>On Wed, Mar 27, 2013 at 2:30 PM, Ryan Moore <[email protected]> wrote: > Shoot, I was just considering asking you for advice on getting a job in a > place like Ecuador. Best of luck finding a 100% telecommute gig.
Thanks, don't let the fact that I'm wrapping a project dissuade you from Ecuador if you're seriously considering it. I'm asking around the list because where I'm at is a small town and there are no local tech companies. One option would be to open my own, the laws here are really lax about about hanging a shingle and starting work. As soon as I came and someone noticed I knew anything about computers, I spent my first week here doing L1 tech stuff like troubleshooting routers, unlocking iPhones, repairing computers etc, because there is no one else here with these sorts of skills. The closest repair facility is an hour away in Libertad. It's not what I want to do for a living so after a week of being knee deep in iPhones and broken laptops I asked decided to stop accepting new work (parts availability is also a major problem and there is no Fed/Ex, UPS or mail service out this way, in the bigger cities yes, but in rural ecuador those things are still lacking). Ecuador is very much like living in 1950's America. It certainly has the same potential. The current president is easily is popular as JFK and he's a trained economist who has done a lot of great things that will cause this country to grow at a good clip. Consider that while the rest of the world's economy was shrinking Ecuador has seen positive growth figures each and every year. With the internet backbone running right up the coast like it is, I can easily see the Manglaralto, Montanita, Olon area becoming the silicon valley of South America. The people here are smart, but on the whole they are a little uneducated due to lack of educational opportunities. If someone came and setup a technical college specializing in programming, web design etc. I think that would resolve most of the problems faced here. Still life in one of the bigger cities is very much like life in a big city in America. Central Guayaquil reminds me so much of Salt Lake that my internal map kept directing me to places in Salt Lake, there is a place that looks like temple square and I kept looking for a trax line :). Quito is interesting but I've only been there once, still it has a very San Francisco feel to it. If I wanted life in a big city there would actually be no problem getting a job in Quito, Guayaquil or Manta. However I don't like life in a big city. I really do prefer coastal Ecuador which has a very California feel to it, but without the large crowds (exception being Montanita which is a whole other ball game). If you really want a job in Ecuador just grab your tech degree, your birth certificate and a copy of your criminal history. Get them notarized & apostilled by the state, then fill out a 9-V visa application. Get your paperwork translated into spanish then have the translation notarized and pay $200 for the visa. Doing it this way can grant you permanent residency. When you're here go to the big cities, look for buildings taller than 4 stories and walk in and hand them your resume. The country is that open to educated immigrants. Pay here sucks by American standards, it's about half to a third of what you might make in the states, but cost of living is also less than quarter what it is there. I live in a nice 4 bedroom house on the beach for $400 per month. I could buy this house for less than $35k. In the USA the same house without the beach would be $150k. Gas is price fixed by the government at $1.46/gal and health care is free and open to all. The price of gas also isn't that important because the bus system here is phenomenal. Actually my experience with anything government here is that they like to run a tight ship. But stand on any corner for 15 minutes anytime from 4am to 10pm and a bus will pick you and take you somewhere useful. Bus fare to Libtertad (a city about the size of provo and over an hour away) is $1.50. Bus fare to Manta or Guayaquil is $4.00 (these are 4 hour trips). Fare to any adjacent city is only $0.50. Taxis cost $1.50 for any trip within reason. So I have yet to see a need to have a car out here. I highly encourage anyone who is interested in trying something different to come to Ecuador and see what I mean. I honestly don't remember being this happy in a place before. Hope that's helpful for anyone considering a move. I know I sure plan on it. :) /* PLUG: http://plug.org, #utah on irc.freenode.net Unsubscribe: http://plug.org/mailman/options/plug Don't fear the penguin. */
