My Life in Ecuador, Issue #003

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Issue #003, August 13, 2011

We stayed at some friends' vacation home just outside of Guayaquil, on the road to Salinas. It was like paradise...flowers everywhere, three nice cabins, a pool and lots of outdoor seating. (I'm so mad at myself for forgetting my camera!) And the weather was the best I've ever seen in Guayaquil. Breezy and warm during the day. And almost chilly at night.

We were cautioned while in Guayaquil about public transportation. We were advised not to take buses at night and only to use registered taxi services found in places like malls and supermarkets. It made us a little nervous at first, but we were thankful for the warning.

My Visa Experience

Some of you have already read Part One of my visa experience... the easy part! Over the last few months I've been working on getting my permanent residency here in Ecuador, but it hasn't been so easy. Well let me rephrase that...it's not that it is complicated; it's just been time consuming and stressful. Just two weeks ago I finally finished the process and have my permanent residency.

I've written about my experience: the steps involved and some of things I've learned in the process. Hopefully, it will be useful to anyone looking to become a permanent resident in Ecuador. Click here to read Part Two of my Visa Experience.

Culture Shock

When we abruptly find ourselves in a new culture there can be things that surprise or even appall us. Everyone's reaction is different. And Ecuador has no shortage of things that are different from what most of us are used to.

I've been thinking about some of the things that were strange and shocking to me and my family when we moved to Ecuador. Read about my culture shock.

For those of you who have lived in or visited Ecuador, you've probably experienced some degree of culture shock as well. Please add your culture shock moment to my site.

A Bus Trip in Ecuador

Speaking of culture shock...

Riding the bus is a big part of life in Ecuador. The bus system is cheap and quite efficient. But it's definitely not like any bus ride I'd ever experienced before. What should you expect? Read some of the funny and not so funny things about riding the bus in Ecuador.

Featured Visitor Submission

I received a great submission this month from "Valentino;" also known as my dad. Read his account of our first days in Ecuador, which just happened to coincide with a president being ousted from office and the country's craziest holiday...Carnaval!

Have your story featured in my newsletter! Write about your time in Ecuador. Add your photos. Anything Ecuador will do. To write your story click here.

I look forward to reading your stories.

Until next time... Jess

Life in Ecuador Home Page

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