Anybody living in Vilcabamba or Loja?

Thanks Susan,
    It's so confusing because I did see a lot of the youtube videos and I've heard a lot of expats say that all the food in whatever area of Ecuador they are in is organic, but then some health-conscious people have said that not only do they use a lot of pesticides there, but they still use DDT, which is outlawed even in the US.  Plus, I heard most of the locals feed their animals GM feed from the US.  I'm sure there must be a mix and I'm just trying to find the place that is safe number one, and where I'd have access to many organic foods, including meat and eggs.  Someone in this thread (I think) said in Vilcabamba they don't even eat meat??  Anyway, do they have organic farms anywhere else in EC, maybe closer to Cuenca?
Org. Mom

Thanks Olga...

Believe me, there are lots of omnivores in the Vilca area. If not, the BBQ place between Malacatos and Vilca would have gone belly up by now.

I live among the farmers, as I live in a barrio where there is only one more expat in the area. None of these people I know use anything but natural products - and the reason is poverty. They do everything the old way here because it's the cheapest.

The Saturday market is the organic market…but there is also a small mom and pop organic veggie/fruit store across from the bus terminal as Olga mentioned.

I know there is other organic farming in EC but have no idea where it is. One thing for sure is that most of the land in this area has never received insecticides or fertilizer or than animal manure - the money has never been here for that. Despite the influx of money from the tourism, the poor remain poor in this area.

Thanks Susan.  You said you live 10 minutes from Vilcabamba I think, in which direction and what is the name of the town?  Do you speak Spanish?
Do they feed their animals grains, and if so, do they grow them themselves?

Yes, I speak Spanish. I live out Cucunama road. I have never seen a bag of grain since I have been here. I see corn and sugar cane growing and corn seeds drying in the sun - as in seed that has not been purchased.

I suggest you your contact one of the raw food communities in Vilca for more information.

This is a request to missionary / ex cop looking to do ministry in Lojas or Vilcabama. asking about the Baptist church.

Can you share with me what you have discovered? I was a missionary in N. India for 7 yrs. Very interested to give back as I too am approaching retiring age.

Thank you.

Judster wrote:

This is a request to missionary / ex cop looking to do ministry in Lojas or Vilcabama. asking about the Baptist church.Can you share with me what you have discovered? I was a missionary in N. India for 7 yrs. Very interested to give back as I too am approaching retiring age.Thank you.

So, what does your "mission" call you to do?  Build homes for the locals?  Teach them helpful trade skills?  Dig wells?

Why There Is "No Expat Community" in Loja, Ecuador....

A blogger called Gringa in Loja has studied the town and concludes that there is no Expat community there even though there are definitely North Americans and other "third worlders" in Loja.

She says such Gringos fall into categories that do not combine into an Expat community....

1.  Married to an Ecuadorian.  Not spending time with Gringos, but immersed in Ecuadorian family life and work obligations.

2.  Backpackers, often in their 20s, who are staying in Loja for a limited time and travel outside the town when not committed to a group or activity.

3.  Church missionaries, living with a host family, spending most of their time with their Church or sponsor.

4.  School and Peace Corps sponsored folks also spending time not with Expats in general, but with their organization.

5.  Retirees with a sense of adventure, who visit Loja for a limited time and move on.

6.  Language-challenged retirees who soon tire of Loja and  move to Vilcabamba, about 25 miles away, where it is warmer and there are more English speakers.

source... www.expatcommunityinloja.blogspot.com

                                                                 .

I'll be sure ti tell that to my friends who live in Loja and who are there to stay.

CCC: Seems to me all those 'types' are likely to be present everywhere in Ecuador (but unlikely to stand out in Quito or Cuenca).

There was an interesting thread here once about why people had chosen to return to the States and Canada. I tried a few searches and couldn't find it. It's a good topic for those considering Ecuador.The bottom line for anyone should be
what you can't live with and what you can't live without.

suefrankdahl wrote:

There was an interesting thread here once about why people had chosen to return to the States and Canada. I tried a few searches and couldn't find it.

Dr. Lee Dubs of Cuenca posted an essay on this subject earlier this year on the South of Zero website.

Google:

    south of zero lee dubs expats leaving ecuador

suefrankdahl wrote:

what you can't live with and what you can't live without.

I guess that's not a fair statement. Because there are lots of us who embrace the opportunity and adventure of experiencing another culture. From the few years of reading the EC Forum it sounds like a place to simplify your life and plenty of climate and geographical options. Living in the States is really stressful for me

I am going back to Ecuador after I been in the States for 10 years, so if you need some help I will be there after end of september of 2015.
I used to live just 20 minutes away from vilcabamba, just in case you need some help.

