What People Get Wrong About Guayaquil

Being the planner I am, I read up on everything I could before heading to Ecuador. I knew the information wouldn’t be complete, but I was going to learn all I could. After just a few weeks in Guayaquil I was shocked at things that were not mentioned on any travel blogs that seemed like a big deal. Additionally, much of what I read was wrong or very out of date.

Ecuador, despite being small, is incredibly diverse. There are 5 different geographical regions that meet within the country’s borders. These areas are so different they affect the culture and day to day life of the residents. I think many of the errors stem from people visiting just one area or only tourist and expat destinations. That being said, I am living in the coastal region this semester in the country’s largest city. This area isn’t a popular place for most foreign tourists, although I think it should be. Here is what I and other exchange students in my program think most people misunderstand about Guayaquil.

CULTURE, PEOPLE, AND DAY TO DAY LIFE

People are very open and friendly. Much of what I read described Ecuadorians as being closed off and hard to make friends with initially. I thought this view probably came from the many expats who live in Cuenca and, sure enough, in my culture course we learned those who live in the Sierra tend to be more withdrawn.

Here in Guayaquil, making friends has been easier for me than ever before. My university has a great buddy program. We did activities around the city for a week before classes started. When the first day of school arrived, I felt awkward not knowing anyone, only to hear someone call my name and turn around to see my buddy. A few minutes later it happened again. After just one week I already had friends. Making friends with other students was a bit harder, but still easier than at home.

Many people speak English. It’s not common with the adults, but most people my age are fluent in English, know the basics, or are learning. People here love to vacation in the U.S., so many of them speak without an accent.

There is an obsession with the U.S. While Ecuadorians love their country, anything United States is considered cool and sought after. Miami is one of the most popular vacation destinations for those who can afford to travel internationally and one of the richest areas in Guayaquil is modeled after Miami. When I tell people where I’m from they usually ask if I’ve been to Miami and most of them have been more times than I have.

Any U.S. products are also sought after. Candy, clothing, electronics, backpacks, you name it, people want it. Even U.S. movies here are bigger than local movies. A few days ago I went to a film festival and watched the Ecuadorian film Minuto Final, Final Minute. It was the first film to be shot entirely with drones. The footage was enjoyable; I’d recommend my friends that don’t speak Spanish watch just to marvel at the cool effects achieved with drones. When I asked a local friend if we were at the first showing she replied that movie had been out for a month, but no one wanted to see it until it was shown for free at the festival.

I love that I can travel all over the world and have so many interests in common with people. It is ironic though that I can go to Ecuador and want to buy local goods as souvenirs and see local movies, while Ecuadorians go to my country and do the same in reverse. It definitely shows that we always want what we don’t have. Sometimes it seems like Ecuadorian culture is being taken over by the U.S. and I wonder if I were to come here in a few decades how much more reminiscent of the states it would be here. Some, upon hearing this, would scream cultural appropriation. The thing is, though, people here are very happy with things this way. It’s not just our companies’ advertising taking over a culture. People are actively seeking out our culture. People of a culture have the right to incorporate aspects of another culture and that’s a beautiful thing.

Not everyone here is poor. All the other exchange students in my group and I dealt with misconceptions when we announced our destinations. People hear “third world country” and automatically think of a documentary detailing the horrors of starving children in Africa. When dividing every country in the world into just two or three categories, the categories won’t reflect most of them well. Ecuador is in a different category from the U.S. and most popular study abroad destinations, but we are all comfortable here. Economic status is one of the hardest things to explain to people because it is judged completely differently here than at home. Some things cost more, while others cost less. There have been some differences to adjust to, of course, but, to give you a picture of what life is like here, we all have Wi-Fi in our homes. There’s also Wi-Fi in our school and on some bus stations.

There is a lot of variance in what is carried in stores. All stores have the basics, but beyond that what is available seems random. Just because something is available at one or two supermarkets doesn’t mean it is everywhere else and I learned that the hard way.

