Gringolandia
So I started writing this blog this morning, but yet again everything went hay wire and instantly deleted. Awesome. So here we go again.
This October Ecuador is launching their political elections. They sure have a lot to choose from. There are more than 12 political parties and something like 20 candidates. The election is decided in two waves. The first narrows everything down to 2 candidates and then they duke it out to decide a winner.
The first interesting thing is the fact that people are super gung ho about the elections. For example, Yesterday I was driving around with my family members in their white truck. As we were driving along, a car-avan passed with every car supporting one of the members, Correa. Apparently he is a communist and also my family loves him. So while my family is driving by my host mom proceeds to play bump ba da bump bump, bump bump on the car horn-FOR TWENTY MINUTES. Super excited to see their candidates´caravan.
Other random observations: One of the candidates is a bannana mogul. He drives around the country of Ecaudor dumping food on all of the poor people and they love him for it. However, apparently this candidate was dropped on his head one two many times and may or may not have done some ¨stuff¨as a young man and now has the capacity of Forrest Gump. Another candidate is actually a woman believe it or not. Her Television commericial is classic. She basically bombs around on a horse for 30 seconds in beautiful campo de Ecuador.
Another aspect of the election that is mildly intimidating is the amount of Anti-American sentiment. Though I have not had too too many conversations with people about America, most of them have been extremely negative. The distaste for our current president is rampant and almost vehement. This makes me mildly confused since so many of the past Ecuadorian candidates have been so terrible in the past as well-my host mom uttered Óh how I hate you for robbing my country¨as we passed the congress here in Quito. The other aspect of American culture that is despised is the Free Trade proposal. They call it, the tratado de libre commercial, the tratado de leones corruptos, which means the agreement of corrupt lions.
However, though many people hate Bush and the US government, they truly hate the attacks on 9-11. My family was riveted to hear my account of 9-11, and also offered their own account, which strangely mirrored mine. Basically they sat riveted to the TV and watched the news all day.
The other thing I have noticed is Ecuadorian affection for American movies. Everyone knows all of the actors, have seen all of the movies, and their is even one channel called Cinecanal that shows American movies in English with Spanish subtitles all day. I actually just watched Hugh Jackman battle monsters last night during a showing of Van Helsing.
Other random thoughts:
The pipes here are not equipped to handle toilet paper. Thus every toilet has a small waste basket next to it where people deposit their used TP
As stated before I am very tall. Never quite gets old.
There is a store in Quito called ´The American Store¨and it is filled with Flag print shirts and dockers.
Food is incredibly inexpensive. A four course meal: appetizer, soup, main course, and dessert, costs a mere 3 dollars at a local Cuban restaurant called Caloeche.
It is extremely hard being a girl here. The men cat call and stare like crazy-unless said girl is standing next to a 6 foot 2 220 pound male. Your welcome ladies. Gringo men are called upon to be chivalrous like they never are in the states, which is actually kind of refreshing.
People here love to dance. Nonostop. all the time. They also enjoy making fun of gringoes who can´t dance. That´s when I love to strut my booty shaking skills honed in the fraternity basements of Dartmouth.
All right I have had great luck with this entry not deleting.
Que les vaya bien.
This October Ecuador is launching their political elections. They sure have a lot to choose from. There are more than 12 political parties and something like 20 candidates. The election is decided in two waves. The first narrows everything down to 2 candidates and then they duke it out to decide a winner.
The first interesting thing is the fact that people are super gung ho about the elections. For example, Yesterday I was driving around with my family members in their white truck. As we were driving along, a car-avan passed with every car supporting one of the members, Correa. Apparently he is a communist and also my family loves him. So while my family is driving by my host mom proceeds to play bump ba da bump bump, bump bump on the car horn-FOR TWENTY MINUTES. Super excited to see their candidates´caravan.
Other random observations: One of the candidates is a bannana mogul. He drives around the country of Ecaudor dumping food on all of the poor people and they love him for it. However, apparently this candidate was dropped on his head one two many times and may or may not have done some ¨stuff¨as a young man and now has the capacity of Forrest Gump. Another candidate is actually a woman believe it or not. Her Television commericial is classic. She basically bombs around on a horse for 30 seconds in beautiful campo de Ecuador.
Another aspect of the election that is mildly intimidating is the amount of Anti-American sentiment. Though I have not had too too many conversations with people about America, most of them have been extremely negative. The distaste for our current president is rampant and almost vehement. This makes me mildly confused since so many of the past Ecuadorian candidates have been so terrible in the past as well-my host mom uttered Óh how I hate you for robbing my country¨as we passed the congress here in Quito. The other aspect of American culture that is despised is the Free Trade proposal. They call it, the tratado de libre commercial, the tratado de leones corruptos, which means the agreement of corrupt lions.
However, though many people hate Bush and the US government, they truly hate the attacks on 9-11. My family was riveted to hear my account of 9-11, and also offered their own account, which strangely mirrored mine. Basically they sat riveted to the TV and watched the news all day.
The other thing I have noticed is Ecuadorian affection for American movies. Everyone knows all of the actors, have seen all of the movies, and their is even one channel called Cinecanal that shows American movies in English with Spanish subtitles all day. I actually just watched Hugh Jackman battle monsters last night during a showing of Van Helsing.
Other random thoughts:
The pipes here are not equipped to handle toilet paper. Thus every toilet has a small waste basket next to it where people deposit their used TP
As stated before I am very tall. Never quite gets old.
There is a store in Quito called ´The American Store¨and it is filled with Flag print shirts and dockers.
Food is incredibly inexpensive. A four course meal: appetizer, soup, main course, and dessert, costs a mere 3 dollars at a local Cuban restaurant called Caloeche.
It is extremely hard being a girl here. The men cat call and stare like crazy-unless said girl is standing next to a 6 foot 2 220 pound male. Your welcome ladies. Gringo men are called upon to be chivalrous like they never are in the states, which is actually kind of refreshing.
People here love to dance. Nonostop. all the time. They also enjoy making fun of gringoes who can´t dance. That´s when I love to strut my booty shaking skills honed in the fraternity basements of Dartmouth.
All right I have had great luck with this entry not deleting.
Que les vaya bien.
posted by ecuadortraveler at 3:07 PM
3 Comments:
I think that Ally{s experience in Spain helps her a lot with the viejos verdes and their ridiculous onslaughts. I try to walk her everywhere as much as I can though. Say hi to the fam for me.
Very interesting comments about their takes on the U.S., I recall my time spent with a New Zealand family when the son asked me if I (or my friends) carried guns around all the time. Perspective is a fascinating device when you learn just how and why it is adjusted with a simple statistic read or tragedy witnessed on TV.
I'm really enjoying what your putting down and I'm really excited for you and Ally. Chicago seems so mundane without you two and I really miss playing golf with you and drinking Old Styles. But it's good to know the natives over there are getting served by the Kanedogg fratguy shoulder shake. I think that's what it's called? Either way, keep em coming. Miss you guys.
P.S. I was looking at the Satellite shots of Quito on Google Maps. Was wondering where your turf was?
Fratty and Donny-great to hear from both of you guys. Funny that you mention chavez and venezuela. it´s actually pretty mixed reactions, but some people really do support him. in fact one person was even so bold as to defend the farq in colombia as a peace seeking organization. unreal. as for our turf the main area is called the mariscal-it´s kind of a touristy area that gets real sketch at night. as quito looks like a long snake, the mariscal is pretty much toward the middle. it is an area of town called quito moderno. i live in quito norte which is a hike and the main soccer stadium is about six or seven bus stops north of us. Great to hear from both of you guys.
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