Kindly Regards,

Ericka

Susan I live in the States for 10 years and now i am planning and back to Ecuador, and live in Quito...I am a Master Teacher of reiki healing! so If you need some help I will be there after the end of september.

Kindly Regards,

Ericka Leon

Ericka, I'm in Santorum, about 15 minutes outside of Vilca. Welcome back!

Keltic Tom wrote:

My second and final concern is breathing at 6,800'. I have had COPD (diagnosed in 2008) but has been improving since 2012. My breathing Doctora (F) is just what this stubborn old Mc needs she is with me but shows no love ... lol. She claims IF I do as told that 6,800' will be no problem. A little gizmo they clamp on your finger tells the story. It reads the % of oxygen in your blood via the cuticle. It has been as low as 88% (while sick in the hospital) but has slowly climbed up ward...

I hope to arrive the first week of August 2015. I will be traveling light and looking for a small studio or 1 BR furnished apartment.
Regards,
Tom

Yes, longtime readers, this is the week that Keltic Tom was planning to make the big move to Loja.

We have not heard from the Keltic One in a long time.  He was living in San Antonio, Texas, last we heard.

If he decided that living at altitude with his health challenges is not such a great idea after all, more power to him.

Long life, Keltic Tom.

cccmedia in Quito

I actually met up with Keltic Tom because we were both living in SA and interested in moving to EC. However, I would guess that his COPD might have caused him to think twice about living in the Andes. He was a nice guy and very interesting. I hope he is well and happy where ever he might be!

Hi and thanks for your excellent posts.  I am currently living in Manglaralto and contemplating a move to Loja.  I think the climate may be better for me and the city more "completed."  )  I do speak sufficient Spanish and have lived in other Spanish-speaking countries successfully and understand the different "ritmo."

I have a question about the swimming pool in Parque Jipiro.  Is it fully functional most days and monitored for correct chemical balance?  One of the things that concerns me about moving "inland" is having nowhere to swim, as that is one of my favorite total body forms of exercise.

Thank you for any information you can provide.

saludos,
Paola

hello, it was very nice to read you . i am a single, 48year old,living in india,planing to come to ecuador. i am very keen to know about how about the construction  of building work possibility in ecuador, because i am a building designer and good sound in interior work too. my e mail id is [email protected]. please give your suggestions for the same. yours sincerely. Babu Samuel.

babu89babu wrote:

...living in India...I am very keen to know about how about the construction of building work possibility in ecuador, because i am a building designer and good sound in interior work too....please give your suggestions...Babu Samuel.

Lack of capaz de español would be a major detriment, Babu.

You'll need the idioma to deal with clients, workers and inspectors.  There are not enough Gringo clients to make it work with English only.

Depending on the visa scenario, you may also need at some point to pass a Spanish-language exam in your field -- connected to a professional-visa application, for instance.

Don't move to Ecuador without visiting first.  If you can't afford to visit, you may not be able to afford to move here, especially with the obstacles Expats face in obtaining employment.

cccmedia in Quito

Babu Samuel,

Are you interested in Ecuador in general or in Loja and Vilcabamba specifically?

thank you very much, for your reply.any way   i am just  planing it. i will take your advice seriously and keep touch with you. yours sincerely. babu.

hello....it is a good question, general, a good location. for a new life. best regards.

Wow - what a thread! So full of info, some conflicting, some encouraging, some not. Me, I am 66 but still neck deep in my practice and hoping to reduce debts enough to pack it in and head for warmer climes (from Canada). I visited Panama (mainly Boaquete) last winter for a month, but my wife did not sufficiently enjoy the roaming dogs so I am looking now at EC. I have to admit that coming from a lifetime in eastern Canada - climate is my first priority. This thread has turned me off Cuenca on that basis and turned my attention to Vilca and, thanks to Susan F, Malacatos (does anyone know what Canadian house Centre is?) I am confident that I can tolerate the new-agers, religionists and spiritualists if the weather and mountain scenery is fine. I have a smattering of Spanish and continue to work on it. We survived Panama City if barely.

Cost of living is also close to top of mind, having led a life too similar to that of the grasshopper of story and legend. We have lived in the country for the past 15 years and prefer small town or countryside to inner city lifestyle.

We will plan to explore from Cuenca base this winter. Are there lots of large dogs wandering free? If so . . . where to find a dog-free (except for our little one of course!) low-cost temperate tropical location in the Western Hemisphere to keep my too-young-to-retire spouse aboard? LOL

Also (besides Susan F)  tip o the hat to Sue b4bs and especially cccmedia for their generosity in providing perspective and clear info.

