FreeMasonry....

Brother Kalvin,

You asked the same question that I was curious about. I have been contemplating a move south for quite a while. Some friends of mine have a friend in Salinas who says it's great and they have commissioned me to investigate. I'd love to talk to some brethren there for advice and such, but I have been having difficulty doing that. The below site is one that speaks to Masonry and Ecuador, it even mentions that there is a Grand Orient of Italy lodge there in Guayaquil. I have been unable to find any websites yet, but am actively hunting for them and any info I can find. If I stumble upon anything I will let you know, and I hope you will do the same is possible. Either way when you get down there and settled I'd of course be interested in hearing about the area from someone with "boots on the ground." Forgive all the lingo, I work for the DOD.

Fraternally,

Mike



http://encyclopediaoffreemasonry.com/e/ecuador/

Brother Mike,

I live in the Seattle area, and was the JW in our lodge Everett #137 last year.  I didn't want to continue up the chairs, and so now I am just a member. I am also a 32 degree Scottish Rite, as well as a Shriner, but am not current in either of those. I actually have a bit more info than you have.  Wife and I were in Ecuador last November, and I asked a waiter at the hotel we stayed at in Quito and he said he has seen the square and compasses, but couldn't remember exactly where it was.  He was going to tell me the next day, but somehow I missed it.
I did get a message from a brother that lives in Quito, and I will paste his message here:

Hi Bro. Kalvin,
There are several Lodges tucked away here in Quito, they will want you to bring a letter of recommendation from your Grand Lodge Sec. and be sure to have your business class suit and tie for any lodge night.

Let me introduce myself, my name is Jack Abercrombie, originally from Atlanta, GA. I have been in EC. for a lil over 3 years.

I have helped make 3 expats a new life into EC. so far, but have shown and hosted over 60 folks around EC. in the past 3+ years.

2 were brother Masons, and I just met a Past Master from Reno, Nevada last week.

There are 4 Blue Lodges in Riobamba, but I have only sat in Lodge in Quito. They may likely all meet and share the same Lodge. Gran Logia Distrial Del Centro: (593) 3-294-7863,

My Aunt & Uncle 64 & 70 yrs young, (my Uncle David is a MM also.) (they despise IL: Int. Living as do I) they are from the Dahlonega / Gainesville GA. Area, they stayed their first year in Quito and now live in Cotacachi for about a year now, and another young Lady 42 yrs. old from Boston, Mass. that lives in a condo in downtown Quito.

There is a lot of IL -ill information is leaving out, I will be glad to help fill in the blanks. I get locked out of my expat-blog acct. a good bit due to fouling up my password? I am no PC guru by any means, but I find it difficult to navigate their site? Feel free to correspond w/ my e-mail address below:

journeymanjack.com@gmail.com


Bro Mike, I hope this helps.  I am planning to go to Riobamba in April for a couple of months and learn some Spanish, perhaps I will have more info then.

/kal

Countri1 wrote:

Brother Kalvin,

You asked the same question that I was curious about. I have been contemplating a move south for quite a while. Some friends of mine have a friend in Salinas who says it's great and they have commissioned me to investigate. I'd love to talk to some brethren there for advice and such, but I have been having difficulty doing that. The below site is one that speaks to Masonry and Ecuador, it even mentions that there is a Grand Orient of Italy lodge there in Guayaquil. I have been unable to find any websites yet, but am actively hunting for them and any info I can find. If I stumble upon anything I will let you know, and I hope you will do the same is possible. Either way when you get down there and settled I'd of course be interested in hearing about the area from someone with "boots on the ground." Forgive all the lingo, I work for the DOD.

Fraternally,

Mike



http://encyclopediaoffreemasonry.com/e/ecuador/

Brothers Kalvin and Mike,

I came across your conversations somewhat late (its now Sept 2012), but would like to inform you that we in Cuenca have grabbed the bull by the horn and have started our own English speaking Masonic Club as a forerunner for a Subsequent Blue Lodge down the lane.  It will be have to be under the local Grand Lodge Jurisdiction.  Our Cuenca Masonic Fellowship Club is brand new and has met just a few times and we only have a handful of members, but it is a start, and like the old proverb says : A journey of a thousand miles begins with the first step.  Most of us are F&AM and we intend to stay Blue Lodge.  Our local Ecuadorian Brothers are Scottish rite from the first degree, like the few Louisiana lodges that predated the Grand Lodge of LA and were allowed to remain Scottish Rite instead of having to switch to 3 degree Blue Lodge like the rest of USA masonry is.  I came to Ecuador to retire and hail from Hawaii ( Kauai Lodge, MWGL of HI ) where I was Master in 2006 and during the last half of 2009.  Been in Cuenca since end Feb 2012.  Would love to be of help with info if I can.  Am also a life member of Honolulu Scottish Rite.  Do not belong to the Shrine.

