On the first day of class, we discussed many things that can relate directly to what I have been experiencing through the country of Ecuador. I find the question, who are you, very interesting. If someone asks me this question, I would probably just state my name. But with further examination, this question hosts many different answers. Some of my answers were: female, student, polish, young adult, daughter, Lutheran, and runner. Although some of these traits are primary, mostly they are all secondary. I think it would be interesting to see how a local would respond to this complex question. From what I have observed, I think most Ecuadorians would associate themselves with family, like father or son. I believe this is because they are not as individualist as in the United States. In the United States, we associate ourselves with identities that will get us ahead in life, like a student. But, in Ecuador, family is really important. I have been able to see this through my host family. The extended family lives with my host parents. This is very uncommon to see in the United States. Although this is a different custom than I am used to, that does not mean that it is bad. This can also connect to the social construction in Ecuador. The activities of many families seem to revolve around their family. An example of this how the family eats not only dinner together, but also lunch. At my host family, everyone comes home from work or school to eat lunch together. So far, I have found it helpful to be looking at communications in depth because it is such a large part of the business world. Aside from class today, our group visited two museums and went on a city tour of Cuenca. Our first tour was at the Museo de Culturas Aborigens. It really amazed me how complex and detailed all of the pottery and jewelry was. Then, we visted Museo del Banco Central. I really enjoyed this museum because it had a lot about the life in the amazon. Although we won’t have a chance to visit this part of Ecuador, we still had the opportunity to learn a lot about their culture. One thing I learned is how they shape their heads differently after birth to show different social classes. I thought this was a really interesting way of showing how much money you have. Finally, we went on a short tour of the city of Cuenca. We walked along Calle Larga, which is a street full of restaurants, bars, and shops. We stopped at a fruit and market. I was really surprised at how all of the meat was displayed. Although it didn’t seem completely safe to me, it is the way that meat is sold here. With my first week in Ecuador coming to an end, I am finding may differences in they way people live here. But, I am enjoying the experience and trying to enrich myself in a different culture as much as possible!
