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VinnyVanVin
  3/26/2015 00:17 EST

Hola! Another relocation story coming your way!!! Short and sweet, where should we live. We are going to start our own research but are completely open to feedback from people already living there. Demographics: Married, 3 school age kids, 2 dogs. Interests: Stand alone Villa on the beach, solitude with access to amenities within 45 minute driving, and good if not great internet connection speed. Lets hear your ideas! Thanks in advance......VincyPooBear.

SWIRLZ
  3/26/2015 09:15 EST

The #1 hardest issue in your "want list" is your access to amenities. One is your definition (or vision of what that may mean in Ecuador) and the second is 45 minutes. The two most likely cities to be "near" would be Salinas or Manta and being within 45 minutes of either covers a pretty wide area for consideration.

#2 issue will be schools. To get anything anywheres near what you would expect in the states you need to be near bigger cities. If you home-school...only #1 applies.

You need to visit....you can scout the whole coast from Salinas north in about 300 miles so it's not a difficult search as you will PROBABLY rule out the northern 100 miles around Esmeraldes and the Colombian border which leaves about 200 miles.

One word of advice...take your time and really do your research. The coast is "typically" arid so water availability is critical and so is clean clear title to property.

Good luck

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Salty
  3/26/2015 09:38 EST

Hi, not a resident yet, but! Leave the pets and kids at home and do a two / three week tour of Ecuador, coast and Panamerica Hyw. There is a very distinct contrast and your wish list may be better served inland around one of the lake areas. We will be making our second trip soon in an area more desirable to our comfort level to check it out in depth, amenities, housing, medical access, pharmacy, wildlife ( reptilian ) , local acceptance / tolerance, ect.. We will do this over a four to six week period in three areas. This we do so when we make our move for retirement relocation, more fluid and minimize surprises.

Pilot26MV
  3/26/2015 12:33 EST

We have been to Ecuador twice our daughter was 4 and 5 at that time. She is now 6 and we are headed back to make our decision on whether we want to live in the Manta or Salinas areas.

I disagree about leaving the children home. Ecuador culture is great with kids and family, in fact she is the one pushing the move the most.

We would love to put her in school there, but are considering home school and hiring a tutor. With the school years being different our wish to come back to the states for a month or two to visit this is a problem.

We purchase land to build on in Manta, which I now wish we had waited to do. I recommend like I have now read here by many others to lease for 6 month minimum to a year to make sure your in the right area. It also gives you a much better chance of finding a good deal with out hipped up prices and fees.

You can email me or PM if you would like to talk about or experience with children.

shawnnn
  3/26/2015 13:51 EST

I know of a condo in Manta that may be for rent. Contact me with a private message please.

If you are on a tight budget it may not work for you.

OceanHideaway
  3/26/2015 14:01 EST

I would hazard a guess that the "leave the kids at home" for the whirlwind tour of locations is so that you can concentrate on your issues and not on the children's needs...

Which makes a great deal of sense ...

To make preparations for your children to be safe, happy, secure, well located for school, medical care, and other services, you need to have no distractions during your short visit...

Just my humble opinion from being a hostelier for almost 7 years actually living in the area you wish to check out.

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VinnyVanVin
  3/26/2015 21:26 EST

Hmmm....From seeing the useless responses, well I should say the ONE useless response, I gather some clarification is needed. We are considering moving to Ecuador. We would like feedback from people on where they have lived, and where they would recommend we start researching based on our interests. We are flexible for the most part, but would the villa on the beach. A couple of notes. I’m not looking for permission or approval from anybody on this forum. That’s not what feedback is. Nonetheless, we are planning a trip to visit the area in order to see what it's like. Lastly, it's good to see there are pompous ass people no matter where you look. Why do you hold your opinion to such high value. Who are you to lecture someone else on what’s best for their children. If you have nothing constructive to say then don't say anything at all. Keep your comments to yourself and start trolling your own website. It clearly needs work.

kmoriarty45
  3/26/2015 22:26 EST

This forum can het a bit snarky and we certainly have some people who can be a bit rough, but if you don't like the sandbox , don't play in it.
I have read and reread your posts and the responses. I am sorry, but I don't find anything that was useless, or insulting. Quite the opposite. I thought that the comments were designed to give you some feedback. Obviously, you only want to hear what you want to hear.
No one was trying to tell you how to raise your children and if you're planning on taking your pets, I suggest you read the recent thread regarding bringing pets into the country.

kindheart1956
  3/26/2015 22:39 EST

After reading the first part of you NASTINESS. Please pick another country to move to. We have too many ass holes down here now and don't want any more like you!

