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There are several expat communities on the coast ranging from small pockets in little coastal towns to larger groups in Salinas and Manta. To find a roommate before coming to Ecuador you could try posting on some of the Facebook expat groups. Ecuador Expats covers the whole country, but there are some coast-specific ones like Ruta del Sol Mates and Salinas Stuff.

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There are several cities that have universities where you could potentially get a job. The larger cities of course will have more options so you’ll want to look at Quito, Cuenca, and Guayaquil. Loja also has several universities and there are some in Ibarra and Otavalo. With the subjects you’re interested in teaching I would also recommend looking into Yachay, Ecuador’s new mega-university and tech center. They are hiring professors from around the world and are working towards the goal of becoming a Latin American Silicon Valley.

I believe you can get your work visa in either the U.S. or Ecuador once you have a work contract in place. But, since I’ve not met many people who get that type of visa I would recommend asking an Ecuadorean attorney who can give you accurate up-to-date information. You might want to try Roberto Moreno at roberto@morenodidonato.com.

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The weather should be just fine during October. You might run into a little rain in your travels, but the wet season is not likely to be in full swing at that time. And even when it is rainy here we usually get nice periods of sun between showers too.

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First, it’s important to note that Ecuador has recently made a change to which background reports they want for visas and you are now required to have an apostilled FBI background check as well as the state police background report. The FBI website actually directs you to your state police for finding more information on where to get an FBI report. I would try your state police again or find your nearest FBI office and ask them. You can also use an FBI channeler to help you with the process. A channeler is an independent contractor that can help you get what you need from the FBI.

Homeowner’s insurance is available here in Ecuador. There are a few companies that provide this, one of which is QBE. A friend of mine uses them and has been happy so far.

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Most towns have at least one cemetery and burial is by far the most popular choice, though cremation is an option. I don’t have any personal experience with this so I don’t really know what the costs associated with burial or cremation are, though I’ll be sure to pop back on here if I find out. I have seen funeral homes in the larger cities, but I’ve never noticed anything like that in small towns. I do see shops that make handcrafted coffins and I’ve seen funeral processions coming out of the local churches from time to time. I suspect that since most people go to church here, the church has a large hand in helping folks through the process. And of course if someone passes away at a hospital the staff there can help direct the family as far as making funeral arrangements.

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I’m not quite sure what you’re asking Dona. Could you be a little more specific? Are you wondering about funerals in Ecuador or how to notify family back in the U.S. or something entirely different?

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If you speak no Spanish at all you’ll want to learn at least a few key words and phrases before coming down as Spanish is the national language of Ecuador. Also, bring a Spanish-English dictionary or app on your phone to help. There are areas where you’ll find more English speaking Ecuadoreans like the Mariscal district in Quito and the touristy areas of Cuenca. Vilcabamba has a high population of expats so you’ll find a lot of English there as well.

With two weeks you could see a nice portion of the Andes or of the Coast. Or if you’d like to see both, I’d recommend picking one location in the mountains and one on the coast and using those as hubs to explore from. From Quito you can take day trips to Otavalo, Cotacachi, and Mindo. From Cuenca you can visit Chordeleg and Las Cajas National Park. If you have the time, Banos is a fun town with hot springs and a lot of outdoor activities and Loja is a nice small colonial city.

Also, check out the “Travel Itineraries” link in the menu bar at the top of the Ecuador Insider page. There are some good suggestions there for different trips through Ecuador.

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In many places you cannot or should not put toilet paper down the toilet because the pipes used in buildings are a small diameter and the toilet paper will clog them up. However in some newer structures (like the new airport in Quito) larger pipes are being used and you are actually asked not to throw toilet paper in the trash, but to flush it. When we had our house built we had the larger pipes used and we’ve had no problems with with flushing toilet paper in the two years since.

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Parque Jipiro has tennis courts, but I think there may be a small fee to use the courts.

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I’m guessing you’re referring to Olga? I haven’t done business with her and I don’t think I know anyone who has, so I can’t really give you any advice one way or the other. Like Suzan mentioned, many people use Yolanda at Re/Max.

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The name of the spa is Samana Wasi and they are located on Bolivar and 24 de Mayo. So if you are in Parque Matriz (the large town square in front of the large church) and you are facing the church, Bolivar is the street to the right of the church, it starts just a bit behind the church stairs. Head down that street about a block and it’s on the right. However, last I heard they are only open on weekends unless you have a party of 5 or more and make an advanced reservation.

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I live quite a ways away from Salinas, so I’m not very familiar with the town myself. But, I just took a quick look at a Facebook page for Salinas expats and found discussions and advertising about the following. An energy and massage center with different classes; Sailboat charters; plenty of restaurant raves including Smokin’ BBQ (where they appear to have live music at times), Sin…(where they just had a Super Bowl party), and Luccy’s; salsa dancing; a group of retired men that meet for lunch and conversation regularly; lots of day trips and musical events; and even a church on the beach.

I suspect that once you’re there and meet a few expats you’ll find even more things to do and great people to do them with!

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The good news is that Cotacachi is fairly small, so you shouldn’t have any trouble finding your way around town. If you are looking for a specific place just ask any expat you see (we’re usually easy to spot!) and they’ll point you in the right direction.

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Hi Alan,

If you’re looking for expats head over to Solid Rock Plaza for breakfast where you’ll usually find an assortment of locals. Serendipity restaurant and Rio Intag Cafe are good places to find expats also. If you want to specifically meet with someone and you’re on Facebook you could say hi and request to meet some expats on the Cotacachi Expats page. There are plenty of friendly folks in town who are always willing to help.

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Yes, there are dog groomers in Ecuador. Maybe not too many in very small rural towns, but most places have dog groomers or the local vet will do it.

Unleaded fuel runs around $1.25/gallon I think, though I could be a few cents off. I don’t pay real close attention since I don’t have a car. Renting a vehicle vs. taking the bus is up to you. A car gives you a bit more freedom, but the driving here might be a little different than what you’re used to and if you don’t read Spanish it could be a little difficult to navigate. But plenty of people do rent cars without issue. Driving is done on the right-hand side of the road, just like in North America.

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