[SUZAN HASKINS]

Here is my answer to previous post:

Malaria has been eradicated in Ecuador — no need for anything to combat it. You can get the vaccine for Yellow Fever if you like. As of yet, there is no vaccine for dengue. It’s best to use repellant as screens on windows, etc.

If you go to the CDC website, you will see their recommendations. I think they say to get a tetanus booster and Hep A and B series, Yellow Fever if you will be going into the jungle. (Which you won’t.)

I can’t tell you what to do. Only you can decide. If it were me and I were only coming for a visit, I would not bother. Unless… you will fly directly to Costa Rica from Ecuador. Costa Rica insists that if you’ve immediately been in a country with ANY threat of Yellow Fever and you are traveling directly to CR you MUST have proof of a Yellow Fever vaccination.

 

 

[SUZAN HASKINS]

Malaria has been eradicated in Ecuador — no need for anything to combat it. You can get the vaccine for Yellow Fever if you like. As of yet, there is no vaccine for dengue. It’s best to use repellant as screens on windows, etc.

[SUZAN HASKINS]

Hi Gretchen, some times there is developer financing, too — over a build-out period, etc. Yes, a good attorney should be able to spot any red flags. And Edd knows the financer in Cuenca, but does not know anything about the solvency of the business so I guess you’ll need to do the due diligence and be sure you are comfortable with that, too. Have you been to Ecuador yet to see all this in person?

 

[SUZAN HASKINS]

I’d also like to set the record straight about one more thing. Brent Carlson is not a contributing editor to International Living or Ecuador Insider. He wrote and contributed a brief article about his life in Ecuador, yes, but he does not work for International Living. I’ve not seen his project and can’t comment on it one way or the other. The advice, as always, is to do about 100% more due diligence than you think you need to. And then do it again. 🙂

 

[SUZAN HASKINS]

Gretchen, I’ve not heard about any expats offering financing in Ecuador. Please be very careful. I’ll ask Edd to comment since he lives in Cuenca and may know these folks. I’d be skeptical, but then I’m a skeptic when it comes to believing ‘most’ expats working in real estate or making any grandiose offers in Latin America… 🙂

[SUZAN HASKINS]

Hi Gretchen, you won’t need an agent if you buy direct from a developer – -but an attorney, yes!!

[SUZAN HASKINS]

I have no idea and I am not sure where you could get that information. Remember, this is largely an under-the-table cash economy.

[SUZAN HASKINS]

There are ATMs everywhere. Traveler’s checks of any kind are not useful — and that’s anywhere in the world, really. They are more hassle then they are worth. I carry two ATM cards from different banks just in case I have problems with one — doesn’t happen very often but there are some machines that seem to be pickier than others. Unless I am at a chain hotel or restaurant I usually just pay cash.

[SUZAN HASKINS]

HI Rick, contact Tura Murdock: tmurdock@pathfinderinternational.net

[SUZAN HASKINS]

Lynn, Contact Terri Lee Scarberry: cotacachilist@live.com. She owns the Second Hand Rose consignment shop next to the Solid Rock Restaurant. She has a 3 ft. X 3 ft. space that goes floor to ceiling. She is willing to rent this space for (I believe she said) $10 a month.

[SUZAN HASKINS]

But do you really want your Ecuadorian neighbors to instantly experience 33.3% inflation? I don’t. Not the neighborly thing, really, to bring our capitalist culture with us. And as an expat who knows what the going rate is, I would not appreciate it if my maid came to me and said I had to pay her more because the gringo next door is paying her more. The best thing we can do to better assimilate and be accepted as equals is to integrate into the Ecuadorian culture and do things the way the locals do them. In my opinion, of course.

[SUZAN HASKINS]

Lynn, how long do you need to store the items?

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Don, I think you misunderstood what I wrote. So let’s see if I can clarify:

If you, as a gringo, pay your maid $15 instead of $10 then she will not want to work for Ecuadorians any longer at the $10 price. The maid will want $15 and if she doesn’t get it, she’ll look for more work from gringos. Your Ecuadorian neighbor won’t be too happy with this if her maid quits on her because she gets better pay from gringos.

The vendors in the mercado is a separate issue. If they can charge 80 cents for a head of broccoli because the gringos will pay that much, then they want to sell only to gringos who don’t know any better. Again, your Ecuadorian neighbor won’t be too happy about this price hike.

I was using these as examples of how we gringos can unknowingly skew the economy. It’s not a good thing to do. Obviously, in small towns like Vilcabamba and Cotacachi this is more of a problem (more noticeable and with more impact) than it is in larger cities like Quito and Cuenca where the expat population is a much smaller percentage of the total population.

Does this make sense? If not, please let me know….

[SUZAN HASKINS]

Hi Deanna, finding a place to store items is tough. I’ll see what I can find out, but the people I know who have done this have usually found someone living in Cotacachi who has some extra space. Sometimes a hotel will store some small items for you… Tierra del Sol may do this for you. Let me put some feelers out and get back to you.

[SUZAN HASKINS]

Wire transfer is the best way. But just as you would in the States, do your due diligence about the person you are working with… Always a good idea to get an attorney involved BEFORE you sign any type of contract.

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