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Thread: Living in Ecuador - Questions and Answers

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    United States Avalon Member write4change's Avatar
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    Default Living in Ecuador - Questions and Answers

    Can you live on social security in Equador? And what is the cost of a private room and varius levels. I will give this serious consideration. I am 68 but still consider myself a vital 68.
    Beware the axis of sanctimony.

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    Default Re: An Opportunity to Live in Ecuador

    So Christine, how much money does it take to survive a year in Eucador, living modestly but also with a car. Can you figure some kind of way to break that down?
    Since a monthly wage for a construction worker is $450, can you live well with an income of $800 a month?
    Could that $800 include a land payment for about 5 acres? Knowing my mate, he would be more interested in a site close to a community like this. He does not carry the communal DNA that I have. He would have to see it first hand and BELIEVE.

    A visa is for 9 months? Would a satellite residence in the USA for returning folks to stay at for the three months be workable... just an appartment or small house somewhere, where paperwork can originate from that could be cooperative for community memebers. just an idea.

    Those three months can be very destabilizing for folks who want to put most of their all into a place in Ecuador. Folks like me who are getting by with social security, it would be required for us to return to the USA annually. For every one month we survive on SS here we could go almost 3 months there.

    Does anyone have a descent link for the rules and regs on visiting or immigrating to Ecuador?

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    Ecuador Avalon Member Christine Breese's Avatar
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    Default Re: An Opportunity to Live in Ecuador

    Here are some links to places you can get info about residency, ecuador living costs, and even ask questions, etc.

    http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ecuador_expats/
    http://groups.yahoo.com/group/cuenca_ecuador/
    http://www.ecuadorforums.com/index.php
    http://blog.pro-ecuador.com/
    http://cuencahighlife.com/ and get on their email list for Gringo Tree on the left side.

    The place I got the most out of was reading people's blogs who live in Ecuador. Just search for them and you will find them. There are a lot of other resources, just google it, but these links are for starters which are forums you can join and ask questions or read what others are saying.

    Oh, and don't forget, the Ecuador Consulate nearest you in your country is a good source of info. I found in the USA that the Ecaudorian Consulate in Washington DC was the most helpful. The CA Consulate wasn't that organized or helpful, and there are always girls who answer the phone who don't seem to want to talk to anyone. The Washington DC consulate was much more professional.
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    Ecuador Avalon Member Christine Breese's Avatar
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    Default Re: An Opportunity to Live in Ecuador

    There was a question about getting a car. OK, here’s the lowdown on getting a car and whether it is worth it or not.

    As for a car, forget it if you are on a budget. Cars cost two and three times more than in the USA, even beat up old used ones. A 2007 Mazda pickup cost $17,000 here, which in the states is probably worth about $8000. A 1980’s beater can be gotten here for about $5000 (which in the states would go for about $500 or $1000), but be ready to spend all your time under the car fixing it. These are ALWAYS in the shop and you will be constantly haunted by a car that needs fixing all the time. Sometimes the wait for parts can be pretty long too, as most of them have to be imported and they are expensive. They sell the beaters when they are about to need a whole lot of work or someone finally gets tired of fixing it all the time. The car sticker shock here is intense.

    You are better off just using public transportation and taxis. Buses cost $.25 (city and short distances) to a few dollars (long distances). Taxis are about $1.50 to $2 anywhere you go in the city. It would take a long time to add up to the price of a car, maybe a lifetime, at those prices.

    Also, driving is insane here. They drive really crazy and you have to be super intuitive to avoid accidents. Also, you have to get an Ecuadorian driver’s lic and you can’t get it if you can’t take the exam in Spanish. Personally, I wouldn’t recommend anyone getting a car here unless they are immersed in construction like we have been. If you just want a car to go out and get your groceries or go to dinner here and there, forget the car. It’s not worth the headache or the price. Also, you will have to constantly guard the car from theft, as they are a target for that.

    We needed a pickup so we can transport all the construction materials to the land every day, but it’s a white knuckle ride every time we go to the city. There have been a lot of close calls that were only avoided because Bruce is an incredibly safe and intuitive driver. He literally had to read the minds of the crazy drivers and get out of their way as they do something really fast, wild and stupid. He is constantly watching all the mirrors, not just what is in front of him, and he can’t even turn for a moment to say something while in conversation.

