+ Reply to Thread
Page 2 of 4 FirstFirst 1 2 4 LastLast
Results 21 to 40 of 71

Thread: Living in Ecuador - Questions and Answers

  1. Link to Post #21
    Unsubscribed
    Join Date
    7th August 2011
    Posts
    2,308
    Thanks
    23,260
    Thanked 14,439 times in 1,555 posts

    Default Re: An Opportunity to Live in Ecuador

    Quote Posted by norman (here)

    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?
    Hi Norman,

    Wild life - depends on where you are in Ecuador. In the Andes you won't find anything too ferocious. There are lots of Alpacas, amazing birds, butterflies and a few remaining puma. Not much chance you will run into anything dangerous. In the oriente (amazon) you would need be careful of venomous snakes.

    Here is a picture of an Alpaca friend of mine, nothing remotely dangerous about this fellow:



    I don't know about ships that sail from the UK but you can get to Ecuador via Spain without going into the US.

    Short reply to take some pressure off of the other Christine.

    Warmly,

    Christine (La Tigra)

    P.S. Yesterday I spent the day in a bio reserve water shed area about 11,000 feet up.... amazing. No cars, no electric lines, blue skies and cotton candy clouds streaming across the sky with the brisk breeze. Another day to be grateful for.
    Last edited by Christine; 1st October 2012 at 02:00.

  2. Link to Post #22
    UK Avalon Founder Bill Ryan's Avatar
    Join Date
    7th February 2010
    Location
    Ecuador
    Posts
    34,206
    Thanks
    207,996
    Thanked 456,558 times in 32,726 posts

    Default Re: An Opportunity to Live in Ecuador

    -------

    My personal summary about Ecuador:

    The country has a great deal going for it. Diesel is subsidized at $1.04 a gallon, gasoline is $1.48 (all the gas stations nationwide are the same price), a good quality furnished condo costs about $500-600 pm, and a very nice meal out costs about $20-25 for two: sometimes quite a bit less.

    Fruit is cheap and abundant (there are some enormous markets here), there's a year-round growing season, there are no mosquitos (except at the coast), and you can get raw milk delivered to your door. I've never been lucky enough to see a dangerous animal of any kind.

    Unlike Christine Breese, I enjoy driving here! But yes, you do have to get used to the local protocols and assumptions. Overtaking going round corners is just one of these. And I'm still not used to pulling over to the right when turning left.

    Vehicles are expensive here -- but they hold their value. This takes a bit of getting used to. For example, someone I know bought an old 1980s 4x4 for $5000. In the US, it might have cost just $800. But a year later, it's still worth $5000. (And its brother in the US would still be worth $800. See how it works?)

    There are signs that the government is trying to tighten up on its bureaucracy, NWO-style. But they're pretty inefficient, and many years behind North America and Europe in their ability to maintain their databases and systems.

    No American or European banks here. As Christine Breese says, it's easy to open a bank account in Ecuador (though, like many formalities here, the paperwork and apparently unnecessary form-filling can be prodigious.) International transfers are easy to make, and someone I knew withdrew $50,000 cash a little while ago without the bank teller raising an eyebrow. (Try doing that in the US!)

    The residency process is relatively straightforward, and yes, you can live here indefinitely. The easiest route is if you have a university degree. That qualifies you for what's called a permanent professional visa.

    For that you need your degree certificate, your birth certificate, and a letter or other written official statement that you have a clean police record from your state or country of residence in the last five years. All these documents need to have an apostille. If you don't have a degree, there are other relatively straightforward routes (Christine/ La Tigra can advise, as she's helped a lot of people out with visas and residency and has become a near-expert in the subject.)

    After your residency is granted, you can live here permanently -- and the only restriction is that you can only leave the country for a total of 90 days in each of your first two years here.

    Buying land is not a problem for anyone, whether they're resident or not. The price of land is often less than $10,000 per acre (though prices are increasing now that more and more expats are arriving).

    Yes, it's cheap to live here in everyday terms. I had a very battered and broken wallet beautifully and lovingly reconditioned for just $6. The technician in one of the Apple Stores here took great personal care to cut my laptop casing with a fine hacksaw to make my new keyboard fit properly (it was very slightly the wrong version, but he made it work perfectly -- then he charged me $20. No Apple technician in the US would ever have been permitted to do that). A local mechanic had my car for six weeks while he wrestled with a tricky problem with a range of misbehaving sensors. He charged just $60(!) for his labor. He was a conscientious perfectionist. The quality of personal and professional service I've received here in some instances is as good as if not better than anywhere in the world. There are some very high quality people here.

