Moving to Ecuador

"That people here in Ecuador DON'T speak English is a great advantage. In Madrid you'll have what I call the "lucha de lengua". A battle over who's language to use. Exercise and practice is key. Listen, mimic, study. Never give up. One word a day and in a couple of years, a thousand word vocab. Use the right verb and you're on your way," replied a member in Ecuador.

"Your comfortability level with the language will also be a determinative factor. Most locals DO NOT speak English - especially, in those wonderful areas off the tourist track that don't particularly cater to expatriates. I've lived in such an area - Machala - on the far southern coast for the past 1o years. It was my choice to live apart from the expat communities in other parts of the country BUT, I had been to Ecuador several times before moving here and knew what I wanted, if not exactly where, and was proficient enough in Spanish to get along without any major problems. The pros of living in a non-tourist/expat locale are that the cost of living is much cheaper, you will have greater independence, and the process of assimilation is much faster. The cons are that you might not have all the big city diversions and amenities, and people are a bit shy and slower to accept you but once they do, you'll have life-long friends. Come visit, travel, and decide ... then if it's right, by all means, relocate," commented one expat who made the move to Machala.

"Take your time to look around and if you find something that just jumps out at you take it. You will know if it feels right. Don't wait as if you do when you go back it will probably be gone. If you are looking and coming back to live here at a later date you can always rent it out to other expats. Rentals are in short demand for expats here in Cuenca," remarked one expat in Cuenca, Ecuador.

"Be open minded, flexible and leave over exaggerated expectations in your mother country. You are moving into a foreign country for a reason - don't bring your bad with you," said one expat in Puerto Cayo.

"Get a realtor. Look around a lot. Start and finish with Sanborondon if your budget allows. Venture out to Los Ceibos and Via la Costa if the distance from the "fun areas" of Guayaquil isn't an issue. Talk to other expats (if you can find them)," remarked one expat who made the move to Guayaquil.