Wednesday, January 15, 2014
Howard's Blog: More fun in Ecuador
Howard's Blog: More fun in Ecuador: Monday, 1/13, Patrick drove, Monica, Ben, Keisha, Mike, and me to the equator. He dropped us off there and we took the tourist tour. Mike a...
A Bike, An Adventure, And a New Career: How To Chart a Path To New Professional Adventures
A Bike, An Adventure, And a New Career: How To Chart a Path To New Professional Adventures
The first years of my professional life were spent developing and nurturing a very successful career in sales. I worked for software and technology companies that were creating revolutionary tools that paved the way for the speech and handwriting recognition tools that we are accustomed to using today.
As part of my job, I was able to help well-known brands adapt to and leverage these new tools before they became commonplace – it was an adventure in itself for me. But, as time went on, I found myself craving something new and challenging – I was ready for a change.
So I made the decision to take a short break from my corporate life and go for a motorcycle ride through South America. My plan was to ride for a year – and, when I got back, begin looking for my next adventure. I had some money in savings, a rough plan to finance this exploration and the desire to experience something new. What did I have to lose?
Over the next year, I motorcycled through 18 countries, ending in Buenos Aires, Argentina. When the year was up, I unexpectedly found myself deeply in love with South America – Ecuador in particular – and I wasn’t ready to leave......read more: http://blog.linkedin.com/2014/01/14/a-bike-an-adventure-and-a-new-career-how-to-chart-a-path-to-new-professional-adventures/
Thursday, January 9, 2014
Howard's Blog: First day in Ecuador
Howard's Blog: First day in Ecuador: We arrived in Quito at 1:00am and took the one hour taxi ride from the airport to Quito Hotel Bonanza located near the Equator. La Mitad de...
GI DJ - US Military Veteran in Ecuador: Find Your Own Paradise
GI DJ - US Military Veteran in Ecuador: Find Your Own Paradise: "Where in Ecuador should 'I' live?" "What is the best spot on the coast?" "I want to move to Ecuador, do I ...
Monday, January 6, 2014
Why Americans Don’t Travel Overseas -
Why Americans Don’t Travel Overseas
By
As I’ve traveled the world, I’ve noticed a shockingly low number of American tourists when compared to citizens of other countries. And while the post-graduate backpacking trip to Europe is still a lively tradition, I’ve been to many parts of the world where American tourists are as rare as a white tiger.
Americans don’t travel internationally that much.
Why is that?
Why is it that the United States, a country with 350 million people and the world’s superpower, turns a blind eye to the rest of the planet, and political figures tout their lack of overseas travel as a plus?
I believe there are a few things that have brought us here: http://thoughtcatalog.com/matthew-kepnes/2013/10/why-americans-dont-travel-overseas/
Saturday, January 4, 2014
~Shipping 101 - shipping 20 - 40ft Sea Container from the U.S. to ECUADOR~
Shipping 101
Shipping 101
by Stephen Aron
I continue to read a lot of misinformation in the postings and on the blogs about moving household goods to Ecuador.
This article is specific to shipping from the U.S., but it is relevant for shipments from most countries. No companies will handle the entire move from your country of origin to delivery in Ecuador. Even if you contract the complete service with one company in your country of origin or in Ecuador, you need to know the other companies, which will serve as subcontractors, involved in your move. You need to make sure that they are all licensed and qualified to handle your shipment.
The “vessel operator” is the company that will supply the container that carries your household goods. Vessel operators don’t deal with the public, so you will communicate with them through an “ocean transport intermediary.” If you chose to purchase your own container, the vessel operator will charge a premium to carry a “shipper-owned container.” If you are planning a smaller shipment that doesn’t fill your own exclusive container, a “consolidator” will arrange several shipments in one container and make them available in Guayaquil through a “deconsolidator.”
You need to know from which port of exit your container will leave and the transit time between there and Guayaquil. If the sailing is not direct, ask which ports/countries your container will transit. Also ask to see the proposed shipping schedule.
Each vessel operator has its own representatives in Guayaquil who set the local rules and charges, such as the “container deposit guarantee.”
Know in advance how much “free time” they allow for you to return the empty container to them after their vessel discharges your container in Guayaquil, and how much you’ll owe if you exceed the allowed free time. Prepay the local charges assessed by the agent in Guayaquil in your country of origin, or have these charges spelled out for you, in detail, in writing, especially when you are dealing with a deconsolidator.
The ocean transport intermediary (OTI) is also known as a “freight forwarder” or “non-vessel-operating common carrier” (NVOCC). These are licensed by the U.S. Federal Maritime Commission (FMC). The license is issued after a thorough check of background, trade references, proof of experience, and financial responsibility, as well as the posting of a bond. The FMC gives advice and information on household goods, international moves, and licensing on the website: http://www.fmc.gov/ under the headings “Public,” “OTIs,” and “VOCCs.” This body investigates complaints by the public. If a shipment is not handled correctly and to your satisfaction, you should contact the Federal Maritime Commission.
The OTI is responsible for booking space with the vessel operator and arranging to position the container at your residence or the warehouse storing your possessions. They file the export paperwork on behalf of you (the shipper) and make sure that you (the consignee) have the required documents to clear the shipment at destination.