    Driving is like a video game with constant obstacles like potholes a foot deep, kids with balls, old guys, cows, dogs, chickens, or even big rocks just sitting in the middle of the road for no reason that rolled off the hill. Driving is no walk in the park here. I was so relieved for a couple weeks to enjoy the organized and obstacle free driving we are all so used to in the USA when I visited. I forgot what that was like!

    Also, if you don’t know the road rules here, which not many of them are obeyed anyway, you can literally get killed doing something you might think is totally logical, but that’s just not the way it’s done here. We have a friend who ended up in the hospital with broken bones making a left turn and almost died, totaled his car. A mac truck plowed into him while he as making a left turn. He didn’t know that here you have to pull over to the right to make a left turn, wait until the traffic is clear, and then you can make the left. It’s not like in the USA where you hang in the left turn lane with your signal on. It is the not knowing little things like that which can get you killed in a car here.

    Also, car rentals are about $250 to $300 per week, so that’s not worth it either, and they really sock it to you if there is even a scratch on the car, which they will always find one even if you didn’t put it there. Unless you are embarking on a heavy business endeavor like we were with construction, getting a car is just totally unnecessary and the price and risks aren’t worth it. Leave the driving to those who know how to do it here safely and operate with a completely different logic, if you can even call it that.

    The good thing about public transportation here is that it will literally go EVERYWHERE! I am amazed at where the buses go. You can get to the most out of the way, Timbuktu kinds of places, you wouldn’t believe it. The buses do four wheel drive roads practically and you can get absolutely anywhere you want to go cheap with public transportation. They have the public transportation thing completely wired here because so few of the population have cars here. They go absolutely everywhere.

    Also, a driver in a taxi costs around $8 to $10 per hour, so you can get them to take you anywhere you want to go for that price. It’s pretty good.

    OK, well, that’s my 2 cents on cars. I'm kinda biased, though, and I prefer organized and sane driving while others embrace the adventure of it! If you don’t need one for more than normal everyday stuff, don’t bother, though. It’s not worth it and it’s going to cost an arm and a leg (no pun intended!). Public transportation is totally wired and you can go anywhere you want to go with buses and taxis cheap!
    Last edited by Christine Breese; 2nd October 2012 at 01:42.
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    UK Avalon Founder Bill Ryan's Avatar
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    Default Re: An Opportunity to Live in Ecuador

    -------

    Moving out of the US (for those who live there!) is often more of an emotional issue than a practical one. Quito is closer to Miami, for instance, than LA or San Francisco.

    Miami to Quito is about 4 hours non-stop. (Many Ecuadorians go there for the weekend on shopping trips.) Miami to LA is at least an hour longer.


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    Default Re: An Opportunity to Live in Ecuador

    Bill,

    This kind of thinking is something I would have never thought of. LOL I do not know enough to ask good questions. You have to know what you don't know to ask. LOL So what else can you think of that would be pleasant surprises along with what would make us feel awkward. The car information was also helpful in framing thinking.

    Are Wells Fargo Banks around any of the major cities there?

    Thanks for your time and consideration in the invitation.
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    Default Re: An Opportunity to Live in Ecuador

    i rely heavily on certain nutritional supplements to treat various health maladies.

    my question is: are supplements readily available in this area of Ecuador? health food stores etc..?

    thanks.

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    Default Re: An Opportunity to Live in Ecuador

    Ecuador is a year-round destination. In terms of weather, there are only two real seasons – the rainy season and the dry season –

    Argh, I'll feel at home with my umbrella for half the year.


    Read more: http://www.lonelyplanet.com/ecuador/...#ixzz27zEk1B3T

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    Default Re: An Opportunity to Live in Ecuador

    I researched Ecuador a while back during a flight of fancy as I endured a northern Ontario winter. I was particularly focussed on Vilcabamba and was quite drawn to it until I dug a little deeper. My impression, from various ex-pat bloggers, was that the influx of relatively wealthy outsiders had begun to create tension with the locals. The cost of living went up for everybody because of the arrival of wealth from abroad, and crime followed suit, partly as a backlash and partly out of necessity. My conclusion was that if it was indeed as wonderful as it appeared, outsiders would continue to swarm in until an equilibrium was reached. Bill's mention of "U.S. quality shopping malls" leads me to believe that I was right.
    Having said all that, I still find it appealing.

