and I don't know, if it is the same procedure as in the USA. I went to Toronto to ask about the visa requirements at the Ecuadorian Consulate there, and I was told, that I could stay here for 8 months, while applying for the ... Read More
Conflicting visa info by Howardofocal
It is unbelievable how much conflicting information there is regarding the visa process. I'm trying to put together my best cut at a detailed list of requirements and have run into an interesting "catch-22" Several web sites say you must enter ...
what I see as a problem, might not be one to others. I pay 15% taxes on my Pension right now, if I tell them that I want to live here, they want 30% taxes off of my Pension. It makes no sense to me. They have no agreement with Ecuador to send the ... Read More
Conflicting visa info by Howardofocal
It is unbelievable how much conflicting information there is regarding the visa process. I'm trying to put together my best cut at a detailed list of requirements and have run into an interesting "catch-22" Several web sites say you must enter ...
I had the exact same problem. I knew, I wanted to retire here, had been here for a visit and loved it, lived with locals and came back - needing a return ticket. I explained it to the ticket agent and she cut me a deal, by just giving me a ... Read More
Conflicting visa info by Howardofocal
It is unbelievable how much conflicting information there is regarding the visa process. I'm trying to put together my best cut at a detailed list of requirements and have run into an interesting "catch-22" Several web sites say you must enter ...
the way I understand the thing with the return ticket now, is, as long as you have a ticket to go somewhere else, not necessarily back to your own country, just out of Ecuador, you should be alright. So, if I HAVE to leave for some reason, my ... Read More
Conflicting visa info by Howardofocal
It is unbelievable how much conflicting information there is regarding the visa process. I'm trying to put together my best cut at a detailed list of requirements and have run into an interesting "catch-22" Several web sites say you must enter ...
thank you, I had the feeling I would need that divorce decree and so I brought it with me, embossed, etc. In the meantime, my criminal record check is "outdated" from October 2013, my passport expires on May 6th, and I am having a canary. ... Read More
Conflicting visa info by Howardofocal
It is unbelievable how much conflicting information there is regarding the visa process. I'm trying to put together my best cut at a detailed list of requirements and have run into an interesting "catch-22" Several web sites say you must enter ...
sounds like the best idea yet. My return ticket goes to Miami, and I do not feel like getting lost there. LOL Read More
Conflicting visa info by Howardofocal
It is unbelievable how much conflicting information there is regarding the visa process. I'm trying to put together my best cut at a detailed list of requirements and have run into an interesting "catch-22" Several web sites say you must enter ...
why was it off topic? I have to figure out, on how best to go about the hassle of getting that Visa now. When the Ecuadorian Consulate told me in October in Toronto, all I had to do, is apply for it here. Now I am finding out, it is much more ... Read More
Conflicting visa info by Howardofocal
It is unbelievable how much conflicting information there is regarding the visa process. I'm trying to put together my best cut at a detailed list of requirements and have run into an interesting "catch-22" Several web sites say you must enter ...
thank you very much for the replies. Yes, I do still have my son in Toronto, who will most likely be willing to help me out with gathering all the necessary documentation eventually. First the new Passport here in Guayaquil from the Canadian ... Read More
New to Guayaquil
Trying to learn more Spanish, and yet feeling somewhat isolated. Didn't really want to drive in Guayaquil and do not have a car as yet, either. Don't know if I want a car, or an army tank - would feel a tad safer in that thing. Only been here 4 ... Read More
Conflicting visa info by Howardofocal
It is unbelievable how much conflicting information there is regarding the visa process. I'm trying to put together my best cut at a detailed list of requirements and have run into an interesting "catch-22" Several web sites say you must enter ...
I am in exactly the same boat as you. Nothing but conflicting info. In Toronto, Canada, I went to the Ecuadorian Consulate, where the woman spoke very little English, and I had a hard time understanding her. I was told that I could get my Resident ... Read More