Tour/advice

Probably lousy advice but I'll give it anyways.

Just do your research on the city that most likely suits you best and spend the entire 7 days muddling your way around it the best you can on your own. 

If you are doing the trip as part of a decision on whether to retire there or not, don't waste time doing all the tourist things.

Get a hotel, figure out how you're going to get around the city.  Go shopping to see what they have and don't have.  Eat a restaurants and see how you like the food.  Go to the market and see if you are good with shopping like that all the time.

Your decision is whether to move to a place with a very different culture and safety net.  Are you comfortable with the safety net there in Ecuador?  Heck, are you ok with not flushing toilet paper and carrying your own when you go out?

Have you ever been the outsider that doesn't speak the language and doesn't know how things work or how to get things done?

I've been around the world and stayed in foreign countries for up to a year and a half at a time.  Always was glad to come home afterwards.

Not until recently have I made the decision that I think I'll be happier overseas.  And that is with a pretty good knowledge of how I know I'll feel when it gets 2 years into it.  Big change, I can't overstate this enough.  Do not buy a place in your first 2 years.

Hi

im flying out there next week and staying there for a month. if you happen to be there during those days im happy to offer any help in any way. and if youre near where ill be staying we can definitely go places together. im going with my son i been there before a few times and speak the language anything i can be of help ill be glad to. ill be near Quito - Cotacachi area if youre interested let me know. im not a guide or anything like that just a fellow american with some experience in Ecuador. best luck either way! ecuador is a beautiful country!

Thanks I appreciate your comments and will take them to heart. It truly is a huge decision. But a trip is the first step.

@Ekhlaure

Very sweet of you to offer. If only I could plan that soon...we were going to try to plan something maybe towards July?? Do you think Quito is a good town to start? We aren't beach folks. We live in Tennessee ❤️

@denisekygrl Hi Denise, I have lived in Ecuador for a little over 10 years and I now currently do live in Quito. I do think you need to do some serious reading about the country as it is divided into different geographical zones. There are two quite hot zones, Amazonia which few expats go to and also the coastal area which includes the large city of Guayaquil and various Coastal provinces with small villages and towns. If you are not a beach person or hot hot climate person probably you want to look at place in the Sierra which means the mountain ridge of the Andes that stretches from one end of the country to the other like a spine.

I just took a quick look at Tennessee and generally that appears to be a state of smaller cities and lots of towns.  Quito is a city of 2 million but hosts the main airport for entry into the country. You certainly could live in the city but I think you have to think about your own normal preferences. Do you like city .ife, with a small garden or no garden like an apartment building? Or are you thinking you would like to live it in a smaller community where you can rent a house with a garden or are you thinking of an actual rural property, larger in size? Other questions to ask: do you want to be living in an area with other expats nearby who speak English or do you want to integrate into the Spanish-speaking culture? Regarding climate, are you happy with a temperate climate with no snow or do you need it to be a little warmer but not necessarily Beach? Also do you come with many health problems and feel that you might have to be near large Hospital facilities or specialized doctors? These are all the kind of questions you have to ask and if you have children you also have education related questions.

The other thing is that a 7-day trip to Ecuador is actually very short. On a map, the country seems very small but it takes a full day of serious driving to get from Quito to  Loja south of Cuenca and then back again would be another full day if you wanted to see Cuenca. Otherwise you have to take a flight. The country has very decent roads but the countryside is hilly and has twisty roads so you can't drive that fast.  If you only have a short time you certainly could spend a couple of days in Quito and then go to Cotacachi which is a small community about an hour and a half to 2 hours from Quito that does have an expat community and is reasonably comfortable to live in. And in that week you could certainly explore that place. But if you were trying to also add Cuenca like I said you lose 2 days just in travel. Or you must fly from Quito.

I myself used to live in Cotopaxi because I had a very beautiful rural property and maybe you were looking for that style of life? As you can see there are some good questions to ask. If you do decide to look around in Quito, I can certainly meet up with you for a short while if you like or you can stay one night at my house. But as I said 7 days is very short to really explore. All the very best, Linda

I forgot to mention that how long away your possible move is definitely plays a role in what your trip is like.

7 day trip  is ok as a get your feet wet, decision is years away thing.  But, as decision time gets closer, more activity would be needed.

I plan on spending 2 months down there before choosing an area.  And them only committing to an AurBnb for a month in the specific neighborhood before committing to renting in the area.  And not buying anything in the first 2 years.

It's a big decision and you want to leave yourself options.  It's ok to change your mind and/or adjust.  You just have to position yourself to keep those options available to you.

Would still recommend at least 2 weeks instead though.  7 days is just not much time.

@Lindaecuador

Hi Linda, thank you so much! Your information was so helpful. As I said we are very new to this. Just trying to figure things out right now. We do need to make a trip though. I don't like really hot weather and where we live. There are lots of mountains which I love. The only reason I would even consider leaving the US is because of affordable health care. I am 55 and cannot afford to retire and pay for insurance. If I don't want to work until I'm 70, I need to try to find a country that could suit my needs which is retiring now while I still feel like doing some fun things. I understand that the insurance there is affordable? I think I would like to live in a small town where I can walk to everything. As I won't want to buy a car. I am currently learning to speak Spanish but it will take a while. I want to be able to walk and ride a bike and just spend time and cafes and church and be around nice folks. I know that is a tall order. Where I live everything is very rural and you have to drive at least 15 to 20 minutes to get to anything. I love nature. I'm not big on the party scene but enjoy a quiet cup of coffee or a stroll through a shop or two. Do you know of a place like that? Also, is there another city to fly into other than the capital? And Cuenca? I appreciate all of your suggestions. And yes I could increase my stay a little longer than 7 days but My husband and I both work and it's hard to get off more than 2 weeks at a time right now. We will eventually sell our house and then we will be ready to move. But first we have to figure out where we want to go lol. I'm also thinking maybe Costa Rica, Mexico or Panama... Of course, everything I see is on TV. Ecuador keeps coming up though and will be my first stop.