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    Ecuador Avalon Member Christine Breese's Avatar
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    Default Re: An Opportunity to Live in Ecuador

    RAINY SEASON

    Aaah, don’t worry about the rainy season. It’s not a constant monsoon or anything. It’s usually about 2 hours heavy rain in the afternoon about 2 or 3 pm, and then it’s back to normal. Just do something inside during that time, then it clears up. The only difference in the dry season (July, Aug, Sept and part of Oct), is that is doesn’t rain as heavily, but still rains a little. Nov, Dec, Jan, Feb, it’s not really the rainy season, just seems normal to me, and it’s some of the warmer and nicer weather of Ecuador. March, April and May are the heaviest rains, but still, it didn’t seem to be that much different to me. It seemed to rain just as often, but just more rain came down when it did rain for the two hours in the afternoons.

    BANKS
    As for the banks, no major USA banks here. We bank with Banco Pichincha which is the easiest one to get an account with, also the largest bank. You just need a utility bill from anyone, ask your landlord for a copy, or a friend living in Ecuador which you will make friends pretty quick, doesn’t have to be in your name, and a copy of your passport. It’s easy. Then you simply write a check from your USA bank and deposit in your Ecuador account, takes 20 days or less, and then the money is here in your account free of any kinds of transfer charges. If you use ATM, that works but it’s a $3 or more charge, can only get $200 or a little more at a time, and sometimes the ATMs don’t spit out your money! I don’t use the ATMs here unless I have a bank employee witness to see if I actually get the money. I pretend I need help using the machine or something. The other way is to do a wire transfer if you need the money quicker than 20 days, which is about $40 to transfer overseas, and a $26 charge from the bank here to receive the money, so it costs $66 to transfer any amount here from the USA.

    NUTRITIONAL SUPPLEMENTS
    Bring as much as you can in your suitcases. If you fly during times when there is not the embargo on the airlines (Christmas time, about nov 15 to Jan 15 and some summer months, don’t know which ones, check with your airline, the embargos are when Ecaudorians normally “come home” to visit and want to bring tons of gifts from the states with them for their families, the embargo limits suitcases to only 2 checked bags, that’s it) you can bring 5 suitcases of 50 pounds with you full of stuff! We brought a lot of vitamins and supplements because we are particular about organic stuff. If you are not particular about organic, there are lots of little mom and pop health stores here that sell the vitamins and supplements. The higher end brands that are organic are far and few between though. If commercial vitamins are your thing though, plenty of them. There are organic ones too, but it’s not necessarily consistent, just FYI.

    MODERN SOCIETY
    There is plenty of modern society here, actually. We’re not living in huts in the jungle! Ha! There’s high speed internet, refrigerators, stoves and regular living basics. It doesn’t feel like the third world that people think it is. It isn't even hot and humid here in Cuenca, and in fact is always like spring or fall. It is pretty close to the USA standard of living, I think, even has malls, movie theaters, the whole gamut. If you want to go to the jungle and live in a hut, that can be done too though!
    Last edited by Christine Breese; 30th September 2012 at 20:57. Reason: typo
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    Default Re: An Opportunity to Live in Ecuador

    Well, most of my interest in cars is related to construction... I might have specified that. I have no issue with using public transport but after spending the last 3 years developing a small ranch I have a hard time imagining it without a tractor and a pickup truck. We have been able to develop a lot of infrastructure using the tractor, including pond construction, garden development and fence building.

    It's becoming clearer and clearer to me that our ranch development here will not be sustainable financially into the long life I intend to live... and especially if social security should hit the fan and evaporate. I started seeing that selling this place may be required and downsizing or going to another country if we want to maintain the same or similar standard of living.

    What are the primary construction materials there for homes, barns, etc?

    Please expound on the purchase of land for non citizens.

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    Ecuador Avalon Member Christine Breese's Avatar
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    Default Re: An Opportunity to Live in Ecuador

    Vilcabamba, I have to say I would NOT live there. Bill and I have had some conversations about that when he was there to check it out.

    Here in Cuenca we are not noticed, whereas in Vilcabamba we were definitely noticed, resented and overcharged on purpose for everything. We checked out land there in 2009, and it wasn't as bad then with the resentment as it is now, but it was already starting then. Not all Vilcabamba Ecuadorians are resentful, of course, as we were met with a lot of friendly ones too, but there is an underlying energy there that is happening because the gringos all seem to be on vacation and the native Vilcabambans have to work harder than ever now. That is an unfortunate turn of events.

