[COUNTRY EXPERT – WENDY DECHAMBEAU]

The Quito airport is about 45 minutes outside of the city so you won’t find any hotels within Quito that are near the airport. If you want something close to the airport for the nights before and after your flights most people use the Quito Airport Suites (airporthotelquito.com).

The suggestions for lodging in Cotacachi are still good with the possible exception of Land of the Sun. It is under new ownership and I’ve yet to hear good reports.

I haven’t been to the coast for some time, so maybe Suzan or Edd can chime in about Salinas.

[COUNTRY EXPERT – WENDY DECHAMBEAU]

In the Loja/Vilcabamba area you might try Darnell Dunn at Abundant Living (www.abecuador.com). He and his business partner specialize in Expat Relocation services including visa facilitation. Or you can try Maite Duran out of Cuenca who seems to be a very popular facilitator in that area.

[COUNTRY EXPERT – WENDY DECHAMBEAU]

I bought Kindle Fires for both of my kids last year and we’re very happy with them. They’re smaller than an iPad which makes them lightweight and very easy to transport and they are considerably cheaper. They will easily do everything you need them to. Amazon’s customer support is also excellent. The only drawback is that apps must be purchased from Amazon, so if you already have an iTunes account and use that frequently you won’t be able to access it with a Kindle.

[COUNTRY EXPERT – WENDY DECHAMBEAU]

The type of clothing you’ll need shouldn’t vary much throughout the year, but it will make a difference if you’re living on the coast or in the mountains. When I was on the coast I primarily wore shorts, t-shirts, sandals, and a swimsuit. I occasionally wore cargo pants, but not often.

Here in the highlands you’ll want a variety of types of clothes. When the sun is out it can be fairly warm, but if clouds drift over the sun it cools considerably. Most of us wear layers that we can take off or put on as we need while out and about. So a variety of pants, capris, short-sleeved and long-sleeved shirts, light and heavy sweaters, and a light raincoat should do. Bring good shoes too as you’ll likely find yourself walking quite a bit.

Appliances are a little more expensive here and furniture can be although you can often have quality furniture made for not much more than you would pay in the U.S. In my opinion shipping those things would cost more than just buying them here. But if you want any specialized appliances or if you’re already bringing a container down it could be worthwhile.

Here are the household things I would suggest you bring if you have room: Good quality kitchen gadgets and pots/pans. Cast iron is near impossible to find here and stainless steel is expensive. If you love your Magic Bullet or food processor, bring it with. Bring your linens if you like really good quality sheets/towels. Any electronics you need like laptops, tablets, and smartphones (unlocked). Anything else you just really love and use a lot – bring it. You never know if you’ll be able to find the same thing here. Otherwise most everything else can be found here in Ecuador.

Personally my family of four came with whatever we could bring on the plane and we’re just fine. Every now and then I wish I would have thought to bring some small item or another, but their absence is not diminishing my quality of life here. One of the fun things about moving abroad is learning to adapt and adjust as needed.

[COUNTRY EXPERT – WENDY DECHAMBEAU]

Hi Robert,

Interest rates for CDs in Ecuador can vary greatly from bank to bank, but are still generally higher than what you’ll find in the U.S. One of the more popular banks here pays up to around 6%, but others pay more even up to 9% or 10% depending on the amount of the investment and length of term. You’ll want to do your research on any institution that you choose to invest with though as some are more sound than others.

There are cooperativas here and they are similar to a credit union. I know of at least one cooperativa which will allow you to open a CD without being a resident or even being in the country, but I suspect there are others. It could be worth looking into for investment purposes, but like I said make sure you thoroughly research the financial institution before depositing money with them. They’re not likely to get government bailouts like they do in the U.S. in the event of a failure.

[COUNTRY EXPERT – WENDY DECHAMBEAU]

Stop in at Puerto Amistad and/or Coco Bongo while you’re in Bahia. Those are popular spots for expats to eat and drink and you should be able to make some good contacts there. Enjoy your travels!