    Not so cheap are imported electronic items, which can be expensive. Good quality vitamins and supplements need to be brought in from the US. And you need to learn to barter, as many vendors try it on and quote "gringo prices" when they see you coming. Then, hey, that's part of the fun of living in a developing country.

    But it's a developing country in pretty good shape. I've traveled extensively in Africa and India, and there's no comparison. Many parts of Ecuador are MUCH more like the US or Europe (particularly southern Europe) than, say, anywhere in Africa. The people are extremely friendly, I personally have witnessed no crime at all, and I feel very safe here. (This is WHY I'm here!)

    And I drive almost every day -- and enjoy the ride.

    Last edited by Bill Ryan; 1st October 2012 at 02:33.

  3. The Following 20 Users Say Thank You to Bill Ryan For This Post:

    4evrneo (1st October 2012), Antagenet (1st October 2012), christian (1st October 2012), Christine (1st October 2012), doodah (1st October 2012), fourty-two (1st October 2012), Heart-2-Heart (1st October 2012), Hervé (1st October 2012), Magnus (1st October 2012), Mark (1st October 2012), nomadguy (1st October 2012), Ontarioguy (1st October 2012), Revere (3rd October 2012), RMorgan (1st October 2012), RunningDeer (1st October 2012), SaiphStar (1st October 2012), sandy (1st October 2012), ThePythonicCow (1st October 2012), wolf_rt (1st December 2013), Zelig (1st October 2012)

  4. Link to Post #23
    Avalon Member mosquito's Avatar
    Join Date
    12th April 2011
    Location
    swonK kcuF
    Age
    65
    Posts
    1,508
    Thanks
    11,258
    Thanked 7,739 times in 1,371 posts

    Default Re: An Opportunity to Live in Ecuador

    Thank you Christine for all the information, and especially for the hard facts, which should help people to realize that it isn't just a case of getting up and going there.

    I attempted to live in Peru a few years back, and it sounds like there are some parallels, not surprisingly !

    If I'm not mistaken, another option for people is to buy Ecuadorian citizenship, which (the last time I checked) was still the cheapest deal available at $25,000. It's possible that the USA has clamped down on this though, as they did recently with the acquisition of Panamanian passports.

    Please bear in mind that although Cuenca may be a nice place now, the more gringos who come with the wrong attitude, the more likely it is that things will turn sour, as in Vilcabamba.

    Good luck with your enterprise, I hope it all works out well for you !!!

  5. The Following 6 Users Say Thank You to mosquito For This Post:

    gigha (1st October 2012), learninglight (1st October 2012), Ontarioguy (1st October 2012), RunningDeer (1st October 2012), Tarka the Duck (1st October 2012), Tony (1st October 2012)

  6. Link to Post #24
    Ecuador Avalon Member Christine Breese's Avatar
    Join Date
    21st August 2011
    Location
    Arcata, CA and Cuenca, Ecuador
    Posts
    60
    Thanks
    6
    Thanked 371 times in 51 posts

    Default Re: An Opportunity to Live in Ecuador

    Thanks so much Christine and Bill for answering questions and joining me on this one! I didn’t realize I would be putting a day’s worth or more of writing into this one! I like to write, so no problem, but wow! Thanx for the answering questions and helping! I didn’t realize we would be addressing all kinds of other questions that have nothing to do with the Gaia Sagrada Center. I guess we got off track as to what this thread was supposed to be about, Gaia Sagrada, but that’s ok. All these answers about Ecuador for the people who aren’t interested in a spiritual community is important stuff!

    Bicycles in Ecuador

    Bicycle, yikes! I wouldn’t ride that thing in the city, that’s for sure! There are not a lot of people on bikes in the city, and if there were I think they would get run over by crazy drivers too often! I most certainly wouldn't turn my back on the traffic, that's for sure. I see people riding bikes on the country roads and that would be fine. Just get a taxi or bus (I think you can hook a bike onto a bus, don’t know, never tried) and take your bike with you to the country and ride there. That is the only place I would dare to ride a bike in Ecuador though, or small towns. Cuenca, or any other city, oh boy. Talk about risking it. Your guardian angels are not going to like the workout you’re going to give them on that one! Bike riding in the city, no, although you can do it if you’re willing to take the risk; bike riding in the country, big Make sure it’s a mountain bike as you’re going to need those extra gears!