    We chose the Cuenca area because it is large enough that gringos have not made an impact on Ecuadorian reality here the way they have in Vilcabamba and we pretty much blend in. Cotacachi (2 hours north of Quito by car or bus) is another small town that is starting to have resentment because of the incoming gringos making an impact on their reality. While these small towns are lovely places to be, if too many foreigners go to it then it changes the Ecuadorians’ reality for the worse. I would suggest not moving to the small towns.

    The malls here in Cuenca are filled with Ecuadorians, not gringos, so that’s a good sign. Every Ecuadorian has a cell phone these days, and even the guys on burros with ponchos on the dirt trails in the mountains have a cell phone! I knew things changed since I was here 25 years ago when I saw that. Ha! Ecuadorians who live in the city don’t live differently than we do in the USA. Ecuadorians in the country still live pretty simply but they still have cell phones! It’s interesting to see the changes.

    Anyway, don’t do Vilcabamba. It’s a bubble that has already burst, the land prices are severely inflated although renting is still ok if you can find a rental, and there is resentment among the locals. I think it is better to stick to the places where the city is large enough that we don’t make an impact as foreigners. That is the main reason we chose the Cuenca area, not to mention the ease of access with the airports, technology needs, and access to items of all sorts that anyone would need. Cuenca is also has the least crime of any of the cities, has the best looking architecture and feels more like a huge town than a city.
    Last edited by Bill Ryan; 25th September 2020 at 02:43.
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    Ecuador Avalon Member Christine Breese's Avatar
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    Default Re: An Opportunity to Live in Ecuador

    BUYING LAND IN ECUADOR

    Sorry for these long posts! I've been working on answering your questions and it's taking some time to write this stuff out, but it will give you the reality picture of some of these issues, concerns, ideas and plans...

    As for making payments on land, that doesn’t happen here. It’s impossible. You have to buy land with one big payment. They don’t do mortgages or loans here, and if they do payments, maybe an owner would give you three or four months if you’re talking a half a million dollar property, but they aren’t going to give you the deed until it’s paid in full. It could be a risk if you can’t come up with that last payment, and you will lose everything you put into it before that last payment is due. Personally I wouldn’t risk it. This is a cash society. You have to save your money and buy land by paying all at once. They aren’t interested in payments. There are enough people they can sell to who have all the money at once, so they don’t need to deal with people who want to make payments.

    Everything here is measured in hectares, which is 2.4 acres. A 5 acre property is 2 hectares (4.8 acres). A hectare without anything on it near us goes for about $6000 to $7000 per hectare (about $2500 per acre). The bigger the property gets, the better price per hectare you can get. Prices vary a lot, but it’s not as cheap as you might think. There are places in the USA where you can buy cheaper than here in Ecuador! Of course that’s in the USA, though.

    If you are interested in real estate in Ecuador, just do a google search and you’ll get an idea of the prices and what things cost in what areas.

    There has been a lot of talk about gringo communities where you can build your own house on a lot in a gringo gated community, but I still have not seen anyone really pull it off for decent prices and I’m not hearing about any of these taking off. People with developer mentality buy the land cheap, make lots with water and electric to it, and that’s it. None of those are going to be 5 acres, though. We’re talking lots. You will pay a lot more for it than you would if you just bought the land from an Ecuadorian in the first place. Situations like this will also have monthly costs for the guard at the gate and any other community services. It is not going to be spiritually focused and you won’t have control over who you live with, either. You might not like your neighbors. If you are going to do the whole big country ranch/hacienda thing, you’re better off going in on it together with a bunch of friends and having 20 people live on that land with you.
    Last edited by Christine Breese; 2nd October 2012 at 01:22.
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    Ecuador Avalon Member Christine Breese's Avatar
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    Default Re: An Opportunity to Live in Ecuador

    BUILDING IN ECUADOR

    The labor is cheap (about $85 a week for a general unskilled laborer, $140 per week for a skilled laborer, and those prices include the $10 – 20 taxes on them you are going to have to pay the govt) but the materials are not as cheap as we would have liked. Building materials are about 1/2 what they are in the States.

    Cinder blocks and cement is the basic building method here. Very rarely do you see a wooden house as wood is not as available here and is quite expensive. Adobe or cement is the way to go.

    If you have less money for materials and more time on your hands, adobe is cheaper and more labor intensive (although I am not sold on adobe as it is less permanent, cement and cinder blocks last a lot longer). If you want to whip something out fast and have a bit more for materials, cinder block and cement is the way to go.

