FredJohnson
American looking for information about Ecuador
Forum posts
20
Contacts
1
About me
American
Lives in Guayaquil
Registration: 30 August 2011
Activity
Gringos go home!!! No spanish, no stay!!! This will weed out. by Cuenca boy
New rules require Ecuador expats to be ‘proficient’ in Spanish; requirement affects current residents as well as new ones Published on March 28, 2015 by: CuencaHighLife |Comment In a dramatic policy change, Ecuador’s Ministry of ...
this article was published as an April fools joke. Don't take it seriously. Read More
Electric stoves to replace gas stoves by sailorbox
I recently read that the government will begin to phase in the replacement of gas stoves with electric stoves. The reason is the abundance of electricity and the heavily subsidized gas that is currently used. Does anyone know if this has begun or ...
Buy a gas stove. Correa is now pushing electric convection stoves that require special pots. The subsidy on gas may go away but even if it does and you pay $40 per tank, we use one tank in 8 months. Electric stoves suck even if the electricity ... Read More
New to Guayaquil by AmberFenton
Trying to learn more Spanish, and yet feeling somewhat isolated. Didn't really want to drive in Guayaquil and do not have a car as yet, either. Don't know if I want a car, or an army tank - would feel a tad safer in that thing. Only been here 4 ...
Welcome to Ecuador. If you have not found a good lawyer, let me know. I can recommend a really good lawyer in Guayaquil that speaks perfect English and is very familiar with the immigration laws. His prices are reasonable and he is a really nice ... Read More
Ecuador 180 days tourist visa by Fanita
Hello, may know what documents I, my husband and my mom need in order to obtain this visa from the Ecuadorian consulate of Toronto Canada? Few official sites say: passports, two passport colour pictures, travel itinerary (flight tickets), married ...
I went through the 180 day visa process once. It is a real pain in the butt. It also cost you $200. The last time we were in Ecuador, when we were near the end of the 90 day period, we took a bus to Peru. We stayed in Peru for a weekend and ... 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. ...
The changes are intended to collect income taxes from those earning money in other countries. The impact on you should be minimum or zero. I suggest you get a credit card that does not charge international transaction fees. My wife found a ... Read More
Playas ecuador by CATHY123
Hi just want to talk to expats that are living in Playas and if they could tell me a little about playas we are coming in March 2014 for 2 weeks to visit and to furnish our beach front town house will we need to go to the big cities to buy
My wife and I are currently in Raleigh, NC. We are returning to Guayaquil the last week of August. We are hoping that our building plan will be approved in Playas and we can start building when we get there. US phone 919-848-7839. It also works ... Read More
Article about Playas by BobH
Interesting article about Playas (on Gulf of Guyaquil). Those who are interested in a beach location might want to check it out. The article makes it sound very inviting, though it should be noted that the author is in the business of hyping real ...
Fairly accurate assessment. Read More
Building a house on a purchased land in San Clemente by wayneo11
Hi there, purchased land in San Clemente.thinking about building a house.. Does anyone have any information or contacts? Thanks Wayne
Be very careful with building contractors in Ecuador. When you agree to a price for a unit or work or for the whole building, be sure you hold back 20% to be paid at completion. Do not pay an equal weekly amount for progress. They will tell you ... Read More
Playas ecuador by CATHY123
Hi just want to talk to expats that are living in Playas and if they could tell me a little about playas we are coming in March 2014 for 2 weeks to visit and to furnish our beach front town house will we need to go to the big cities to buy
My wife and I are currently building a house near Playas in Al Palado. If you want to talk to us, call me at (Please avoid leaving your phone number on the forum). We have an apartment in Guayaquil with the US phone. Currently we are in Playas ... Read More
Need Advice(MY name is Steve Retired Former MARINE) by steve walt
I have had a very bad experience with the people that were supposed to help me locate to Ecuador. Would not recommend to my worse enemy.I have at least 5 more family members that want to come to Ecuador but i will not recommend the people that were ...
Steve, I just went through the process. My wife and I would be glad to help you. We are in Guayaquil until Jan 25th. It is a tough and frustrating process. Contact me by email at Johnson_fred@hotmail.com if you want our help. No charge. Read More
Ecuador Travel.... Please.... I Really Need Your Help... by ecuadorgeorge
Can you help me? The flight is booked already. Two beautiful weeks in Ecuador. Not my first visit to Ecuador but the last time we stayed in Cuenca for three weeks... We fly into Quito and have accommodations at a fantastic 5000 square foot 18th ...
I suggest you rent a car in Manta and drive along La Costa Del Sol to see the beaches. Be sure to rent an SUV and not a normal car. The mata burrows are large. You need high ground clearance on the roads but the cities and beaches along the way ... Read More
Banks? by artyfitz
Is tehre a Wells Fargo in any of the cities? Will the lcoal banks work w/ american expats?
I am looking for a bank in Guayaquil that also has branches in North Carolina, US. I want to be able to open an account in the US, access the money in Guayaquil, and deposit money while in Guayaquil and access it when I am back in the US. I do not ... Read More
Public transportation in Guayaquil by Armand
Hi all, What do you think about the means of transportation in Guayaquil ? Is the network of means of transportation well developed? What modes of transport are available? Do you use them? How much is a fare? Are they relatively ...
I am going to disagree with most of the post here. I lived in Guayaquil for six months. I used public transportation all the time I was there. The MetroVia is very crowded but once you learn where the stops are and where the transfers are, it is a ... Read More
Buying property in Ecuador by Christine
Hi, can a foreigner buy property in Ecuador? If so, is it complicated? What is the process of purchasing a property in Ecuador? Any tips for buying property, such as a check-list of items to verify ? Thanks in advance for ...
In addition to what was posted, be very careful of buying older building in Guayaquil. If there are wooden floors or wooden beams, they are usually infested with tiny termites that are virtually impossible to kill. All wooden beams in the roof ... Read More
Guayaquil by rcreese
My wife and I are flying into GYE on 18 DEC 2011 and arrive at 10:45pm. Can anyone recommend a hotel upon late arrival? Also, we are not sure whether or not to get a rental car or use the bus system. We are staying for 2 weeks and want to visit ...
When my wife and I fly in late, we always have a hotel room for the night and the hotel picks us up at the airport with their shuttle. Sorry I don't remember the name of the hotel. My wife is asleep right now. She knows the hotel we stay at. It ... Read More