Laura
@Lauratort
American looking for information about Ecuador
Forum posts
37
Contacts
2
About me
American
Lives in Dallas
Registration: 21 April 2013
Quiet by janet119
It has been mighty quiet on here the last few days. I met a lovely lady from Ecuador today. She is living here in Ottawa. She owns a local store. She even offered to help me with the Ecuadorian Embassy when I finally go there. If the people of ...
Good to know I was over thinking things and perhaps it won't be too bad. Unless they discover that murder on my police record from 2 years ago......LOL! just kidding folks, no wadded panties please! Will we need birth certificates? My current ... Read More
FBI Back Ground Check? by ZenSPIKE
Well, I'm getting all my paperwork in order to make the move to Cuenca this June, and get my Visa. The last thing I plan to do before I leave the states, is to get my state police back ground check done. I had heard in the past, that it had to be no ...
*sigh* so much confusion to look forward to! :D Read More
Quiet by janet119
It has been mighty quiet on here the last few days. I met a lovely lady from Ecuador today. She is living here in Ottawa. She owns a local store. She even offered to help me with the Ecuadorian Embassy when I finally go there. If the people of ...
I've been quiet since I received info on the documentation I'l need for residency. Can anyone tel me how you can have a three month old marriage certificate ready when you're trying to sell a home and have no idea how long it will be on the market? ... Read More
The unofficial web page of the greater Cuenca expat community by Nards Barley
I designate this thread as the unofficial web page for the Cuenca Expat community. I also designate myself as the unoffical spokesperson. It is actually a continuation of my [url=/forum/viewtopic.php?id=224582]non-blog[/url], ...
I was hoping that my move to Ecuador would give me more things to focus on to get AWAY from my computer. I've spent so many hours on this blasted thing that I'm practically BEGGING for an intervention! lol Time to tap back into the artsy, ... Read More
Internet shopping? by Lauratort
I'm so used to buying things on Amazon that I wonder if I'd be able to make regular purchases and have it shipped to my home in Ecuador. I'm learning, however, that things don't work the same way and since I'm so GREEN, I have no idea if I'd be ...
How will I ever survive??!!!! LOL! :blink: Read More
The unofficial web page of the greater Cuenca expat community by Nards Barley
I designate this thread as the unofficial web page for the Cuenca Expat community. I also designate myself as the unoffical spokesperson. It is actually a continuation of my [url=/forum/viewtopic.php?id=224582]non-blog[/url], ...
Thanks for this post. I've been wondering the same thing. Everything is, of course, subject to change ;) Read More
Internet shopping?
I'm so used to buying things on Amazon that I wonder if I'd be able to make regular purchases and have it shipped to my home in Ecuador. I'm learning, however, that things don't work the same way and since I'm so GREEN, I have no idea if I'd be ... Read More
I am coming to Cuenca!!! by janet119
Hopefully I will head towards Cuenca 1 feb 2014. I am 51 years old and am ready to start a fresh life in Cuenca. I have been taking spanish classes online, but think living in Spanish community is probably the best way to learn. Any hints ...
Best of luck on your move! Keep us posted on how it all goes! :heart: Read More
Looking for information on residency
Wow! Reading these forum is mind-boggling! I'm looking for information, cut and dry, on the steps to moving to Ecuador for retirement. What I'm finding here is a mish-mash of information. It seems that the experience is never the same for any ... Read More
Just arrived to Cuenca: CAMERAS in the street...!!?? by OGA1
We have just arrived to this amazing city.. impossible not to love it... i would move here in a heartbeat.. but OMG... there are cameras in the street by the hotel... I have learned that 4000 cameras are being installed all around Ecuador... tax ...
Is it really any different than thousands of people walking down the street equipped with cell phones? Anything even looks suspicious and someone is bound to be taping it for YouTube. If the government doesn't do it, someone else will! Read More
Laws are sketchy, at best... by Lauratort
I have to admit that I'm now officially confused as heck! It was my understanding that once you move to Ecuador you had 6 months to bring in home supplies Duty-Free. It was also my understanding that with an attorney, you can rent or buy a ...
Thanks for the replies: I was pretty sure upon hearing my brother's "horror stories" that the guy probably didn't do his homework. I hate when people talk stuff they know nothing about...Have a great day, all!! :D Read More
Laws are sketchy, at best...
I have to admit that I'm now officially confused as heck! It was my understanding that once you move to Ecuador you had 6 months to bring in home supplies Duty-Free. It was also my understanding that with an attorney, you can rent or buy a ... Read More
Moving to Quito....freaking out about La Mariscal assaults by yggdrasill
I'm moving to Quito with my husband. I'm worried about safety. Don't get me wrong--I grew up in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic but I'm a bit out of practice with a third world country and I won't have a car. There's been about 580 assaults in La ...
You should try living in Chicago, Detroit, LA, or NYC for a year, lol!:P Read More
Cost of living for two in Cuenca 2013 by Mistymeaner
Hola all. I spent the month of April keeping track of every cent we spent and here are the results with a bit of details and explanation to help those of you trying to figure out what the cost of living might be for you here in Cuenca. $400.00 ...
