Susan Hall/Chicago, IL
Crash Course Ecuador was hands-down the smartest move my husband and I made as we considered possible retirement locations. We were given a terrific over-view of Ecuador from A to Z including culture, politics, history, cuisine, customs, and language, as well as learning first-hand about the ex-pat life from a variety of people who have made the move. Sarah, Jonathan, Suzie (a national treasure!), and Roger could not have been more helpful or diplomatic in dealing with a diverse group of people with equally diverse needs and expectations for the trip. Bottom line...my husband and I saw enough, heard enough, learned enough to solidify our intent to move to Ecuador and are in the process of purchasing our retirement home in Cotacachi! I would certainly recommend this trip to anyone who is considering retiring in Ecuador, but also to anyone with any interest whatsoever in learning about this fascinating, beautiful country.
Robert Brenham/
LaFayette, Louisiana
The ECUADOR CRASH COURSE TOUR was fabulous. Thanks to both of you for the trip and I assure you it was many times more interesting and fun than I ever anticipated.
Jill Broderick/ Sierra Vista, Arizona
An excellent tour to explore Ecuador and get a realistic view of relocating here. The tour provided a wealth of information from numerous speakers and expats. I highly recommend the Crash Course for anyone thinking of relocating to Ecuador.
Linda and Jeff Murtaugh / Terrebone, Oregon
Anyone considering making Ecuador their home should not miss the opportunity to travel with Sarah, Susana, Jonathan and Roger. You will see the country through the eyes of four unique and distinct individuals and YOUR eyes will be opened. They are first and foremost passionate about Ecuador. They love this country, it's people, diverse cultures, and amazing geography, and they want you to appreciate it as well. You will be shown the real Ecuador, not some low cost fantasy land, but a country of culture, grace and enduring beauty, and likely you will fall in love as well. This is real life; don't miss it!
Svetlin Vasilev/ Bourgas, Bulgaria
Now we can look back at our time in Ecuador and say what an incredible adventure it was for us. It is hard for everyone to believe that some 11, 330 kilometers away we will find like-minded people, whom we can trust for organizing our stay in a country we had never been before.
Wow, it was amazing … and the only thing we are sorry about is that it ended . And indeed it was a “Crash” course – a delicate mix of learning Spanish, Ecuadorian Culture and Politics, local traditions, beautiful sightings, interesting places and lots of fun. And nothing was over- or underdone – it was spontaneous and unique. Thank you guys, for all your positive energy and understanding, for your personal attention to everyone, for the care to make everyone happy in the various situations.
Gail Kilmer/ Cuenca, Ecuador (from Vancouver, BC)
I had already been living in Cuenca for 4weeks when I set off on your Ecuador Crash Course & Tour. In fact I was an official resident with visa and cedula in hand!
Many people asked me "why are you going on this tour when you already live here?" or: they assumed I was looking for somewhere, other than Cuenca to live.
For me it was simple, I felt that Ecuador Expat Journeys offered me the opportunity to explore my newly adopted country and learn its history, geography, many cultures and various climates. I have been on many tours and thought I knew what to expect but nothing in your literature could have prepared me for what I was about to experience, simply amazing.
The crash course is a combination of Ecuadorian history lessons, Spanish language training, politics, Ecuadorian cultural differences and norms, and an introduction to the traditional foods! We were greeted each day with presentations from expats who knew the lay of the land and so willingly shared their experiences and answered all of our eager questions. Some showed us through their homes while others explored available properties with us.
Expat Journeys also arranged informational sessions with prominent lawyers and political persons, absolutely priceless!!!
Jonathan and Sarah fit this all into a whirlwind tour of the country they are so passionate about. Along the way they shared their personal stories, the good the bad and the ugly, and all with a sense of humour, providing us insight to what the real Ecuador is like.
They took us from the Sierras to the coast and back to the Sierras experiencing, local cuisine and traditions, visiting Ecuadorian homes and haciendas, stopping for picnics on the beach and exploring the history of the cities and towns. They made spur of the moment stops to buy local foods and fruits for us to sample along the way! Although a tour such as this takes careful planning Jonathan and Sarah manage to keep it relaxed, spontaneous and lots of fun!
If you are considering Ecuador as your new home, this is the only tour you should take. No matter your decision afterwards, you will agree, seeing and experiencing the country through the eyes of Sarah, Jonathan and their fascinating team was priceless!
My experience left me “filled up” with exciting geographical, historical and cultural specifics to ponder and a list of favourite places I wish to return to!
Thank you Ecuador Expat Journeys!