Canadian going to Ecuador for Volunteer Work

Hi Bradypreston, I'm sure others will chime in here soon.

I can't answer to the $1000 lasting for 3 months question, but as for valuables, I can offer a bit of advice.

My wife and I spent a year in Nicaragua, which is comparable in safety/crime, although it is much poorer than Ecuador, I've heard.  But the point I'd like to make is that if you have doubts about whether something is "valuable" or not, it's best to not flash it around or even carry it on you when you leave your home.

We left our iPhones behind in the States (we brought our iPads, but used them only in the privacy of our own home), and simply picked up cheap phones in Nicaragua with a prepaid sim-card.  We actually went for the cheapest looking phones and preferred to do our emailing and web surfing at home.

A few friends of ours didn't go this route and would occasionally use their laptop on their front porch.  It's not surprising to say that one night these two stoned-out guys broke in and stole all of their electronics while they pretended to be asleep and hoping they wouldn't be killed.

My wife and I never ran into any trouble, were never mugged or pickpocketed.  But we were very careful to not dress in super great clothes, never flashed anything, wore cheap rings instead of our real wedding rings, etc.

But we did bring a camera and were careful to hide it in a knapsack or backpack.  And we never went out alone after a certain hour, only with a large group.

We were probably overly paranoid, but we never had any problems, thank goodness.

Hi Luisr!

Thanks so much for your time, it is greatly appreciated. It certainly eases the nerves to hear other people's experiences, whether ultimately they are good ones, or bad ones (in which they survived ).

I am going to certainly take your advice on leaving my blackberry behind. Hopefully I can pick up a cheap phone in the airport or nearby store. As for internet, which I hope will become less of an necessity over time, I will resort to internet cafes. Hopefully they are abundant and relatively cheap!

It seems as though everyone has had an experience with crime in the area, or at least through association. It's truly unfortunate for those who have to steal, one has to wonder how deprived their life must be.

It seems as though your paranoia has paid off, and I am glad to hear that. I think I will fall into the paranoid category as well. I am not going to be in the best of areas, and I certainly won't be staying in a posh hotel or condo. From what I understand, I will be lucky to have hot water. I do however intend on travelling in my free time and experiencing the best it has to offer - I suppose the complication with that is travelling alone, as I read everywhere that travelling in groups is essential to deter robbery or worse. Hopefully I make some new friends!

Thanks again for sharing!

Cheers,

Brady

Hi bradypreston, glad to hear you will make Ecuador your very first experience abroad and volunteering is the best way to go to! I am impressed by your enthusiasm and spiritual strength to go from "I a have a promising career" to "I want fulfill my life". Good for you, welcome to a life worth living
First of all, a basic salary here is US$ 300. However people are usually "richier" than average westerns in that they actually own their homes...they are paid for entirely. No mortgages. So they manage with US$ 300/month. Lets then say now that US$ 500/month will be more Western standards. In your case you have accommodation included. You will be just fine, unless you want to go on shopping sprees or travel around the country. That will be a different story. It depends on how frugal you can be. Take that for a challenge, as you WILL experience culture shock big time. Come down with the mind set on very simple people living a very simple life with a high level of happiness...then you will embrace the culture better. Trust me I survived Argentina, Chile, Uruguay, Brazil, South Africa, Portugal, Jamaica, etc. If you are open minded you can be just fine everywhere. If you want to recreate Canada in Ecuador, or anywhere else you may go, you will find some bumps in the road.
I absolutely echo Luis' words: no flashing valuables. He had the best approach, discreet in technology use. More than paranoia is called living in harmony. High technology has been out of reach for this people for long time, though getting better now as the country is growing fast, but still a long way to go. It is just sensitive to avoid shoveling expensive technology under their noses not to spike inequality resentment. Here it works differently, if you are in the poorer areas, if you are kind with people you will be actually protected and taken care of by them too. It is about a sense of community and family, which usually is much stronger within simple and humble people than within wealthy fellows. You will only get mugged, pick pocketed, etc if you dont use common sense LOL. I told a friend to use common sense, and she left her back pack in the bus to take a bathroom trip during a long distance bus stop. Valuables were gone, back pack was carefully placed right where she left it, just empty!

You may bring your camera, just dont flash it all the time. I again sound Luis in that it is better to buy a cheap prepaid phone than to walk around with a Blackberry. Plus you will need to unlock your blackberry to use it out of Canada with a local sim card anyway, unless you want to be all there months on roaming mode which will be costly!
I assume someone else English speaking will be with you, at least as a supervisor, otherwise it will be a bit hard in the beginning with no Spanish skills, but that is precisely the BEST way to learn Spanish the fastest and more effective way. Again, since you will not need to look for accommodation nor pay bills, etc you will be just fine. Oh, no you will NOT have access to an ATM if you are in Rural Ecuador. You will need to make it to the closest city. Also, the max daily amount you can withdraw is between US$ 200-300 depending which bank you will use.
Feel free to ask more questions, we are all in this ship!
Take care.

Hey LE,

Thank you for your kind words. I wish everyone was so supportive My friends and family think I have gone mad! I have yet to tell my employer - I think I am more nervous about that than going to Ecuador

I have no intention of doing any shopping - aside from local food, drinks, etc. I do however want to do some travelling, but I imagine I will be going about the country in a very minimal way, meaning I will be travelling like the locals do. I won't have a vehicle, so will be using the buses, cabs, walking, etc.

Yes, I hope the culture shock will not put me in a downwards spiral. I am hoping that since I am aware it's going to happen, I will be better prepared to get over it more quickly - although that may be naive of me to think?

I hear from everyone that people are generally happy there! That will be a welcomed change. I come from a good upbringing, but it seems like the more we have here, the more we are stressed or unhappy - as cliche as that may sound!

Sorry to hear that about your friend, I have been hearing about a lot of bad experiences in regards to the buses. That they actually get pulled over and robbed, that they play loud music despite the hour of the day/night, that people are constantly trying to sell you things (And they take offence when you don't purchase or accept).

Well, my counterpart is leaving before I arrive, and they have yet to find a replacement for her. The supervisor, or the person on the next tier, works for their provincial government off site, so not sure if I will have adequate exposure to her or not. There are a lot of volunteer programs that you pay a fee to participate in, and you are quite well pampered - but I chose to go the other route, with no fees and much less structure. So much so it makes me skeptical about the validity of this particular program. But going, nonetheless!

Thank you for the information on the ATM, very valuable knowledge! One other question I had was in regards to alcohol, is it true it's illegal to purchase/drink on the weekends? Not that this is a driver for me, just curious

You helped me in easing my mind in regards to my budget - this is definitely my biggest concern!

Take care,

Brady

No, you can drink on the weekends. The law is you can't buy alcohol on Sundays (however, the little neighborhood stores will still sell it). 

Thanks Amy, that is great information!

Hi,  we seem to be in similar boats.  I quit an office job I was good at and had potential growth to live abroad.  My wife and I are working somewhat voluntarily, only getting paid $400 a month, but living in Quito where prices are slightly higher. My wife and I live very frugally so we don't have to dip into savings. We've got it down to where we both can live on around $200 a month, not including our rent.  We could afford more, but we are saving for future travel plans.  Living frugally can really kill a social life depending on your friends.  We have met some people who are paid well in Quito, and we just can not keep up with them. They do not seem to understand why spending $40 for a night out is a big deal.  It's just a matter of priorities.  Our priorities are traveling.  I would rather save money and use it toward seeing more of the country/continent than seeing the bottom of a beer bottle.  Our new neighbors have been less conscious of where their money is going and are now in a bit of shock to see it go as quickly as it is. 

Here are some things we do to reduce spending:

We rarely take taxis.  As soon as they see my blue eyes, the meter goes off and the price goes up, so I've just cut them out and rely on my feet and the bus.  You can't beat a $.25 bus fare.   

If you can, cook your own food.  Our lunch we bring to work costs us about $.50 or less a day total.  Same with dinner.

Eat less meat.  I'm not a vegetarian, but meat's expensive and I really don't miss it that much.   
 
If you can't cook, eat at food markets.  Every city or large town has got at least one.   A lunch or breakfast in a local food market should only be $1.50, $2.00 max.  Sometimes the food isn't the best, but sometimes you'll find someone who really knows how to cook.  In Cuenca and Tulcan, we found a delicious, filling breakfast in the markets for a dollar.  If you can get past the occasional chicken foot or head in your soup, you'll be fine.  It's actually pretty good.   

Learn the prices of things, always ask before buying, and shop around.  In areas that see many tourists, vendors will often see your pale skin, light hair, and backpack and will mark up the price of something, just to see if you'll pay it.  If you know it's too much and refuse, they might come down, or you can just go somewhere else. There's always another tienda down the street.  The exception to this is bus stations.  Prices for stuff is always higher at bus stations so it's best to stock up on snacks before.



You should be fine relying on internet cafes. They're plentiful and around $.50 to $1.00 an hour.

I agree with everyone else's comments about avoiding crime.  Don't be dumb.  Watch your stuff, watch your pockets and don't bring anything you're not comfortable losing.  We haven't had any problems in Quito, but my friend has had two iPhones stolen both times because she was using it in a very public setting.  Most of the robberies that have happened to our friends and coworkers take place in taxis, which is another reason we don't use them.

Making money legally from what I understand depends on your visa.  I have little knowledge of this.  Perhaps someone else can help you with making money after your volunteer time. 

For the buses, I've never had a bad experience, aside from maybe a driver going down hill faster than he should.  Haven't been robbed or high jacked or anything.  You get use to people coming on and selling stuff, and they have never been offended by me not buying from them.  Some of them are very impressive salesmen and entertaining.  Yeah, the music is terrible and usually loud.  It doesn't happen only on the bus.  Just part of living here. 

Also so you're aware, the cheapest, not-previously-stolen prepaid phone I could find is $50, which I don't consider cheap.  I bought the exact same phone in the States for $10. It's still a better option than a Blackberry though.

Good luck telling your boss and making it down here.  We're all routing for you.

Hi bradypreston, I understand. I was also told to be crazy by family and friends when I started traveling solo, worked and lived abroad, actually my parents didnt speak to me for my first trip abroad to the unknown. I was 19 years old. I had emancipated by personal choice, was living alone and stood on my shoes, working, attending college paid for on my own. Eventually one came to terms with my personality and freedom since I made it through university, traveled, worked, learned languages, all with out their support and funds but I was always kind with them. The other one is still hurt that I left home..13 years ago, LOL! My friends are fascinated by my stories...You are given only one life, one chance to experience it to the fullest. My advice, just be strong but ALWAYS responsible for your actions, including unavoidable mistakes. 
Material things dont make people happy period. A sense of community and life in harmony with others and nature does, thats why people is happy here. This is one of the most biodiverse countries in the world, and people here still hold family values high. When there is lots of love around you, you dont need material stuff, the basics you need to live naturally comes to you anyways. The world is abundant. People with the skills to work the land, grow chickens, cows and catch fishes they are not worry about having access to funds to survive. You will be just fine.
I understand you point on fees to volunteer. I signed up with an int'l volunteer organization out of Canada, called CADIP to work with orphaned kids in India. The high fees made me come to the same conclusion you did. It pays privileged bilingual host's salaries, admins who barely see the actual kids and a selective accommodation for participants. I see why you would work for a fee less one. However, if you doubt how legit it is, please stay in touch with us folks living in Ecuador so we can support you should something go wrong, ok? PM if you want my email and Ec number. I cant help but to be biased...everything I was always warned that would go wrong ultimately went right in my life so I have nothing but good words to speak about traveling solo.
Oh, btw bus trips are US$ 0.25 within cities. Beyond cities it can cost anything between US$ 0.70 to 8 depending on distances.
It is true you cant buy liquor on Sundays. Saturdays are ok. There is no ban on drinking.
There have been some cases where buses got robbed. Thanks to tighter bus controls things have gotten much better, crime in general has dropped dramatically, now in many provinces we actually count with a 911 emergency system which has proved to be very effective and is expanding nationwide. The goal is to cover all provinces by 2013 but is not there yet. Unfortunately for those who did get robbed or mugged, the perception of crime would be 100% but it is not bad compared to some US and other Latinamerican cities. There is the occasional pick pocketing given the chance to the thief, but no gunning down people or children just because.
One thing you will not likely escape from is the loud music...boy do they like their loud music...and the quality of sound is often really poor so add volume and bad sound quality and you will need to hold glasses wherever you are. Here even babies are used to it. They just like to party and especially in small towns, someone's birthday is reason enough to invite the whole town, blast music and cut streets to turn them into dancefloors. Even 80s people dance. Very Latinamerican tradition. However, again is a matter of seeing the glass half full or half empty...you cant deny they have LOTS of energies and passion to dance and enjoy life.
Take care. Kindly, Noelia.

Brady:
Permit me to share with you guidance provided my two sons:

1. A professional career is an important aspect of one's life. It will determine your standard of living and can provide tremendous self satisfaction and sense of accomplishment. However, live offers more than a career itself can provide. Your focus should be to find a healthy balance.

2. Relatively few decisions in life are "critical" and sometimes you do not know beforehand which will play an important part in your life. Taking a three month hiatus to volunteer in Ecuador is far from "career suicide". At worse, it is a bump in the career road. Optimally you will return a changed individual with Spanish speaking ability, flexibility to survive in a different culture, willingness to move out of your comfort zone, sense of commitment to others, etc. These are qualities that employers value in management. (I suggest you discuss with your employer taking a three month leave of absence.)

3. You will receive a lot of advice in your lifetime from parents, friends, co-workers, and even members of this forum. Read it, consider it and make a decision that you believe is best for you. Many professional careers were established taking the “path less travelled”.

I agree with most recommendations on this site regarding security, etc. However, do not let this make you paranoid or fearful of exploring new adventures. Ecuadorians in general are modest, warm, welcoming and curious.

Keep in touch through this forum. When in Quito, plan on visiting for a warm meal and access to the internet.

Thanks for all your responses! It doesn't go unappreciated - a lot of solid advice and information here.

jm141302:

Thanks for the specifics on the pricing of food, transportation, cell phones, etc. I am compiling a Q and A sheet with the information found on this thread, accompanied by other sources as well. That must have have been a drastic move for you and your wife, had you visited Ecuador before you decided to move there? Thanks for your kind words on routing for me, its great to hear such supportive statements! - They are currently a rarity outside of this forum!

Noelia:

Seems as though we have a very similar perspective on life! I too take pride in completing accomplishments independently and also realize we have one life to live - which is a major driver for this expedition I am planning (With your guys help ).

I am feeling a lot better in regards to personal safety - this is no longer a determining factor in my mind. Thanks to you guys here I think my mind has been grounded!

I am very much so an outdoor person. From hiking to fishing to camping (Real camping). I am looking forward to exploring Ecuador in that capacity. I certainly, typically, don't mind leaving behind the life of instant gratification. However this trip will be bringing it to a whole new level I bet!

I will definitely message you; it would be great to make some connections while I am there, as of now I know no one - which is part of the appeal, admittedly May need someone to show me around!

fdmcg:

1. I think that is the most plausible way to look at ones ideal career. My current trouble was achieving that balance. Often I would be working 60+ hours a week (on salary) just in order to save the company x amount of dollars (I am a lean six sigma black belt). I agree with everything you say, I just need to find a new line of business I think.

2. Unfortunately due to company policy I can not go on a three month leave of absence outside of any reason but medical issues. I hope to remain employed however, hopefully my boss has a professional reaction to me leaving and will try and accommodate it.

You've offered some important insight here and I appreciate it. To be honest, especially in regards to career, that is the most clear and sensible advice I have heard so far! Thank you for the offer for meal and internet, I am sure I will take you up on it

To everyone, thanks so much for taking a good chunk of time out of your day to respond to me. Amazing how I felt utterly secluded just days a go, and now I have conversed with people who have come from similar places and offer real advice.

Thanks, and happy holidays everyone!

Brady

Glad between all of us we help you, Brad. I want to point at the kindness and selfless gesture of those posting in this forum in general. The time and efforts not only to give advice, but also a hand to someone in need of guidance, is remarkable here. In my experience, the best support and accurate info has come from ordinary people. The wording of comments here truly show people's best intentions at heart.
I wish you a Merry Christmas and a prosperous 2013! Peace.

Very true LE - Hopefully in the future I will be able to help those who are in my current situation : )

Thanks, and likewise!

Trust me Brad, you will. I was in your situation long ago and was helped by perfect strangers with big hearts. I remember then that I couldnt wait to give back to others as well. Your time will come once you are through with your first major independent life experiences and are ready to pass on the good deeds along, as we do here. Eventually the life experience becomes the empowering of others...Take care.

Brady:
My suggestions are:

Regarding the “boss” after you decide what you want to do speak with her informally soliciting advice as a mentor about what you are considering.  She will hopefully be pleased you are seeking her opinion and this will emotionally prepare her for your leaving while also giving her time to consider how to redistribute your workload. Two weeks later you can give her the date you will be leaving stressing you want to make sure the transition is smooth with all responsibilities addressed.

Regarding parents, keep in mind being a parent is a tough job. We want the best for our children protecting them from all of life's dangers yet too often we don't let them share the same life experiences we did when we were their age. Our younger son lives temporarily in Santiago, Chile and rides a motorcycle on weekends. As a mother this worries my wife despite the fact she used to ride a motorcycle and loves sports cars. Promise your parents you will communicate frequently via email and phone calls. (We have a Vonage phone number with free calls to the USA and Canada).

While in Riobamba, make an effort to connect with the local Peace Corps volunteers. They will be your age going through the same cultural adjustments and familiar with the do's and don'ts.

Keep us informed of your progress. If appears you developed a good support network of locals willing to share their experiences and suggestions for life in Ecuador. In the months leading up to your visit we can provide more detailed information to make your visit more enjoyable.

Sorry for the late response, I was out of the province on vacation for the holidays.

fdmcg:

I think that is a great way to ease my boss into the idea. I intended on starting the conversation by asking her if there is anything she wanted to do during her life that was important to her (I know she traveled abroad when she was younger), and branch off from there. I will marry your idea with that one. That should allow the conversation to go in the right direction, I hope.

I have definitely found some great support beams here. Funny how I've received the best advice and support outside of my physical friend and family circles. I appreciate your insight, and know that it has stirred some thought.

I will keep you guys posted. As of now, resume, criminal and health checks have been sent and accepted - just need to travel to my province's capitol this week and get the visa process started. I get my vaccinations tomorrow (yellow fever, hep, etc, bloody expensive!)

Thanks again,

Brady

wow. Brad make sure you right a journal with your experiences. You have some skills! I liked the way your described the scene, the drama in the negotiation and the very convenient ending
Glad it worked out for you, LOA is a great arrangement!
Kuddos to you, so it sounds as if you are almost all set. Good job!

Hey LE,

I will definitely be keeping a journal of sorts - and thanks, I am glad you enjoyed the rant And yes everything is green light to make the trip, just a matter of waiting now!

Hi everyone.

It has been 7 weeks since I have received a response from the organization I intended on volunteering with. I have emailed them and the individual who interviewed me over Skype several times. At this point, I have provided them with copies of my passport, IDs, and medical history. I am not sure if there is anything malicious behind this. Nevertheless, I informed Passport Canada and the Embassy. I hope the contact I had within the organization is safe (as I stated earlier, she was online via skype daily until about two months ago).

