Frequently asked questions?
Eutopia vs Utopia?
Both words derive from greek/hellenic language and have a different meaning.
- Eu (Ευ) topia (τÏŒπος) is an existing, real place of beauty & harmony.
- U (Ου) topia (τÏŒπος) is an imaginary ideal place.
In English language they are pronounced the same.
Eutopia is a realistic concept of a nice place, something that is attainable. The word utopia, on the other hand, is an ideal place that does not exist.
​
Traveling
To arrive in Ecuador, you might be asked to provide proof of onward travel. You might be asked to provide proof of flight or bus tickets out of Ecuador for this purpose.
​
The land
Fruitarian Eutopia farm is located in south-eastern Ecuador, 19 km from Gualaquiza, on 0.9 hectares (2.2 acres) with a stream along the 2 borders. The elevation is about 850 meters. The land is adjacent to the Terra Frutis intentional vegan community, and was bought as part of the Terra Frutis personal plots project. The land is planted with fruit trees, some of them already fruiting, creating a fruit food forest
​
Access
The land is reachable by pick-up truck on the recently completed gravel road and driveway. To get to/from the town of Gualaquiza involves a 30 minute taxi/car ride, or a 40 minute ranchera/bus ride (this bus only runs twice a day on specific months),
​
Accommodation and Facilities
We have rooms and camping tent space available, shower, hot water, a washing machine, a clothes dryer, wifi internet, stone stream pool, sunbathing area, a dining place, space for yoga, a library & a projector.
​
Food from the land
At the moment, we harvest banana, pineapple, papaya, rollinia, jackfruit, soursop, starfruit, plantain, cacao, peanut butter fruit.
We have durian, mangosteen, cempedak, mango, mamey sapote, rambutan, zapote, marang, abiu, cempejack, jaboticaba, amazon jungle grapes, orange, mandarin, lemon, avocado, aguaje, ackee, paso, piton, trees not fruiting yet.
​
It is currently not possible for someone to get 100% of their food requirements off the land, so buying fruits from other sources nearby is necessary.
​
Water
We have running water from a (year round) small mountain spring nearby. There is also a standalone ceramic filter.
​
Compost
We use a composting toilet system, much like that explained in the “Humanure Handbook“. We use food scraps and humanure composting as it is very effective and requires very little labour compared to other methods.
​
Local Fruit Prices
Here is an idea of local fruit prices at Gualaquiza market. The prices are subject to changes due to season, availability.
​
-
Avocados: 1 for $0.50
-
Papayas: 1 for $0.50-$1.50
-
Pineapples: 1 for $1.50-$2
-
Regular bananas: 10 for $1
-
Oritos (small bananas): 15 for $1
-
Oranges: 6-10 for $1
-
Mangoes: 2 for $1
-
Watermelon: $3-$6
Climate
Temperature is fairly steady throughout the year. The warmest month of the year is November with an average temperature of 23.8°C (73.84°F). The coolest month is July, when the average temperature is 22.1°C (71.78°F). Overnight lows tend to range from 16°C to 20°C. This part of Ecuador has a tropical climate with around 1900mm of annual rainfall. with the driest months being December, January, and the beginning of February.
​
​
​
Insects
There are not many mosquitoes, though there are gnats/no-see-ums, and most people have an issue with gnats biting. Wearing long sleeves, pants, and socks in the morning and evening when they bite more, helps a lot. Some individuals who are more sensitive get more gnat bites, especially on their neck and face. After 3–6 months, the body gets more accustomed to them and bites recover faster.
ATMs, banks and money
There are Visa and Mastercard ATMs in Gualaquiza. You can potentially also open an account at the local Bank of Loja (or another bank of your choice) and transfer some money there (again, the currency used here is the U.S. dollar). Please, let your bank know that you are travelling abroad so that your card will work here.
Medical care
There is hospital Misereor in Gualaquiza is a modern and well-equipped hospital. Most healthcare/treatment is free there. Purchasing travel health insurance is not required. No vaccines are mandatory for travelling to Ecuador. Yellow fever/malaria/leishmaniasis/etc are not problems in this area. There is a (low) risk of chikungunya and dengue. There is a risk of contracting parasites from food and water in this area, it is very cheap to be tested for them in Gualaquiza. There are both natural and more conventional treatments for parasites easily accessible.
In the case of medical emergency, the taxi/transport fee to the hospital, and cost of medical supplies will be taken out of the security deposit.
​
Visa and immigration
A three-month tourist visa is free to foreigners from many countries, including the USA. It can be extended to six months for approximately $150
If someone wants to live more than 6 months in Ecuador per year or live permanently, it is required to explore the various residency visa options,- such as professional visa (via degree),- investors visa, digital nomad visa, etc
