International Living Community

Hi Katherine,

Good questions.

There are not a lot of organized expat groups to choose from in Uruguay. A good strategy might be to just get to know some English-speaking expats and locals, and then gradually find individuals who share your values and interests.

The only organized English-speaking expat group in Uruguay that I know of is Punta del Este Expats. They meet once a month. It’s common for expats from other areas to attend their monthly meeting.
https://puntadelesteexpats.com/

Also, small group Spanish classes is another way to meet English-speaking locals (the teachers and staff) other English-speaking newcomers to Uruguay (your fellow students), as well a learning some Spanish. Through the school, you may also learn of locals who are learning English and may enjoy practicing with you.

Piriapolis is a smaller town outside of Punta del Este that you may find interesting.

The Internet is generally very good in Uruguay, with fiber-optic lines in many areas. With my basic home Internet plan, my plugged-in computer has a 408 Mbps download speed and a 31 Mbps upload speed.

Good luck to you,
David

(P.S., We have a new "Uruguay" category on the International Living Community page, whuich is the first place I look for new messages each day.)

What stands out about the two countries to you? I live in Costa Rica and am IL's Correspndent.

I know a good amount of artists. I just met a man who is a fine artist in Ojochal on an editorial trip.

And this is a new gallery that is pretty popular in Guanacaste by Tamarindo (https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61568438617057)-- one of my friend's Johnny has his art there- https://www.solgallery.cr/artist/johnny-coopwood?fbclid=IwY2xjawJ-cHdleHRuA2FlbQIxMQBicmlkETFuRkJYREY2NkpNRWtJZjFzAR75ya20koowP77MK4TWRi5p3i61RYnQcPd-4ARwvkr5GPKYgmKmGikXFPBvjw_aem_RxJfZubODKh_X5k7zu0u3g

There are a lot of new pottery places in the area, like this one- https://www.instagram.com/almanos.ceramica/

There are people who do Sip and Paint nights which are pretty popular. And Lindsey just started opened her own gallery https://www.facebook.com/LindsayArte and a kids club art- https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61564976650338.

Junior Rodrigues also has a place in Tamarindo - https://www.instagram.com/artgallerycafejr/?hl=en

Enjoy your trip! THat is the best thing to do... go check out areas and see what they feel like to you!

-Bekah Bottone, IL's Costa Rica Correspondent

Hi there,

That's really exciting! I'm not familiar with Oviedo enough to know which areas to focus on, however, I would suggest reaching out to a local real estate agent to get insights from someone on the ground. Here is one suggestion - Agencia Alvarez: https://www.agenciaalvarez.com/

Since Oviedo isn't a popular city for expats it may be challenging to find a real estate agent who speaks English. Do you speak Spanish by chance?

Idealista.com is a popular website to check real estate go get an idea of what's on the market, you can also see listings by individuals and agents. That may be a good place to find other agents to speak to. https://www.idealista.com/

Best,

Cepee, IL Correspondent - Spain

Most banks will require that you be a legal resident for a short period of time before opening a local account so most expats do get their residency visa first, operating via home credit/debit cards in the interim until they can get a local account set up. Having a local account makes many things (like paying for local utility bills) easier. Though there are some expats who don't open a local account, it's recommendable to do so.

Best,
IL Panama Editor Jess Ramesch