Black Americans

Hi.. Wow... I am excited to read of another fellow Bahamian living in Ecuador. Hello! I am Tameka. My husband and I just returned from Ecuador, where we Ieft my son studying in Guayaquil. I am both surprised and excited to hear of other Bahamians in the wonderful South Americas. Where are you residing and how long have you been there? I would love to keep in contact. Blessings and I hope to hear back from you. Chow chow

Very enlightening indeed. My wife and I are visiting Cuenca as a scouting trip this September. I am 280lbs 6 ft 3 Pacific Islander with dark skin and my wife is Caucasian. I have lived and worked in many places around the world. Have not experienced any racism so far. Probably because I Have a very outgoing personality .
Anyways I wish you guys all the best. I shall find out soon for myself.

Email *** for details.

Prices in every greedy country are goin up all the time.....No escape on that one.........but I wish ya luck.....

Esmeralda is HEAVEN for a black family.

Ganan1nf wrote:

Esmeralda is HEAVEN for a black family.

Hi.  My name is Errol and Esmeralda, Caraquez de Bahia and Salinas are on my list.  Looking to relocate by the end of the year.  Plan to make a couple of Recon trips, beginning in June.  If you do not mind, I would like to pick your brain about Esmeralda.

I'm retired Army. 58 and I have my own business.  All I need is an internet connection. It's just me.  If anybody cares to volunteer info, I would be very appreciative. Being around other Americans would be okay, but not a requirement.

Email me when you get a chance. I just drove up the coast from Manta to Esmeralda and it was fantastic. I stopped in Pedernales and Bahia I think by you being retired you would enjoy Esmeralda the most the women the people and the food because it's so close to Colombia the food gets better and better. They just built a brand new Clinic and Esmeralda downtown and the airport has one flight daily going to Quito if you have to leave the country and leaves in the afternoon. ***. Salinas to be honest is kind of boring just a lot of old Gringos with no gusto and energy.

Esmeralda is heaven for any family..

I live in TONSUPA, Atacames. A peaceful developing beach town in the Province of Esmeraldas. No "gringo communities" in the area.
Worth placing it on the list.
This is my third year.

It looks my original post was blocked. I was in Manta last month visiting my father who lives there and we took a drive up the coast to Esmeralda. Very beautiful. The food up there is fantastic , more Caribbean influenced due to the proximity to Colombia. Tonsupa, Perdenales, and atacames are Ok too but no Services. Esmeralda has a nice Hospital clinic - In case of emergency. Also ESM - UIO has 1x daily flight too. The new boardwalk in Esmeralda is great with restaurants, Art gallery and night clubs. Any detailed info contact me - My father is from T&T.

Hi Errol, you may want to check out San Clemente 45 minutes south of Bahia, and Canoa 20 minutes north of Bahia has one of the longest prettiest beaches in all of EC Coast. Peurto Cayo & Puerto Lopez further south Manabi province are well worth seeing too. ...and of course Olon & Montanita just into Northern Santa Elena Province. Welkome to EC Coast you will love it...

Hi,
Has anyone considered Panama?

brownsand wrote:

Hi,
Has anyone considered Panama?

Yes, here:

https://www.expat.com/forum/viewforum.php?id=244

Thank you all so much for your recommendations. I have gotten back to some of you already.  I really appreciate all of your input.

Yes, thank you. I've to subscribed to the Panama Forum  in the past. Got tired of the negative remarks. I really want to know why POC choose Colombia over Panama/Costa Rica/Belize/St Lucia.

Just my opinion - Colombia is a much bigger and more varied country than any of those you mention, with a larger choice of climate and lifestyle, with a lower cost of living possible while still having access to modern amenities.  The people are friendly and in most areas are more curious about gringos than they are in taking financial advantage, although that's always a possibility...

Thank you. Have you been to Panama? I keep reading that the country is trashy--litter. I'm looking for a nice beach and friendly locals. What country are you in or have visited?

Hello. I pray you are well. I was wondering if you are still in Ecuador. I too, am from the Bahamas and have been here in Ecuador from November of 2017. If you are still in Cotacachi...Then we are pretty close to each other as my family and I live in Ibarra.

Please, i would love a response either way. God's speed.