    Recording Nature Sounds

    You can take your recording gear with you, and you would get plenty of lovely non-human sounds to record if you are outside the city. The night sounds are really wonderful here at Gaia Sagrada, and the day sounds too. We don’t hear any human sounds out here at all, although maybe once every couple days we might hear something go by our gravel road, but not much else than that. It is nature sounds all the way here at Gaia Sagrada! I think there are more places where there are no human sounds than the other way around here in Ecuador. It’s a nature sound recordists dream!

    Dangerous Animals

    Boy, that Llama was a pretty scary dude Christine! Yikes! He might lick ya or something! Seriously, what a cutie!

    Dangerous animals are only in the jungle it seems. Jaguars, snakes, and poisonous bugs, that’s pretty much it. I think that all the Ecuadorians living in the country kill and eat most of the wild animals, so I don’t hardly ever see wild animals, at least not in the mountains or out at the coastal plains. I saw a deer ONCE here in the country in all the time that I’ve been here. Of course deer aren’t dangerous for anything except your garden. The good thing is that we don’t have to put fences around our gardens because the deer don’t run around in herds mowing everything in their path, leaving nothing but stalks in your garden, the way they do in the states! Of course, the most dangerous animals on the planet are humans. They’re everywhere!

    Rentals in Ecuador

    They are listed sometimes on that gringo tree email list or the Ecuador expat forum in yahoo groups. If you just do a google search though, you’ll find the rentals. They’re easy to find online. Whatever you do, don’t sign more than a 3 month lease for a rental that is unseen if you’re just going to get it so you can land here. Try for only a month if you can. You can use that as a landing base and then look for another once you’re here, that’s what we did. Unless you’re here, you can’t be sure a rental is decent, so just grab whatever, keep it short as far as a lease goes, and then move on from there once you’re here. Your best rentals and best prices will be found in the Sunday classifieds in the local newspaper El Mercurio here in Cuenca.

    Panama and Costa Rica fate for Ecuador?

    It’s going to take a long time before gringos will make that kind of impact in Ecuador. It took 10 to 15 years for the whole Panama and Costa Rica thing. We figure we’ll have some time before that happens, and if that’s what happens then fine, we could sell and move on to the next undiscovered gem, wherever that is. However, this is no normal time we’re living in. Personally I don’t think there will be time for Ecuador to have the same fate as Costa Rica or Panama before we are in a full on consciousness shift on this planet. What happens then, well, it’s anyone’s guess! I figure that for now Ecuador is a great place to be. If that ever changes, well, nothing’s permanent! Change is part of life! Nothing to worry about. If this ride only lasts a few years before it becomes a Panama or Costa Rica type situation, then it’s going to be a great few years! I’ll take it! Personally, I think the good times will last a lot longer than that in Ecuador, so we’re not worried.
    Save the planet, it's the only one with chocolate!

  7. The Following 8 Users Say Thank You to Christine Breese For This Post:

    4evrneo (1st October 2012), christian (1st October 2012), fourty-two (1st October 2012), Limor Wolf (1st October 2012), RunningDeer (1st October 2012), ThePythonicCow (1st October 2012), wolf_rt (1st December 2013), write4change (1st October 2012)

  8. Link to Post #25
    Ecuador Avalon Member Christine Breese's Avatar
    Join Date
    21st August 2011
    Location
    Arcata, CA and Cuenca, Ecuador
    Posts
    60
    Thanks
    6
    Thanked 371 times in 51 posts

    Default Re: An Opportunity to Live in Ecuador

    Bill you are a total wild man with that driving thing, braving the crazy seas of the roads of Ecuador, just like Bruce! ha! You are both made from the same the same mold or something. Bruce secretly likes it too! Maybe it's a guy thing! He was never going to be happy until he had his own car here!
    Save the planet, it's the only one with chocolate!

  9. The Following User Says Thank You to Christine Breese For This Post:

    4evrneo (1st October 2012)

  10. Link to Post #26
    United States Avalon Member Strat's Avatar
    Join Date
    27th April 2010
    Language
    English
    Age
    38
    Posts
    1,982
    Thanks
    4,502
    Thanked 13,306 times in 1,825 posts

    Default Re: An Opportunity to Live in Ecuador

    Quote Posted by Bill Ryan (here)
    For example, someone I know bought an old 1980s 4x4 for $5000.
    $20 says it's a Tacoma. That or a Range Rover.

    Is it easy to cross borders into neighboring countries? I imagine it's just a matter of showing your passport.
    Today is victory over yourself of yesterday. Tomorrow is your victory over lesser men.

