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ReadyToBe
  4/24/2015 19:23 EST

Hello and thank you for reading.
I am currently in the U.S. and I am ready for something else.

I don't have very much money (i.e. enough to travel and support myself humbly for a little while at least).
Does anyone know of any opportunities for a healthy, able bodied man to earn his humble daily bread? I have a wife and 2 children though I would be willing if necessary to get set up as a single man and then send for my family.

Does anyone know of any ecovillages, farms, sustainable communities, etc where opportunities might exist?

My needs are little and I am ready to take the plunge. I had hoped to go in with some friends on cheap land so if anyone knows of opportunities for that I would also be interested. I am tired of wasting my life away in the U.S. and ready to go now? How can I do it? Where should I go? People who say this is crazy are wrong? Any help even a vague suggestion would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks!

I do speak a little Spanish but I am very rusty but not afraid of immersion and confident it would come back enough to handle basic communication.

I'm interested in simple humble living, natural home building (cob, straw bale, etc), permaculture, ecology, agroforesty, things of that nature but open to pretty much any opportunity.

crazyfarmer
  4/24/2015 21:34 EST

>Hello and thank you for reading.
>I am currently in the U.S. and I am ready for something else.

Hello!

Sure seems like a lot of people wanting to get out these days.

>I don't have very much money (i.e. enough to travel and support
>myself humbly for a little while at least).

This is common problem.

>Does anyone know of any opportunities for a healthy, able
>bodied man to earn his humble daily bread? I have a wife and 2
>children though I would be willing if necessary to get set up as a
>single man and then send for my family.

I'd recommend staying with your family no matter what. The work situation here isn't so great. Jobs are hard to come by, and even worse if you don't speak spanish. Salaries are low. And the cost of living is high.

Realistically, I think the only way to really do this is to come here, buy a place where you can grow food, and also have an income from outside of Uruguay. I don't want to say it's impossible, but coming down here without a remote job in hand already is a recipe for failure.

>Does anyone know of any ecovillages, farms, sustainable
>communities, etc where opportunities might exist?

I've heard of this kind of thing up in Rocha. But I believe you have to buy into it.


>My needs are little and I am ready to take the plunge.

Remember that the urugayans (your competition) are really good at being poor. And most of them will accept a standard of living that americans generally will not (think family of 4 on one motorcycle)

>I had hoped to go in with some friends on cheap land so if
>anyone knows of opportunities for that I would also be interested.
>I am tired of wasting my life away in the U.S. and ready to go
>now? How can I do it? Where should I go? People who say this is
>crazy are wrong? Any help even a vague suggestion would be
>greatly appreciated.

There are a lot of people who think like you, but far more who think we're crazy.

>I do speak a little Spanish but I am very rusty but not afraid of
>immersion and confident it would come back enough to handle
>basic communication.

Any spanish is a help. But the less you have, the harder it will be for you to get going. Still, there are expats who have been here for years and still can't speak the language.

>I'm interested in simple humble living, natural home building
>(cob, straw bale, etc), permaculture, ecology, agroforesty, things
>of that nature but open to pretty much any opportunity.

These are popular subjects here. Keep posting to the expat forums. Maybe you can team up with someone.

brian

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Morell
  4/25/2015 08:17 EST

You also need to consider how you will convince Immigration that you have sufficient income to support yourself and your family.

They have asked for around $2000 US per month from couples I know recently, that is considered a high income here - I know a high school teacher making $1200US per month and he is Uruguayan. Many folk make less than $500US per month.

crazyfarmer
  4/25/2015 13:07 EST

The income letter is definitely the hardest part of the residency process. The type of income is important. In know that salaried jobs from the US aren't considered an acceptable source of income.

brian

edykizaki
  4/25/2015 20:13 EST

hi, yes, we have been exploring community options for a blog and of course they are quite interesting. There are a few and there are also people interested. I have some ideas for good businesses here too, and there was a thread about business ideas a while ago, maybe you can search it.

ReadyToBe
  4/26/2015 17:42 EST

Thanks for the responses,

I was under the impression that at very least I could simply keep getting a visa every 180 days. Is that incorrect?

Staying in the U.S. is not really an
option - its kind of do or die point.
If I stay I am going to be staying for a while, which I have already been doing, and don't want to do anymore.

With respect I don't need a car or really even want one. Essentially I need a place to go or an idea of where to look and by work I mean more like a trading arrangement for basic needs. This may sound impossible but I have seen it first hand in many places in the U.S. and heard of many more.

