Work & Housing

CorkyPlecki wrote:

noise problem in Cuenca (cars, dogs, horns, alarms), how ever do you deal with that?...

Corky

Dear Corky,

Welcome to the Ecuador forum.

Noise problem in Ecuador....

Rule #1:  Screen your prospective new home and its noise levels at different times of day and night.  If you discover there are 24-hour barkers in a neighbor’s back yard -- or even 17-hour barkers -- you’ll be glad you found out about it before signing a lease.  If you live on a main thoroughfare, you can expect car alarms and ambulance sirens.  Dogs and roosters are a problem in many towns and some urban neighborhoods.

Rule #2:  Wear earplugs to sleep.  Have earplugs in your pocket or pocketbook.  I swear by Flents Ear Stopples, available here via Amazon.com ....

Rule #3:  Give yourself time to adjust to the new environment.  If it is costing you mentally and emotionally, deal with it or move.

I live in a gated condo complex.  Only one side of the apartment is exposed to the street.  For sleep, ear plugs and double-pane windows I had installed have been the solution.

cccmedia in Quito

CorkyPlecki wrote:

My husband is in the energy field and construction (project management) fields.  DOES ANYONE KNOW WHO MIGHT BE HIRING?  We had thought with the earthquake there would be a real need for his expertise.  HELP PLEASE.

Several factors may be delaying re-construction on the Ecuadorian coast.

1.  It has only been a month.  Insurance claims are probably not settled.  If you headed up a construction/development/management company, would you re-build in an earthquake zone before being certain your earthquake-damage claim was being honored?

2.  Tall condo buildings did not collapse in the April 16th quake, but some later showed signs of structural damage, with floor-to-ceiling cracks reported and irreparable damage to window and door frames.  Some of these buildings have been taped off to be evaluated.

3.  El Supremo wants the attorney general’s office to prosecute contractors for allegedly shoddy construction practices.  He wants new building codes approved before re-construction gets underway.

In the case of a Gringo seeking construction-management work -- meaning your husband -- how’s his Spanish?  If it’s excellent, he could get a one-year non-immigrant visa for starters with the help of a company in Ecuador that employs him.  An official contract endorsed by the foreign-relations office would be required.

There’s no need for shouting (all-caps words and phrases), we’re paying attention.

cccmedia in Quito

CorkyPlecki wrote:

Ideally we would like to find a industrial LOFT for a living space, are there any re-purposed buildings converted as such? 
We have also heard about the constant noise problem in Cuenca....

Just to clarify, Cuenca in the highlands had no earthquake problems and is not in the Ring of Fire area.

If you move to the coast seeking work for your husband, expect plenty of noise in the affected areas -- clearing debris in the short term, construction noise in the longer term, possibly even the demolition of unstable buildings if they’re determined uninhabitable in their present condition.

cccmedia in Quito

Hey there~
Thank you for the response and great tips.  Now we just need to find employment.

Cheers,

Corky

Talk to a friend I just met. They work as entrepreneur and build new house there.

Name is Beton1114

In this Blog.

Good luck.