[COUNTRY EXPERT – WENDY DECHAMBEAU]

Hi Larry,

I had a similar thing happen just before I moved to Ecuador. My neighbor was former DEA and he had all kinds of scary stories from his still-active DEA friends about Ecuador. I’ve learned that it’s much a matter of perspective. I’ve been here 3.5 years now and like Suzan have never seen any evidence of a drug trade nor been offered illegal drugs. No doubt it occurs, but it’s not rampant and not a problem throughout most of the country. The DEA agents on the other hand are ONLY dealing with drug issues. So that is all they see. And often it is in a small portion of the country, but since they’re not here as tourists or expats they don’t see the majority of the country and how very different it is from their world.

[COUNTRY EXPERT – WENDY DECHAMBEAU]

Five months seems longer than normal unless there is a hiccup with the paperwork. But it doesn’t sound like there has been any indication that anything is out of order. That’s why I suggested she continue to contact her facilitator daily in a polite yet firm way requesting status updates. Someone should be checking with the immigration department to see what’s holding this up.

[COUNTRY EXPERT – WENDY DECHAMBEAU]

My understanding is that it doesn’t really matter if you submit your paperwork while you are living in the U.S. or if you do it after you arrive in Ecuador. The paperwork is treated the same and neither one gets preferential treatment.

If I were you I would start contacting my facilitator every day or every other day asking for an update. In my experience being a squeaky wheel pays off here as long as you are professional and polite while doing it. It just needs to be clear that you are on top of things and you don’t want your paperwork to slip through the cracks.

[COUNTRY EXPERT – WENDY DECHAMBEAU]

Prices vary depending on the size, location, and quality of the condo, but I can give you a rough idea of what you can expect based on current rentals. A small 2-bedroom apartment just outside of town is renting for $450 (I think that’s with a long-term lease) while a more spacious 2-bedroom condo in one of the more popular developments is renting for $600.

One bedrooms are renting between $400 for a ground-floor apartment and $700 for a penthouse suite with magnificent views. You’ll find prices in between as well and you can find cheaper options if you’re willing to go with more basic or lightly furnished apartments.

[COUNTRY EXPERT – WENDY DECHAMBEAU]

I’m sorry to hear that you’re still waiting on your visas. Sometimes things get bogged down in the bureaucratic offices here in Ecuador and it slows everything down. I would suggest waiting another week or so and then asking your facilitator to get in touch with someone at the immigration department to see if they can tell you what the hold up is.

[COUNTRY EXPERT – WENDY DECHAMBEAU]

Hi Jacqueline,

You can start your own business here in Ecuador with any type of residency visa. In fact three years ago when my husband and I started our restaurant we didn’t even have our visas yet, though the rules may have changed by now. What Suzan is referring to is that you cannot be hired by a company with a pensioner’s visa. You would need some type of work visa for that or possibly the professional visa that Suzan mentions.

[COUNTRY EXPERT – WENDY DECHAMBEAU]

Here is what one expat in Quito reported about the demonstrations yesterday.

Just came back home. Nothing to report, other than Correa friendly and opposing parties demonstrated their opinions in a peaceful manner, although one could hear quite a lot of obscenities. About 700 police were there. Difficult to say how many people in one side and the other… but about 1500 to 2000 anti Correa and about the same pro Correa. Anti-Correa People kept arriving when I left, so I think they will continue there for a while.

As Edd said, the violent demonstrations that we might see in other places are not an issue here. Ecuadoreans use their right to demonstrate and do so whenever they feel change is needed. But they’re not interested in wreaking havoc, they simply want their voices heard.

I don’t know of anyone here who is concerned about the demonstrations, though most will stay clear of those areas where the demonstrations are taking place because like Edd mentioned it can make a lot of noise and create traffic jams.

[COUNTRY EXPERT – WENDY DECHAMBEAU]

The city of Ambato and the smaller town of Baños are the two most well-known areas near mount Tungurahua. The only real effect the volcano has had on them in many years is an occasional coating of ash, which the locals simply sweep off their steps and go about their business. Nobody that I know in that area is very concerned about the volcanic activity at this point.

[COUNTRY EXPERT – WENDY DECHAMBEAU]

As far as I know El Encanto is only single family homes. I was out there a couple of years ago and I liked the look of the houses and development, but I haven’t seen how it has progressed since.

[Author]

Posts