Anyone know of any sustainable/ back to land / simple life minded expats or natives who have land that might be looking for help and have a hectare or less to spare for a guy to build a sustainable small home (google cob cottage company for an idea of what I mean) and grow a little food in exchange for some work or possession of the structure at the end of a 5-10 year lease term?

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Click connect to have our partner contact you via e-mail and/or phone.

Mobility LCMobility LC

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Wanderlustspirit
  4/26/2015 19:43 EST

My understanding is that you can keep getting a 90 day tourist visa but may have to leave the country every 90 days. I do not think it even has to be overnight, rather just get the appropriate documents stamped.

If I see anything, I will PM it to you.

Keep looking & maybe initiate some contacts with some UY farms. Best of luck to you & your family.

edykizaki
  4/26/2015 19:46 EST

whereas they say you have to leave the country, actually I've heard people have been here 8 years and then just have to pay a small fine at the airport when leaving so.... not a big worry (this is what I've heard, not experienced it myself).

carlitos
  4/26/2015 19:59 EST

What you are saying is not impossible, about 1 or 2 years ago, I saw another gringo trying to get someone to help him taking care of this chacra in san jose. and yes. you can live forever here if you go to the border every 90 days, you can even bring a car.

Morell
  4/26/2015 20:03 EST

Don't know anything about this site but there are other sites too looking for volunteers

http://www.helpx.net/hostlist.asp?host_region=924&network=9

crazyfarmer
  4/26/2015 20:32 EST

>I was under the impression that at very least I could simply keep
>getting a visa every 180 days. Is that incorrect?

I believe it's 90 days. And you can just leave and come back to get a new visa. So take a day trip to Brazil or Argenitina. You'll most likely want a shopping trip anyway.

I believe the fine for overstaying your visa is $20, assessed when you leave. If you overstay your visa, they won't come looking for you.


>Staying in the U.S. is not really an
>option - its kind of do or die point.
>If I stay I am going to be staying for a while, which I have already
>been doing, and don't want to do anymore.

It's impossible to know when, how fast, or how bad. But time is definitely running out.

>With respect I don't need a car or really even want one.
>Essentially I need a place to go or an idea of where to look and
>by work I mean more like a trading arrangement for basic needs.
>This may sound impossible but I have seen it first hand in many
>places in the U.S. and heard of many more.

>Anyone know of any sustainable/ back to land / simple life
>minded expats or natives who have land that might be looking for
>help and have a hectare or less to spare for a guy to build a
>sustainable small home (google cob cottage company for an
>idea of what I mean) and grow a little food in exchange for some
>work or possession of the structure at the end of a 5-10 year
>lease term?

There are americans who need caseros, people who live on their farm, watch the place, and act as a sort of farm hand. Because the labor laws here are insane, I bet if you ask around, you could get someone to offer you the same deal a uruguayan casero would get. That would most likely be a little money and a place to live. Then you could raise your own animals and grow your own food. Add to that a motorcycle, and you could have a nice arrangement. The americans would probably be happy to have you also because you speak english and aren't likely to abuse the BPS system to take advantage of them.

Try posting on some of the forums and see what you get.

brian

Mobility LCMobility LC
Connect

Mobility LC is committed to work hard to make your Uruguayan immigration and relocation process a reality. We can provide you with the best local contacts and will guide you all the way through the process offering support in 5 different languages. Your success is our personal goal.

Click connect to have our partner contact you via e-mail and/or phone.

Mobility LCMobility LC

Mobility LC is committed to work hard to make your Uruguayan immigration and relocation process a reality. We can provide you with the best local contacts and will guide you all the way through the process offering support in 5 different languages. Your success is our personal goal.
Connect

Click connect to have our partner contact you via e-mail and/or phone.

ReadyToBe
  4/28/2015 19:25 EST

Thanks, everyone for the responses. I'm incredibly grateful.
I have been reading through these forums looking for more info.

I hope there are more responses to come.

Thanks to those who private messaged me as well. I tried to respond - still trying to figure out how to do that. I will get back to you as soon as I do.

ReadyToBe
  5/1/2015 17:56 EST

What is the bare bones price to have a hectare or 2 to live on - don't care about electricity, plumbing etc. - don't even need a house or well? Does an option like this exist?
How do everyday native citizens in the country live?

edykizaki
  5/1/2015 20:38 EST

I heard you can buy a lot up in Rocha for 6K US

carlitos
  5/1/2015 21:52 EST

2 hectares, can cost from 3 to 60 k, you need to search. more likely to be around 20k.

edykizaki
  5/1/2015 22:22 EST

but again, like someone said, you could get work on someone's farm and live with actual electricity and a roof over your head ... a not so fancy roof... and then look around?

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