Swine flu fells Ecuador president’s security chief

QUITO, Ecuador — The Ecuadorean government says President Rafael Correa’s chief of security has died of swine flu.

The online government publication El Ciudadano says air force Lt. Col. John Merino died Sunday after being hospitalized for 28 days.

El Ciudadano cited as its source Francisco Torres, the doctor for the office of the Presidency, which was closed late Sunday.

The publication said Correa expressed his condolences to Merino’s family at the military hospital where he died.

Ecuador has reported 36 confirmed deaths from swine flu as of last week, along with 1,382 infected.

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Getting Educated En Español, Spanish-language Schools Provide Learning Options

Sitting in a private classroom on the lower slope of the Pichincha volcano, more than 9,000 feet above sea level in the Ecuadorian Andes, I am unaffected by the thin air. But the conjugation is driving me insane. Zayra Ibujes, one of several language instructors at the Amazonas Ecuador Spanish School, has just asked me to conjugate the verb aullar (to howl).
“Yo aullo. Tu aullas. El aulla …“After correctly rattling off, “1 howl, you howl, he howls,” I mispronounce the “we howl” conjugation.
“No, no, no, señor,” says, Señorita Ibujes, correcting me in Spanish for the l5th time this morning. “Nosotros aullamos.” 1 stifle the urge to lean back in my chair and aullo!
Amazonas is one of more than 60 Spanish-language schools in Quito, Ecuador. A mild year-round climate, relatively safe surroundings, a clearly spoken Spanish dialect and low prices make Ecuador’s capital the place to be for Spanish-language learning.

Depending on which school you choose, you’ll pay from $6 to $10 per hour for private, one-on-one spanish classes with an instructor certified by the Ministry of Education. Most students remain in class four hours per day, but schools are willing to cater to all schedules.

As is the case with mi profesora, Senorita Ibujes, most teachers speak little or no English. This worried me initially. But after one week of Spanish language immersion, 1 began understanding at an accelerated rate. Since opening its doors in 1989, the Amazonas Ecuador Spanish School averages approximately 500 foreign students per year. Most come from Europe (England, Germany and Holland are prime markets), although Spanish-speaking wannabes pop in regularly from the United States, Canada, and as far away as South Africa, South Korea and the Czech Republic. According to general manager Gustavo Guzman, the average student is about 24 years old. “But we’ve had students as young as 8,” he says. “And as old as 76.”

The school provides three language learning options. The “Super Dynamic” curriculum is recommended for those with only one or two weeks to spare. Classes generally run four to five hours per day. Lessons deal with real-life situations like ordering food at a restaurant or checking into a hotel. Eighty percent of the class involves conversation. The remaining time is devoted to reading, writing, grammar and punctuation.

The “Dynamic” program is best suited for those with three to four weeks in which to study. Again, classes run four to five hours, five days per week. With more days in which to learn, however, students receive a more comprehensive approach Education begins with the Spanish alphabet and moves on to numbers, colors, days of the week, and one of the most important (and sometimes most difficult) aspects of language learning: verb conjugation.

Travelers with a few months on their hands will no doubt benefit from the “Regular” program, which allows for a thoroughly detailed approach to language learning. “We have great success,” says Senior Guzman. “Our students know we are here to help them.” Help is available at all levels, from beginner to advanced. The school prides itself on having taught American Airlines pilots and flight attendants, as well as corporate executives like the general manager of Heineken in Ecuador.

To enhance the language-learning experience, many schools offer a “Home Stay” program. This allows students to live with a carefully screened, middle-class Ecuadorian family in a comfortable environment. The families speak no English. Students are thus provided with the impetus to reinforce Lessons learned in class. Seventy-five percent of students at the Amazonas Ecuador Spanish School, myself included, take advantage of the Home Stay program. I live in the sprawling three-story home of Dr. Jaime Yepez Castro and his wife, Ines Maria Darquea de Yepez. During their six-year affiliation with Amazonas Ecuador Spanish School, the retired couple has hosted 98 students from ah over the world. After I signed their dog-eared guest register, Senora Yepez wrote “99” below my name.