  11. Link to Post #27
    UK Avalon Member
    Join Date
    24th March 2011
    Age
    77
    Posts
    3,947
    Thanks
    7,148
    Thanked 23,260 times in 3,618 posts

    Default Re: An Opportunity to Live in Ecuador

    The gringos are already having an impact, regarding it as their own cheap play ground. It is no different from anywhere else in the world, rich and semi rich bored people wanting the 'good life'. I sat with many people in Vilcambamba chatting, most seemed bored, some with a siege mentality, some thought they needed a gun!

    People are the same all over. Poor people are just ordinary living their lives quite happily, then foreigners arrive with an attitude.



    Tony
    Last edited by Tony; 1st October 2012 at 08:16.

  12. The Following 7 Users Say Thank You to Tony For This Post:

    4evrneo (1st October 2012), blufire (1st October 2012), Limor Wolf (1st October 2012), mosquito (1st October 2012), RMorgan (1st October 2012), RunningDeer (1st October 2012), Tarka the Duck (1st October 2012)

  13. Link to Post #28
    Avalon Member mosquito's Avatar
    Join Date
    12th April 2011
    Location
    swonK kcuF
    Age
    65
    Posts
    1,508
    Thanks
    11,258
    Thanked 7,739 times in 1,371 posts

    Default Re: An Opportunity to Live in Ecuador

    Absolutely Tony, well said.

  14. The Following 2 Users Say Thank You to mosquito For This Post:

    RMorgan (1st October 2012), Tarka the Duck (1st October 2012)

  15. Link to Post #29
    Avalon Member
    Join Date
    3rd January 2011
    Posts
    530
    Thanks
    306
    Thanked 1,530 times in 419 posts

    Default Re: An Opportunity to Live in Ecuador

    People from poorer countries also move to wealthier countries for better opportunities. Moving to somewhere where the cost of living is substantially cheaper can benefit your life but it may also have unforeseen negative affects on the lives of the local communities such as increasing house prices and a widening wealth gap causing more crime. Moving and sharing ideas is part of a growing awareness but is also a driver of globalisation. After travelling and living abroad for a while I believe it can be important to our individual growth but we have to do it for the right reasons.

  16. The Following 4 Users Say Thank You to andrewgreen For This Post:

    Arrowwind (1st October 2012), mosquito (2nd October 2012), Tarka the Duck (1st October 2012), write4change (1st October 2012)

  17. Link to Post #30
    Unsubscribed
    Join Date
    22nd January 2011
    Posts
    1,199
    Thanks
    2,091
    Thanked 5,709 times in 1,042 posts

    Default Re: An Opportunity to Live in Ecuador

    Quote Buying land is not a problem for anyone, whether they're resident or not. The price of land is often less than $10,000 per acre (though prices are increasing now that more and more expats are arriving).
    Jeez Bill, you can get great farmland in Kansas for $5,000 an acre and here in the Appalachian Mountains you can purchase stunning mountain land for $600 an acre.

    For the past several months I read your (Bill) posts and even though your general view of our future aligns with mine I always come to a screeching halt at your fairly adamant counsel at moving to Ecuador. You have flat out said at least a couple times that those of us who live in the US should consider leaving the country asap. It would be helpful if you could elaborate on why you have this opinion.

    Staying in line with this thread I will have to say these types of ‘communities’ have always confused me . . . . I have such a difficult time envisioning myself mediating, enjoying sumptuous meals, strolling through the gardens, soaking in hot tubs, going to workshops becoming more enlightened and spiritual . . . etcetera while the local Ecuadorian people do most of the work and take care of me. I also feel these types of ‘communities’ only favor the independent fairly wealthy. . . .

    For me, going to Live somewhere means you choose to live ‘in that place’ because of the people, culture, heritage and land. For me, taking my usual way of living with my culture, my heritage and nationality to a dramatically different location would defeat the purpose of moving.

    This retreat sounds very lovely and idealistic . . . . I just wish for once it was a place for everyone no matter their financial situation . . . . even in this beautiful ‘sacred’ place where one can come to become more ‘spiritual’ everyone will be divided by financial ability and even nationality . . . . somehow for me this defeats the purpose of ‘living’ there to shift into the new paradigm . . . if you go to live in such a beautiful place with the old paradigm solidly in place how much harder will it be to ‘shift paradigms’?

  18. Link to Post #31
    United States Avalon Retired Member
    Join Date
    2nd January 2011
    Location
    United States of America
    Posts
    3,244
    Thanks
    1,267
    Thanked 10,543 times in 2,615 posts

    Default Re: An Opportunity to Live in Ecuador

    Quote Posted by Bill Ryan (here)
    -------

    Buying land is not a problem for anyone, whether they're resident or not. The price of land is often less than $10,000 per acre (though prices are increasing now that more and more expats are arriving).



