Part Two of the blog post,
Moving to Ecuador, posted today. I was particularly struck by this paragraph:
Are Ecuadorians friendly? They are among the friendliest of people anywhere in the world. However, we are seeing some conflicts between locals and a growing number of arrogant, ignorant, and loud expats who do not approve of life in Ecuador. One long-time expat resident used a bit of hyperbole to describe the situation in a couple of Ecuadorian towns as “war zones.” That is exaggerated, of course, but Ecuadorians do have a limit to their tolerance. As increasing numbers of expats seek to isolate themselves in walled communities and high rises – whether for security or to stick with fellow expats — locals feel offended and even make fun of certain areas by referring to them as “Gringolandia,” a term that foreign residents often repeat without realizing it is local sarcasm. Foreigners who yell at government officials, bank tellers, and waiters because they are too slow or because they do not speak English are fomenting a gradual backlash that has been seen in some areas. We hope Ecuadorians will not paint us all with the same brush.
Great article and helps portray a realistic view of moving and adapting to life in Ecuador. Yes, we're still excited!
