Guayaquil, Ecuador
A newcomer to Ecuador offers an honest view of what it's like adjusting to life in Guayaquil. From finding it hard to understand people, because they speak too fast to feeling depressed and thinking about returning home, she is truly in the midst of culture shock.
Guayaquil
No
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Yes I speak Spanish but they speak too fast and use too many local idioms and feel lost at times.
Yes, but I figured being a Spanish speaker and having relatives would make the move easier. It didn't. It has been a struggle to adjust to their expectations.
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Very significant. I'm depressed and at least once a day I think of going home.
Most definitely. I'm somewhere between rejection and adjustment at this point. I dislike certain things but not enough to leave yet.
Depression over possibly making a bad life decision by moving to Guayaquil, anxiety over my future earning potential and retirement plan being abroad, overeating on American snacks and packaged food because I'm tired of the local cuisine, easily frustrated with bureaucracy and nosy people.
People's willingness to embrace a stranger, their warm welcoming attitude and relaxed way of living. They face so many struggles on a day to day basis and still manage to go on with a smile on their face. That's baffling and enviable at the same time.
How normal it is to expect or to offer a bribe. The level of corruption is so widespread that is just hard to digest at times. Also, some people don't perceive new methods as improvements but rather as challenges to their authority. some don't accept constructive criticism.
I used to translate "you know what I mean" to "si me entiendes" and people would just nod politely but give me a weird look... later I was informed that "si me entiendes" sounds condescending to the other person in Spanish because the context of the sentence implies they are not bright enough to follow my chain of thought-- I was told to use "si me explico?" which translates to "am I explaining myself? " which puts the responsibility of any misunderstanding on my shoulders.
Visit before moving and try to not make any assumptions. Listen to locals about safety issues. And definitely start to downsize your toiletry needs while still at home. The shock of not finding "essentials" in your new country is very frustrating.
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Guayaquil Index
An index of all of our site's Guayaquil information.
Expats in Guayaquil report a variety of opinions regarding what it's like to live there. It offers a very warm and humid climate for sun lovers, but others find the heat stifling. Similarly, crime is a major concern of some, while others find that it's perfectly acceptable with proper precautions.
Ecuador Forum
Talk with other digital nomads and expats in Ecuador on our Ecuador forum - meet people, get advice and help others.
Contribute
Help others in Ecuador by answering questions about the challenges and adventures of living in Ecuador.
Expats in Ecuador offer advice about healthcare, hospital visits, emergency rooms visits, finding a doctor and buying health insurance in Ecuador.
Expats share some of their favorite places to live in Ecuador from beautiful colonial cities to affordable beach towns.
Expats in Ecuador share their experiences with healthcare and overseas medical insurance in Ecuador.
Top-quality coverage for people who live, work, study and travel internationally.
GET A QUOTE
Top-quality coverage for people who live, work, study and travel internationally.
GET A QUOTE
Guayaquil Index
An index of all of our site's Guayaquil information.
Expats in Guayaquil report a variety of opinions regarding what it's like to live there. It offers a very warm and humid climate for sun lovers, but others find the heat stifling. Similarly, crime is a major concern of some, while others find that it's perfectly acceptable with proper precautions.
Ecuador Forum
Talk with other digital nomads and expats in Ecuador on our Ecuador forum - meet people, get advice and help others.
Contribute
Help others in Ecuador by answering questions about the challenges and adventures of living in Ecuador.
Expats in Ecuador offer advice about healthcare, hospital visits, emergency rooms visits, finding a doctor and buying health insurance in Ecuador.
Expats share some of their favorite places to live in Ecuador from beautiful colonial cities to affordable beach towns.
Expats in Ecuador share their experiences with healthcare and overseas medical insurance in Ecuador.
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