YES.
There are a few things that I try to avoid putting on this blog. I try to avoid giving advice, making recommendations, bitching, whining, sounding like any kind of expert (on anything), taking myself too seriously, etc. Frankly, I am not sure of my mission ....... if anyone has figured it out, let me know.
GENERAL POSITION ON MAKING RECOMMENDATIONS:
Usually, if someone asks me for a recommendation, I point them to one or several of the forums. Many of these are on the resource page at South of Zero. The reason that I avoid making recommendations is that everyone has different expectations, experiences, priorities, values ..... on and on. For instance ....... container vs arriving with suitcases, buy home vs rent, buy car vs only public transportation, bank locally vs 'other'. What is right for one person is not always right for another.
PROBLEM MAKING RECOMMENDATIONS FOR A LAWYER:
If you put together any group of expats and bring up the topics of lawyers, here is what you will find. Given any of the lawyers generally used by expats, you will find some people that love them, some that are neutral, and some that believe they are both evil and incompetent. It seems to me that many of the 'evil and incompetent' opinions are expressed by individuals that have never even met or used the services of the lawyer. Another problem, is the timeliness of the opinion. A recommendation from an experience of 1, 2 or 3 years ago, may no longer be relevant. It seems that many legal processes (like getting a residency visa) are a moving target. Also due to the influx of north americans and increases in caseloads for some lawyers, that the level of service and attention that a lawyer could give a couple years ago is different than they can provide at this time. A base this observation on experiences that some of my friends have had RECENTLY.
FINALLY .... THE RECOMMENDATION. BASED ON OUR EXPERIENCE:
We have used Grace and Nelson (Idrovo & Velastegui) for all of our legal work. We have been very pleased with them. They handled the purchase of our apartment (in old town) a couple years ago and our residency visas last year. We have found them to be very competent, professional, and a pleasure to work with. Everything they told us was true. Everything worked out like they said it would. There were no surprises. They did not blow smoke up our *ss*s. It helps that Grace speaks English and that their para is an American that has lived in Cuenca 13(?) years.
Plus I have had to drop in a few times with the odd question or issue. I am so glad that Grace and Nelson are our lawyers.
For a more fluent recommendation, you can go to Bill and Loretta's blog "Our Ecuador". http://ourecuador.blogspot.com/2011/03/lawyers-in-cuenca.html
Grace and Nelson's office is in downtown Cuenca:
Luis Cordero 6-41 y P Cordova
Office tel: (593) 7-2842225
Life is sweet,
Clarke
Hey Clarke! Hope you and Brennie are doing well. Guy is full retirement and we still plan to be there by the end of this year if all goes as planned. Can't wait to get out of this cubicle!!!
ReplyDeleteClark, I hope you two had fun seeing your kids. I have a question for you about Magic Jack. We have purchased it here to bring back with us. Are we better off loading it onto our computer here in the States? Or should we wait until we get back to Cuenca? How is a phone number assigned? Would appreciate any help you can give.
ReplyDeletePat is officially retired. We only have 2 1/2 weeks left. Can't wait to see you all again. Thanks, Sue
Doesn't matter where you load your magicJack. It actually reloads every time you restart your computer anyway. As for your new number; on the initial startup, magicJack allows you to choose your desired area code in the US (or Canada for an addition fee) and then gives you a list of local exchanges to choose from and then assigns the number. Vanity numbers are also available for a fee. FAQ's on magicJack website pretty much covers everything.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the recommendation, Clarke. I will file that away in my "Retirement" folder. My husband and I will be down in July to get a feel for Quito and Cuenca. Our goal is to retire in four years. You have one of the most beautiful pictures, on the heading of your blog, that I have seen. I read them all! Silly question, but are the skies really that blue? Between May and October, how much sun do you usually get daily?
ReplyDeleteRe 'Anonymous' post about magic jack.
ReplyDeleteI hate to use the term 'idiot proof' but that is pretty much what magic jack is. You plug the magic jack into the USB port in your computer and your phone into the magic jack. Wait 30 seconds. (you have to click the install icon on a Mac) The area code and phone number are either built into the magic jack or automatically assigned to it on initial use. I guess you can get fancy and choose your own numbers. It will be a US phone number and making and receiving calls to the US is just like having a phone on your desk in the US. No charge for long distance or any nonsense like that. Your flat fee of $17 (?) a year covers everything. MJ doesn't care if you call cell numbers, land lines or other MJ numbers. Forget all about plugging into phone lines as it works over the internet. All you need is the computer (connected to internet), the MJ and a phone to plug into the MJ. You can unplug it from one computer and plug into another any time you want, but you will have to click the install icon. If your computer is shut down it will not work and you will have to unplug and plug in again....... and click the install icon.
IT IS REALLY EASY AND AS CLOSE TO 'IDIOT PROOF' AS POSSIBLE.
It is best to have a decent internet connection, and even then sometimes mine drops a call. Just re-call.
To candihunnycutt.....
ReplyDeleteYep, that is the sky as seen from our balcony. I am having trouble clocking the actual wether patterns. Seems to me that many afternoons (about 3:00 or 4:00 or 5:00) we might get some rain. Some days are sunny all day just as some are overcast all day. The clouds are close as the altitude is 8000+ feet here in the city. Some days are warmer and some are cooler. But I find the climate perfect and I like to spend a lot of time outdoors. Beats the h*ll out of Kansas weather!!