mindstorm
American expat in Ecuador
Forum posts
32
About me
American
Lives in Cuenca
Registration: 30 August 2011
Quotations for containers ( beware ) by Dackombe
Below are a few of my observations after getting six quotations for shipping a container of household goods from Montreal to Mirador San Jose, Manta. a. Delivery time quoted ranged from 3 to 4 weeks to 6 to 8 weeks. b. Despite being clear regarding ...
Do what we did -- store everything in a AAA storage unit in the city we moved from. After we got our residence visa, we had our EC shipper deliver a container there, and a handyman from our prior home city load it up. Worked without a hitch. For ... Read More
Quotations for containers ( beware ) by Dackombe
Below are a few of my observations after getting six quotations for shipping a container of household goods from Montreal to Mirador San Jose, Manta. a. Delivery time quoted ranged from 3 to 4 weeks to 6 to 8 weeks. b. Despite being clear regarding ...
We put everything we wanted to bring down in a AAA storage unit. After we got our resident visa, we had a handyman from the States load up the container and send it on it's way. Arrived here (from San Francisco) about 5 weeks later. DO NOT ... Read More
Cultural Issue of lack of trust in others in Ecuador by crowdpub
When I first arrived in Ecuador in 1980 there were lots of things I found exciting about the country. The culture was so different than where I was from in the states and I was soon to find many of those things while new and different, would soon ...
Trust, like respect, is something that must be earned. We have an HOA admin who has not kept a single promise in 3 years. I have stopped paying HOA fees until he produces the accounting he has promised for 3 years. He complained that I did not ... Read More
BOTTLED GAS IN ECUADOR by GMC(SW)
The bottled gas used in Ecuador is not of the same quality as found in the U.S. Many residential areas depend on bottled gas. As gas is not plumbed to most buildings, the newer buildings are installing a supply / storage system. This will be large ...
BTW, here is a screenshot of the relevant part of my electrical bill https://www.dropbox.com/s/h1egd47lfa9vc6d/electric%20bill%202015-08.png?dl=0 Read More
BOTTLED GAS IN ECUADOR by GMC(SW)
The bottled gas used in Ecuador is not of the same quality as found in the U.S. Many residential areas depend on bottled gas. As gas is not plumbed to most buildings, the newer buildings are installing a supply / storage system. This will be large ...
We are in a large (4 bedroom, 3 bath) apartment with separate metering. We had a long discussion on the size of my electric bill over on the Facebook Ecuador Expats forum a couple weeks ago. I put meters on my computer system (costs $45/mo all by ... Read More
BOTTLED GAS IN ECUADOR by GMC(SW)
The bottled gas used in Ecuador is not of the same quality as found in the U.S. Many residential areas depend on bottled gas. As gas is not plumbed to most buildings, the newer buildings are installing a supply / storage system. This will be large ...
I know several people that own property here in Cuenca but do not have (nor intend to get) residence visas. For them, I guess their passport would allow them to get the discount. They come here 90 days per year, and rent out their place when they ... Read More
BOTTLED GAS IN ECUADOR by GMC(SW)
The bottled gas used in Ecuador is not of the same quality as found in the U.S. Many residential areas depend on bottled gas. As gas is not plumbed to most buildings, the newer buildings are installing a supply / storage system. This will be large ...
Actually, that web site says that either a cedula or passport is required ID, so it looks like you don't even need a resident visa? However, it also says "obtain the tariff incentive of up to 80 kWh / month for induction cooker." I ... Read More
BOTTLED GAS IN ECUADOR by GMC(SW)
The bottled gas used in Ecuador is not of the same quality as found in the U.S. Many residential areas depend on bottled gas. As gas is not plumbed to most buildings, the newer buildings are installing a supply / storage system. This will be large ...
I only know two people that have switched to electric cook stoves. Both people states their electricity costs skyrocketed, far past the projected cost of propane after the subsidy is removed (expected $25/tank instead of $2.58). In our case, we use ... Read More
BOTTLED GAS IN ECUADOR by GMC(SW)
The bottled gas used in Ecuador is not of the same quality as found in the U.S. Many residential areas depend on bottled gas. As gas is not plumbed to most buildings, the newer buildings are installing a supply / storage system. This will be large ...
I believe it is only free for very poor people, and I also believe only for citizens -- meaning probably almost nobody on this forum. Regardless, my housekeeper told me today of a friend that made the conversion, because they thought it was the ... Read More
BOTTLED GAS IN ECUADOR by GMC(SW)
The bottled gas used in Ecuador is not of the same quality as found in the U.S. Many residential areas depend on bottled gas. As gas is not plumbed to most buildings, the newer buildings are installing a supply / storage system. This will be large ...
You need a better pressure cooker. Electric pressure cookers don't have the problem of being forgotten on the stove too long, letting pressure build until it blows. Here is mine -- ... Read More
The Migration Map: 39,000 USA Expats Live in Ecuador, 849K in Mexico by cccmedia
[b]An Interactive Migration Map posted at the Viva Tropical Website shows that 39,000 U.S Expats now live in Ecuador.[/b] The map is based on migration data collected by the United Nations Population Division. The U.S. State Department estimates ...