    Bag of cement about 90 lbs $8, Cinder blocks $.60 each, truckload of rocks, sand or gravel $180 a load, tile for floors about $11 per square meter, paint, $30 a 5 gallon bucket for the white undercoat, $60 a 5 gallon bucket for the actual colored paint. Faucets and stuff like that, they are about USA prices, not much less. Most of them are imported from somewhere else.

    To build a regular middle class cinder block house in Ecuador is going to cost about $100,000 more or less, maybe $150,000 or more depending on how fancy you want to get. You can build a cinder block small cabin sized something or other for about $15,000 to $20,000 as long as it’s really simple. This of course doesn’t include the cost of land. If you just buy something already built with a little bit of land around it, you will pay probably about $250,000 to $300,000. It is better than what you can get in the states for that price, which is just a house on a lot. If you are getting the equivalent of a house on a lot, it would cost about $80,000 to $100,000.
    Last edited by Christine Breese; 2nd October 2012 at 01:31.
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    Ecuador Avalon Member Christine Breese's Avatar
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    Default Re: An Opportunity to Live in Ecuador

    Quote So Christine, how much money does it take to survive a year in Ecuador, living modestly but also with a car?
    Forget the car, as I mentioned in an earlier post. Taxis and buses will take you everywhere and anywhere you want to go, for cheap! You only need a car if you are building and in construction. If you are like Bill and like to drive in foreign countries, though, it can be done! I kinda like the organized driving of the USA! I'm a wimp.

    Quote Can you figure some kind of way to break that down? Since a monthly wage for a construction worker is $450, can you live well with an income of $800 a month?
    see below, I answer this question last...

    Quote Could that $800 include a land payment for about 5 acres?
    There is no such thing as making payments for land here, no such thing as mortgages from banks, no owner will carry. You must have the money to buy it outright. That's just the way it works here. This is a cash society.

    Quote Knowing my mate, he would be more interested in a site close to a community like this. He does not carry the communal DNA that I have. He would have to see it first hand and BELIEVE.
    I guess you could, people do it, although very rarely does anything come up for sale near us.

    Quote A visa is for 9 months? Would a satellite residence in the USA for returning folks to stay at for the three months be workable... just an apartment or small house somewhere, where paperwork can originate from that could be cooperative for community members. just an idea. Those three months can be very destabilizing for folks who want to put most of their all into a place in Ecuador. Folks like me who are getting by with social security, it would be required for us to return to the USA annually. For every one month we survive on SS here we could go almost 3 months there.
    That's a good idea, but most people just go to Peru for three months and then come back. That saves them some dough. If you have a govt check or pension though, or some other kind of income you can just get residency and stay here forever if you want.

    Quote Does anyone have a descent link for the rules and regs on visiting or immigrating to Ecuador?
    I posted some resources in an earlier post, check those out, lotta answers there on this subject.


    To Arrowwind

    A person can live ok on $800 per month in Ecuador, no problemo. People do it on that, but they can’t live on much less than that unless you just have a bedroom in a house with other people and do the room mate thing. If there are two of you living on $800, well, that’s going to be pushing it. There are couples trying to do that, but I wouldn’t say they are exactly happy. It’s a struggle for them and they can't go out and do anything. You will need more than that.

    As a couple we needed $1200 per month to have a modest lifestyle that we are used to in the states. The prices in Ecuador are going up, just like anywhere in the world, and Cuenca is one of the more expensive places to live in Ecuador, actually. If you live in a hut in the jungle and cook over a fire, well, you can live on a heck of a lot less of course! If you live in places where gringos don’t go you can get your costs down, but then you won’t have a social life unless you speak pretty fluent Spanish. The whole living in the jungle thing is for adventurous backpackers and it sure is fun! I've done that in my younger years, but, uh, I'm a little too old for that now being in my 40's.

    The Ecuadorians making $450 or less per month are living in pretty non-gringo-acceptable conditions, entire families of 10 with three generations living together in one small apt, and they do not have cars. They also eat white rice, white bread, and they don’t live on healthy foods like you might be used to. You are not going to be able to compare yourself to them unless you are willing to live a lot differently. An apt that costs $100 per month is not something you are going to be happy with.

    A house with a yard is nearly impossible to find and there is a lot of competition for them. They are also priced high because they are in demand. Apartments, condos and row homes, though, that’s easy to get, with maybe a patio out front. Rents in Cuenca for a gringo level places are about $400 to $600 minimum for a 2 or 3 bedroom place, and $500 per month is average for a place gringos would like. We paid $600 per month. Plus we had to pay electric ($40), water ($40) and internet ($55). Those prices could vary in different areas.