Thanks, Misty! This puts a good perspective on daily life expenses! Thank you for taking the time to do this! xoxo Read More
Hey all, newbie here...just a bit of info. by Lauratort
Hey all! Just found this site and think it's a fantastic idea! My husband and I are planning early retirement and have been considering Ecuador. You know that when you first begin searching for relocation info, you will find tons of "touristy" ...
Thank you! I've had the pleasure of reading some of your blog entries and I feel a kinship with you already! I'm looking forward to the rest of them later this afternoon. Thanks for sharing your experiences. They really do mean a lot to someone ... Read More
Rheumatoid Arthritis medications by Lauratort
Can anyone tell me if the RA medications, Enbrel (etanercept) and Plaquenil (Hydroxychloroquine) would be available for my husband who relies on these to help with his RA stiffness and joint pain? He is currently under the care of a Rheumatologist ...
Thanks, David! We still have another year before we will be able to make the move, so for now we'll just wait and see. Perhaps it would be good for a doctor in Ecuador to see him and make some recommendations. I wonder if there are even many ... Read More
Rheumatoid Arthritis medications by Lauratort
Can anyone tell me if the RA medications, Enbrel (etanercept) and Plaquenil (Hydroxychloroquine) would be available for my husband who relies on these to help with his RA stiffness and joint pain? He is currently under the care of a Rheumatologist ...
@Clickchick - please check your inbox on this site as I have sent you a private message Mike, email has been sent Thank you both for your willingness to share your info. I'm sure I'll find it very helpful! Hugs, Laura Read More
shopping bags? by Lauratort
Here in the states, I bring reusable canvas bags to the grocery store to pack my supplies, thus avoiding the paper or plastic choice. Would this be acceptable in Cuenca area, or would that be considered "too gringo" for approval?
ROFL! Hmmmm...hubby might find wigs interesting...oh dear! HAHAHA!! You crack me up! I can see you're going to be invaluable during this whole process! Read More
The unofficial web page of the greater Cuenca expat community by Nards Barley
I designate this thread as the unofficial web page for the Cuenca Expat community. I also designate myself as the unoffical spokesperson. It is actually a continuation of my [url=/forum/viewtopic.php?id=224582]non-blog[/url], ...
Your right, it would! Right now we have Androids, and still have a lot to learn of this CLARO internet, but I'm sure it's something we will have to figure out along the way. Sounds like you've got a great plan! Thanks for the advice! Read More
shopping bags? by Lauratort
Here in the states, I bring reusable canvas bags to the grocery store to pack my supplies, thus avoiding the paper or plastic choice. Would this be acceptable in Cuenca area, or would that be considered "too gringo" for approval?
LOL!! That's what I figure....hmmmm....now you have me wondering whether or not I'll be able to KEEP my blond locks....not that it will help with my 5'10" height! *sigh* :rolleyes: Read More
The unofficial web page of the greater Cuenca expat community by Nards Barley
I designate this thread as the unofficial web page for the Cuenca Expat community. I also designate myself as the unoffical spokesperson. It is actually a continuation of my [url=/forum/viewtopic.php?id=224582]non-blog[/url], ...
I am so enjoying these posts, lol! Right now I'm depending on Google translator, which seems to be the most reliable one, as most online translators tend to mess up the grammar and stuff. The best feature of this is you can type English, it ... Read More
Rheumatoid Arthritis medications by Lauratort
Can anyone tell me if the RA medications, Enbrel (etanercept) and Plaquenil (Hydroxychloroquine) would be available for my husband who relies on these to help with his RA stiffness and joint pain? He is currently under the care of a Rheumatologist ...
@ clickchick: As my original post says, the medications were Enbrel (etanercept) and Plaquenil (Hydroxychloroquine). The pharmacist told my that the Plaquenil was available and easy to get, but not the Enbrel. He said it was hard to get and ... Read More
Rheumatoid Arthritis medications by Lauratort
Can anyone tell me if the RA medications, Enbrel (etanercept) and Plaquenil (Hydroxychloroquine) would be available for my husband who relies on these to help with his RA stiffness and joint pain? He is currently under the care of a Rheumatologist ...
Well, I'm a bit distressed because through a reply to this post, I was able to contact a local, English speaking pharmacist in Cuenca about my husband's medications. One is readily available and easy to the get but not the other. It's difficult to ... Read More
Hey all, newbie here...just a bit of info. by Lauratort
Hey all! Just found this site and think it's a fantastic idea! My husband and I are planning early retirement and have been considering Ecuador. You know that when you first begin searching for relocation info, you will find tons of "touristy" ...
The funny this is....Ecuador wasn't our first choice, probably because we hadn't heard much about it. The more we find out, the closer we are to making it our goal, simply because I TRIED to find out some negative things about the country, with ... Read More
shopping bags? by Lauratort
Here in the states, I bring reusable canvas bags to the grocery store to pack my supplies, thus avoiding the paper or plastic choice. Would this be acceptable in Cuenca area, or would that be considered "too gringo" for approval?