I don't believe those numbers. The general estimate is 4000 to 6000 expats in Cuenca, which is considered the highest concentration of expats. If that is the case, how could there be 39,000 in Ecuador -- 10 times the number in Cuenca? If they ... Read More
My name is Angel and I am 44 years old by Angel2018
Hello, My name is Angel and I am 44 years old. I plan to move to Ecuador in a couple of years. I am still working on convincing my husband that it is a good idea :) My son is 2 years away from obtaining a BA of Accounting, and says he may want to ...
I have lived in Cuenca for two years, and have maybe seen 4 or 5 wheelchairs in all that time. The city is not suitable for anyone with a mobility handicap. I have only seen one elderly woman with a walker, and was coming out of church with her ... Read More
Spanish Language Necessity for Citizenship by DXBDINO28
Hi Is it true that to apply for Citizenship One must speak and write Spanish Fluently. What kinds of Questions do they ask ? What if someone cant learn Spanish , do they simply reject the application? Has anyone applied for Citizenship? I am ...
And you probably applied more than a month ago -- when the rules changed... again. They removed the fast track for spouses of EC citizens, and now those must also go through the same process as anyone else. We have a friend that applied last ... Read More
Ecuador's citizenship by Chezhka
Hello everyone! I am thinking to immigrate to Ecuador. My final goal is to change my current citizenship but I can't find any info on how naturalization process works in Ecuador. Could anyone please send me a link and/or any information where I ...
The first friend that told us of getting her citizenship said she only had to sing (actually speak) the first verse and chorus, and then the interviewer let her off the hook. The second friend (a few days later) that also got citizenship stated ... Read More
Ecuador's citizenship by Chezhka
Hello everyone! I am thinking to immigrate to Ecuador. My final goal is to change my current citizenship but I can't find any info on how naturalization process works in Ecuador. Could anyone please send me a link and/or any information where I ...
BTW, of my friends that got their citizenship in the last couple months, they quotes their total price ranging from $300 to $1000. Well below that $2000 quoted a year ago in that meeting. None said anything about having to advertise, but I ... Read More
Ecuador's citizenship by Chezhka
Hello everyone! I am thinking to immigrate to Ecuador. My final goal is to change my current citizenship but I can't find any info on how naturalization process works in Ecuador. Could anyone please send me a link and/or any information where I ...
Then don't worry about citizenship yet. After you arrive permanently and apply for residency, it will take a couple months to get that residence visa. You cannot apply for citizenship until 3 years after you get that residence visa. I have no ... Read More
Ecuador's citizenship by Chezhka
Hello everyone! I am thinking to immigrate to Ecuador. My final goal is to change my current citizenship but I can't find any info on how naturalization process works in Ecuador. Could anyone please send me a link and/or any information where I ...
Note that you can leave the country for 90 days for each of the first two years, and still keep your residency. However, if you want to become a citizen, you cannot leave the country more than a total of 90 days in the entire 3 years prior to ... Read More
Ecuador's citizenship by Chezhka
Hello everyone! I am thinking to immigrate to Ecuador. My final goal is to change my current citizenship but I can't find any info on how naturalization process works in Ecuador. Could anyone please send me a link and/or any information where I ...
Not a video. They played the song on something. An iPod perhaps? I didn't ask that detail, so am not sure, other than it was not a video. The audio just has the instrumental. She was trying to lip-sync to the other two that were also singing ... Read More
Ecuador's citizenship by Chezhka
Hello everyone! I am thinking to immigrate to Ecuador. My final goal is to change my current citizenship but I can't find any info on how naturalization process works in Ecuador. Could anyone please send me a link and/or any information where I ...
Sorry, but that is no urban legend. We know 3 people (one couple and another single) that separately got their EC citizenship in the last 6 weeks. All had to know the national anthem. One person said she was required to sing it, along with 2 ... Read More
Michigan Family Faces 42K in Ecuador Bills After Grandpa Has a Stroke by cccmedia
"The neurosurgeon billed me for almost $25,000," said widow Karen Malone, whose 60-year-old husband (and grandfather of 26) Perry collapsed in Guayaquil in November and died last week in a Florida hospital. The Malone family also incurred ...
I had a stent inserted in Calif in 2005. I spent 2 nights in the hospital and one hour on the "procedure table" (they do not call that surgery). The hospital bill was $135,000 -- for 2 nights. The size of the EC bill sounds quite ... Read More
Ecuador's citizenship by Chezhka
Hello everyone! I am thinking to immigrate to Ecuador. My final goal is to change my current citizenship but I can't find any info on how naturalization process works in Ecuador. Could anyone please send me a link and/or any information where I ...
The cost to renounce citizenship is actually even higher than that. The US also takes your entire assets (IRA, 401K, house, etc) and assumes you sold it all at once at short term gain rates, and assesses you tax on that amount. Additionally, and ... Read More
Spanish Language Necessity for Citizenship by DXBDINO28
Hi Is it true that to apply for Citizenship One must speak and write Spanish Fluently. What kinds of Questions do they ask ? What if someone cant learn Spanish , do they simply reject the application? Has anyone applied for Citizenship? I am ...
