Will be moving summer 2021 Oh my - seems like such a task

Are there any companies that assist with everything that needs to be accomplished? Like a "concierge" service?
Neither of us currently speak Spanish, but are starting with the Warren Hardy system.
We are both from southern Indiana.


Dear Hoosier new members,

Welcome to the Ecuador forums of expat.com ....

I moved into my Quito condo in 2013 .. and my greatest source of support was Spanish language skills.

With the ability to communicate in español, you can manage the local workers, vendors, waiters and cleaners.  (Your attorney or visa specialist will probably speak English.)

In addition to the Warren Hardy language program you may have purchased, you can do as I did for two years -- watch English-language TV programs with Spanish subtitles for at least one hour of TV material daily .. pausing video to check unfamiliar words and phrases with a bilingual dictionary or wordreference.com ...

Learning conversational Spanish this way has its advantages, including introducing you to common ways that non-tutors converse with each other in daily situations.

----

I have never come across an all-purpose concierge, although there is a 'conserje' (kohn-SEHR-hay) in the condo complex.  He is in charge of maintenance and will do off-hours special projects for residents that go beyond his normal duties.  He speaks Spanish only.  He brings his 'cuñado' or brother-in-law along for two-man projects.

cccmedia

There is also a thread called Shortcuts to Learning español on this forum.  Get there via a link atop the Ecuador forum welcome page.

cccmedia

I would love to keep in touch with you and your journey.  Have you explored Ecuador before deciding to make your move?

Jeff_Angie wrote:

I have so many questions. I would be appreciative of any help.

Post all your questions up, you'll get many answers, some useful, some less some, some correct, some less so

I would advise to not jump both feet in. Come down for 6 months on a tourist visa, see how it goes. That is enough time for the rose spectacles to wear off and get a feel for living here. If all good, think about a longer visa, a year or two.

Simple fact is, many intend to move and stay forever, most are gone within a few years, 50% gone in 5 and 99% gone in 10.

Would advise not to sell up everything and move here, get tied to a property you will never be able to sell and regret it.

Come have a long adventure, then if circumstances change in a few years, it's all good and you have options.

Good luck

Hi Jeff - Most visa agents will know people who can help you with things like translating, finding real estate, getting your utilities setup, setting up a bank account, etc. From my research and my exploratory trip to Cuenca, I've realized the expat community is very helpful. With them supporting you, you won't feel like you're all by yourselves in Manta and you'll feel more confident in tackling the tasks needed. Along with being a member of this site, I am a member of two Facebook communities for expats - one general and one for the area I plan on moving to (Cuenca). I recommend joining the general Ecuador Expat community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/EcuadorExpats. They have a ton of info and helpful people. There is also a Manta Facebook page. I'm not a member so I don't know how helpful it is, but it's worth joining and checking it out: https://www.facebook.com/groups/mantaexpats/. By connecting on this site and on FB with other people who live in Manta, you'll feel like you already have friends waiting for you there. 

user159 wrote:

Come down for 6 months on a tourist visa, see how it goes. That is enough time for the rose spectacles to wear off and get a feel for living here. If all good, think about a longer visa, a year or two.

Simple fact is, many intend to move and stay forever, most are gone within a few years, 50% gone in 5 and 99% gone in 10.

Would advise not to sell up everything and move here, get tied to a property you will never be able to sell and regret it.

User 159 makes some excellent points.

Even though the OP didn't imply that he plans to buy property in Ecuador, he has clearly been exposed to the essence of International Living (IL), an enterprise largely sponsored by real estate selling interests.  The IL gestalt favors the purchase of property by Expats as a residence.  The enterprise Live & Invest Overseas presumes benefits in investing in overseas property, downplaying the life-altering disadvantages.

Rule number 1 for arriving Expats is don't buy property until you have lived in the target area for at least a year.

Any property an Expat can buy in South America can probably be rented, without the burdens of ownership and the likelihood that re-selling the property will be an overwhelming challenge down the road.

Read the articles and ads presented in IL magazine and Live & Invest Overseas for educational purposes, not as fool-proof guides.

cccmedia

Hi there.  Almost 3 years ago I was in the same spot you are now - planning to move here and yes, it seemed like a huge task with an endless list of things to do.  But it's done now.  In fact today I finally got my cédula (national ID card) renewed now that I have permanent residency and had all the paperwork needed to prove my education, etc. Whew!  I could never have done it without help.

The company I used to get this and other things done was "EcuaAssist."  They did everything for me including getting the US national and state police reports, getting them apostilled and translated.  They filled out all the forms, made the appointments, and took me and stood by my side as it was all being done.  This was especially important because when you get to the ministry to get something done, they frequently make changes on the spot and the EcuaAssist person is there to intercede and solve the problem.  And yes, they have an office in Manta (as well as in other cities) - its in the Manicentro mall.  I know because I was just there a few days ago.

If you're planning on shipping your household stuff here - that's another story...
Banking was easiest for me at Banco Guayaquil and Banco Bolivariano.
The more Spanish you learn, the easier everything will be and the more you'll feel at home.

And with everything, you'll need patience and tolerance (but it's all worth it)
Enjoy your new adventure!