    Less than 10,000 an acre? Hmmm. Doesnt sound inexpensive to me. Quality farm land in the USA is available at 2 to 3,000 an acre with water rights if you purchase up to 30 acres. Of course you wont be living near Taos, Sun Valley or any trendy or new age type of place in California or New York.

    I found this site for realestate in Cuencar: http://www.cuencarealestate.com/List...x?type=1&cat=4

    If it is like Mexico the better deals are found through word of mouth, but it seems that perhaps the Cuencar area is already inflated due to gringo invasion. The land looks much like areas in Belize to me.



  19. The Following User Says Thank You to Arrowwind For This Post:

    4evrneo (1st October 2012)

  20. Link to Post #32
    United States Avalon Retired Member
    Join Date
    2nd January 2011
    Location
    United States of America
    Posts
    3,244
    Thanks
    1,267
    Thanked 10,543 times in 2,615 posts

    Default Re: An Opportunity to Live in Ecuador

    Quote Posted by blufire (here)
    [
    Staying in line with this thread I will have to say these types of ‘communities’ have always confused me . . . . I have such a difficult time envisioning myself mediating, enjoying sumptuous meals, strolling through the gardens, soaking in hot tubs, going to workshops becoming more enlightened and spiritual . . . etcetera while the local Ecuadorian people do most of the work and take care of me. I also feel these types of ‘communities’ only favor the independent fairly wealthy. . . .

    ?
    Bluefire, your thoughts are not too far off from mine... and as you can see in the post I entered almost the same time you did yours, I comment on the cost of land also.

    I lived in the Taos area in the late 70's and saw first hand what gringo invasion does... and please remember, Taos and the surounding area was about as close as you could get to living in a foreign country in the 50's and 60's. Taos was inundated with over 300 communes (as I was told but likely only 30) in the 60's.. I landed into one of the last cooperatvie living places left, the Taos Learning Center which disappated soon after... The hippy invasion really changed the reality of the land and the peoples there... and a few dead hippies were found on the road over the course of the years. The locals had a hard time adjusting to gringo hippy chicks walking half naked down the road as well as their drug use... These days, regular people can barely afford to live in the Taos area nor Santa Fe and the disparity of wealth was clear cut at least back then. These communites have become newage centers and centers for the arts.. which in effect are wealthy people who live off of the backs of others mostly... guess I can get kind of jaded about it, having seen first hand what these cultural exchanges do for the "locals"

    All the cultural diversity and simplicity that is so attractive initially to the community and the lifestyle is lost. Before you know it all the implants start implementing all the regulations and laws that many of us are trying to avoid or escape and then the next thing you know crime starts to escalate as the displaced people try to find a new footing. Gangs are now in Taos and Santa Fe.... http://www.jrsa.org/pubs/sac-digest/...nal_report.pdf
    Last edited by Arrowwind; 1st October 2012 at 11:35.

  21. The Following 7 Users Say Thank You to Arrowwind For This Post:

    4evrneo (1st October 2012), Mark (1st October 2012), modwiz (1st October 2012), mosquito (2nd October 2012), Revere (3rd October 2012), Tarka the Duck (1st October 2012), write4change (1st October 2012)

  22. Link to Post #33
    United States Avalon Retired Member
    Join Date
    2nd January 2011
    Location
    United States of America
    Posts
    3,244
    Thanks
    1,267
    Thanked 10,543 times in 2,615 posts

    Default Re: An Opportunity to Live in Ecuador

    [QUOTE=blufire;562418]
    Quote .

    Staying in line with this thread I will have to say these types of ‘communities’ have always confused me . . . . I have such a difficult time envisioning myself mediating, enjoying sumptuous meals, strolling through the gardens, soaking in hot tubs, going to workshops becoming more enlightened and spiritual . . . etcetera while the local Ecuadorian people do most of the work and take care of me. I also feel these types of ‘communities’ only favor the independent fairly wealthy. . . .
    In the Taos area (San Cristobol) I spent some time at the Lama Foundation, formed by Shaykh Noorudeen and Ram Dass. There were about 30 people living there at the time and this was before the fire that destroyed much of it.. The folks there were largely economically sustained either by trust funds, social security insurance or disability or independently wealthy. A very few ventured out to work in the community and due to the isolation it was hard to do. there was a small construction company if I recall correctly. The community made money by providing workshops and retreats to "newagers" from around the nation. They were not well integrated into the local economy or community... difficult to do being so physically and economically isolated. All in all I really liked the community and their advanced level of consciousness, but this community really offered next to nothing to the local area. It was clear to see that it was not sustainable as it stood without the indirect governement funds and independent wealth the poured into it.