Thanks, Neil! I guess I worry about making myself even more obvious! I don't know why little things like this pop into my brain....hmmm, probably has something to do with my younger years....LOL! Read More
shopping bags?
Here in the states, I bring reusable canvas bags to the grocery store to pack my supplies, thus avoiding the paper or plastic choice. Would this be acceptable in Cuenca area, or would that be considered "too gringo" for approval? Read More
Rheumatoid Arthritis medications
Can anyone tell me if the RA medications, Enbrel (etanercept) and Plaquenil (Hydroxychloroquine) would be available for my husband who relies on these to help with his RA stiffness and joint pain? He is currently under the care of a Rheumatologist ... Read More
Hey all, newbie here...just a bit of info. by Lauratort
Hey all! Just found this site and think it's a fantastic idea! My husband and I are planning early retirement and have been considering Ecuador. You know that when you first begin searching for relocation info, you will find tons of "touristy" ...
Thanks for the warm welcome! I've actually already read some of Nards Barley's Blogs and find them very entertaining, as well as informative. Cuenca looks like a beautiful place to start. My husband and I have already decided to rent at first so ... Read More
Hi everyone! Newbie here, just a bit of info. by Lauratort
Hey all! Just found this site and think it's a fantastic idea! My husband and I are planning early retirement in Central America and have been drifting toward Costa Rica for a while now. You know that when you first begin searching for relocation ...
It looks like from our research on crime and corruption, my hubby and I have decided to change our target location. Thank you all very much for the help and information. It was very helpful. Good luck to all of you on your endeavors. :) Read More
Hey all, newbie here...just a bit of info.
Hey all! Just found this site and think it's a fantastic idea! My husband and I are planning early retirement and have been considering Ecuador. You know that when you first begin searching for relocation info, you will find tons of "touristy" ... Read More
Hi everyone! Newbie here, just a bit of info. by Lauratort
Hey all! Just found this site and think it's a fantastic idea! My husband and I are planning early retirement in Central America and have been drifting toward Costa Rica for a while now. You know that when you first begin searching for relocation ...
LOL, you are all the very reason I mentioned it. It sounded so terrible but I couldn't imagine it really was, otherwise it wouldn't be so popular and habitable! I guess my feet got cold for a few minutes, but this hasn't put a damper on my plans. ... Read More
Hi everyone! Newbie here, just a bit of info. by Lauratort
Hey all! Just found this site and think it's a fantastic idea! My husband and I are planning early retirement in Central America and have been drifting toward Costa Rica for a while now. You know that when you first begin searching for relocation ...
Well, I have to say that in my research last night, I discovered that Costa Rica had 51 earthquakes last year. That seems a bit excessive, with an average of almost 1 a week!?? Between that, hurricanes and volcanoes, not to mention the insect ... Read More
Do all expats fit in one of three categories? by Lollard
It seems to me that pretty much everyone fits in one of three groups, and I'm not in one of those groups. So it's hard to imagine being able to relocate. Anyway, the three groups of people are: 1) retired, 2) wealthy with outside business ...
I wish I could offer more help, but I'm about lost because everything is so new to me. I wish you well, Lollard and pray you will find your way to success. Please, if you find time, keep us posted on how things are working out for you. :) Read More
Hi everyone! Newbie here, just a bit of info. by Lauratort
Hey all! Just found this site and think it's a fantastic idea! My husband and I are planning early retirement in Central America and have been drifting toward Costa Rica for a while now. You know that when you first begin searching for relocation ...
Thanks all! I hope you realize how much it means to have SOMEONE to speak to. Of course you do, it's why you're registered on this site....lol! It all seems so overwhelming at times. @Bill, we were planning on Tim Lyttle tour too as he seems ... Read More
Do all expats fit in one of three categories? by Lollard
It seems to me that pretty much everyone fits in one of three groups, and I'm not in one of those groups. So it's hard to imagine being able to relocate. Anyway, the three groups of people are: 1) retired, 2) wealthy with outside business ...
I'm no expert, but my husband and I have been doing a lot of research prior to our relocation to CR, and it's my understanding that $1000 a month IS a lot of money by Costa Rican standards. I've been told that the average median salary by a CR ... Read More
Hi everyone! Newbie here, just a bit of info. by Lauratort
Hey all! Just found this site and think it's a fantastic idea! My husband and I are planning early retirement in Central America and have been drifting toward Costa Rica for a while now. You know that when you first begin searching for relocation ...
Thanks! We've got a ton of questions, so this site will be helpful, along with some others that we found. We're keeping notes. Just discovered yesterday that in CR, like many other countries, you can't flush toilet paper. I asked my husband ... Read More
Hi everyone! Newbie here, just a bit of info.
Hey all! Just found this site and think it's a fantastic idea! My husband and I are planning early retirement in Central America and have been drifting toward Costa Rica for a while now. You know that when you first begin searching for relocation ... Read More