In a world so big with numerous countries and groups of people, we are all simply human beings. But is it really that simple? What is it that makes the world so complex and distinguishes us all from each other? Culture. Culture has many different meanings; but in a broad sense, it is the shared beliefs, customs, values, traditions, and attitudes of a group of people. Culture also includes shared norms which are unofficial rules that provide guidance for behavior in certain situations. Furthermore, culture constantly changes because it adapts to people and people are constantly changing. It is not a concrete tangible object, but rather it exists in our minds. Culture is ultimately what defines and differentiates a group of people.
Like many people, I am a part of multiple groups thus leading me to identify with multiple cultures. I am a part of my Lebanese family, the organization I work for, the University of St. Thomas community, and the United States of America; however, I usually always identify with my United States of America culture because it is always relevant. The U.S. largely has an individualistic culture where freedom of choice, individual uniqueness, competitiveness, and self-determination are highly valued. U.S. culture is also highly time oriented: it is rude and disrespectful if you are not on time to meetings, events, etc. Some dominant behaviors of my culture stem from our societal norms: we smile at others to show friendliness and warmth, we look people in the eye when talking to them, and we greet others by shaking hands and/or hugging. Dominant holiday traditions of my U.S. culture include celebrating Thanksgiving, Christmas, Valentine’s Day, and Independence Day every year. Thanksgiving is celebrated on the fourth Thursday in November as a day of giving thanks, Christmas is celebrated on December 25 to commemorate the birth of Jesus Christ, Valentine’s Day is celebrated on February 14 as a festival of romantic love, and Independence Day is celebrated on July 4 in honor of the adoption of the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776 declaring independence from the Kingdom of Great Britain.
I am not too familiar with Ecuadorian culture, but I have made some assumptions about it from the research I have done for this trip and knowledge I have about other South American countries. Since the majority of Ecuadorians are Catholic, I assume that Christmas is also one of their holiday traditions. I also assume greetings may be similar in Ecuador to the U.S. with a handshake and a hug. They may even add a kiss on the cheek. Additionally, since many other South American countries are family oriented where families are close-knit, I am guessing that Ecuadorian families are also close-knit. I have a friend from Brasil whose grandmother lives with him and his family, so I assume Ecuadorian families are similar in that sense where the grandparents are closely involved with their grandchildren’s lives. In addition to my assumption that family is of high importance in Ecuador, I assume that food is too. Many professional chefs I know about are of South American descent, so I am making a very broad assumption that food is important in Ecuadorian culture. Finally, I assume that unlike U.S. culture, Ecuadorian culture is much less time oriented. I think it is more acceptable in Ecuador to be late to events.
My mother is a professional chef, so I have always been exposed to the custom of food and cooking my entire life. I am quite familiar with the “Midwest hot dishes,” so I decided to research more about the food of Ecuador to broaden my food horizons. Ecuadorian cuisine is diverse, varying with altitude, and associated agricultural conditions. Seafood is very popular in the coast regions where fish, prawns, shrimp, crab, and clams are key parts of the diet whereas pork, chicken, beef, and cuy (guinea pig) are popular in the mountainous regions. Yuca (a starchy root that is peeled and boiled, fried, or used in a variety of other dishes) is a staple food in the rainforest. Breakfast in urban areas usually consists of coffee, bread, and eggs. Lunch is then the main meal where most people will get a one-hour break from work. This meal is traditionally three courses of sopa (soup) and segundo (second dish), which includes rice and protein such as beef, poultry, pork, or fish. Dessert and coffee are then the third course. Dinner is usually lighter and is sometimes just coffee or agua de remedio ("remedy water") with bread. This is what shocked me the most because dinner tends to be the biggest and heaviest meal in the U.S. Some favorite Ecuadorian dishes include: arroz con pollo (fried chicken with rice), locro (soup with potatoes, cheese, and avocados), llapingachos (cheese-and-potato cakes), and ceviche (raw or cooked seafood marinated in lime and served with onions, tomatoes, and spices). Finally, Ecuador is widely known for its bananas and also for its starch consumption of products like potato, bread, rice, and yuca.