VinnyVanVin
  3/27/2015 00:09 EST

Mr. 45 Perception is reality. I read it one way, you read it another. The comment, regardless of being "snarky" or not was still irrelevant and non conducive to the question asked. Just curious who dubbed you the judge of this discussion? Forgive me I didn't know I was entering the sandbox when posting a open ended question. Next time I'll bring my big ass sand shovel to smack internet bullies like "kindheart" in the head.

VinnyVanVin
  3/27/2015 00:14 EST

Thank you for your response swirlz. It is completely appreciated.

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kenlyndell2012
  3/27/2015 09:49 EST

Might want to check out the San Clemente - San Jacinto stretch of beach about 45 minutes north of Manta on your way to Bahia. 25 minutes to Bahia, 35 minutes to Portoviejo. This area is not as well known or touted as some other areas and that is the way we like it. About 100 expats here and we all love it. We can show you around if you like. Good luck and happy hunting.

livefreebstrong
  3/27/2015 10:02 EST

VinnyVanVin...

I like the idea about the shovel. I have one in my hand right now.

Anyway, if you want the input of these forum lurkers--the ones who actually know Ecuador, you must keep the dialogue going, as you're doing now (without pi...ing everyone off).

You're doing a Good job by the way. You're still here and people are taking the time to answer you. Wait long enough, and you may even get what want.

I raised several little pumpkins of my own in Ecuador. They're not little pumpkins anymore, they're big hairy squashes with long vines and whiney pumpkins of their own.

I have expat friends that have done the same, and others that are still frantically weeding, fertilizing, and guarding their own pumpkin patches, in Ecuador, at this moment.

So here's another opinion....

1. Yes, free standing Villa. Not apartments. A little space outside the city where kids can be themselves without having to watch their behavior around the never ending neighbors. Or even worse. Watching the behavior of the never ending neighbors around your kids.

2. Beach has great out door activities always available. Surfing, boogie boarding, snorkeling, kayaking and all other costly sports to hook those little pumpkins on. Diving is a great equipment intensive hobby that will set you back a few pumpkin penny's......so stay clear of that one for as long as you can. Mountains...also good (but you'll have to have the mountain expats help you on that one). Jungle..too many weird things happen in the jungle. My vote is to nix that one.

3. I would also recommend being closer to a city, as Swirlz suggested.

Give them both worlds. I've witnessed the scenario of kids who became waaaaaay too local because of isolation and they can have the same culture shock but in reverse. They won't always live that little tiny pueblo (beach or mountain) and it's nice to have them prepared for the giant difference between those two worlds.

4. Areas that would be good...If Coastal...Anything between Ancon and Olon. NOT Mantanita and I'll argue with anyone on that one.... Salinas perhaps, but it's not the healthiest environment for kids. Weirdness during a large portion of the year, which--you'll have to spend hours explaining away to those little pumpkins instead of watching March Madness.

UOFA GO>

Salinas is a big tourist area--- lot's of people--- and I wouldn't let my pumpkins roam alone in Salinas.

My area is a gated community with guards and there's lots of safe space for the little pumpkins. Tennis coursts, small parks, swimming area. A gated community should definitely be added to your list as a posibilty.

Not a new development either. You should research some of the topics about all the new expat communities that go sour or are dishonest. The recent post on the Bahia area is a good example.

There are areas around Manta also...Crucita. Manta, although it's not a big big city, has a theater as does the Salinas area. Salinas is close to Guayquil which IS a big city and has everything.

Staying at a hostel while you're on this side of the peninsula, such as Oceanhideaways B&B, would be a smart thing. It's a safe place for the kids. Dogs, ocean, quiet beach, pools. And, oceanhideway knows the area well.

But you can do this in any location that you are interested in. Stay at a kid friendly, safe, B&B of a long term Expat.

Just watch out for the realtor recommendations. No matter what realtors say, they don't know a whole more about housing than the long term expats. Finding property is not rocket science down here.


Now. If I've offended you some way, you can take a swing. But you'll miss..cause I'm leaving the sandbox now.

However I will tell you this before hopping out...Giving my kids the world of Ecuador was an unforgettable and priceless gift that was worth every extra gray hair it put on my now beach happy head.

ronwatral
  3/27/2015 11:18 EST

Oh....boo...hoo!

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