  23. The Following 7 Users Say Thank You to Arrowwind For This Post:

    4evrneo (1st October 2012), blufire (1st October 2012), Christine (1st October 2012), modwiz (1st October 2012), mosquito (2nd October 2012), Tarka the Duck (1st October 2012), write4change (1st October 2012)

  24. Link to Post #34
    UK Avalon Retired Member
    Join Date
    31st May 2011
    Age
    67
    Posts
    966
    Thanks
    6,086
    Thanked 4,768 times in 885 posts

    Default Re: An Opportunity to Live in Ecuador

    We spent some time in Ecuador last year, and it is indeed a beautiful country and the Ecuadorians we met were charming (we particularly liked the vibes of Cuenca). there, We had some opportunities to meet ex pats - 99% were from North America - and also chat with people - again, from North America - who were there with a view to buying property either as a holiday home, or to relocate.

    The one thing that almost all the people from the USA mentioned was International Living. We'd never heard of this publishing group before, but it seems they have been doing a big push on Ecuador as a Retirement Haven, stressing that what they call a "comfortable middle-class lifestyle" (lotus eaters?) costs less than $17,000 per annum. Many of the people we met who are thinking of relocating there were looking at gated communities with all the creature comforts of home…and few of the ones we met who had already moved had managed to learn Spanish beyond a pretty basic level. They were there for the cheap cost of living and the weather.And yes, I know that doesn't apply to everyone!
    But it was, for me, an uncomfortable reminder of the Northern European attitude to southern Spain in the 70's , where expats and retirees sit at foreign-owned cafes, talking to other expats and tourists, in their native language – English.

    I suppose what I'm saying is that sensitivity and humility are virtues.
    Last edited by Tarka the Duck; 1st October 2012 at 12:05.

  25. The Following 10 Users Say Thank You to Tarka the Duck For This Post:

    4evrneo (1st October 2012), Arrowwind (1st October 2012), blufire (1st October 2012), Christine (1st October 2012), fourty-two (1st October 2012), Limor Wolf (1st October 2012), mosquito (2nd October 2012), Revere (3rd October 2012), TargeT (1st October 2012), write4change (1st October 2012)

  26. Link to Post #35
    Unsubscribed
    Join Date
    7th August 2011
    Posts
    2,308
    Thanks
    23,260
    Thanked 14,439 times in 1,555 posts

    Default Re: An Opportunity to Live in Ecuador

    Quote Posted by Christine Breese (here)
    Bill you are a total wild man with that driving thing, braving the crazy seas of the roads of Ecuador, just like Bruce! ha! You are both made from the same the same mold or something. Bruce secretly likes it too! Maybe it's a guy thing! He was never going to be happy until he had his own car here!
    Not a guy thing... I was made to drive in Latin america. I actually find it easy to get around and not scary.

    Scarier for me is to not be driving and be in the hands of a myopic driver with a lead foot.

  27. Link to Post #36
    UK Avalon Founder Bill Ryan's Avatar
    Join Date
    7th February 2010
    Location
    Ecuador
    Posts
    34,206
    Thanks
    207,996
    Thanked 456,558 times in 32,726 posts

    Default Re: An Opportunity to Live in Ecuador

    Quote Posted by Tarka the Duck (here)
    Many of the people we met who are thinking of relocating there were looking at gated communities with all the creature comforts of home…and few of the ones we met who had already moved had managed to learn Spanish beyond a pretty basic level. They were there for the cheap cost of living and the weather.And yes, I know that doesn't apply to everyone!
    But it was, for me, an uncomfortable reminder of the Northern European attitude to southern Spain in the 70's , where expats and retirees sit at foreign-owned cafes, talking to other expats and tourists, in their native language – English.

    I suppose what I'm saying is that sensitivity and humility are virtues.
    Totally true. There's a large gated community in Vilcabamba (called San Joaquin) which has become infamous. It contains of expensive, American-style houses -- some of which are really quite large -- in a gated community manned by an armed guard. This has justifiably caused significant resentment among the locals, as the valley it's in contained sacred land prior to being snapped up for a song a decade ago and developed for profit. In my personal opinion, it's a showcase of naive American cultural arrogance, and has caused a lot of damage.