Graciously,
Tameka

Ive lived in Panama for more than 15 yrs on and off and have friends here of all different stripes, colors, and nationality.......Like every place it has its ups and downs......Panama is geographically correct which is its unique advantage...Plus in light of 100 yrs plus of American influence has a more straightforward bureaucracy and tax and banking system.....Which is something you cant necessarily say about every other latin country.......But culturally its a vacuum.........Outside of Panama City, which at least has a little cosmopolitan flair and cultural activies, there is not much goin on unless you are happy surfing, fishing and gardening......Boquete is probably the pick of it overall.......but expensive......It is like a different country up there.........But there are gringos and other foreigners who think that Boquete has been overun and overruled by too many grumbly gringos......Personally, all things considered, I like Colombia better.....Much bigger, much more diverse.....not so many fat people.........the people have more hustle in them and tend to be creative problem solvers........The women are abundant, tend to be thin and pretty, and are much more open minded and eazy to meet........And Colombia along with Ecuador tends to be much more orderly and cleaner and with the exception of the motorcycle racket in Medellin, quieter.....Panamanians thrive on noise and throw their basura all over the roads and rivers....Just got back from a trip to the Dom Rep and its pretty much the same over there......Nice beaches, but too much reggaeton and trash.....and high taxes, and fuel and energy very expensive........Colombia and Ecuador come out on top in pretty much every category except surf.......where Nica, Costa Rica and Panama win...........

Time to say the truth !

Dear Expats,

I live in Santo Domingo, Ecuador originally I am from the Netherlands, Amsterdam I am married to an Ecuadorian wife and I would like to share some experiences with you guys that I have noticed here in Santo Domingo, Ecuador.

First of all : YES THERE IS RACISM IN ECUADOR TOWARDS BLACK PEOPLE !

To be honest : It's a *** up situation here if you are black . Why ..? Because the ecuadorian people prefer white skin even the majority of the ecuadorians 90 % - 95 % are red skin or yellow skin .

For example  : In the family of my wife , when somebody is pregnant they always want that the baby will be light skin , with blue or green eyes ( in ecuador we say : "ojos gatito ")

Next thing , for example :

The public bus the people don't like to sit next to a black person , seriously i have noticed this all the time . Even when the bus is crowded they prefer to stand , then to sit next to a black person !

Next thing : Taxi's : It's true they won't stop for you , even worse if it's at night !

Then another thing : The Blacks will get the worst jobs , for example : Go to a "Paseo Shopping " you won't see not one single black employee working at the Shopping Mall , even that the blacks do have the right papers they simply don't get hired !

For any inquierys or questions do not hestitate to contact me !

Kind regards,

Romeo

When it comes to discussing alleged racism on this forum, it is best to avoid all-caps shouting .. and the F-word.

Let's avoid overheating the discussion of this hot topic .. and recognize that shouting and cursing are inappropriate.

cccmedia
expat.com experts team member

I have a solution.....Move to Esmeraldas or Atacames.......You´ll fit right in.......cant afford to be prejudiced or rascist there.....Neither in the Dominican Rep..........whites are a distinct minority there. In fact, you hardly ever see em........

StienstraR wrote:

For example  : In the family of my wife , when somebody is pregnant they always want that the baby will be light skin , with blue or green eyes ( in ecuador we say : "ojos gatito ")

I learned something from your post. My Ecuadorian girlfriend calls me gatito too. When I asked her why, she said it was because of my green eyes.
Until now, I just thought it was something my girlfriend made up. Now I see the nickname is something else instead.

You got green eyes too? Jeez, we should form a club......call ourselves the "gatitos".......To be perfectly frank, I dont much trust people with blue eyes.............

did  the chain restaurant "menestras del negro" finally change their questionable logo?

the first time i saw that logo, i was taken aback.

lebowski888 wrote:

did  the chain restaurant "menestras del negro" finally change their questionable logo?

the first time i saw that logo, i was taken aback.

Come to think of it, I think they did but I''m not sure though. Their website doesn't have the logo, though.

I passed thru Tonsupa on the bus on the way from Atacames to Canoas.........Tell me porfa, ..what kind of social life can you expect around that area? Didnt look to be a whole lot goin on......Personally was not at all impressed with Atacames....Would never go back there unless I was forced to.........But did meet some nice people....Seems that I always do.....no matter what kind of slum I am in.........or passing thru..........Maybe Esmeraldas is better now........Cant comment.....made it a point to evade it........

Hello Tamee
I saw your post. I was wondering do you still live in Quito because I will be moving there for work in August. Do you have any tips?

Tame, be yourself and interact with locals. I'm spending a lot more in Gambia now due to trading seafood to Eastern Europe.  My father still lives there but on the coast in Manta. Much better for seniors due to the temperature.