    Right now, you can get residency with a check for $800 per month if it is a retirement check. I’m not sure about non-permanent disability, so you would have to check on that. They are going to raise the residency requirements to $1000 per month very shortly, though, so you might have to come up with the extra $200 if you wait too much longer to apply for residency.

    Go to the forums I listed in an earlier thread where you can see a lot more info on the subject of immigration.
    Last edited by Christine Breese; 2nd October 2012 at 01:36.
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    Avalon Member doodah's Avatar
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    Default Re: An Opportunity to Live in Ecuador

    Christine, you said:
    Quote ... it isn't safe to live outside of the city unless you are in a family compound or a gated community with a guard.
    ...so I'm wondering ... how are you protecting what you're building right now?

    Thanks for all this information. I hope things go well for you there.

    ~ Doodah

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    Avalon Member norman's Avatar
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    Default Re: An Opportunity to Live in Ecuador

    Thank you for all the information.

    I can quite see why a car isn't the thing to have. I'm wondering if it may be practical to have a bicycle ?

    Even though I think it's very unlikely that I will really move to Ecuador, I'm enjoying thinking about it via your descriptive posts.

    My imagination is working on how it feels and sounds over there. I've recently become very enthusiastic about outdoor sound recording and I find it impossible to get far enough away from the sound of traffic to get that magical "nature" ambiance I'm looking for. The traffic noise is more noticeable in the recordings than it is at the time that I'm standing there making the recordings.

    One thing that really could motivate me to relocate would be if I could find areas, and get to them easily, where I can experience and record the nature without the constant hum and rumble that radiates out across the land around anywhere where modern humans gather or travel through in motor vehicles.

    Although I'm a 'nature' lover, I'm also quite concerned about the different natural hazards from wild life there. I currently live in an area where the most dangerous creature out there is probably a wasp or a mentally disturbed pet dog. I imagine that in Ecuador there are many more dangerous creatures to watch out for, once I get right out into the wild and 'quiet' places.

    Another question for anyone who knows, is it possible to fly to Ecuador from Britain without passing through the USA? If not, as I suspect, does anyone have any experience of making the journey by sea?
    Last edited by norman; 1st October 2012 at 01:27.
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    Default Re: An Opportunity to Live in Ecuador

    Quote Posted by doodah (here)
    Christine, you said:
    Quote ... it isn't safe to live outside of the city unless you are in a family compound or a gated community with a guard.
    ...so I'm wondering ... how are you protecting what you're building right now?

    Thanks for all this information. I hope things go well for you there.

    ~ Doodah
    Hi Christine.... Hi Doodah.... Hi everyone!

    The quote jumped out at me too. It pretty much left me thinking Um? I am not sure I agree with that. I actually know some folks who live out in the country in Ecuador either alone or with their immediate family and haven't experienced any problems. Much depends on how you integrate with your neighbors, the attitudes you carry and the life style you choose.

    I have posted a lot of information about Ecuador on different threads and have now been living here for a year and a half. Wow, time flies.

    I do want to thank Christine for her time writing all this information down, I know how much work it is as I was inundated with questions too. There is a lot to learn about a country and as many views about living in it as there are people, so it is difficult to really know a place until you visit there yourself.

    I have been to Christine and Bruce's place and it is amazing what these two high energy people have done. If someone wants to visit Ecuador, have a good place to start their explorations from, maybe stay awhile and explore the area plus be in the company of some very wonderfully awake folks I would recommend Gaia Sagrada as a good jumping off place. Christine has explained to me the different models she has for opening her center to the larger world.

    I do agree with Christine that community is the way we should to be living as we experience the accelerating changes. Community challenges us, fulfills us and teaches us in ways that we do not get to experience in isolation.

    Hey there Christine - if I get a little more time I will try and help here with answering some of the questions.

    With the warmest regards,

    Christine

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    Avalon Member Eva2's Avatar
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    Default Re: An Opportunity to Live in Ecuador

    I may visit Cuenca (and possibly Cotacachi) early next year and was wondering if you could provide any contacts for short term rentals in these areas. Thanks.

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    Default Re: An Opportunity to Live in Ecuador

    Thanks Bill, gotta get a passport, etc. I hope to be in Vilcabamba next spring!

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