    Even within that safe compound, one or two of the houses have metal gates and walls so high that you cannot see in to the walled land at all while driving past. The message that gives is that of a fortress built by someone whose life is full of fear and distrust.

    Dr Brian O'Leary, bless his very large heart, who lived in Vilcabamba for many years but who integrated really well with the locals, was quietly extremely critical of all this.

    Mike Adams lived San Joaquin when he was in Vilcabamba, and started running real estate tours there. These were not welcomed by locals and expats alike. The strong reaction to his American-style entrepreneurial attitude, which he thought was harmless, was part of the reason why he left to return to the States.

    Vilcabamba is not Ecuador, however, any more than Las Vegas (or Sedona!) are America. There are many other communities which are unspoiled and where friendly expats are welcomed and greeted with kindness. The rules of engagement when traveling, or relocating, are universal:
    • Don't throw your weight around.
    • Be genuinely friendly and interested.
    • Learn the language (or at least try to speak it!). Genuine efforts to communicate personally are always welcomed.
    • Don't fall into the trap of feeling that you're better than anyone else just because you're white, educated, well-traveled, well-informed, or (relatively) wealthy.
    • Respect local traditions, customs, and values, and seek to understand them.
    • Never take advantage of naivete or kindness.
    • Always remember that this is not your country, and like a guest in anyone's house, you are just that -- a guest.
    Last edited by Bill Ryan; 1st October 2012 at 12:41.

  28. The Following 19 Users Say Thank You to Bill Ryan For This Post:

    4evrneo (1st October 2012), Arrowwind (1st October 2012), Chester (2nd October 2012), christian (1st October 2012), Christine (1st October 2012), Davidallany (2nd October 2012), doodah (1st October 2012), fourty-two (1st October 2012), GoodETxSG (1st December 2013), Limor Wolf (1st October 2012), Mark (1st October 2012), modwiz (1st October 2012), Mooashoo (3rd October 2012), mosquito (2nd October 2012), RMorgan (1st October 2012), Ruby L. (1st October 2012), RunningDeer (1st October 2012), wolf_rt (1st December 2013), write4change (1st October 2012)

  29. Link to Post #37
    UK Avalon Founder Bill Ryan's Avatar
    Join Date
    7th February 2010
    Location
    Ecuador
    Posts
    34,206
    Thanks
    207,996
    Thanked 456,558 times in 32,726 posts

    Default Re: An Opportunity to Live in Ecuador

    Quote Posted by Arrowwind (here)
    Quote Posted by Bill Ryan (here)
    -------

    Buying land is not a problem for anyone, whether they're resident or not. The price of land is often less than $10,000 per acre (though prices are increasing now that more and more expats are arriving).


    Less than 10,000 an acre? Hmmm. Doesn't sound inexpensive to me.
    My apologies: I made an important mistake.

    I meant $10,000 a hectare! (2.47 acres). That's $4,000 an acre.

  30. The Following 7 Users Say Thank You to Bill Ryan For This Post:

    4evrneo (1st October 2012), Arrowwind (1st October 2012), Chester (2nd October 2012), christian (1st October 2012), Davidallany (2nd October 2012), RunningDeer (1st October 2012), write4change (1st October 2012)

  31. Link to Post #38
    Unsubscribed
    Join Date
    7th August 2011
    Posts
    2,308
    Thanks
    23,260
    Thanked 14,439 times in 1,555 posts

    Default Re: An Opportunity to Live in Ecuador

    Quote Posted by Arrowwind (here)
    Quote Posted by Bill Ryan (here)
    -------

    Buying land is not a problem for anyone, whether they're resident or not. The price of land is often less than $10,000 per acre (though prices are increasing now that more and more expats are arriving).



    Less than 10,000 an acre? Hmmm. Doesnt sound inexpensive to me. Quality farm land in the USA is available at 2 to 3,000 an acre with water rights if you purchase up to 30 acres. Of course you wont be living near Taos, Sun Valley or any trendy or new age type of place in California or New York.

    I found this site for realestate in Cuencar: http://www.cuencarealestate.com/List...x?type=1&cat=4

    If it is like Mexico the better deals are found through word of mouth, but it seems that perhaps the Cuenca area is already inflated due to gringo invasion. The land looks much like areas in Belize to me.