😊 You mentioned lots of driving. Is there a trustworthy taxi service there? We have Uber in the states.

@denisekygrl  My suggestion would be Cotacachi about 1.5 - 2 hours from Quito and served by the same airport.  Cotocachi is still part of the Andes but also just warm enough to grow avocadoes.  There is an English speaking community, some residents from other countries and also a welcoming original community.  Lots of small restuarants and cafes and is walkable.  Also cheap local taxis when you want to buy groceries.  There is also is a local bus service and also from Cotocachi to Otavala and Imbabura should you want higher level shopping.

The town is not big, maybe 10, 000-15, 000 and outside of it are some neat places for excursions.  There are also local tourist services that can take you to these places  for half and whole day trips.  There is also a school to learn Spanish there and  at least one facilitator for getting your residency visa.  A good place to learn a lot in a short time. 

Thanks so much Linda. You have been so helpful. I agree w your observation. Cotocachi sounds perfect. Do you get there by car from Quito? And could I take a taxi? I'm so excited and think this move may be possible.

Realistically, it will probably be a year before we can move so I plan to come visit Ecuador as soon as I can.

Have you been to any other countries in South America? And if so, what is your opinion of them?

How did you end up there?

I'm watching lots of YouTubers and trying to gain as much info as possible.

Also, one more question ❓ if I sell my house before we move will that interfere some how w us getting a visa there? As we won't have an address to put on the application.

Did you keep a home in the states?

Sorry to hear you out w questions but you've been a big help already and I appreciate your time.

Thanks, Denise 🌷

@denisekygrl   Hi Denise, First I am Canadian, not American. And I'll answer the question about the house first. When I came to Ecuador I had not sold my house and so I had to rely on my agent and lawyers back in Canada for everything to be worked out. That meant I did have an address initially but I'm not sure how critical that is. I did almost all my residency preparation in Canada and sent it to a translation person in Quito. So I actually got my residency in about 3 weeks after I arrived. Nowadays this is not very common. I think if you spend some time and go to Cotacachi and meet up with one of the facilitators, you will soon get an idea about what is needed on documents. There are various types of visas and so there is a fair bit there to learn.

I arrived here over 11 years ago and at that time a group called International Living was doing a lot of promoting of different places to live in the world and Ecuador was on the list.  But before I left Canada I thought about quite a few places starting with Mexico, then even a few thoughts about Nicaragua and Guatemala, Costa Rica and Panama which I actually visited, but too hot and too small. After that came more serious thinking about Ecuador and a trip of exploration like you are doing where I could get a feel about the country. Since I have lived in Ecuador I have visited quite a few other places in South America and they include Peru, Chile, Argentina, Brazil, Uruguay, Paraguay and even the Falkland Islands. Buenos Aires in Argentina is a very interesting city and has quite a diverse cultural background. There are other places in Argentina that can be interesting but it is a place that's in turmoil right now because of the economics. One place that very few people think of is Uruguay which is a very tiny country but is probably the most wealthy per capita country in South America and is a very safe and comfortable country to live in. I do have some friends there. But it is more expensive and it is a very long way from anywhere in the United States. How often you wish to return to the US becomes quite a big issue for many Americans especially if they have family there and Ecuador is quite easy to get back to the US.

As to getting to go to Cotacachi, if you are flying into the Quito Airport you can probably arrange for a taxi to take you directly there where you likely will have arranged some accommodation before you come. If you come into Quito first which is still about a $30 ride from the airport, you will then want to spend a day or so looking around Quito before you try to go to Cotacachi. And it will actually probably be a little more difficult for you although that is what I actually did when I came initially. There are various people who will take you from Quito to  Cotacatchi and I have someone visiting shortly who will know the price and might even know some persons. One can also get there by going to one of the bus terminals and then taking buses but if you are bringing luggage and it's your first time it will be more complex. I also don't recommend for your first time that your rent a car.  You can certainly read about Cotacachi online and on platforms like booking.com you can check on accommodation.  Choose something very central initially.  I hope this helps you, Linda

@Lindaecuador

Yes ma'am 😊

Linda you have been most helpful. Thanks for taking time to explain so much to me. I am going to continue my Spanish lessons and keep cleaning out my house. We will plan a trip very soon...if you are free maybe we can meet and do lunch then? My husband and I are in our 50's. I'm a nurse and he's all things computer. I look forward to our next chapter. We currently have an old dog and my mom living close by so there will be some challenges to navigate. We are in a holding pattern. But on a positive note it gives us time to get our ducks in a row.

Hope you have a great weekend 🌷Denise

Hi, could you please be so kind and tell us more something about safety in Ecuador nowdays? How it is in turist places like Quito or Cuenca? should I go for a walk when I will be in Guayaquil or stay in hotel instead?