Random Social Thoughts about Ecuador/Guayaquil (both good and bad):
- People truly like having "gringos"- note used to describe all foreigners, except others from Latin American, in their country/city
-I went to a local almuerzo place for a late lunch on Sunday and was the only customer apart from a group of 6 people that seemed related to or were at least very friendly with the owner. Without as much as making eye contact during the meal, upon leaving, every single one of them said- Buen provecho, buen apetit, or enjoy your meal sir to me with a smile and head nod- it stuck out.
-walking home, I was in my neighborhood and a car turned the corner such that the driver and I were about 5 feet from each other. He was like a 17 year old kid, that throw his arms up and made a silly gesture like- "I got you, as if trying to scare me." I laughed and it stuck out.
-I haven't been outside as much as I would have liked, this time of year is amazing; low 80's during the day- high 60's low 70's at night. It hasn't rained since May if I am remembering correct. I layed out to get some color and am now burnt as ****, but needed it badly. I checked the UV index online for Guayaquil at 2 PM- it was 14! I didnt' know it went above 10???!
- People really lack social manners 80 percent of the time here. They just seem kind of clueless. You are walking down the street and they just walk right into you. It's like, "really?? wtf, how can you not see me? Or do you see me and just don't care or were never taught about personal space???" This stands out and annoys me all the time.
- Lots of people use cell phones and put minutes on as opposed to getting a pre-plan, so all the cute cholas that are middle class or lower middle class, call you and let it ring once so you call them back. Or they disappear for a week only to come back later and say- sorry, I didn't have any saldo- for a week. This makes me giggle in like an only in Ecuador way.
-In general terms, things like sidewalks and the such, are definitely a step down from what you are used to coming from a first world country, but it is actually one of those really big welcome changes. It makes the place different, and does something to the pschy to make you smile. Not sure, I have lived in 5 U.S. cities and not saying this is better than that, but the small differences like this definitely stand out and make it a unique place to spend your time.
-People like to make out in bars. It's great but the waiters all know us and are like"anda, anda, go talk to them, make out with them etc... And since the Ecuadorians are so used to it, it happens everywhere with everyone else too at the place and makes me laugh.
https://www.facebook.com/rolings.tone.18
-Hotels and Motels are very common and even the hourly ones are used often by all classes of society here. Some of the nicest ones of 60 inch HD Flatscreens, jacuzzis, saunas, and a sex machine. (The Royalton for $24 a night including breakfast). These differ from standard hotels though and are mainly sex hotels so you wouldn't stay here solo.
-Don't drink a gallon of sink water a day. I just kept filling my jug up from the sink and putting it in the fridge. I was a weird type of sick for about 4 weeks. It felt like mono. I was also very naive.
-The bus is fun to ride. It really is interesting. You see lots of characters.
-The movies that premier are super super super late compared to the states. The Dictator is coming out here next week! Can't wait! Although in seriousness, the mega blockbusters like Batman come out day of.
-Lines generally don't exist- this makes me mad a bit too often.
-The empanadas are amazing.
-We have been pregaming most weekend nights at a buddies house drinking $1 24 oz Pilsner and Club Verdes. These have been fun times.
-Met a few more gringos (One Brit, one girl from France, one Dutch guy, and 3 more Americans) and played a really fun game of beer pong on Friday. Haven't played that since I've been here. I also came close to adopting a street cat that hopped the fence and came into the party and didn't leave my side. Was interesting because not once has it ever crossed my mind to get a cat since I have always had dogs. I guess it just wanted attention- lots of street animals which is interesting to me.
-Not sure if cool to say, I drink, that is about it at this point, but all other substances are very common and very cheap. Finding out this more everyday, everywhere, with everyone!
-There is a a very large skate park in the Sol are of the city. It is really huge.
-Liquor has just become a tad bit more expensive. The president passed a law to tax all alcohol imports a crazy amount.
-Girls don't know what the pill is. (exaggeration maybe but I am sure lots don't, I had a situation and had to ask and she just laughed, like **** you. And then waited a day to tell me she had her period already)
-The malls are always very crowded but few people ever buy anything. I don't know how the stores stay in business.
-It is very common for a bar owner or group of owners to buy a place, make it the **** for 3 months, and then let it die slowly while opening a new place and doing the same thing over and over with different spaces to keep revenue coming in.
-When I eat a late lunch at a place I go often, (place from the first post), the owner gives me the table in front of the TV with the remote.
-Lots of girls have babies young. More generally in the lower and middle classes, and not as much as Mexicans, but it is definitely in their blood to pop them out.
-Sometimes it is hard to tell if a girl at a club is a high end prepago (escort), just hot, or both depending on the night. I think the latter is the case with most of them. One night they are working and another night they are out and just chilling and wouldn't charge a dime if you macked them. I find this very weird and confusing.
-One of these types of girls who had just moved down from Colombia was with a few girlfriends at a place called Rum, that on Thursday nights seems to have a very large amount of prepagos. It was clear that this girl (who was an 11) was but also that she liked my friend. He disappeared and told me she just walked up to him and said I'm bored take me home, slept over and said, no like that I would never charge, and stayed at his house until Saturday morning. Until his real girlfriend got back from her trip to New York.
-All guys cheat here from what I can tell. 80 percent of girls cheat or would cheat here.
-Machismo is so king here it governs all social interactions.
-It is still hard to wrap my head around.
-If customer service was important here, you could probably make a fortune running a U.S. based consulting firm for restaurants. I know I could given so much time in the industry. But since they don't give two ****s about service or don't expect it, it's hard to think restaurants would take from their small profits to pay for an expense like this.
-Come January through May, it gets very hot here.
-so many small little things, both good and bad, encouraging and frustrating, make it really interesting to be here as a gringo.
