Things Ecuadorians Like: Ecuador

In spite of the fact that the entire country of Ecuador is only about the size of the state of Colorado, its divisive geography has led to the development of distinct cultures in its different geographical regions.

The most well-known region outside of Ecuador is the Galápagos Islands, which are isolated from the rest of the mainland by 972 kilometers of water. Residents of the Galápagos have a much different experience than mainlanders due to all the crazy dinosaur-animals that live on the Islands and the international tourists they attract.

On the mainland, the Andes mountains cut through the center of the country and divide it into three more distinct regions. The far west area of the country are the lowlands of the coast, where the weather is hot and humid and the Spanish is so fast that it is often difficult to understand for the uninitiated.

Drive a few hours east (and about nine thousand feet high) and you will find yourself in my stomping grounds, the so-called Sierra. Due to the high altitude, the climate in the mountains is surprisingly temperate considering that some areas lie directly on the Equator. If hot weather breeds fast talkers, the chilly Sierra air lends itself to a much slower Spanish that makes mountain cities a great place to learn the language.

People on the coast are known for being more laid back and friendly than their mountain-dwelling compatriots, who are stereotyped as being snooty and conservative. Regionalism is particularly strong in these two areas, and debates about which region of Ecuador is the best are always heated.

Lastly, farther out east past the Sierra lies the Orient, where cities have sprung up in the middle of the Amazon Forest and you are likely to find yourself in a town where more people speak an indigenous language than the Castellano of Ecuador's Spanish conquerors.

Regardless of the diverse regional cultures and attitudes that pervade Ecuador, every Ecuadorian seems to have at least one thing in common: they all love Ecuador.

I cannot help but notice the startling amount of pride that Ecuadorians exhibit for their homeland. One of the first questions I had when I came to Ecuador was why there is a fingerprint on the Ecuadorian national soccer jersey. The answer is that it is a reference to a campaign throughout Ecuador to promote Ecuadorian pride and the purchase of products made in-country.

Translation: It's much better it it's made in Ecuador

The posters for this campaign highlight another way that Ecuadorians are constantly showing off their pride in their country, and that is by using the colors of the Ecuadorian flag everywhere. I have seen the Ecuadorian flag invoked in countless ads by layering yellow, blue, and red into whatever is being depicted in the photo.

It is also not hard to find any kind of clothing sporting the Ecuadorian "tricolor" (especially if you are looking for a tracksuit). The only red, white, and blue clothing I have seen recently are a pair of  American flag Zubaz. While these pants clearly demonstrate that the wearer is proud to be an American, they would surely draw ridicule if worn in public in the States (something that would never happen to an Ecuadorian wearing his flag's colors from head to toe).

If you laugh, you don't love America.

The idea that things made in Ecuador are better isn't simply a slogan thrown around by the government either; Ecuadorians really do love things that are from Ecuador. Exhibit A: Pilsener.

Pilsener is a beer brewed in Ecuador, and anyone not from Ecuador will tell you that it is terrible. Ecuadorians, however, love it and would only drink something else if it was the other beer brewed in Ecuador, Club.

At first I thought that the Pilsener preference was simply a matter of convenience since imported beers are more expensive and Ecuadorians would rather drink the cheapest brew available. False. I talked to an Ecuadorian recently who traveled to Germany for work. He assured me that he tried everything they had to offer and that Pilsener is still the best beer he has ever tasted (but what do Germans know about beer anyway, right?).

The Ecuadorian pride extends beyond the realm of commercial goods, and in my experience, Ecuadorians are also quite concerned about how their culture is portrayed and what their reputation is like in other parts of the world.

I have an Ecuadorian family friend who always calls other Ecuadorians out for being rude. Once we were in a touristy place and there were some tourists going up the wrong staircase while the people who worked there just watched. My family friend went off on the people working there about how they should be ashamed of themselves for not helping the tourists and that they are insulting Ecuadorians at large by being rude.

Another time, I was on the bus with a bunch of other foreign friends and the guy collecting fares tried to charge us more than the regular amount. I asked the Ecuadorian sitting behind me how much the ride should be, and within seconds there were at least four Ecuadorians around me yelling at the guy collecting money about how he shouldn't be doing things like that to tourists because we would think that all Ecuadorians are thieves.

In places like bus terminals and public bathrooms there are frequently signs posted on the walls saying "show your culture" that are essentially asking people using the facilities to be respectful and clean to represent Ecuadorian culture well.

Lastly, whenever Ecuadorians meet me for the first time, they are always very eager to hear about what I have done in Ecuador and offer their own suggestions about what I need to see. I have been invited by people I barely know to go on trips to the jungle because they assured me that my experience would not be complete if I didn't make a trip there. Ecuadorians are very aware and appreciative of the fact that I left the U.S. to live in Ecuador, and they in turn feel as if it is their duty to show me the best of what Ecuador has to offer in return.

All in all I am impressed with the enthusiasm and pride that Ecuadorians have for their country, and I have already been thoroughly convinced that Ecuador is a special country that has much more to offer than its size suggests, both in the diverse beauty of its nature as well as the quality of its people.