My stay includes three scrumptious home-cooked meals per day, laundry service, a large private bedroom with a color TV, and a private bathroom. At a cost of $20 per day, it’s cheaper and more carefree than living at home. Which brings me to a bilingual revelation. I pay $8 per hour for private Spanish classes that would cost $20 or more in the United States. If you’re serious about learning Spanish, it may be cheaper and far more interesting to fly to Quito, enroll in a Spanish language course and live with an Ecuadorian family.
Check airline prices. Do the math. You might find yourself saying caramba!

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Business Opportunities in Ecuador

Ecuador has recently become the focus of interest by a lot of people wishing to retire or work in a low cost country. This had become increasingly relevant as most countries in the world are currently suffering from a major economic recession. Pensions, homes and other investments have lost substantial value and many people are looking at quite bleak futures if they stay where they are.

One international organization has ranked Ecuador as the second best country in the world to retire in, based on the weight of a number of criteria:

- Real estate: 15%
- Entertainment, recreation, and culture: 10%
- Cost of living: 20% – Safety and stability: 5%
- Health care: 20%
- Climate: 5%
- Special benefits (eg. ease of migration): 20%
- Infrastructure: 5%.

A person can easily live on less than $1,000 per month if they own their own home, which can be purchased for a fraction of the equivalent sized and quality home in most western countries.

This survey is fine and encouraging for people who can afford retirement. But what about employment opportunities, for those who cannot afford to retire and still have young families?

For some people, a viable option is to gain employment with local organizations in Ecuador (e.g. teaching English or some other specialized subject). In most cases, however, Spanish language competency is required. Not everyone has that, at least to begin with.

For most foreign people who wish to live in a place like Ecuador, but not retire, the best option for earning income is self employment.

So what sort of self-employment is possible?

Many people have portable skills. For example, internet based businesses can be operated anywhere there is a good connection. This also applies for good copywriters, authors, on-line consultancies, therapists, and many others. Artists also have the potential to profitably work in a country like Ecuador.

Some foreigners start or buy restaurants and hostels. One person we know partnered with a local Ecuadorian and started a new internet cafe. Another person has started an English bookshop – for both new and used books.

Another option, for those with the skills, is to buy run-down properties, improve them, and then sell them again for a profit. Some expats with good practical interior design and building skills have already done this. The local low labor costs make this a very feasible option for many.

Exporting the local artisan products is another opportunity. There is a huge number of products to choose from, and in most cases they are extremely good value. Buying in bulk achieves great discounts, and the profit margins when sold at wholesale or retail in many overseas countries more than justifies the travel and marketing costs. A business like this can be scaled up very quickly by exhibiting at various trade fairs in North America, Europe and Australasia. The start-up costs for such a business would be less than $25,000. For people who want to combine a business with travel, this is a great way to go.

With very little effort, it is also possible to partner with local trustworthy Ecuadorians who are currently doing smaller property sub-divisions and housing developments. The locals often lack sufficient capital, so they welcome having foreign partners to join with them and share the profits from a joint effort. Sometimes where the projects are too large for a single investor, they can be done on a syndicated basis with pooled investments. Often, an expat who has already established the local relationships and has knowledge of the local system is a syndicate leader.

The best way to research these various business opportunities is to spend a reasonable period of time in Ecuador and get to know some locals while searching for the opportunities. It is possible to rent a fully furnished apartment for $400 – $650 per month. So a 2-3 month stay is not going to break the bank. In fact for that period of time, you can probably rent your own home out, or even do a home-exchange with someone from Ecuador. You will find that it costs very little to take an exploratory trip – discover new income opportunities while having a great fun time. Some people even take the opportunity to attend Spanish classes 3-5 afternoons per week, so that they have something special to take back home with them. Certainly knowing the Spanish language will greatly improve the ability to source good opportunities. However, it is not absolutely necessary.

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Ecuador’s Correa Calls For Regional Monetary System

Ecuador’s President Rafael Correa on Monday called for the fledgling Union of South American Nations, or Unasur, to negotiate a regional monetary agreement and to move ahead with establishing a new multilateral lending agency.

Earlier Monday, Ecuador took over the rotating presidency of the group, which is made up of Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Chile, Ecuador, Guyana, Paraguay, Peru, Suriname, Uruguay and Venezuela.

