Hello!
I am going to be moving to Quito with my 1.5 year old son. I will be living with my mother-in-law but probably getting by mostly on my own. (The Ecuadorian father will be working in Galapagos and I don't know how long it will be until I see him or for sure whether I can go and live with him there - he's on a 2-year contract).
Coming from a very sheltered background in Canada, where I feel very confident to look after him, and going in to a whole new world I have some anxieties and want to be as prepared as I can!
I am most concerned about safety - is it safe to take a taxi with my son in the day time for grocery shopping, that sort of thing; if I want to take him to a park during the daytime is that safe to do on my own?
I may need daycare either regularly or occasionally depending on my work situation. I don't know if there are day care centres like there are in Canada - if they are numerous or few in number, how much they cost and if they are safe and reliable, or whether a sitter in a home is a better idea.
If I do end up working from home I am going to want to give my son some opportunities to get together with other children - are there play groups, or that sort of thing?
Basically, if there are any other expat parents of young children out there I would be very interested in making some contacts, perhaps chatting to learn from others experiences, or maybe even meeting up in Quito in the future.
I'm understandably a little concerned about preventing a situation where I feel totally isolated, but caring for my son is my first priority!
Thank you very much!
Moving to Quito with my son
I would like to say that you are pretty safe in using the taxi service during the day, but....
Many that move have a " personalized " taxi driver. Usually they find a driver that speaks English, usually on a recommendation. So, if you plan on going to the market on Tuesday, you let him know, and he picks you up on Tuesday. I got this idea from my Realtor, and she had some recomendations for me. It's a good deal for the driver, because he knows he's going to have a certain amount of set business. Good deal for you, because you'll know you will be able to communicate, and you can relax knowing that he is completly trustworthy.
It's not as if the driver is tied down to you either. Most of the trips in town are quickies, so he just times it to be with in a time frame that works for you and himself. You might want to look into it!
Good Luck, and CONGRATULATIONS to you both on the addition to your family. I had the same experience 26 years ago in June, and it's still the biggest thing in my life. I know this is a pretty exciting time for you both.
Best Wishes
Neil
Hi Neil,
Great idea, thanks! I was actually wondering if that was the thing to do but I had no idea how to actually find a cab driver that I could count on. I hope I can get a short list of safe cab drivers and just try to always use them.
If you don't mind my asking, how exactly did you get your recommendations? (You mentioned a realtor, but not specifically)
Thanks also for your well-wishes. This is going to be a totally crazy time but hey, who wanted a boring life? Not me!
All the best to you as well.
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