    Hi Arrowwind,

    A couple of quick comments. Land around Cuenca is going up in price very quickly but it is not solely due to the expats arriving here. Cuenca is a growing dynamic Ecuadorian city with it's own economy that is not dependent on the expats. The land values are going up around Cuenca because of the population increase. See this article:

    http://www.cuencahighlife.com/post/2...-declines.aspx

    Cuenca is a modern city and most of the affluent Ecuadorians travel to Europe and the US so they have brought back some of the practices in these countries. Anyone who has lived abroad in less developed nations will recognize the effect this has on the local culture. Sadly the "systematized" world is either forced on third world countries or too seductive to be seen for what it is. The changes in Cuenca actually have little to do with the expats living here.

    There is no paradise on our planet right now, at least not in the physical. No matter where we are, who we are with and what we are doing it takes a great deal of work and focus to stay balanced and centered. I don't know of any community that is so woo woo that everyone sits around sipping herbal teas and meditating.... Gaia Sagrada and other communities I know about in Ecuador (and elsewhere) are boots on the ground hard working groups that have been called to establish a safe haven. There isn't anything romantic about the work, just a deep satisfaction of following purpose.

    AW - hope you don't mind that I used your post to get in my two cents.

    Fondly,

    Christine (La Tigra)

  32. Link to Post #39
    UK Avalon Founder Bill Ryan's Avatar
    Join Date
    7th February 2010
    Location
    Ecuador
    Posts
    34,206
    Thanks
    207,996
    Thanked 456,558 times in 32,726 posts

    Default Re: An Opportunity to Live in Ecuador

    -------

    Re driving: I've driven extensively in Paris, LA, Koh Samui, Dubai and Nairobi. Ecuador is a breeze.

  33. The Following 4 Users Say Thank You to Bill Ryan For This Post:

    4evrneo (1st October 2012), Chester (2nd October 2012), Davidallany (2nd October 2012), RunningDeer (1st October 2012)

  34. Link to Post #40
    Unsubscribed
    Join Date
    7th December 2010
    Location
    Blaine, Tennessee
    Age
    57
    Posts
    3,386
    Thanks
    21,152
    Thanked 26,963 times in 3,187 posts

    Default Re: An Opportunity to Live in Ecuador

    Quote Posted by Bill Ryan (here)
    Quote Posted by Tarka the Duck (here)
    Many of the people we met who are thinking of relocating there were looking at gated communities with all the creature comforts of home…and few of the ones we met who had already moved had managed to learn Spanish beyond a pretty basic level. They were there for the cheap cost of living and the weather.And yes, I know that doesn't apply to everyone!
    But it was, for me, an uncomfortable reminder of the Northern European attitude to southern Spain in the 70's , where expats and retirees sit at foreign-owned cafes, talking to other expats and tourists, in their native language – English.

    I suppose what I'm saying is that sensitivity and humility are virtues.
    Totally true. There's a large gated community in Vilcabamba (called San Joaquin) which has become infamous. It contains of expensive, American-style houses -- some of which are quite large -- in a gated community manned by an armed guard. This has justifiably caused significant resentment among the locals, as the valley it's in contained sacred land prior to being snapped up for a song a decade ago and developed for profit. In my personal opinion, it's a showcase of naive American cultural arrogance, and has caused a lot of damage.
    Hi Bill, that reminds me a lot of when my wife and I spent a week in Montego Bay, Jamaica back in 2004. We seldom do the "tourist thing" when in someone else's land, and true to form we wound up hiring a waiter we had for dinner one night to be our guide around the island during his off hours. We even wound up keeping mail contact with him for a couple of years after. Great guy.

    Anyway, besides seeing a whole side of the island in our little rickety rental car that a tour bus could/would never show you, we discovered something very unexpected when he recommended us to a little fishing village just outside of Montego for dinner, where a family he knows well runs a little restaurant.

    It was odd enough being introduced to a group of Jamaican men, incredibly friendly, who were friends of his, hanging out just off the main road passing around a big locally grown fatty. But it was what they told us a bit later, once they sensed we were "o.k.", that really gave us an education as to how things were behind the scenes.

    In a suddenly very bitter tone, they pointed out the huge hill across the street, on which at the very top stood a VERY exclusive gated community. "Always looking down on us" as they put it. The residents up there would never think of mixing with the poor filthy locals one said, and their precious money was never spent locally either.

    The last thing they told us, as it was getting time to go eat some freshly caught octopus, was that their dream is one day, they are going to have their opportunity to storm that gated community, kill everyone there, and take back what was rightfully theirs.

    We believed them too.

    Cheers,
    Fred
    Last edited by Fred Steeves; 1st October 2012 at 13:01.

+ Reply to Thread
Page 2 of 4 FirstFirst 1 2 4 LastLast

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts