OrganicMom
American looking for information about Ecuador
Forum posts
65
About me
American
Lives in New York
Registration: 28 March 2015
What should I bring to Ecuador on my Tourist Visa? by Paternostro18
Hi All, I plan on moving to Ecuador in the near future. I will be applying for an investor visa and once I obtain my cedula I will NOT be shipping all of my stuff from the US. I am slowly selling it all now. I am looking for advice on what I should ...
Thanks, Dorothy. Interesting. I use my crockpot a lot, but I hear good things about pressure cookers. Read More
What should I bring to Ecuador on my Tourist Visa? by Paternostro18
Hi All, I plan on moving to Ecuador in the near future. I will be applying for an investor visa and once I obtain my cedula I will NOT be shipping all of my stuff from the US. I am slowly selling it all now. I am looking for advice on what I should ...
What is an Instant Pot? Read More
Questions on moving to Ecuador by Lafrisee
I am retired and moving to Ecuador from Qu茅bec. I would like to have some info on how to proceed to obtain the Visa, driver鈥檚 license, anything that would be helpful. Thank you
Thanks vsimple. Basically...find a balance between being careful and being afraid. Read More
Questions on moving to Ecuador by Lafrisee
I am retired and moving to Ecuador from Qu茅bec. I would like to have some info on how to proceed to obtain the Visa, driver鈥檚 license, anything that would be helpful. Thank you
Thanks for the wise advice CCC. Well, I don't have much money and no bling, so...that shouldn't be a problem! Lol Read More
We are about to be homeless with everything we have stolen from us! by victimofbrazilcrime
Without giving too much information; I am an immigrant to Brazil and purchased several hundreds of hectares of land and property in Brazil together with several of my siblings. We built several houses and invested millions, our life savings, into ...
What about seeing if the American Embassy there could help? Read More
Questions on moving to Ecuador by Lafrisee
I am retired and moving to Ecuador from Qu茅bec. I would like to have some info on how to proceed to obtain the Visa, driver鈥檚 license, anything that would be helpful. Thank you
CDC, Why not accept anything from a stranger? Is it a ploy to rob you? Read More
The best apps for expats in Ecuador by Priscilla
Hello, We invite you to share information regarding some of the apps that have helped to facilitate your move abroad in Ecuador. This will help expats-to-be who are making the move as well. Which apps did you use while preparing your move to ...
Vsimple, Can I PM you here? I'd like to know more about forwarding services, but don't want to keep going off topic here. Read More
The best apps for expats in Ecuador by Priscilla
Hello, We invite you to share information regarding some of the apps that have helped to facilitate your move abroad in Ecuador. This will help expats-to-be who are making the move as well. Which apps did you use while preparing your move to ...
Thanks vsimple. My question "Care to elaborate?" was to the person who said they don't recommend spending more than 10 days in EC. By the way, have you ordered from Amazon there, and if so, how fast and reliable do you find it? And ... Read More
The best apps for expats in Ecuador by Priscilla
Hello, We invite you to share information regarding some of the apps that have helped to facilitate your move abroad in Ecuador. This will help expats-to-be who are making the move as well. Which apps did you use while preparing your move to ...
Can you use amazon prime for free shipping there? Probably not. And, does Amazon even ship to EC? Read More
The best apps for expats in Ecuador by Priscilla
Hello, We invite you to share information regarding some of the apps that have helped to facilitate your move abroad in Ecuador. This will help expats-to-be who are making the move as well. Which apps did you use while preparing your move to ...
Are the taxis that come up vetted in any way? Read More
Cost of living 2018 in Ecuador by Priscilla
Hello everyone, As per our annual tradition, we invite you to share your experiences and tell us more about the average prices of products and services in your town/city/area, so that we have updated information regarding cost of living and ...
How long is the average stay? Read More
Ecuadorian Health Products by vsimple
This thread is for health products of all kinds that are made/sold in Ecuador. One of my favorites is a company named [b]D鈥檋oy[/b] (Ecopacific) which makes natural juices, smoothies, health shots and other stuff. What I like about D鈥檋oy ...
I'd like the contact info for the person who gets honey from the Amazon! Also, have you found out about the olive oil yet? I'm moving to Cuenca soon, and sure would be interested in these items! Thanks Read More
today's earthquake damage? by booannie402
Hearing about a lot more earthquakes in Ecuador is making me nervous. We are moving close to that area in Ecuador next year. Are earthquakes increasing. We understood that the big one early 2016 was an abnormality. I'd like to hear from ...
Is Cuenca in the ring of fire? It didn't look like any of the earthquakes on the list were near Cuenca. Read More
Cuenca Banking by jerry39603
I am considering moving to Cuenca but one concern is the banking system there. Is it safe? Are there special rules about opening an account for Expats? What about ATM and finally do they accept debit cards or is it a cash society? Thanks in advance.
Do they also accept dollar BILLS from the US? Read More
Best place to live in Ecuador... by Bazseville
Hi Guys, How's it going? I lived in Ecuador a while back as a TEFL teacher. I lived and worked in Quito. I had a few run ins with the locals but in general I had a great time. What do you guys think is the best place to live in ...
Carl, How far is your apartment from his farm? Perhaps we can meet when I get there. I'm hoping to be there by June, because some of my documents won't be good after that. But, it depends on my getting my house fixed up and sold. Read More
Best place to live in Ecuador... by Bazseville
Hi Guys, How's it going? I lived in Ecuador a while back as a TEFL teacher. I lived and worked in Quito. I had a few run ins with the locals but in general I had a great time. What do you guys think is the best place to live in ...
Thanks Carl. I guess you knew I'd be Interested in organic food by my name. :). I already know about Gran Roca and have been in touch. He even said he hopes to sell grass fed, organic meats, eggs and dairy at some point! I did not know they ... Read More
Best place to live in Ecuador... by Bazseville
Hi Guys, How's it going? I lived in Ecuador a while back as a TEFL teacher. I lived and worked in Quito. I had a few run ins with the locals but in general I had a great time. What do you guys think is the best place to live in ...
Carl, I should have been more clear. I'm not quite there yet, so street directions don't matter much to me yet. I was really wondering if Barrio de Vergel is in Southeast Cuenca. I heard apartments were much cheaper in the Southeast, and ... Read More
Best place to live in Ecuador... by Bazseville
Hi Guys, How's it going? I lived in Ecuador a while back as a TEFL teacher. I lived and worked in Quito. I had a few run ins with the locals but in general I had a great time. What do you guys think is the best place to live in ...
Where is Barrio el Vergel? Read More
Starting to Reconsider Ecuador- Need Advice Bad! by virtualgrace
My mother and I are considering selling our homes in America and moving to Ecuador. All our initial research seemed to suggest that we could purchase a good home on, or around, the beach for around $50-$75,000. Now we are seeing houses far central ...
Grace, As far as food goes, I know there is a guy named Gray (I can't think of his first name at the moment), who has a big organic farm about 30 miles or so South of Cuenca. He brings his organic produce to Cuenca to sell two days a week. I ... Read More
2015 - anybody in the Ecuador visa pipelines? by gardener1
I can count on the fingers of both hands the number of Ecuador visa applicants who post here and have gone through the permanent residency visa process in the last two years. So for all the hoopla Ecuador gets as a great place to emigrate to, ...
Dorothy, I just read your post repeating the letter you received from gringotree. Did you end up using their services, and if so, do you recommend them? If not, what did you do? Read More
Teaching English in Ecuador by Adam14193
Hi, I'm new to the expat forum - I'm quite relieved to have found such an active Ecuador forum! I hope I am posting this in the correct place, and apologize if I'm not. First of all, I apologize if this question has been asked a million ...
Is a simple literacy program volunteer training certificate for maybe 10 hours of training going to be worth anything there? Can you just advertise privately to give lessons with that? Read More
Environmental protection in Ecuador by Kenjee
Hi, Environmental protection is a challenging issue for all the countries around the world. Would you say this issue is deemed of significance in Ecuador? Is the country going green through initiatives like waste management and selective ...
Thanks, CCC. I checked out the article you suggested and I noticed that some of the commenters afterwards were not happy about the train coming. Is there a down side to it? Read More
Environmental protection in Ecuador by Kenjee
Hi, Environmental protection is a challenging issue for all the countries around the world. Would you say this issue is deemed of significance in Ecuador? Is the country going green through initiatives like waste management and selective ...
CCC, I thought I read once that some other country (can't remember which one) was going to give EC money for a high-speed train system in Cuenca to combat pollution. Didn't that ever come to fruition? Read More
free pallets and crates
So, businesses don't throw them away? And the second hand ones you mentioned aren't sturdy enough to use for furniture? Read More
free pallets and crates
Are there pallets and crates that businesses throw away in Cuenca like there is in the US? Read More
New members of Ecuador forum, introduce yourself here 聳 4th quarter of 2015 by Julien
Newbie on Ecuador forum? Don聮t know how to start? This thread is for you ;) We invite you to introduce yourself on this topic, to share with us your expat story if you are already living in the country, or to tell us more on your expat ...
Pardon my ignorance, CCC, but, I didn't know I had switched from a new member to an active member. Is that why I can't post on the newbie thread? I thought I WAS a new member and couldn't understand why I couldn't inquire about ... Read More
New members of Ecuador forum, introduce yourself here 聳 4th quarter of 2015 by Julien
Newbie on Ecuador forum? Don聮t know how to start? This thread is for you ;) We invite you to introduce yourself on this topic, to share with us your expat story if you are already living in the country, or to tell us more on your expat ...
I'm confused. Is this thread for new members? That's what I thought, and I saw posts by several single women on here, so I asked if there were any single moms, like me, and my comment wasn't posted and I was told to start a new thread. ... Read More
Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) by jessekimmerling
Community Supported Agriculture or CSA is a big thing in some parts of the US. I have been kicking around the idea of trying to bring this idea to Ecuador. The idea works something like this: several farms sign up to sell their produce directly to ...
Jesse, I'd be very interested in something like this. Though, I'd rather pay a little less and pick the food up than have it delivered to my house. I buy from about 4 different farms here in the US, and have made some friends and we take ... Read More
Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) by jessekimmerling
Community Supported Agriculture or CSA is a big thing in some parts of the US. I have been kicking around the idea of trying to bring this idea to Ecuador. The idea works something like this: several farms sign up to sell their produce directly to ...
Just so you know, suefrankdahl, I'm not a new age hippie, just a person who knows that pesticides, herbicides, antibiotics, and all the other chemicals in food today are not good for you. And, I have a son who has allergic reactions to many of ... Read More
Best place to live in Ecuador... by Bazseville
Hi Guys, How's it going? I lived in Ecuador a while back as a TEFL teacher. I lived and worked in Quito. I had a few run ins with the locals but in general I had a great time. What do you guys think is the best place to live in ...
I heard an interview on YouTube on expat kingdom with a woman who lives in Cricita. She loved it but said the mosquitos are quite bothersome. Read More
So many questions...so little time! by OrganicMom
My main questions would be what the safest smaller city, or outskirts of larger city, is for a single mom and small child. Both safe from crime and natural disasters (I think I'd be too nervous to live right next to an active volcano). ...
But, I thought GM crops were illegal in EC. And, others have told me that the small, indigenous farmers can't even afford pesticides. Read More
Anybody living in Vilcabamba or Loja? by ActionMgt
You never see anything posted about Vilcabamba or Loja on this forum. Just wondering if anybody lives there that could tell me what it's like, if they like it there, and what the availability might be for renting a 2 bedroom small house with 2 ...
Cccmedia, I don't think my concerns about safety will stop me from moving there. I just want to know what kinds of precautions I can take or what I should bring (like motion detector lights, window/door alarms, etc.). I lived in NY most of my ... Read More
Anybody living in Vilcabamba or Loja? by ActionMgt
You never see anything posted about Vilcabamba or Loja on this forum. Just wondering if anybody lives there that could tell me what it's like, if they like it there, and what the availability might be for renting a 2 bedroom small house with 2 ...
Thanks Susan. I'm 99% sure I'm moving to EC within a year, but frankly, hearing about the break-ins and kidnappings throws me into a tailspin of doubt every time. Do the apartments in Vilcabamba have the cement walls and iron fences, and ... Read More
Anybody living in Vilcabamba or Loja? by ActionMgt
You never see anything posted about Vilcabamba or Loja on this forum. Just wondering if anybody lives there that could tell me what it's like, if they like it there, and what the availability might be for renting a 2 bedroom small house with 2 ...
Do you think it's safer in Malacaos or Vilcabamba or Cuenca for a single mom? And, I hear you don't really need a car in Cuenca, would you say that about Vilca too? Read More
Anybody living in Vilcabamba or Loja? by ActionMgt
You never see anything posted about Vilcabamba or Loja on this forum. Just wondering if anybody lives there that could tell me what it's like, if they like it there, and what the availability might be for renting a 2 bedroom small house with 2 ...
Thanks. How are the rents there? And are there any bilingual schools there? Read More
Anybody living in Vilcabamba or Loja? by ActionMgt
You never see anything posted about Vilcabamba or Loja on this forum. Just wondering if anybody lives there that could tell me what it's like, if they like it there, and what the availability might be for renting a 2 bedroom small house with 2 ...
Susan, Which area do you think is safer for a single mother with young child? Cuenca or Vilcabamba? Also, which one has better access to truly organic foods (by truly I mean, not just certified, which I don't think they do there, but no ... Read More
Best place to live in Ecuador... by Bazseville
Hi Guys, How's it going? I lived in Ecuador a while back as a TEFL teacher. I lived and worked in Quito. I had a few run ins with the locals but in general I had a great time. What do you guys think is the best place to live in ...
I was leaning toward Cuenca, or the outskirts, but an expat who's lived there for many years just told me that while you used to be able to live there comfortably for $800 per month, now it's more like $1200 per month. That's a little ... Read More
Best place to live in Ecuador... by Bazseville
Hi Guys, How's it going? I lived in Ecuador a while back as a TEFL teacher. I lived and worked in Quito. I had a few run ins with the locals but in general I had a great time. What do you guys think is the best place to live in ...
Where is the best place for a single mother with 8 yo son? I'd like to be safe, have several schools to choose from (including. International options), activities for kids (sports?), and access to non-GMO, organics meats, dairy, and produce. Read More
Safety in Ecuador by Christine
Hi, We would like to talk about a sensitive but important topic: do you feel safe in Ecuador? How would you define the level of safety in the country? Can you walk safely during the day and at night without any fear? Do you think there ...
Do you think a single woman walking with an 8-year-old boy (or young child in general) is more likely, or less likely, to be robbed or attacked? Read More
Best Way to Get to Cuenca from VA? by peripatetic_soul
Hello, I've been perusing all the flights to Cuenca from Richmond, VA. It seems all of those require an overnight stay in Quito. However, interestingly, the airfare from Richmond to Quito is the same as to Cuenca! Many of those sites (CheapoAir, ...
Thanks, that's what I was wondering, whether you had to stop in Quito or fly right into Cuenca. By the way, I read somewhere that Cuenca would start receiving international flights at some point, did anyone else hear about that? Read More
Best Way to Get to Cuenca from VA? by peripatetic_soul
Hello, I've been perusing all the flights to Cuenca from Richmond, VA. It seems all of those require an overnight stay in Quito. However, interestingly, the airfare from Richmond to Quito is the same as to Cuenca! Many of those sites (CheapoAir, ...
So, you CAN get a flight from Richmond right into Cuenca? organicmom Read More
Seeking the comforts of home by cccmedia
The "comforts of home" thread invites Expats to tell how they deal with and-or overcome the difficulties in finding products and services in Ecuador that were a regular part of their former lives. ---- Sometimes it just pays off to keep ...
Mcordos, Do you know the best place to buy nonGMO, pesticide free food near Cuenca? Also, I heard chickens are fed GM grains from the U.S., do you know where I could find meat and eggs and dairy from animals not fed organic grains, and mostly ... Read More
Anybody living in Vilcabamba or Loja? by ActionMgt
You never see anything posted about Vilcabamba or Loja on this forum. Just wondering if anybody lives there that could tell me what it's like, if they like it there, and what the availability might be for renting a 2 bedroom small house with 2 ...
Thanks Susan, It's so confusing because I did see a lot of the youtube videos and I've heard a lot of expats say that all the food in whatever area of Ecuador they are in is organic, but then some health-conscious people have said that ... Read More
Anybody living in Vilcabamba or Loja? by ActionMgt
You never see anything posted about Vilcabamba or Loja on this forum. Just wondering if anybody lives there that could tell me what it's like, if they like it there, and what the availability might be for renting a 2 bedroom small house with 2 ...
Dan, I've been trying to find the best place to move where organic food is readily available (no pesticides and animals that graze and don't eat GM feed from the US). I heard Vilcabamba was the place. So, they DON'T have organic food ... Read More
The IRS "War On Expats by Lea4278
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Thanks for all the great info. Are you an accountant? I just read that the dollar is going to collapse or something like that and that you should put money into another currency. What do you think of that? If I'm asking too many questions, ... Read More
The IRS "War On Expats by Lea4278
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Mugtech, Can I just let my SSD payments continue to be deposited in my bank in the US and withdraw the money from Ecuador as I need it, and is there a fee to withdraw the money from there? And, then if I decide later to take all of my money out of ... Read More
The IRS "War On Expats by Lea4278
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Thanks. Yes, I've owned it for about 5 1/2 years. Read More
The IRS "War On Expats by Lea4278
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Thanks Mugtech. A little of that was over my head, lol, but I'm not sure when exactly I'll be moving, so it if necessary, can I file all this from Ecuador? Kelly Read More
The IRS "War On Expats by Lea4278
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So, if I sell my home here (the US) and move to Ecuador, I don't have to pay taxed on the money I make from the sale of the home (what's left after I pay off the house)? It's not a rental property, it's just my house. Read More
Visa Angels of Cuenca: Is This the Expat 'Find of the Year'... by cccmedia
On another thread, Netbean had a brief post about the Visa Angels, which is a non-profit group of volunteer Expats in Cuenca that assists fellow Expats "in need" to succeed in the residency visa process. The post was brief, but if the ...
Am I missing something? I read the article, but don't see what they're doing that's so wrong. Maybe this Jodie is related to Joe, and it would make sense that she's posting favorable reviews of his service. I don't see ... Read More
The IRS "War On Expats by Lea4278
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So, what if you're on social security disability and don't make enough to have to file a tax return, but have a small lump sum (say, from the sale of your house), of about $25,000 or $30,000? If you're not required to file because of ... Read More
So many questions...so little time!
My main questions would be what the safest smaller city, or outskirts of larger city, is for a single mom and small child. Both safe from crime and natural disasters (I think I'd be too nervous to live right next to an active volcano). ... Read More