[COUNTRY EXPERT – WENDY DECHAMBEAU]

Like Edd said, there are few lakes with residential options, though Lago San Pablo in the north Andes has lakefront housing options. Another option could be splitting your time between the cooler mountains and the warmer coast. Quite a few expats do this and have found a happy balance between ocean and highlands.

[COUNTRY EXPERT – WENDY DECHAMBEAU]

Mark, I’m not personally acquainted with any translators in Quito, though I’m sure there are some. Perhaps you could try contacting one of the language schools there and seeing if they could help you. You can reach the Simon Bolivar Spanish School at info@simon-bolivar.com.

Buses to Otavalo leave Quito from the north terminal known as Carcalen. Once you arrive at the Otavalo terminal you can catch a bus to Cotacachi. Buses from both terminals depart frequently so you shouldn’t need to wait more than 20 minutes (at most) for a bus.

In Cotacachi, El Arbolito and La Cuadra are both nice inexpensive hostals that get good reviews. Otavalo and Cotacachi are only 20 minutes away from each other by bus, so I’m not sure you’d want to stay in one town and then move hotels to another town later since you can easily take day trips to either one. But if you want to stay in Otavalo as well there are a lot of nice hostals near the Plaza de Ponchos. Most potential expats choose to stay in Cotacachi, so I’m sorry, but I don’t really have any first-hand recommendations for accommodation in Otavalo.

[COUNTRY EXPERT – WENDY DECHAMBEAU]

It can be tricky to enter the country on a one-way ticket. Technically if you don’t have a residency visa in your passport you are supposed to have a return ticket. But…often immigration agents don’t check to see if you have a return ticket and it’s not an issue. However, if you get a by-the-book immigration agent they could choose to send you back to your country of origin and/or your airline may not let you board without a return ticket because if it is decided that you need to return it is done at the airline’s expense.

You could check with your airline and see what options you have in the way of refunds if you end up not needing to use your return ticket. Good luck!

[COUNTRY EXPERT – WENDY DECHAMBEAU]

I’m not sure about the sheets as I’ve never brought any down from the states, hopefully someone else will be able to help you with that.

As for spices in Cotacachi I notice that blends are tough to find. Things like Old Bay or Pumpkin Pie spice. Most of these can be made yourself from what’s available if you know what spices to use and what the proportions are. I also have a tough time finding chili powder. They do have a powder made from aji (a local pepper), but the flavor is different than what we’re used to back home. Most of the basics are readily available though: Cinnamon, ginger, basil, oregano, rosemary, thyme, turmeric, cumin, etc.

[COUNTRY EXPERT – WENDY DECHAMBEAU]

There are chiropractors in Ecuador, though most of them are expats from the U.S. or Canada. I know of several in Cotacachi, Cuenca, and Vilcabamba. I’m not sure if there are any in Salinas, but if you are on Facebook you might try asking on the Ecuador Expats group.

[COUNTRY EXPERT – WENDY DECHAMBEAU]

Hi Dona,

I hope you don’t mind if I chime in here. There are quite a few Canadians in Cotacachi, and I know there are at least a couple from B.C. Plus several of us from northern Washington and Idaho which are close by. There are a lot of opportunities to get involved here in Cotacachi by volunteering with the local charities or simply helping out individual families on your own. I don’t know of any Spanish immersion schools right in Cotacachi, but there are several in nearby Otavalo and plenty of individual Spanish teachers right here in town.

[COUNTRY EXPERT – WENDY DECHAMBEAU]

You can enter the country on a 90-day tourist visa and then apply for a 12-IX visa which gives you an additional 180 days in the country. By doing this you could stay for close to nine months in Ecuador. I don’t know of any way to stay a full year without getting some sort of residency visa.

[COUNTRY EXPERT – WENDY DECHAMBEAU]

Dr. Roberto Moreno should be able to help you with your real estate purchase. His e-mail address is roberto@morenodidonato.com.

[COUNTRY EXPERT – WENDY DECHAMBEAU]

Most buses to the coast leave from the South Quito terminal, so that’s where you’ll want to go. You’ll want to find a bus to Pedernales and you’re correct in that it will take around 7 hours. Once in Pedernales find a bus headed to Canoa or Bahia de Caraquez and then tell the driver or bus attendant that you want to get off in Jama which is along the way. They’ll let you know when it’s time to get off.

One thing to note is that the community of Jama sits a little off the main highway so you’ll probably want to arrange transportation from the bus drop to where you’re staying beforehand. If you take the 7 hour bus ride to Pedernales, plus the additional hour or so to Jama it could be getting late in the day and taxis may not be plentiful.

[COUNTRY EXPERT – WENDY DECHAMBEAU]

The banking concern is because of FATCA, the newly implemented U.S. Federal law which is designed to keep U.S. citizens from hiding money overseas.

Essentially the U.S. is requiring foreign banks to report information back to the U.S. on accounts held by U.S. citizens. My neighbor opened an account at Banco Pichincha last week and was required to give far more info than I had to three years ago, but he was able to open the account.

Another requirement of FATCA is that if a U.S. citizen is sending money to a foreign bank that is NOT cooperating with FATCA requirements, then 30% of the funds will be withheld for taxes. My understanding is that whatever amount is not required for taxes will be refunded to the taxpayer.

Here is a link to the wikipedia article on FATCA, but if you google it you can find a wealth of info on the subject.

Long story short: It might take a few months to get everything straightened out with the banks here in Ecuador trying to comply with FATCA, but they’ll soon have it under control. Check with your bank before wiring money to ensure they are in compliance with FATCA or you may be subject to a 30% withholding.

[COUNTRY EXPERT – WENDY DECHAMBEAU]

I’ll be out of town at the beginning of August, but will be back in Cotacachi later in the month. I’d be happy to meet with you and your wife if our schedules line up. Otherwise you’re sure to meet up with other expats if you visit any of the restaurants frequented by expats. Solid Rock Cafe is a popular breakfast spot while Serendipity and Trebol get good lunch and dinner crowds. The Bar (yes that’s the name) is a good place to catch a sports game or have a drink and you’ll find plenty of expats there as well.

[COUNTRY EXPERT – WENDY DECHAMBEAU]

I think it depends on the room. Our room had four beds and a private bath, but I think there are rooms that have shared baths. If you want to ensure a private bath it would be best to make reservations ahead of time.

[COUNTRY EXPERT – WENDY DECHAMBEAU]

My family and I stayed there about two years ago and we were pleased with it. It’s safe, quiet, and the staff was friendly and helpful. My only complaint is that the milkshake I ordered from the kitchen was essentially chocolate milk, but considering that’s all I have to complain about I’d say the place was pretty good. You can also see what other people think of the Travellers Inn on Trip Advisor.

[COUNTRY EXPERT – WENDY DECHAMBEAU]

If they are available in Ecuador the nearest source to Cotacachi would be Quito. Be aware though that all of the gym and fitness equipment that I’ve seen here tends to be quite expensive.

[COUNTRY EXPERT – WENDY DECHAMBEAU]

I’m nearly certain that your one year starts from the date you received your visa not when it expires. So for example if you arrive in the country on June 1st 2014 with a 90 day tourist visa and receive your 180 day 12-9 visa when that expires you’ll be able to stay in Ecuador for close to nine months. You’ll need to leave for three months when your visa expires, but you should be able to return on June 1st 2015.

I have a friend who housesits mostly in Ecuador and has been following this method for a couple of years now. The authorities have always used his original date of entry as the date when his year starts and he’s able to reenter the country on that same date the following year.

[Author]

Posts