New members of the Ecuador forum, introduce yourselves here - 2022

Hi! I'm Ecuadorian, living in Guayaquil but wanting to move out of this city because of crime and weather. Maybe I'll choose another city in Ecuador, maybe not. I'm here to contribute a native perspective on life in Ecuador and see what other people say about other cities.

Good morning, I am Jim and my wife is Bonnie. We are presently in Florida and hoping to retire. Florida is now overwhelmed with construction and people moving from New York, Illinois, California, etc.
We have looked at several other countries to move and had put money down on a home in the Dominican Republic (builder could not qualify at the bank - so we withdrew). We have looked at Italy, Spain, Portugal, Costa Rica, Bahamas, Dominica. We are planning our 1st visit to Ecuador (Manta) in April. We plan on spending a week (due to work schedule) tying to cram as much as we can during that time. Any thoughts and advice would be appreciated!

Jim

I have moved the discussions initiated by above posters to a new thread called Ecuador Mailbag, which is clickable from the Ecuador forum welcome page.

By edict of the Expat.com home office, the intro's thread is reserved for self-introductions of new members.

cccmedia
Expat.com experts team

Hi there,
I'm Golda - from Canada & Barbados. I have just recently landed in Ecuador (San Clemente) - and am looking to find 'my spot' in this country. I am hoping to reside somewhere where the weather is not too rainy (I have lived in Vancouver), where it is safe for solo females, and where I can be in touch with the Ecuador community (volunteering, friends, etc.)

Since, as explained above, we reserve this thread for self-intros, I respond to Golda on the Ecuador Mailbag thread (clickable at the Ecuador Forum welcome page).

cccmedia
Expat.com experts team

My husband, Joel, and I love living here.  The people, the culture, the beauty, and the diversity are amazing.  But, before moving here, or anywhere, it is good to spend time in the country.  Learn about a few places before you visit, then spend at least six months before you decide.  Get to know the local people and expats so you know more before you make a decision.  We don't want to be anywhere else but know more before you decide on any place.
Robin Lynn

@rkg695

I am not quite sure how to give you my contact

- @Lindaecuador

Thank you for your nice welcoming letter!   I live in a little town called Creemore, in Ontario, Canada. I am originally born and raised in San Juan, Puerto Rico. Been here since 79.  I at my age now, almost 62 would definitely preferred more warmer weather and to be able to enjoy nature more. After watching ton's of YouTube videos and learning about the culture, the ppl,  I believe Ecuador has what I am looking for with lots of diversity, and nature. It's going to be very interesting and exiting. Our 1st visit will be in this year and I cannot wait. After that I am planning on spending winters there.

@LiliTG good advice ☺️ WhatsApp is pretty widely used in Ecuador, alsmost essential for communicating with contacts at banks, medical offices, favourite taxi drivers (?).

@Julien   My name is Wendy, American but born in Spain and semi fluent in Spanish. I am interested in retiring in Ecuador, for its biodiversity, weather, cost of living and clean air. I am thinking of visiting before the end of this year and thought I should start in Cuenca.  I am open to suggestions, so if anyone has a better idea or can direct me to a good place to stay in Cuenca, please reply. 

Noting that three of the four most recent posters

on this thread are interested in Cuenca, I have

posted some comments at the Ecuador Mailbag

thread.  (The thread you are currently reading

is specifically for new members to introduce

themselves.)  The mailbag thread is

reachable via the Ecuador forum's welcome page.

The fourth new member, María, was looking for a

location in Ecuador from which she could explore

other countries in South America.  I have made some

comments about a preferred Ecuador location for that

purpose in the same Mailbag post.

cccmedia

Hi everyone, I'm Sheldon. I live in Minneapolis and am planning to retire in 5 years when I'm 70. I plan to move overseas and Ecuador has been at the top of my list of possible countries to call home. Cuenca appeals to me. While there are other reasons for wanting to retire in Ecuador, my main reason is to have a significantly lower cost of living than in the U.S. Of course, a lot can change in five years, but one has to start somewhere, and so, it's nice to be on this site with the rest of you! 

Thanks Julien. Hi everyone! I'm called Matthew Levine.

I'm moving from the U.S. to Vilcabamba, Ecuador on October 2nd—right around the corner. I'm in the process of getting a two year residency visa.

Everything is going relatively well but I still haven't figured out what to do about a cell phone.I joined two expat groups on Facebook and got pages of interesting and mostly good advice but there are so many ways to go I'm not yet sure what to do. I definitely want to keep my monthly cost way down. Any suggestions?

