Ecuador: Express Kidnappings Plague Guayaquil

[latino_gringo]

vicky wrote:

thank you very much for your writeup. I will make my decisions because I want to settle down in ecuador and setup a business like locale or restaurant after I have learnt spanish language.
Could you please tell me more about esmeraldas and the cost of getting apartments there.
Pls board, dont be irritated with my message, if you were in my shoes, you will feel like me

Sorry I can not comment on Esmeraldas much, as I have only visited there. I live in Guayaquil. I do not know that apartment situation there or what the costs would be or how hard or easy it would be to get an apartment. I hope you understand that I am talking about Guayaquil.

As far as a restaurant is concerned, I have no clue as to the cost to do such a thing. I do not know what kind of restaurant you wish to open either. I find most ecuadoreans like their own food, even as simple as the dishes are. Rice, beans, soups,(hot and cold), as the norm. I love their seafood soups, yum, yum yum....lol! There is italian, chinese (not very good), and japanese restaurants here too along with the standard american restaurants. Some natives here are open to new tastes and restaurants, but as I said then norm is rice, beans, salsa, chicken, or thin slices of meat.

Sorry that some here are somewhat irritated by your questions and not treating you nicely.

[Los Angeles Ecuadorian]

My family is from Quito and I grew up in Los Angeles. I'm browsing Ecuador news for my upcoming trip to Quito. My mom use to say that the thieves in Guayaquil could steal your socks without taking off your shoes. So obviously, you need to be more clever then the theives. Dress and speak locally. Use the buddy system. The theives obviously do judging by these comments of co-operating criminals; Bus drivers and their assistants. Cab drivers with their set-up hoodlums. Ecuador has many beautiful cities and tourist friendly people who welcome travelers. Although I did see the racial profiling mentioned above. Vayan con Dios.

[ikyb]

shame on the Guayaquileans for following the evil steps of Colombians and Venezuelans.

[Bsmrk]

Hey latino_gringo, actually foreigners can learn spanish language at Universidad Católica de Guayaquil. There you can ask at the bureau of foreign languages at the 3rd floor of the main building of Universidad Católica de Santiago de Guayaquil in Carlos Julio Arosemena avenue in front of the northern main entrance of Parque Lineal. At Universidad Católica they prepare special spanish classes for foreigners for several levels, schedules and more depending of what people require. I know it works, since I study in that University, and the last year an American friend of mine spent a couple of moths here in Guayaquil, and she learnt spanish there. It's a good idea to give them a call first to ask for the availability of schedules. The website of the university is www2.ucsg.edu .ec
The specific link to contact the school of languages is: http://www2.ucsg.edu.ec/index.php...
I hope this is useful for Vicky and anyone else who need it
Good luck!

PS.: I've heard there is also a program of spanish language for foreigners at UESS University here in Guayaquil but I haven't made any further research, maybe there is more info in their website.

[latino_gringo]

Bsmrk wrote:

Hey latino_gringo, actually foreigners can learn spanish language at Universidad Católica de Guayaquil. There you can ask at the bureau of foreign languages at the 3rd floor of the main building of Universidad Católica de Santiago de Guayaquil in Carlos Julio Arosemena avenue in front of the northern main entrance of Parque Lineal. At Universidad Católica they prepare special spanish classes for foreigners for several levels, schedules and more depending of what people require. I know it works, since I study in that University, and the last year an American friend of mine spent a couple of moths here in Guayaquil, and she learnt spanish there. It's a good idea to give them a call first to ask for the availability of schedules. The website of the university is www2.ucsg.edu .ec
The specific link to contact the school of languages is: http://www2.ucsg.edu.ec/index.php...
I hope this is useful for Vicky and anyone else who need it
Good luck!
PS.: I've heard there is also a program of spanish language for foreigners at UESS University here in Guayaquil but I haven't made any further research, maybe there is more info in their website.

Thank you, I have asked my friends and family members here in Guayaquil, and they had no answers. I also went to the British Learning Center near the World Trade Center and they had no ideas either. Will check your link out.

[ecuachet]

i agree that one has to be aware of one's surroundings..my mother was robbed years ago at gun point in kennebunk maine of all places. i think females, particularly, have to watch out, but all the rest is the same old stuff., ecuador aint that special when it comes to crime

[ecuachet]

hey, latino gringo....connect with me...mi otro nombre es "gringo loco de pusuqui"...very funny, eh? i'm looking for more connections in ecuador

[LeoCaptKirk]

Limeypie52 wrote:

Whoa! I'm planning on going to Vilcabamba with my 9yr old for the month of Sept. I had planned to fly into Quito then Loja & get a private taxi to Vilcabamba. I was told it would cost about $35.00. Someone else said it would be more expedient to fly into Guayaquil then take a 9 hr bus ride to Vilcabamba. I thought, "Well, that would be a way to see more of the country." After reading this & a few other articles though, I'm not sure that it would be very safe. But then, there are the scams in Loja too. We don't speak Spanish & will stand out, no matter what we wear. Any suggestions....?!

How was your trip? Any follow-up advice now that you've been?

[Limeypie52]

LeoCaptKirk wrote:

<quoted text>
How was your trip? Any follow-up advice now that you've been?

I loved it. I was fortunate enough to have a wonderful guide, a woman from NZ, who had lived there a while. I'm not sure I was there long enough to be able to offer advice, but if you could be more specific, I'd give it my best shot!