Ecuador through North-American Eyes

So, I’ve hit my halfway mark here in Ecuador (as long as I don’t meet my future husband here and decide to stay forever), and I think I’ve observed enough culture to be able to tell you a little about it.

Some general observations that have made me pause.

Greetings: Here, if you are a woman, you greet most everyone with a kiss on the cheek: but it’s one of those kisses where your cheeks touch and your lips just smack the air. You ALWAYS go to the left. I’ve had some awkward moments learning that. If you’re a man, I think a handshake is the most common, though of course closer friends may back-slap or use a special handshake/slap kind of deal.

Sneezing: One of the things that make me homesick for the US is people saying, “Bless you.” It’s probably more peculiar that in our culture, if you’re in a crowded bus or taking a test in a classroom of 300 people, someone will STILL bless you if you sneeze. Here, it seems like only your friends or maybe very courteous people say “Salud,” or health. It’s not a given. It makes me enjoy my classes with other gringos because I know that they will acknowledge my sneezing. I’ll add that in Spanish, if you are in the mood to say “salud” to someone, and they keep sneezing: the first sneeze is “salud,” the second “dinero”, and the third, “amor.” Sometimes when I’ve said that to people, they laugh after the third sneeze and say, “I’ll stay with that!”

Babies in Public: I could count the number of times I’ve seen a stroller or a baby-carrier on one hand. Here, babies and toddlers are carried, either in arms or, as is most common with indigenous woman, on the mother’s back. Perhaps it’s for convenience. Bulky objects and buses do not mix, especially when it’s a race to get on. Babies are wrapped in fuzzy blankets and usually have their faces covered if they’re in arms. On backs, they’re inquisitively looking around and grabbing at potential food their mothers have or strangers’ fingers (this has happened many times on the bus). Something I find very advanced is that nursing in public is no big deal. Women sit on benches, on the bus, on the sidewalk—wherever they are, even if they’re trying to sell you something, they just feed their baby right there. None of the passersby give a second glance.

Honking: There is a language of honking. A honk can mean what I’ve experienced before: “You’re in my way!” “Let me over!” But it’s not uncommon to greet someone like that. Cars also often honk before entering an intersection (since there’s no guarantee that a red light will make someone stop and a stop sign even less). A honk from a taxi means, “I need a passenger…is it you?”

PDA: Couples of all ages are very affectionate in public. I remember in Spain being wowed by the level of passion present in a public park—couples making out, lying on each other in the grass while children played nearby. No one cared! No evil eye, nothing. It’s much the same here. Parks are for couples and children, I think. And vendors. There’s also plenty of PDA on the street, on the bus (which is always a little unpleasant, at least for me, since there’s fewer places to look), and at the university.

Security: Ecuador takes its security seriously. There are privately hired security guards (in uniforms) outside of banks, ministries, supermarkets, pharmacies, schools, universities, and hospitals. Other measures of security include barbed wire, high walls surrounding neighborhoods and houses, nails sticking upward out of said wall, and broken glass. Not a very conducive environment for trespassing!

Making Lines: Lines are popular here. Movie-goers form a long line to enter the theater because you can’t enter until the time printed on the ticket. Concerts and soccer games have lines that snake into surrounding streets. However, lines are somewhat fluid. I’ve seen many an Ecuadorian go to the front of the line to ask a “preguntita” (little question) and then be helped. This observation came in handy at the Ministry of Foreigners. My friend, Samantha, had been waiting in one line or another for almost two hours. Finally, she was told that she was missing a paper, but that the ministry could print it for her (and then she could get in another line). As she approached Window 5 to pick up the page, the security guard directed her back to the mass of waiting people. She was completely harta—fed up! I told her, “No, we at least need to get that paper. Then you can come back tomorrow with everything you need.” We approached Window 5. Once again, the security guard firmly tells us to wait with everyone else. “Pero senor, le dijeron a mi amiga que iban a imprimir una pagina por ella, y que podria recogerla aqui.” He wavered, went to the window and asked the attendant, and returned with our paper. Success!

TIPS: You don’t, generally. The price on the menu is the price you pay at the end of the meal. The price the taxista says is the price you pay upon arriving. The only times I’ve tipped are at very fancy restaurants and for services like manicures and haircuts.

Vendedores Ambulantes: Though most buses have a sign that prohibits the admittance of traveling salespeople, it’s a rare bus ride when someone does not pass through with a tray of empanadas or a bunch of chips and snacks. It’s also common for someone to stand at the front (men and women, young and old) and give a prepared speech about how they don’t want to bother us because we’ve paid the 25 cents to travel in peace, but this is how they make a living. If we would accept their product (chocolate bars, hard candy, pirated DVDs and CDs, sewing kits, a recipe book), we’re not obligated at all to buy it. Our “educación” (I would translate it as culture or manners) is worth more than the money.

Family involvement: My university has no dorms. Most everybody still lives at home. There’s a line of cars in front of the university entrance every day of what seem suspiciously like parents dropping off students. It’s not uncommon to live in your parents’ house until your mid- to late 20s….sometimes until you get married (or even after!). Most of my fellow students have lived in the same city for their whole lives. I’ve learned that, as an American, the question “Where are you from?” is a bit complicated. Most of us have two answers—where we grew up and where we now live/go to school. We’re seen as very independent and separate from our families, whereas many Ecuadorians live close to their cousins, grandparents, aunts, and uncles, and the family gets together to celebrate birthdays and holidays.

Energy consciousness: Air conditioning, a given in the majority of US homes, offices, and stores, is almost non-existent here. I’ve experienced it on the bus and in hospitals….maybe fancier pharmacies and supermarkets, too. But if you’re walking down a street, most of the small shops and restaurants use the light from their big front windows or are open to the air. Classroom windows are usually open to let in the frequent breezes.

Saying buen provecho: In typical lunch places, many of the fellow customers will wish other diners a good appetite, or buen provecho. I like it. Those eating will then thank them.

Of course, there are the typical cultural differences we were warned about in orientation: personal space, cat-calling, and punctuality. I like to think I was prepared for those. I am a naturally late person, so the fact that professors may or may not show up at the listed time (5 minutes late is more common) and classes start about 10 minutes late is perfect for me. I like the affection, the exchange of kisses. The cat-calling…well, you just ignore it and tell friends about it later. At least the caliber of comments is on another level (Precious, my love, I love you, mamita).

I wonder how our North American culture appears to visiting Ecuadorians. If the guy I met at USFQ who’s interested in coming to UGA and studying Finances there, I guess I’ll find out! Being here has made me appreciate the peculiarities and eccentricities of our culture. I love the Latin culture, but I’ll also be glad to be back home.