Correa also took office Monday for a second term as president of the Andean nation.

In a speech, Correa said having an agreement to coordinate monetary policies of member countries would help avoid currency fluctuations, allowing currencies to move within limited margins. He also said it would help avoid competitive devaluations of currencies.

Various South American nations are also trying to organize a multilateral lending bank, known as the Bank of the South.

Correa urged a restructuring of the debt burdens of South American countries, including partial cancellation of debt.

He also pushed for the creation of an electronic regional payment system to achieve greater autonomy from other financial centers, and to boost trade.

Correa also said the Unasur should help create a regional arbitration-hearing process for business conflicts

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7 steps to Ecuador Cultural Immersion

Ecuador is the second smallest country in South America and is bordered by Columbia, Peru and the Pacific Ocean. It is one of the two countries in South America not bordered by Brazil. There are many things that a visitor can see while exploring this country, immersing themselves in its culture, with its archaeological sites to its historical locations, representing its diverse population and history. A trip to immerse oneself in the culture of Ecuador includes the pleasure of experiencing the traditional and modern together, getting a full rounded picture of the cultural diversity.

1. To truly immerse yourself in the Ecuadorian culture you need to experience some of its past. The best way to see and learn about Ecuador’s past is to visit historical locations that can be found. To begin you can go visit la Tolita and Ingapirca archaeological sites to give you an interesting insight into the lives of the early inhabitants of Ecuador. It is a good point to start in your immersion into Ecuadorian culture.

2. A second way to continue with your Ecuador cultural immersion is to experience the natural preserves that can be found around Ecuador. Experience your natural surroundings as you tour the number of natural and ecological preserves that can be found around this small country. Embrace the natural beauty of the nature preserve Guayaquil Historical Park. Getting to know your environment better is essential to getting to know exactly how the Ecuadorian people interact with different parts of their environment.

3. As you continue to progress in your new found culture you must not forget that history and nature are only the start. Hungry by now the next place on our agenda is a stop for food, for some authentic traditional food, which is diverse here. A good place to start is with fanesca followed by fritada and vegetables, a great way to taste their cuisine.

4. When travelling to Ecuador there is no best time to go as it is a year round destination. In the Amazon it rains all year round, on the coast the hot season is December to March, and in the andes you can get all four seasons in one day, the driest months are June to August. You can immerse yourself in Ecuadorian holidays of Christmas, Semana Santa ( a week long festival before Easter) and in February or March Carnival is celebrated, and that is done by throwing balloons filled with water, bags filled with flour, water weapons and anything (even eggs) that may make others look messy. This is all in fun. This will help also to enlighten you into how Ecuadorians celebrate their holidays and further immerse you in their culture.

5. In Ecuador communities gather in and around their town squares at weekends and on holidays with the street vendors and entertainment, the shops and local cafes buzzing with activity. Here you can immerse yourself in the culture with the costumes, crafts and food of Ecuador. Walking through the markets you can take in the sights and smells, taste what is on offer. With everything you touch and taste, or smell, you will find yourself wanting to see and try more and more.

6. Another step to immersing yourself in the culture of Ecuador is to meet people, talk to them about their lives, making new friends in the process. The markets and the local shops are a perfect place to do this. You can meet local artisans in their shops, learn about their family’s roots and their ancient traditions first hand. This is a good way to relax and unwind, a good time to mingle in an unstressed atmosphere.

7. Another great way to immerse yourself into their culture is to volunteer through the one of the many programs around the world that take annual trips to Ecuador. Ecuador is known for its uneven wealth, there being those in need of help. There are opportunities to teach English to some of the poorest children in the capital, in the poor district of Quito. Other projects to look for will help the community on a larger scale, as well as the ecology and nature. This is a great way to see and experience Ecuador in ways most tourists never will.

Any of these steps above is the perfect opportunity to truly immerse yourself in a foreign culture. To see the world through the eyes of the inhabitants of that country is often an eye opener, yet a great experience. However you choose to do it you will be forever changed by your experiences. So plan your trip carefully, making sure you make the most of the time there. Following these guidelines will help make your trip to Ecuador unforgettable.

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