Responding to Ddagencytv reference his father living in Manta:

My name is Kelvin, my wife and I will be moving to Manta in December 2019.  We have lived in several  Caribbean (T&T and Jamaica) and Latin America countries (Panama, Guatemala, Costa Rica and Peru).  I have  enjoyed the people, cultures and living experiences in the aforementioned countries.  Moreover, I visited Manta  in August (2019) and will return in the near future to explore housing options.  As a result of our visits to Ecuador, we believe that Manta would be a great place to retire. As an African American I am not overly concerned about racial issues one might encounter in Ecuador, but I would like your and/or  your dad's opinion on retiring in Manta.  Any recommendations you or he can provide on retiring in Manta based on your experiences would be deeply appreciated, thanks-Kel

Keljam,

You have been there ... liked what you saw, so seems good enough. It is an industrial-based town, founded on the tuna industry. It is a somewhat typical port town environment. Remains Ecuador's largest truly coastal city. If you were happy visiting, it is all that should matter. Only caveat, folks often find that visiting somewhere is very different than living somewhere. Applies everywhere, not just Manta.

REF HGQ2112,:  Your comments were very much appreciated, thanks again-Kel

Greetings,

I've read through this fascinating blog regarding African Americans or African descendant people who expat to Ecuador from the USA.  I'm aware of the varied forms of colorizing racism worldwide, okay got it.  But really, what could be any worse than the racist South stateside - definitely historically and certainly the recurring present.

I'm in the relocation preliminary stages.  I'd like a little guidance to help make my transition easier if I decided to do it.  I know it's always advisable to visit the place before considering possible relocation of this magnitude.  Still, right now, my spidey senses are pointing me to Esmeraldas.  I would be coming as a single "American Black" man, retirement age, limited Spanish, and as an academic librarian-teacher professional.  That said, what I would want is to learn Spanish, integrate into the local cultural landscape, work part-time if possible, and ultimately reinvent myself. 

Thanks in advance for reaching out.

Hey, Afro Tex. I guess you've read the State Department alerts regarding twenty miles either side of the Colombia-Ecuador border. I've read some stuff from other expats who say to avoid Esmeraldas all together. Robberies, kidnapping, assault, etc.

I admire your courage and spirit in starting a new expat adventure. Your desire to work might be problematic, depending on what you do. The Ecuadorian gov't doesn't want U.S. peeps taking jobs from 
ecuadorians. I've heard stuff from other expats that if you can do it online and get your payment in a U.S. bank...

Your desire to learn Spanish commends you. When I was traveling in 2019 I found that people  warmed up to me if I at least made the effort to speak in Spanish. It indicates a kind of cultural awareness and absence of ethnocentricity.

Best of luck to you in your new adventures in Ecuador.
Emigrayo68 (Buster)

Emigrayo68,

Thank you for your insightful thoughts.  A friend was just mentioning about cartels and such.  I would work online if I decide to make that move and it wouldn't be this year.  Do you have any other recommendations where Black American expats have the potential to thrive?  Thanks

Hey, AfroTex,  What I have read in various articles online regarding crimes against foreigners and in state department advisories mostly concerns activities within twenty miles of the Colombia-Ecuador border. It's the remnant of FARC guerillas, they think, who kidnap, rob, and bomb targets. The movement is revolutionary, probably not cartel.

Two months ago, the Ecuadorian gov't issued a report that cartel (drug) activity in most of the rest of Ecuador was way low. Since I have mostly taken the advice of the state dept. I have stayed out of Esmeraldas. I have heard others, who own property or  have lived there, say the opposite--that it is a good place to live.

My general idea of looking over a country like Ecuador (small as the state of Colorado) and easily accessible by flight and cheap bus, is to take a few weeks (months) and see it for yourself. Beaches, mountains, deserts, 18 volcanoes, jungles. Then you will have enough experience to make your own judgments. Online, Google "Afro-Ecuadorian Experience" and see what you can find.

Booking.com was one source of hostels, hotels, etc. Per nite $40 (easily less) is one resource. Luggage, I kept a small backpack that fit under the seat, or overhead, and a medium sized rolling suitcase that I checked under the bus. "Cajeros" are bank-in-the-boxes and Banco de Pichincha and Banco Austro were the most useful for dispensing cash from my U.S. bank.

It's an adventure. Drink bottled water. Buen viaje, y bueno suerte!

Emigrayo68 (Buster)

You’ve been taught & programmed to call brown skin “black”. Until the eyes connect to the brain — it won’t change.

@Laurirenee no. God made made in His image and populated the world with one blood

@Joseph K yeah but, are you Afro descendant?

@Laurirenee my husband and I too had considered Ecuador but after much research and enlightenment,  I’m thinking Portugal may be a better option.  it just would be nice to move through with “nearly no”  racism. And crime is very very low there as well. We are planning to visit next month. We just need a breather.