Misconception: The city of Loja in Ecuador has an expat community.

Clarification:  Many potential expat retirees read that the city of Loja has an expat community and believe that it would therefore work out well for them to move to Loja.  This appears to be especially appealing to those who speak little to no Spanish but do not want to live in a place with a large expat population.  The thinking seems to go that as long as there are a few expats, they will have people they can talk to in English which will make living there workable and enjoyable.

Are there North Americans and other "first worlders" living in the city of Loja?  Yes.  Is there an expat community there? No.  Why not?  Well, the answer to this requires us to look at who these foreigners are and why they are here in Loja.  Almost all of them fall into one of these categories:

1.  They are here because they are married to Ecuadorians.  The people in this category could be from anywhere in the world and just happen to be from Canada, the U.S., etc.  They are busy with their Ecuadorian families and many are raising children with their spouse.  They are not spending time with expats because they are leading the same life as their Ecuadorian family members and co-workers, busy with daily lives the same way people all over the world are when they have to work to survive and are busy with family joys and obligations.

2. They are "backpackers", spending a year or two in Loja (often teaching English while here) before moving on to their next adventure.  Usually these folks are in their 20's but not always.  Either way, they spend time with each other and travel away from Loja when they have time off from their commitments here.  They are not part of any expat community, though one could consider them part of a "backpacker's community" as they will likely see each other again in the future in another country, perhaps Argentina, Tibet or New Zealand.

3. They are here as missionaries for a church.  Recently I am meeting more people in this category.  It is unclear to me how long these people stay in Loja, but in any event, they are spending time in the church community that is sponsoring them, not in an expat community.

4. They are here sponsored by a school or other organization (such as Peace Corps).  These folks will often live with Ecuadorian host families but whether they do or not, their time in Loja will be largely determined by their organizations' needs, activities and communities.  And in most cases, their personal needs in Loja will be managed either by their sponsoring organizations or by their host families.

5. They came here with a sense of adventure with the goal of staying for 1-2 years.  These are often retired people.  They may socialize with expats, but they have no intention of staying so they cannot be part of a permanent expat community.

6. North American retirees who are trying to make a permanent home in Loja.  These are the folks who often say as one of their first sentences in the city, "Now we just have to figure out how to get more expats here."  But very few of these people last more than one or two years in Loja.  I've seen dozens come and go.  Most find it just too difficult to stay due to language and cultural barriers and the ensuing sense of isolation and helplessness.  Many end up moving to the warmer and sunnier climates of Malacatos and Vilcabamba where they get the added benefit of having native English speakers to talk to and do things with.  Some move to to other cities in Ecuador with expat communities such as Cuenca, Cotacachi and Salinas, or they find expat communities in other countries in Latin America, Asia, etc.  Some move back to their countries of origin.

7. There are the hardy few North American retirees who are truly looking for the Loja experience -- living in a beautiful place in a cool and often wet climate among Ecuadorians rather than among other "first worlders."  Most likely there are a handful of such people living in Loja, but as they are immersed in Ecuadorian society, they may not be aware of others in this same category.

So, I hope this answers the question of why there is no expat community here.  Loja is a beautiful and special city to visit, but living here permanently for "first worlders" appears to be unworkable for most.


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