As part of the Language and Knowledge Unit with my 11th graders, we have been exploring the power of language. We had an interesting discussion this past week on the implications of the term “developing country.” One student shared that when traveling abroad, she told someone she lived in Ecuador, and his first question was whether her house had running water. To be honest, I had my own misconceptions about the conditions I would encounter upon moving here. Quito is actually quite cosmopolitan, especially in my immediate neighborhood, compared to other Latin American cities I’ve visited. And yet, like most things, the reality is more complicated.

While my Spanish is improving poco a poco, I have no doubt the language barrier interferes with my ability to correctly understand everything I experience here. I don’t pretend to be an expert on everything Ecuadorian, I am simply speaking as an outside observer. And I invite my Ecuadorian friends, colleagues and students (shout out to those of you who are reading this!) to inform me of any misrepresentations of daily life in Ecuador.

My Neighborhood

These are some of the common areas in my apartment complex:

It feels like entering a sanctuary, and the amenities include a pool, hot tub, indoor squash court, cinema and game room. I was so surprised to discover this type of option when apartment-hunting, but it’s becoming the standard for newer construction here.

Quito has restaurants for just about any type of food you can imagine. Also, the grocery store resembles a typical store in the United States, but I do have to get a little creative in substituting ingredients. 

The nearby shopping malls are beautiful and modern, though few stores are recognizable. And I haven’t found clothes for tall women yet.

From Point A to Point B

On the other hand, even in my neighborhood, it is unsafe to walk around when it’s dark (which, because we are essentially on the equator, is literally half of the time). This has been one of the biggest challenges for me, since I love wandering around and spending as much time outdoors as possible. Everyone warns gringos from using local public transportation. Luckily, Ubers are cheap and prevalent.

I had heard that driving here was pretty chaotic, and that is true to some degree. Mostly, I can’t get used to the incessant honking by drivers to make their presence known and, more annoyingly, by cab drivers as they cruise along to catch pedestrians’ attention in the off chance that they are looking for a ride at that exact moment. This ritual takes place all hours of the day – and night.

Speaking of pedestrians, they don’t have the right of way – ever – even when the crosswalk sign is green. I’ve read that pedestrians can be fined if they cause an accident.   

The post office technically exists but in reality doesn’t function. I don’t even have an official address. Instead, I am typically directed to indicate my cross streets when filling out a form that requires an address. Bills are hand-delivered to my apartment.

Bribery and Bureaucracy

My students sometimes ask what compelled me to move here. Some say they can’t leave Ecuador soon enough, in part due to the limited opportunities for solid career trajectories. They also reference the bribery and corruption that exists here. For example, I asked a student what would happen if a minor was caught hosting a party with alcohol. He said the protocol was to slip the police $20. In fact, $20 seems to be the going rate to bribe oneself out of any minor infarction of the law. 

I’m still trying to adapt to the extensive bureaucracy here. For example, I recently took a 567 question mental health test required by the Ministry of Education. In addition to having to stay on-camera for the duration of the virtual survey, the questions included the following: “Sometimes evil spirits take possession of me,” “Never in my life did I play with dolls,” and “I have never indulged in unusual sexual practices.” Stay tuned for how the Ministry interpreted my answers.

Winter Holidays in Ecuador

The beautiful, diverse landscapes in Ecuador continue to amaze me. What a treat to host my daughter Elise for two weeks while we explored new areas. 

Quito

In Quito, we went on interesting walking tours, bought and decorated a bonsai “Christmas” tree, and enjoyed Ecuadorian-style afternoon tea in the garden atrium of a former mansion. 

We also visited the real Mitad del Mundo, where we had the opportunity to try cool experiments like (unsuccessfully) walking in a straight line along the equator and balancing eggs on a nail. At the “other” Mitad del Mundo that draws more tourists (and which I visited a few months ago), the line marking the equator is actually off by a bit. Apparently, this is in part because the line separating the hemispheres fluctuates during the year, as the Earth rotates.

The Amazon

We stayed at a lodge that felt a little bit like “Swiss Family Robinson,” except with a gorgeous freshwater pool and fantastic food. Activities included visiting a Kichwa home, where we learned how to make pottery and chicha, a traditional, fermented drink. We also tried blowgun target shooting, and I hit the target on my first try! 

Our tour guide took us on a hike in the rainforest and taught us about the vegetation and their medicinal properties. We spent Christmas inner tubing down the Napo River, visiting an animal sanctuary, and wandering around a butterfly garden. 

The Beach

Finally, we traveled to Montañita, known as a beach party town. However, we spent our time boogie boarding, reading and relaxing, eating yummy food, and enjoying meaningful conversations. A highlight was ordering ceviche for lunch beachside from a guy with a food cart on wheels.

I miss Elise terribly, and this next stretch will be the longest we’ve ever been apart. In the meantime, there are many more places to explore, and new things to learn about this amazing, diverse country.