want more info from ex patriots.

msb1 wrote:

I have recently retired and am considering moving to cheaper cost of living area. Also I love to travel. Would enjoy hearing details of living outside the USA. Any tips or suggestions would be greatly appreciated. Don't even know where to start
Have questions about visa etc. Am a single woman travel/living alone. Would like to live in community w/other Americans. Thanks! Sarah

Welcome to the forum, Sarah, and I hope some of us can be of help. Others can certainly help you more than I in regard to specifically Ecuador questions, since I'm not there yet (leaving in a few weeks), but I do have some experience with living as an expat, and I'll try to help where I can.

Regarding visas: assuming you are a US citizen, you can travel to Ecuador without a visa for a visit of up to three months, and you can get that extended (with only minor effort, I'm told) for another three months after you are there. That should suffice if you are planning a scouting trip.

If you are interested in a resident visa (most likely a pensionado, for retirees) then it gets more complicated, and you might want to do a search for 'pensionado' to get started on collecting info).

If you are looking to live where there are lots of other expats, then your most obvious choice might be Cuenca. I'm planning on Quito, which because it's the capitol also has a significant foreign population (but because it's a bigger city, they are a smaller % of the total). Others on this forum are from places like Salinas, Bahia de Caraquez, Loja, etc, and can tell you more about those places.

If you have other questions, please just ask. You might also want to contact the Ecuadorian Consulate in New Orleans (I think that's the nearest if you are in Alabama) and see if they can provide any assistance -- consulates are kind of hit and miss.

Bob

PS: I don't want to play Spelling Nazi (or would it be 'Word Nazi'?) but the word is 'expatriate', because we aren't (necessarily) unpatriotic.

Well Sarah I would prefer you start this journey with a sister, brother, close girl friend etc.  It not that I don't think single women can not do it I have seen them do it but you have to be so careful I can not tell you.  You can not tell people your alone...I would not suggest it.  I would not walk alone in a neighborhood you don't know well for a long long time.  Pairs are always better...so cabs a must when single.  So if you go out at night in Ecuador to a restaurant then you go right to a cab...never drop your guard.  You see your a minority being a women plus a Gringo and women are not on the top of the pole if you get my joke.  It is not unusal to hear Spanish men interrupt their wives with unintelligent statements note all some are very polite but not all.  I live in Ecuador I am an American Expat retired and very happy.  I love Ecuador but it is a complete readjustment totally.  You can get health care here for $85.00 a month 80% coverage including prescriptions not all depending most....65 to 80 yr and cancel Medicare out of your SS.  This gives you more money.  The USA spends your money to freely.  when you are above 80 yrs you can go on government Ins $110 a mo that will be approx. but 100% now it has not been approved yet but almost a done deal.  Some people are applying already.  But gov ins you can only go to gov hospitals.  My ins.  I can go to any hosp which is nice but I only get back 80% but hospital are inexpensive here.  Rent in Cuenca is more expensive then then advertise I would say $750.00 to %550.00 depending on your taste.  You will have to come and see your self.  During day your can walk around and take bus alone easy $ .25 for you and if you are young $ .52 I think and if you apply over 65 $.12 which is my charge.  I apply for every thing.  Cedula Card which to me is like a Socail Security card in Ecuador it identifies you picture on it. 
I recommend you come and see this enviorment it is stark, a little dark, and not a lot of luxuries, it is simply, no air conditioning, no heat, no cars (you can get but takes a while), lots of walking, food change, life style change completely.  We came to 1.  Low cost of living it was here but not as low as we hoped
never is 2.  Lower health care it was and great 3.  Warm but cool breeze so I could walk more It was that.
We were just lucky altitude did not bother us as a couple.  Some people have altitude problems and have to go to other areas because of altitude dizziness, heart, etc.  We were fine.
I am on this site a lot...I can answer more questions but there is a lot of information but step by step my name is smmr and I am a retired American expat and have lived in Ecuador 2 yrs with my husband and we love it but have seen a lot come and go...

Sarah
One month before you leave America to visit Ecuador request
Original Birth Certificate Seal appostel dated parents names must be on it
Original Divorced docket number papers if divorced appostel dated
A letter from the Social Security Office from your area you live in Guarantee of Income which Ecuador Demands you make so much money to be independent.
All papers they want are originals with seals (apposels which is notarized & dated)
If your divorced they want orginal divorced docket papers with docked number
When I mentioned your birth certificate I mention check your parents names are on your birth certificate because their names were left off on my friends birth certifcates.  Double check your name Sarah  June Smith all the time that it is spelled correctly it sounds silly but little mistakes make a difference.  You could get here on your visit and find I don't like it.  Great you had a good visit and you enjoyed the country and you know a little about it.  Try Mexico we felt it was a little violent.  Guns are not allowed here we liked that.  The amount of income to get in to Ecuador was lower and that was appealing to us.
I really wanted Austrialla but it wanted my income to high.   Other countries I considered wanted income to high and weather again to cold so Ecuador was the way.  I considered Mexico but the Health Care which was my #2 was poor and believe it or not Ecuadors health care was good.  Now the city is 400 yrs old so she looks pretty sad to say the least.  But on the out skirts it is more reasonable but you better know Spanish and I know none.  Start Spanish immediately don't wait.  Start in States a must or on your computer at night Ohola Gracia Hasta Luega start now.  I think it is 90% Spanish.  Now there is good and bad side but you must judge Sarah...This is a lot of work...you will sleep at night...a lot of decisions are you selling everything or are you bring a container????  See lots to think about.  The best money I ever spent was hiring a girl that handled all my paper work and spoke Spanish and I just paid her oh God and I am not wealthy every day I said to my husband God am I glad I have her wow this is wonderful...I needed her right up to my Cedula Card it was Heaven.  Talk to you again.  Happy Journey No Nazi Crazy Talk

You will have 3 months to get your paper work done and that is plenty of time if you arrive with all this paper work in your folder all organized.  The only thing you will have to do is change it all to Spanish.  It is better to do it over here the Spanish is different.

Ex patriots = guys who used to play for the New England American football team.  Don't know that any of them could help you, but there are plenty of USA citizens on here willing to answer any and all of your questions.  You got good info from the two previous posters, but you need to realize that learning a new language at your age will be very difficult.  If you go to Cuenca let Nards Barley know you are coming, he will set you up with the BBRC (Baby Boomer Reception Committee)  Good luck Sarah!!

Sarah you are going to meet so many friendly Americans you will not be able to be friends with all of them.
You finely will choose and pick who you want in your life like anything after the storm settles.  Tomorrow I am giving a nice co host Christmas Party with all kinds of Gringo fresh food to stuff their faces and make them sing....we even have some Spanish so you will like the people...But make a list and ask people what you should bring heating pad very expensive here.  Anbesol 3 maybe 3 aleve America's is stronger oh I could go on and on Neosporin 3 tubes, for little cuts.  My Ecuadorian daughter when she went to America I recommended it she became  addicted she thinks its great wonderful a cure for everything it is cute but it is not but she is cute about it.  I think some of their herb are cures for everything ha.