Expat Community > Ecuador

livefreebstrong
Joined 2014
Posts: 1022

English Speaking and soooo

10 years ago

Here is a problem I see amongst the Expats moving to Ecuador. No matter what service or product they need, the majority often look for one big credential more than anything else. Do they speak English. You could have a list of 10 vets, or a list of 10 dentists, or a list of 10 plumbers, but who will you select? Are these people more qualified simply because they make basic communication easier? What if there's a guy who's an absolute genius in his field but he simply never took the time to learn a second language. Like you. Does that mean you have to miss out on the opportunity of using this reputable person and head for the higher priced and maybe lesser qualified bi lingual guy who just changed his work because he found a market with new expats who haven't learned Spanish yet? Even if it really is his profession...like the vet that speaks English. Are they the best? I use the Vet with the statue of the big great dane outside his office in Santa Elena (I'm not sure if he was the one that was recently recommended, English speaking) I use him for vaccinations. He does fine with this But, he made a couple of bad judgement calls on some basic procedures. There is a Vet clinic in Guayaquil that is run by a family of third generation Vets. There are several locations and one office does surgerys only. He's been around for maybe 40 years. He's obviously very good. But, no English.

I would say nearly 90 percent of the expats living here know how to think outside the box. Okay. 93 percent. Otherwise, they wouldn't be living in Ecuador. So, keep thinking outside the box. If you need help in translating your necessities, invest in an electric translator for starters. Or, use your cell phone to contact someone who is bi-lingual and willing to translate for you by phone If you're in Doctor's office, use his computer and set up third party conferencing (skype or google). I've received calls from Ecuadorian friends asking me to translate for Gringos who wondered into their office and I'm happy to help. Most people are. With all the technological options out there, cell phones primarily, it seems quite possible to keep the newbies from feeling like slaves. Good planning and organization (having someone on call) might be the answer. When we helped a friend find a house to rent, we knew we would be scouting all day so we had an Ecuadorian buddy on call to help us make contact with the owners. We speak Spanish but with an accent, so we didn't want any price hikes because of being foreigners. In the end, we found what we wanted for the price we wanted and the translator made no difference.
Another idea...ask for help. Not every Gringo is out there just wants to sell you his service.

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Expat Community > Ecuador

English Speaking and soooo

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