Cultural Insights

View from the top of an Andean mountain in Tungurahua province.

When people ask me what my favorite aspect of Ecuador is, several experiences flash across my consciousness. Among those experiences, one overarching theme is ever-present. It is the hospitality and the way of life of the people that have given me the most cultural insight.

In my experiences here, I understand that life here has many joyous aspects. Social life here feels quite different than back home. Over the weekend, I was sitting on a rock at a popular swimming spot in the Amazon. A young couple came and sat near me. We started a conversation and the next thing I know, we ended up spending the next 24 hours together. These new friends taught us a card game from Quito and took my friend and I to a port city on the Amazon. This experience demonstrates how hospitable and outgoing people are here.

Additionally, when hanging out with friends, there might be a "set time" to meet, but that's really a loose timeframe. If you're meeting a friend for lunch at two, leave the rest of the day open.

In Ecuador, there are some social rules, but the country is very flexible and diverse in terms of how to be. In the words of my host brother, "There really isn't a proper way to be or do things here." And, after nearly two months, I wholeheartedly agree. When I walk down a street in Ecuador, I always see a variety of ways to dress, sometimes even mixed with traditional clothing.

While there are some supermarkets and malls, much shopping is done at local tiendas. Tiendas will usually each have their own specialty goods and are small in square footage. For example, one tienda might specialize in party supplies and be about half the size of a gas station store in the US. There are not set prices that the goods have to be sold for, it's up to the business owners themselves. They are usually colorful and play reggaeton or another type of Latin beat.

Unless you're in a larger city, most transactions are done with cash. This can be challenging to adapt to, when cash isn't necessary in most parts of the States. Everything from paying for parking, bills at restaurants, and transactions at tiendas needs to be done in cash.

My understanding of the culture has evolved significantly since I arrived here. I understand that people are not judgmental, but curious. The majority of people in most places (rural and urban) will always have a conversation with you. People go out of their way to be hospitable or share information, especially if you ask. When I first arrived here, barely able to speak any Spanish, I worried that people would not be friendly due to my lack of Spanish abilities. However, it has been quite the opposite in that people want to help me learn and grow.

I used to be nervous about taking Uber alone or walking down the street to get something. Now, I am completely comfortable doing those things.

This culture altered who I am because it helped me to learn how to be more flexible, open-minded, and outgoing. Every day, the vast majority of my time is spent around other people, which has helped me to become more comfortable with myself.