The International Schools Review Forum

My fiancé and I are excited to start our IT careers in Quito in August. Does anyone have a recommendation of a neighborhood to live? We would love to be able to walk to grocery stores/restaurants and be in safe area. Thank you!!

Congrats on your new job in Quito. I lived there several years and loved the city, the school, and the country.

I lived in Batán Alto, on the eastern slope a little above the flat part of the city. I liked having the enormous Parque Metropolitano almost in my back yard; it was a ten-minute walk to a major supermarket (downhill); I would take a cab to get back home. There are small bodegas and bakeries in the neighborhood for basics.

Several colleagues lived in the flat part near Parque Carolina. The area especially around República del Salvador and Portugal had nice apartment buildings as well as good restaurants.

If your school is not assisting you with finding housing you can walk around neighborhoods you like and look for Se Renta signs. My school provided us with local "buddies" to help us find places, get utilities turned on, and set up Internet accounts. A good friend at another school said their main options were the administrative assistants' relatives' apartments--avoid those.

Congratulations on your job - I'm also taking up a position in Quito in August. Hoping I will get some assistance finding accommodation, with setting up utilities etc. If I find out any information from them regards the move - will let you know if I get any more information.

FCAQ does assign buddies; AC, at least at that time, left you to your own devices. Don't know about any others. But certainly the schools will let you know.