SunsetSteve wrote:

Cost of living is also close to top of mind... and prefer small town or countryside to inner city lifestyle.

We will plan to explore from Cuenca base this winter.

Thanks for the acknowledgment, Sunset.

Cost of living in Cuenca may be the highest in Ecuador outside of the most sofisticados of the Quito suburbs.

Why are you going to base in Cuenca if you're interested in Vilca and Malacatos and don't seek "inner city" life?

cccmedia in Quito

Thanks, SunsetSteve!

If you like sunsets, they are quite beautiful here in EC.

Could you please clarify what your meant in the following phrase?

"(does anyone know what Canadian house Centre is?)?

I also think you might find you could go from tolerating the New Agers, Spiritualists and Religionists to actually enjoying them. I am quite liberal and feel that my spiritual beliefs are mine alone, but I have become very good friends with both a very conservative friend as well as a very devout Christian here. I think the diversity of people of this area, and the fact that it is quite international, is one of the things I like most about this area. Most people tend to respect each other's religious and social-cultural preferences and get along fairly well.

I choose to live about 10-15 minutes outside of town in a small barrio because I prefer life in the campos. I live a low-key life and also help with dog rescue in the Vilcabamba-Malacatos area - Ayuda Mascotas Ecuador de Vilcabamba . We work very hard on helping homeless pets to get them off the streets and roads and into loving and safe homes.

If you want to live in a dog-free community, however, Ecuador might not be your place. Dogs are found both in town and in the countryside as they are both appreciated as pets and as guardians for their dueños. However, keeping your yard fenced will provide the security you will need for your pet and keep others' pets at bay.

I wish you luck on your Ecuadorian adventure!! Buen viaje!

SunsetSteve wrote:

(does anyone know what Canadian house Centre is?)

CCMedia, I will handle this one

http://www.thecanadianhousecenter.com/

Thanks, Nards Barley. There are certainly both a lot of North Americans in both Loja and Vilcabamba who could use the help!

Nards Barley wrote:

CCCMedia, I will handle this one

http://www.thecanadianhousecenter.com/

I was hoping you would, Nards.

As they say at the Home Office:  "Well dealt !"

cccmedia in Quito

hi susan F, THANK you,  my plan to find a good place in ecauador  where i can do my work too. best regards.

Thanks for the replies. I mentioned Canadian House because google maps shows it located in Malacatos which I found to be unusual. I wonder if that is just a google mistake.

Susan - I should have said "tolerate new ageism etc." rather than "new-ageists" It did not come out right. As for dogs, they don't bother me but my wife has a phobia ever since our small one was attacked by a large one and this interferes with her ability to feel comfortable walking outside the home when encountering free-range large dogs.

cccmedia - I think you may be right. Cuenca seems so appealing in many ways but if the climate is not there, what's the point? I will re-think.

Babu, coming to work in Ecuador will require a different visa than one for residency via a $40,000 CD or a business/residence investment. Have you checked into all of the requirements for a work visa?

Despite recent rumors, there has been no confirmation that the required CD investment level for a residency visa has been raised above 25K.

cccmedia in Quito

I was under the impression that it has officially changed, CC Media. I will check for sure.

Susan F. wrote:

If you want to live in a dog-free community, however, Ecuador might not be your place. Dogs are found both in town and in the countryside as they are both appreciated as pets and as guardians for their dueños. However, keeping your yard fenced will provide the security you will need for your pet and keep others' pets at bay.

I have never seen an animal-control van in Ecuador.  Here in Quito, seeing unattended dogs roaming the streets is a commonplace.

You can take the security steps as Susan suggests, but no one can reliably predict there is a city in EC where you can completely avoid perros salvajes.  That goes double for the towns and rural areas.  Even inside my gated condo complex in the capital I sometimes see different roaming dogs and cats.  There are openings in the exterior fencing of the covered parking area where they can enter, and I've seen it happen.  There even was a lobato -- young wolf -- living in the complex for a while, until (according to my vaquerito source) -- it died.

If this issue was my or my family's primary concern and I wanted to live in Ecuador, I would consider the gated community of Pakakuna Gardens outside of Quito where this issue is not currently a concern.  The management and security guards would not tolerate loose animales in Ecuador's largest private botanical gardens/residential community.

cccmedia in Quito

Thanks for the response ccc. However gated communities are just not my style of living.  Dogs roam the wide wide world. The problem lies not therein!

Sunset Steve, you are at Sharbot Lake - Métis territory I think.  Have you been representing First Nation groups at all? (FN historical issues have been my bread and butter.)

Helen Pivoine

Algonquin and metis Helen. I am involoved in their personal issues but not with treaty issues.