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I can text my son in the U.S. from my cheapo Ecuador cellphone. No problem. I’m sure it costs more but I don’t pay much attention because I rarely use my phone. I plug $5 worth of time into it every two months or so. I am far more apt to use Skype or Magic Jack from home. When I am out and about, I prefer to ‘savor the moment’ and not be chatting/texting on the phone. 🙂
Gretchen, so sorry about the laptop and that’s good advice to watch it as you would your passport. FYI: many of the hotel websites have not yet been updated, and very few are close to the new airport.
Roberto Moreno: roberto@morenodidonato.com
Santiago Andrade: santiago1397@gmail.com
Hi Robert, I don’t have firsthand experience with any dentists in Quito although I have heard some good comments from other expats about Dr. Leonardo Montalvo and his wife in Quito at Axxis Hospital building.
Here’s what they say: Dr. Leonardo Montalvo and his wife Dra. Ma. Isabel Bravo Hernandez have trained in Brazil and New York University in the states. Dr. Leonardo offers complete dental services and specializes in implants. Dra. Isabel is an oral surgeon who’s specialty is root canals. Their offices are fully equipped, yes just like state side. Fully conversant in English as well as Spanish.
One expat said, “Dr. Leonardo had a nice gentle touch with me and my wife. From teeth cleaning, oral exams to implants and surgery. Pricing is a value. I highly recommend this pair of esteemed dentists.”
Dr. Montalvo himself writes that if you would like to call his office in Quito when you are in Quito, dial 3980147, From anywhere else in Ecuador, dial 023980147. His cell: 0988646915. E-mail: montalvodentalcare@hotmail.com.
As for language schools, I’ll suggest the Simon Bolivar school: http://www.simon-bolivar.com/quito.html
Suzan
I am not sure about the parental citizenship issue but I think it would offer you an advantage. You should be able to find info about that at the respective country’s emabassy websites or with a phone call to those.
You’ll find the lowest cost of living in Ecuador, followed by Colombia and then Uruguay.
Construction prices in Ecuador run the gamut, depending on quality, but you should plan on $65 to $100 per square foot.
If you like to cook for yourself you will have no problem eating gluten free. We have one restaurant in Cotacachi that tries to serve gluten free menus with some regularity and I’ll bet you’ll find that in other locales as well, especially those with a large gringo population.
6 am to 6 pm
If you are an entrepreneurial sort, you will most likely find a way to make a living.
Right, you should alert your credit card company that you will be traveling internationally.
If it is an obscure hotel, be sure you have the tel number of the hotel, too, in case the driver needs to call for directions.
Taxis at the airport are safe. You buy a ticket from someone and pay them — just as you do in the U.S.. Then the taxi takes you to your hotel.
I will see what the web gurus can do.
Lawrence is right. I think flying is the best route. And it’s not that expensive, especially if you buy your ticket directly from the airline or online and get a promotional far.
Terry, you can take a bus from Ibarra to Esmeraldas and then to Atacames/Tonsupa. That’s probably the quickest beach destination from Otavalo. Or you can go to Quito and then take a bus to Pedernales and on to Canoa or to Manta or Bahia or anywhere else along the coast. You needn’t go by overnight bus but will need to plan several hours for any of these excursions.
Ecuador doesn’t have any international banks that I know of. In all honesty, I don’t have a bank account in Ecuador. I don’t see the need for one… I just use my ATM card to withdraw money from my US (Capital One) account.
Just use the big multi-gallon water bottles — they cost maybe $3 and you’ll get used to it pretty quickly. You can use tap water for cooking if you are boiling the water.
I used a callback service 10 years ago in Mexico — worked well. But now with Skype, Magic jack, etc. I no longer have need for a callback service. If you won’t have a laptop and ONLY have a cellphone, you might want a callback service…
Thanks, John.
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