Cultural Experiences

Truthfully, there is not one day that passes without a cultural experience. Of course, these experiences range from minor to major. I have been pleasantly surprised by the beauty of Ecuadorian culture and the quality of life here.

Upon 24 hours of my arrival to my host family, we attended a family get-together. From my frame of reference, family is a huge component of Ecuadorian culture. At this get-together one of the cousins informed me that most Ecuadorian families take Sundays as a family day. There are family get-togethers throughout the country on this day. These events can last nearly all day as well, characterized by time spent in conversation and a meal.

Another cultural experience is that time and punctuality vary from person to person, but, in general, these concepts are a bit more laid back. From my experiences, when a group of friends hang out, time is relative. Once the group is together, there seems to be a "whatever happens will happen" approach. There may be a rough itinerary, but it can be expected that the day will extend later than the initial plan. Set start and end times are also relative. Unless the function deals with school or business, there usually isn't an end time for events.

A major cultural event happening now is the presidential election season. In Ecuador, there are numerous political parties. In February, sixteen candidates ran during round one. Two of these candidates secured around the same amount of votes. Now, there is a run-off election happening between Luisa Gonzalez and Daniel Noboa. Campaign posters are lining the roads and political conversations are happening quite frequently. This evening a presidential debate took place. In a few weeks everyone will go to vote. An interesting attribute of the voting process is that voting is mandatory here - not optional, like in the States. I have been deeply intrigued by the different opinions and I am interested in the results.

Ecuadorian cuisine has been tasty so far. There is an abundance of juice, made from fruits that I previously had no idea existed. Seafood is common, but is more common towards the coats. Seafood seems to be available in many restaurants. Other common dishes feature some combination of rice, beans, eggs, plantains, potatoes, and salads. One typical Ecuadorian dish that I tried recently is called "churrasco". This dish contained a piece of steak meat over a pile of French fries. On top of the pile were two over-easy eggs. Rice surrounded the plate, with a side salad.

(For American readers who may not know: Ecuadorian food is not Mexican food. I encourage you to look up a few Ecuadorian dishes to help you get a fuller picture).

This weekend I was able to hang out with a friend from Colegio Americano. We went to lunch, visited the mountain cable car (Teleferico), wandered around a mall, and ended up going to see a movie. One thing that stretches across cultures is that friendships and connections with other people are similar. People bond over similar interests and experiences.

My host family is the absolute best host family that I could have asked for. They are the most welcoming and accommodating people. The people (my host family, friends, and teachers at the school) have truly been my favorite part of this entire experience.