The OTI does not arrange packing or loading, but can generally help you with recommendations or refer you to moving companies with which they work. You are expected to supply all the information required for the shipment and all the export paperwork, but a good OTI will work with you to ensure it’s all correct.
For instance, the weight of your effects is very important; your effects will be weighed in Ecuador prior to being released in Guayaquil and any discrepancy will delay your shipment.
Most people can only guess at the weight of their belongings, but this information is available for free, online at the ocean terminal where every export container is weighed. Since the OTI can get this weight for your documents without a charge, there is no need to pay the movers or the trucker to scale the load.
An “international moving company” in the origin country is not a good option for Ecuador. Most know how to pack for international transportation, but generally don’t know the import regulations and lack the knowledge to provide the detailed packing list required for Ecuador. Even if you can get a mover to keep a list as they pack, the time it takes makes it cost-prohibitive. .........read more: http://cuenca-news.gringotree.com/shipping-101/#more-618
--"No
one knows more about shipping containers to Ecuador than Stephen Aron.
He has been in the shipping business for more than four decades, from
the very beginning of the containerization industry. With his extensive
knowledge of vessel operations and inland logistics worldwide, he can
answer any questions you might have about moving your household goods to
Ecuador.
Stephen has moved his own household goods internationally on
many occasions, including seven transatlantic crossings, so he can
identify and empathize with the concerns of anyone contemplating their
move to Ecuador, especially for people who have never moved overseas.
Based in Florida, Stephen has moved hundreds of containers to Ecuador
from just about every US state, and several Canadian provinces, as well
as Europe and Asia."--
(Update FEB 2018) Suza Marie-
February 15 at 10:47pm-
Grateful shout out to Stephen Aron of International Freight Experts. We used him to bring down a 20 foot container 5 1/2 years ago and because it was done prior to residency...we had loads of drama and added costs due to taxes and what not. I do not recommend rushing anything when it comes to migrating to another country, especially Ecuador. jaja. But Stephan was amazing on his end.
Well, Boeing paid for a relocation back to the states that also included a 40 foot container and all expenses...which were many thanks to Murphy's Law. Our container while waiting to leave Ec was inspected twice in Guayaquil he just told me. Completely emptied out with the drug sniffing dog going over everything. He arranged for his own packer to represent
us thank God. She spent about 10 hours total waiting for this to happen including the drive there.
We are on the last leg of this long journey of getting our personal belongings delivered tomorrow. Stephen still making it happen when truckers wouldn't work on a holiday weekend."--
Ecuador’s minimum monthly salary will increase from $318 to $340 in 2014, a 6.8 percent increase.
ECUADOR DIGEST
Correa renews pledge to cut red tape in 2014; Basic salary increases 6.8%; Promerica Financial bids for Produbanco
Posted By
Admin | Published: December 31, 2013 00:39
A pilot project beginning in March in several cities, including Cuenca, will be the first step in the red tape-cutting effort.
Correa first announced his bureaucracy reducing plan in August when he presented a graphic at a news conference contrasting the time required to open a business in Ecuador, Chile and Uruguay. While it took an average of 56 days to start a business in Ecuador, he said, the process could be completed in three days in Chile and seven days in Uruguay.
“This is outrageous and needs to change,” Correa said. “We need to get beyond the mentality of a bureaucracy that wants to control everything and that puts up unnecessary obstacles for citizens who want to invest in their country. We need to see how other countries do this and follow their good examples.”
Correa also said he wants to reduce the current requirement that new business applicants need to show they have $800 in the bank to qualify. “This is silly. Obviously, they will need a lot more than this when they start to operate a business but there’s no reason they should have $800 when they apply for a license,” he said. “I think $100 is fine.”
He said that he has asked Ecuador’s minister of production Richard Espinosa to develop streamlined rules for new businesses and to work with the national assembly to develop laws to implement the changes.
Promerica negotiating to buy Produbanco
Promerica Financial Corp., the operator of Nicaragua’s biggest bank, said it is negotiating to acquire control of Ecuador’s third-largest publicly traded lender, Banco de la Produccion, SA, which operates under the name Produbanco.
Promerica said in a statement today it’s seeking approval from Ecuador’s antitrust regulator to buy a majority stake in the Quito-based bank. Closely held Promerica already owns a lender in Ecuador and has operations in Costa Rica, theDominican Republic, El Salvador, Guatemala and Panama.
The deal would be the first sale of an Ecuadorean bank to foreign investors since President Rafael Correa tightened regulations to force local lenders to divest noncore units in 2012 and raised taxes this year on banks to help fund government anti-poverty programs. Nongovernmental banks’ net profit through November was 21 percent lower than in the same period of 2012, according to the most recent data from Ecuador’s bank superintendency, known as SBS.
Government increases the basic salary by 6.8%
Ecuador’s minimum monthly salary will increase from $318 to $340 in 2014, a 6.8 percent increase. It is the smallest increase since 2007, a result, the government says, of a slowing economy and low inflation. By contrast, Colombia just increased its basic wage by 4.5 percent and Peru is considering leaving its basic wage unchanged.
The minium raise is not only important to low income workers, but is used as the basis for social service payments and legal penalties, among other things.
"The Latin American economy is not growing at the rates of previous years,” says Ecuadorian government economist Fabian Aguirre. “We have to increase the wage with caution. I think that is an appropriate amount given the circumstances.”
Photo caption: President Rafeal Correa
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