I'm moving in with a friend temporarily until I find a small apartment. I can't afford to live in the U.S. and I have no nest egg so I'll be living off of my social security which isn't much. I might get some royalties next year if one of the musicals I've worked on is produced for the third time. I might also teach music, do some writing, compile videos of issues that are important—matters of life and death—but that most people don't have the interest or patience to get through.

I'm 64, single, a father of two, and collect paraprosdokians. Hope to chew the fat with some of you someday. Meanwhile, MY CELL PHONE!....

Matthew Levine

Dear Matthew,

Welcome to the forums of Expat.com ...

It's more appropriate to discuss your

cell phone at the Ecuador Mailbag thread,

due to our Home Office's edict that this

thread be used only for self-introductions.

So I've posted my response over there.

The mailbag thread is reachable off the

Ecuador forum welcome page.  Start

by clicking Forum atop this page.

cccmedia in Quito

Member, Expat.com experts team

@Julien Hi everyone , I'm Lawrence Dale from the Western U.P. Of Mi. (Ironwood) And the Northwoods of Wi (Eagle River) and I will be Landing in Guayaquil

Sat. Have to make this short, I love these vids, very helpful. My deadline for filing for temp visa is Wed. Am I too late? My phone is ***

hasta luego.

Hi, how small is the world, I was planning to visit U.P. as volunteer in order the help a farmer we are into all about healthy living and the environment, well I hope all goes well  I heard formidable things about Ecuador. Lucky you, btw the people in Ecuador are amazing

hi,

we have been here 5 months in Salinas love the weather , people , and land .  life is good  lol  where we live is quiet and close to things we need . We are happy  and the cost of living? well it is much less than in colorado  the quality of life has gone way up and quality of food weather also .  we sold everything we owned in the states and never plan on moving back . Medical here is amazing along with the cost of it and dental is so cheap and good quality . We will go to the states to visit but as far as any regrets moving here ? none .

@wicalroger … You and Amelia & JP on YouTube from Colorado 😄💜🌺 si mi encantera Ecuador! Welcome, from Cotacachi, Imbabura. I'm from the Canadian Rockies near Banff

thank you well i  am from northern minnesota about 30 miles from  ontario then 15 yrs in the black hills of south dakota and 10 yrs in colorado  we had to leave that festering stink hole  drugs gone wild there .  we did not like the situation in the states and wanted to finish our lives in a place that is the way Ecuador is  kind respect elders  beautiful  clean air and peaceful

I'm also new around here. It's great to be with all of you. Hopefully, by sharing our working views with each other, we will be able to better build each other as a team. It would be my pleasure to learn from each and every one of you, and I apologize for any small and easy questions that may arise.

Hi,

My name is Real, I live in USA but I'm from Canada. I'm retiring at the end of december. I'm planning to stay in Ecuator for 3 months starting January 2023. I think a lot of Canadians stay / live in San Jose Mirador. I'm interested

I have many questions, the very first one is Internet. How's internet there ?

Thanks

Real

@realdrouin Fibre optic in many places.

Dear Real,

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

This particular thread is reserved for new member

introductions only, so we can't properly survey

the membership here about Internet service

in Ecuador.  Our Home Office in the

Mascarene Islands would frown on that.

Our regular workaround is to refer new members

with questions .. to the Ecuador Mailbag thread.

In fact, I have just posted information about

Internet service in La República on that thread,

which is clickable off the Ecuador forum's

welcome page.

cccmedia

member, Expat.com experts team

Hello,  I have dreamed of moving to Ecuador but some things had changed.  I am still considering a lengthy visit first, then take it from there.  My husband and I visited Ecuador in 2018 and loved it.  I will still consider that visit, but need to make other arrangements first.  Hope to get there within the next year.

Hello everyone,

@ SheWota73, Please note that I have moved your post to the Ecuador forum (New Member thread from the Canada forum). Since it is the destination where you wish to move.

Feel free to read the articles of the Living in Ecuador guide for expats for first-hand infos and create your own topic on the forum should you have questions. Members, hopefully, will guide you.

All the best,

Bhavna

@Julien Hola Julien,  I'm from Taiwan(not China) and is nearly 60 years old. I plan to retire in another country of low living cost. Ecuador is one of my destination. If I have some questions about the immigration, residency, living, safety, finance problems, then sholud I open new topic to ask ?

Thanks a lot

Terry