From Susan: According to his profile and posting history, the OP is Pakistani currently working in Dubai, and has had his passport confiscated by his employer. There is no evidence in his posts that he is married. ----- But the doc is not FROM the ... Read More
Spanish Language Necessity for Citizenship by DXBDINO28
Hi Is it true that to apply for Citizenship One must speak and write Spanish Fluently. What kinds of Questions do they ask ? What if someone cant learn Spanish , do they simply reject the application? Has anyone applied for Citizenship? I am ...
I was at that meeting too. It was specifically to discuss what is required to become an Ecuadorian naturalized citizen. The speaker said this new rule had just gone into effect, and may be spotty in enforcement for a short while until things get ... Read More
Spanish Language Necessity for Citizenship by DXBDINO28
Hi Is it true that to apply for Citizenship One must speak and write Spanish Fluently. What kinds of Questions do they ask ? What if someone cant learn Spanish , do they simply reject the application? Has anyone applied for Citizenship? I am ...
Your info is out of date. This requirement was just added last month (June). It is not a 'test' per se, but rather an interview in Spanish. If you cannot hold the conversation in Spanish, your application is now being rejected. I know of ... Read More
Spanish Language Necessity for Citizenship by DXBDINO28
Hi Is it true that to apply for Citizenship One must speak and write Spanish Fluently. What kinds of Questions do they ask ? What if someone cant learn Spanish , do they simply reject the application? Has anyone applied for Citizenship? I am ...
Over on Facebook expat forum, someone recorded his citizenship conversation recently, then transcribed and posted it. You can read the nature of the conversation. Note that this conversation was oriented towards verifying the person's marriage ... Read More
Changes in US policies on Expats Earning Abroad by Susan F.
I've been hearing about many changes that the US is placing on foreign banks who handle US expats's accounts. I am in the process of considering retirement in Ecuador. My money would come from a small trust and my Social Security income. ...
Mostly a lot of bru-ha-ha over nothing. You are required to file a US tax return if you have any income (interest, dividend, pension, Social Security) from the US anyway. This is one more piece of paper to add to your return, so why all the ... Read More
Spanish Language Necessity for Citizenship by DXBDINO28
Hi Is it true that to apply for Citizenship One must speak and write Spanish Fluently. What kinds of Questions do they ask ? What if someone cant learn Spanish , do they simply reject the application? Has anyone applied for Citizenship? I am ...
I am really surprised that nobody bothered to answer the OP. All that blather about wanting Spanish has nothing to do with the question. Until a couple months ago, there was no such requirement, any more than such fluency is required for a ... Read More
Questions.... many questions..... by Modern Gypsy
Hi Everybody!!! Me and my family are thinking about jumping the USA ship for many reasons most of you are familiar with. We are seeking a new life where we could live/play/work comfortably without the stresses associated living where we are. I am ...
First, you cannot drive the entire way. There is an impassible stretch that you must ship your car around, which is _very_ expensive. Second, you can't bring in a car anyway. Only Ecuadorian citizens can import a car, and then only under very ... Read More
What is it with the @#$% car alarms? by BobH
I probably had not heard as many car alarms in the preceding ten years or so as I've heard in the month I've been here. I have come to the conclusion that either I live in the most crime-ridden neighborhood on the planet, with a car stolen every ...
As with many things, the quality of car alarms here is not what you are used to in the States. If a firecracker goes off within 10 feet of a car, the alarm will likely go off. In the States, you could set the firecracker off _inside_ the car and ... Read More
Expat wannabe by Anthony Bassak
My name is Tony Bassak and I live in Wonder Lake, Illinois. I am 71 years of age, a retired lawyer. I am tired of the rat race and the cost of living here. After some research, I came to an the conclusion that I wanted to live in Cuenca, Equador. ...
No, Cuenca is not even remotely handicap friendly. I broke my ankle a week before moving here, and it was _very_ difficult even getting around with crutches. In the 7 months I have lived here, I think I have seen a total of maybe 3 wheelchairs -- ... Read More
Ecuador announces number of closures of embassies, consulates by crowdpub
Two consulates closing or already closed are New Orleans and San Francisco. http://latinamericacurrentevents.com/ecuador-to-close-ten-consulates-five-embassies/30199/
Most of got our resident visas without ever visiting a consulate in the US. In fact, those few that have said they used the consulate are usually the ones that say they have a lot of trouble and the consulate gave them bad info. Just get all your ... Read More
Attack in Cuenca by Halcwhitley
September 13, 1:30 PM a few blocks from Parque Calderon, two gringo friends of mine were both attacked from the rear as they walked on the sidewalk. The husband was knocked to the ground while the two young local teenagers/early twenties stole the ...
Apparently you live in very safe cities. I live in the San Francisco Bay Area, in Berkeley. Oakland is literally across the street from me. They are a city of 400,000 (same as Cuenca) and had 134 murders in 2012. Sounds like Cuenca is pretty ... Read More