With Fraternal Greetings, Nico Z.

Hi, I am new to this thread and would also like to contact and be contacted by brother masons in Cuenca.  My brother and I would like to come down and see the area as our wives are a bit reticent until we obtain decent housing.  Looking forward to meet the blue lodge brothers, as I went to SW in my lodge. Would like to come down in February/March 2013.  Any help would be appreciated.  Duner27

Hi NicoZ,  would very much like to chat with you about the area.  So much crap on the internet.  Everyone selling dreams and hype.  Please feel free to email me and let me know how the lodge is coming and what prospects do my brother and I to obtain some type of lodging while we comb the area for property.  I am retired, my bother has his own web business and my wife will retire in a few years. I and my brother want to come this year, find housing, take care of business and start living down in Cuenca.  Thanks, Duner27

@duner27 -> Why don't you start a new thread with your questions on lodging on the Ecuador forum? Other members might be able to help as well.

Thank you,
Aurélie

Hi Brethren. I live in the U.S. and belong to Blue Lodge #142 at Stroud, Oklahoma and take pride in being a Mason for over thirty years. My wife and I have looked into the possibility of moving to Cuenca but first plan on coming there in April to visit for a few weeks. We only know what we have read about Cuenca and the surrounding areas and hoping to contact some english speaking brothers that would possibly give us some more information about what it is like living there and also hope to meet other brothers while there.

Fraternally,
  Steve

Brethren,

Hello.  I am planning to visit Cuenca this summer.  I would like to visit a Lodge there.  Does anyone have the address of the Lodge?

Thanks

Dear Full Grown,

Welcome to the Ecuador forums of expat.com....

For information about the Masons English-speaking lodge in Cuenca, Lodge 69,
google:

freemasons cuenca

Greetings Brother FullGrown,

The Cuenca Wayfarers Lodge #69 is located about 3 blocks off of the San Sebastian Plaza
I have visited there last year, and will send you WM Brother Ron Watkins, E-mail address in a private message.
CUENCA WAYFARERS LODGE #69
English Speaking Masons in Cuenca, Ecuador
https://freemasonsincuenca.wordpress.com/

Fraternally yours,
Jack Abercrombie
Quito, EC. SA.

Brother Jack good afternoon! I am interested in more information about the Lodge and living in the Quito area. May I get your email address please?

F&F

Alan Gatlin, Orartor
CA Novus Veteris Lodge #864

Dear Brothers,
Interested in living in Cuenca. Looking for a small apartment or
small house. Also would like to know how to set up with a Bank?
Have money wired over? Debit cards?
Now dealing with very slow Ecuador Consulate in Miami! Would
like to leave when all is arranged this year.
What are the best options papers wise?
Fraternally,
George Sijtsema

flyingdutchman111 wrote:

Interested in living in Cuenca. Looking for a small apartment or
small house. Also would like to know how to set up with a Bank?
Have money wired over? Debit cards?

Dear George,

Welcome to the Ecuador forums of Expat.com ...

Some Expats do not become depositors to Ecuador banks.  They withdraw
money weekly or as needed, via ATM.  This is not ideal due to ATM fees charged
by the home-country bank(s) .. and the possibility of getting shut out if
a card is lost or invalidated.

After obtaining my visa and cédula ID, I arranged through the U.S. Embassy in
Quito to have my monthly government payments direct-deposited into
my Ecuadorian bank.

I have debit cards associated with my Ecuador bank and my USA bank(s).

cccmedia near the Ecuador-Colombia border

What are the best options for papers?

If by papers you mean a document permitting you to live in Ecuador, that would be a visa.  You will also want to obtain a cédula ID, which is doable once you have a visa.  (The 90-day permit you receive at an airport or when crossing a border is a tourist stamp, not a visa.)

Popular visas include ...

-- Investor visas based on investing in a certificate of deposit at a bank or cooperative.  A few co-ops offer to pay depositors interest to the tune of about 8 or 9 percent annually.  Up to $32,000 of the investment is insured by COSEDE at many institutions.  COSEDE is the Ecuadorian version of the FDIC.

-- Professional visas based on a college or university degree, provided the school is approved by the relevant government agency.

-- Visas based on regular monthly income that you receive and will continue to receive.

-- Investor visas based on ownership of real property.  However, it is not recommended to buy a home or investment property during one's first year in Ecuador.

cccmedia