The Journey of El Gringo Ecuatoriano: Introduction

Welcome to my story called The Journey of El Gringo Ecuatoriano! In this series, I will share the process I’m going through to move to another country, and in the end to move back to the United States with my wife. As you can probably tell by the name of this series, I’m an American who moved to Ecuador. Some of my goals include shedding light on the immigration process, the lack of information from government websites, and showing what it’s like to marry someone from another country. I hope you enjoy the journey!

(The above photo is by Jeremy Dorrough on Unsplash.)

First, I would like to introduce myself. I’m a 26 year-old from the great state of Minnesota. A few years ago, I was baptized in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and about a year and a half later, I served a mission in Concepción, Chile. The pandemic led to me returning home after serving for 10 months (men usually serve for 2 years), but I am grateful for the time I had to love and serve the people of Chile. Several months after returning home, I began talking with one of the missionaries who also served in the same mission, who is Ecuadorian. We got married a little over a year later in Ecuador, which is where we currently live.

There’s always a “why” someone immigrates.

That information is important because every immigration story starts long before the actual immigration process begins. There’s always a “why” someone immigrates. The “why” is what keeps you going through the end. There are several different types of visas and each country is a little bit different, but they are based on your reason for immigrating. Probably some of the most popular reasons include school, work, and marriage. The process will be different depending on the type of visa you apply for, but I think the basics are the same across the board (per country, at least).

The immigration process is long and consists of mountains of paperwork, a lot of time, and a hefty amount of money. If you hire a lawyer, the cost goes up quite a bit. That’s unavoidable in certain situations. The process is different for every country, and some are more complicated than others. My wife’s journey and mine will be different than our friends’, or your neighbors’, or anyone else’s. Of course they will share things in common, but we will all have different experiences trying to compile the necessary documents, interacting with government agencies, and receiving the approval or disapproval to immigrate.

Immigration is not for the faint of heart or those who give up after confronting the first obstacle.

I don’t know how many articles will be in this series, but I’ll try my best to convey the journey we’ve had up to this point and as it continues in the years to come. Immigration is not for the faint of heart or those who give up after confronting the first obstacle because there are many obstacles along the way, and it is almost always a frustrating process. However, if you’re ready for whatever may come, please join me (and follow me on Medium) as we embark on The Journey of El Gringo Ecuatoriano!