So I am currently looking into alternatives. Thought I would let you guys know.

mmh..too strange. I was actually wondering about you last week. Please if you dont mind, PM the name of the agency. I could run a search here from the Ecuador side and in Spanish to see if everything is legitime. You got me worried.

Sent! Thanks

Be careful thats it

jm141302 wrote:

Hi,  we seem to be in similar boats.  I quit an office job I was good at and had potential growth to live abroad.  My wife and I are working somewhat voluntarily, only getting paid $400 a month, but living in Quito where prices are slightly higher. My wife and I live very frugally so we don't have to dip into savings. We've got it down to where we both can live on around $200 a month, not including our rent.  We could afford more, but we are saving for future travel plans.  Living frugally can really kill a social life depending on your friends.  We have met some people who are paid well in Quito, and we just can not keep up with them. They do not seem to understand why spending $40 for a night out is a big deal.  It's just a matter of priorities.  Our priorities are traveling.  I would rather save money and use it toward seeing more of the country/continent than seeing the bottom of a beer bottle.  Our new neighbors have been less conscious of where their money is going and are now in a bit of shock to see it go as quickly as it is. 

Here are some things we do to reduce spending:

We rarely take taxis.  As soon as they see my blue eyes, the meter goes off and the price goes up, so I've just cut them out and rely on my feet and the bus.  You can't beat a $.25 bus fare.   

If you can, cook your own food.  Our lunch we bring to work costs us about $.50 or less a day total.  Same with dinner.

Eat less meat.  I'm not a vegetarian, but meat's expensive and I really don't miss it that much.   
 
If you can't cook, eat at food markets.  Every city or large town has got at least one.   A lunch or breakfast in a local food market should only be $1.50, $2.00 max.  Sometimes the food isn't the best, but sometimes you'll find someone who really knows how to cook.  In Cuenca and Tulcan, we found a delicious, filling breakfast in the markets for a dollar.  If you can get past the occasional chicken foot or head in your soup, you'll be fine.  It's actually pretty good.   

Learn the prices of things, always ask before buying, and shop around.  In areas that see many tourists, vendors will often see your pale skin, light hair, and backpack and will mark up the price of something, just to see if you'll pay it.  If you know it's too much and refuse, they might come down, or you can just go somewhere else. There's always another tienda down the street.  The exception to this is bus stations.  Prices for stuff is always higher at bus stations so it's best to stock up on snacks before.



You should be fine relying on internet cafes. They're plentiful and around $.50 to $1.00 an hour.

I agree with everyone else's comments about avoiding crime.  Don't be dumb.  Watch your stuff, watch your pockets and don't bring anything you're not comfortable losing.  We haven't had any problems in Quito, but my friend has had two iPhones stolen both times because she was using it in a very public setting.  Most of the robberies that have happened to our friends and coworkers take place in taxis, which is another reason we don't use them.

Making money legally from what I understand depends on your visa.  I have little knowledge of this.  Perhaps someone else can help you with making money after your volunteer time. 

For the buses, I've never had a bad experience, aside from maybe a driver going down hill faster than he should.  Haven't been robbed or high jacked or anything.  You get use to people coming on and selling stuff, and they have never been offended by me not buying from them.  Some of them are very impressive salesmen and entertaining.  Yeah, the music is terrible and usually loud.  It doesn't happen only on the bus.  Just part of living here. 

Also so you're aware, the cheapest, not-previously-stolen prepaid phone I could find is $50, which I don't consider cheap.  I bought the exact same phone in the States for $10. It's still a better option than a Blackberry though.

Good luck telling your boss and making it down here.  We're all routing for you.

Fantastic points here Jim!!!

Commenting on an old post but ...

For anyone thinking of volunteering abroad, there is a great set of notes here: Volunteer FAQ