Language issue

I am also wanting to know about the language barrier.  I speak VERY LITTLE Spanish.

I think it depends where you live.

If you are in Cuenca, my guess is you will be ok.   But other places I think it will be a bit difficult.


Now, the good news is you can simply get a local to do most things for you that might require spanish.   Having a live in maid is quite cheap.  Mine was $50 a week.   Basically just send them off to run the errands.  I know in Guayaquil you definitely need to know spanish.

EDIT-- By difficult I mean frustrating but not impossible.

Depends on who you are.

I was looking forward to it, and I still truly enjoy NOT being able to hear what ppl have to say, but I've been here for almost a year now and that is slowly fading away, as I can understand half of what they say half of the time.

Imagine that. You walkin a restaurant and the tv is on but you
cannot understand anything!

Being an Expat, is alot like being a kid again. Just enjoy it. You will grow someday. Unfortunately.

To all,

I would highly recommend if you plan on living here to at least make an attempt in learning Spanish.  When people come to English speaking countries, English speaking people get frustrated when they do not try to learn English.  The same thing applies here.

You do not have to be an advanced Spanish speaker but at least learn the basics.  You will thank yourself later for making such efforts and you will probably save a lot of money. 

Just my two cents from the feedback I get from Ecuadorians here.  Many Ecuadorians have learned basic English but you can not expect them to cater to your every need.  This is their country and one must remember that we are all guests in this beautiful land.

Also, saying that you are older and set in your ways is not a valid excuse, being that I know a 57 year old here in Quito that has picked up Spanish significantly since he decided to come.

Immersion is the best way so take a risk and dive in to a new language and you will find your visit, life, or retirement here way more rewarding.

You will make mistakes as you are learning and it will take time, but the locals will truly appreciate if you at least try.

Mike

Thanks for your good advice. You are right in that we should make at least our efforts to learn the language of country you choose to live. We are debating between Ecuador and Belize. If we can learn Spanish at this late age, our choice is absolutely Ecuador.

I like your attitude of enjoying rather than frustrating. Yep, the attitude always makes the difference.

Thanks for cheering me up.

My hubby likes the idea of living in Cuenca (spelling??), but I likes a country living. Thanks for your suggestion.

Age should never be an excuse for not learning a new language! It is like aerobics for the brain and will keep your brain fit and healthy.
And while you can quite easily get by living in a foreign country these days without speaking the language, life is so much richer if you do understand what is going on around you. I was in Portugal earlier this year and was embarrassed not to be able to say even the most basic things. I could not imagine preferring to live that way permanently!
You can learn the language as fast or as slowly as you like, depending on the time you have available, how much you want to spend on learning, and how much you want to learn.
Lastly, I run a Spanish school in Quito and in Cuenca and have worked with many people in their 50s, 60s, and 70s who manage just fine to learn Spanish. Language is not the great barrier that we sometimes make it out to be!