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Hi Sue, here are some general answers to your questions. As always, there are workarounds and everyone has a different experience.

1. You can buy an inexpensive Nokia-type cell phone in Ecuador for $40-$50 or bring one with you from the States with a remove bale SIM card. you can even bring a smartphone with a removable SIM card. By an Ecuador card and off you go. There are 2 main carriers in Ecuador: Claro and Movistar. In Cotacachi where I live, Claro is favored. You buy cellphone time in $5 increments for coverage…or you can buy a service plan, same as in the States. To make calls to the States, though, most people opt for VOIP (a voice-over-internet-protocol) system. Magic Jack seems to be the favorite here, but SKYPE works great, too. (You can download both these apps to a smartphone, by the way.)

2. Yes, there are good veterinarians. You’ll get recommendations in the expat community where you settle. I don’t have a pet here so can’t tell you of the costs but from what I’ve seen, it’s very affordable. (Wendy DeChambeau, maybe you can jump in there?)

3. Yes, but don’t count on your delivery finding its way to you for a long, longgg time. That said, some expats report good luck. Most, though, will tell you it is not worth it. And there can be hefty duties and tariffs. The better option is to stock up every time you go back to the States and/or find a willing friend to “mule” you your needed items when they return from a Stateside trip. Honestly, there are very few things you can’t get here in Ecuador these days.

4. Again, most people do not use the mail service. We conduct all our business online and via email. I’ve not gotten or sent physical mail in the entire six years I have lived here.

5. The 12 hours of daylight and 12 hours of darkness was the hardest thing to get used to. Coming from Nebraska, I always instinctively knew what season it was by how long the days were. Here, I always have to stop and think about what month it is or what holiday is approaching.

6. See above. (And the generosity and warmth of the Ecuadorians and the low cost of most everything continues to amaze me…)

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Hi Steve, you might also reach out to Edd at Cuenca@InternationalLiving.com

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HI Randall, the conference will start at 4 PM on the 28th. Nuevo Mundo Expeditions (see Julieta’s contact info above) will offer optional tours the morning of the 28th to either Old Town Quito or the equator marking. I think they will charge $45 for these. Julieta will know for sure. (Old Town Quito is not to be missed when you visit, in my opinion — it’s fabulous.) There is no minimum number of attendees for the conference — does that answer your question?? If you have questions about the conference, you can call Donna at 866-381-8446.

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Hi Stan, if you bring an unlocked cellphone you can buy a SIM card in Ecuador with a local number. Alternatively, you can buy a cheap phone…like a Nokia, etc. for about $40 that will give you a local number. Then you can add minutes to it when you run out. Most people I know opt for the Claro network. You’ll see Claro signs all over Ecuador. Just go into one of these and they can set you up.

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Hi Sandra, the area hardest hit is along Ecuador’s northern coast. Expats living there have, of course, been very much affected. Most expats, as most of the country’s population, tend to live in the more temperate climate of the Andes.

The best way to help is through a cash donation — there are many organizations collecting funds. Thank you–we look forward to welcoming you and your son to Ecuador.

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Hi Randall, you might want to contact Jack Abercrombie: journeymanjack.com@gmail.com — he is a great guy who could plan a very nice day for you. You can ask him directly about what he might charge. You can also email Oswaldo or Julieta Munoz. They are tour operators and will be at the conference and they may be putting a group together. I know they will offer a half-day tour the morning of the 28th. Email Julieta: julieta@nuevomundoexpeditions.com. And yes, an option is to hire someone through the hotel

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I have heard something like this. I can only answer anecdotally, this is a question that is best answered by a visa facilitator. I’d recommend you email attorney Santiago Andrade: santiago1397@gmail.com (in Otavalo) or visa facilitator Dana Cameron (Guayaquil): aguaplata@hotmail.com.

On the back of our cedulas (Ecuador ID card) in the upper left is a designation that indicates our level of schooling. Mine says Bachillerato — which shows that I have a college bachelor’s degree. I can’t remember for sure, but I believe I had a copy of my diploma in my paperwork. Either that, or my attorney filled that in on the visa application for me. (Honestly, the rules have changed so many times it seems to come down to what the rules are for on the particular day you apply.)

Likewise it seems the rules for obtaining a drivers license are in constant flux and have also recently changed. A few months back, a friend who had “inicial” on his cedula–which indicates only a very basic education/illiterate. He was not allowed to get his license with that designation. He does have the license today but I am unsure how he did it.

I’d suggest you add your proof of education to the list of documents you have apostilled, just to be safe. And be sure you discuss this with your visa facilitator so he/she knows you want your education indicated on your cedula.

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Hi Jon, I am sure our International Living Salinas correspondent, Jim Santos, can answer those questions for you. And I’m sure he’ll be here soon to do that. If not, you can email him at Salinas [at] internationalliving [dot] com

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You can search for hotels in close proximity to the Swissotel. One I like and have stayed at many times is Hotel Andino.

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Congratulations! I agree with Wendy– chat with others about the best furniture to buy. And think about how that furniture might stand up to the coastal environment. You’ll want to buy hardwood or non-wood — I had friends who bought bamboo furniture and is was soon infested by termite-like pests. So be sure you think about how the environment might treat your furniture! 🙂

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Hi Ralph, you’ll find the visa rules in Ecuador are always in a constant state of flux. Every time we turn around, something had changed.

This was just sent to me today: Residents may not leave Ecuador for over 90 days per year during the first two years or for more than 18 consecutive months afterwards or more than 18 months in a 5 year period.

The only way yo verify that is to go to am immigration office and see what they say. However, the answer could vary depending on which office you go to.

Welcome to Ecuador.

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Hi Bill, just a note but I use Capital One for both banking and VISA card and they reverse the charges for ATM fees…so I pay nothing in fees, just the way I like it! And wait until you see the price for a “decent” bottle of wine in Ecuador. It’s outrageous. Mexico is a full-on bargain comparatively, especially now with the exchange rate at more than 18 pesos to the USD. (13 pesos to the CAD) If you like wine, grab your limit in Duty Free…

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Thank you, Bill! Nighttime is also when the critters come out… dogs, cats, burros. cows, families on foot. They are all walking on the highways at night and often difficult to see.

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I just heard from Jorge – -his cell # is 0989031961 — perhaps Google search on how to call a cell in Ecuador from the US? He is on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/jorgerenelomen and if you are, too, you can FB chat with him. Email, is indeed, Jorgerenelomen@hotmail.com

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I am pretty sure Jorge Lopez is still in business as I’m a friend on Facebook. When calling an Ecuador cellphone from a landline, you don’t use the first “9” — I can’t remember what contact info I gave you, but here it is again: +593 98 903 1961
Email: jorgerenelomen@hotmail.com. I’ll see what else I can find out.

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