Clothing here is similar to what most of us wear. Online I found all these articles saying people here almost never wear shorts, even though it’s hot, because of the air conditioning. They made the style here seem incredibly modest. It is typical to wear capris or pants to work or school, but after hours and on the weekends shorts are a popular choice. Most of my friends and I wish we had brought more pairs.

It’s not always hot and humid. For one thing, it is winter here now. Winter in South America feels like a mild summer in Missouri. Most days the low hovers around seventy with the high in the mid to high eighties. Before leaving I compared the humidity here with where I was living in Missouri for a week and it was usually slightly lower in Guayaquil. When people heard how close to the water the city is, they assured me that I’d be dying in the humidity, but the river is one of the most comfortable places in the city because it has a nice breeze. It can even get chilly in the evening.

I feel safe here. Guayaquil used to have more crime, but things have improved. The reputation just needs to catch up with reality. You can read more about safety in this post from my blog and from this blog.

8-24 Los Ceibos 5

8-24 Los Ceibos 3

My neighborhood is beautiful and safe to explore, including at night.

NAVIGATION

You need change for the traditional taxis. They don't accept credit cards and don't always have change for larger bills.

Apps like Cabify and Uber are better than traditional taxis and safe. For one you don’t need change because your account is connected to your bank. Also, many traditional taxi drivers don’t have a GPS, which is built in to these apps.

Addresses don’t work. Not all streets have street signs and not all buildings have numbers. Even when there are house numbers and signs they are not always helpful or used. I recently got lost in a neighborhood because all the house numbers were out of order.

Taxi drivers don’t necessarily know the city well. I often share taxis with my friend who lives nearby to save money. On two different occasions a taxi driver suggested we go to her house first because it was closer, but we ended up passing my home on the way. After I spent some time studying a map I realized this was a ridiculous assumption. My house is on the edge of town and hers is more so; I’m closer to almost everything. Before coming or when you start to explore more places in the city look at a map and try to get an idea of what direction things are from your house.

It is also important to know how to get to your house and even the best taxi drivers will need directions. I find it simpler to type in the name of a store rather than my home address. With the store’s sign, drivers usually end up in the right spot and on the rare occasion I end up being driven by someone who gives me odd vibes I can get out at the store and not reveal where I live.

Buses are safer than their reputation would have you believe. I’ve been taking the Metrovia to school every day for a few weeks now without a single problem. I do keep a lock on my backpack when I have my laptop with me. I have even gone after dark without issue and a friend has travelled by bus through a bad part of town in the middle of the night just fine. Note she does not get off in the bad part of town, she passes through. The bus and Metrovia systems are confusing at first, so it is good to go with a local until you can figure out your route.

Gated communities are hard to get into. Before entering you need to know the name of the family you are visiting and maybe their house number. The guards at the entrance can give directions.

FOOD

Kit Kats taste different. Ecuadorian chocolate has its own flavor and the Kit Kats here have a recipe to give them more of that taste.

Even though American candy is popular it can be hard to find. After my harsh Kit Kat realization, I went looking for Twix. I found them immediately and assumed they were available everywhere, but as soon as I got another craving I found out many stores don’t carry them. Candy sections in most grocery stores are small by U.S. standards. Gas stations have a larger offering, but there are still items that simply don’t exist here. Two of my fruity favorites, Sprees and Sweet Tarts, none of my local friends had ever heard of.

Dr. Pepper and Mountain Dew aren’t available. There is one small chain in Guayaquil that carries Dr. Pepper and I haven’t found anywhere serving Mountain Dew. However, I have gotten to try new sodas like Fioravanti, which has a strawberry and apple flavor, and Inca Kola, which has a flavor reminiscent of Mountain Dew mixed with bubble gum. Yes, that sounds nasty, but it’s actually good. Also, fair warning, Fanta orange soda tastes different because it is made with real fruit juice.

People don’t eat that many vegetables here. Most of the staple items are carbs. There are salads at restaurants and lots of vegetables in grocery stores, but when eating out my American friends and I find it harder to get healthier food. There are healthy options they just aren’t always well rounded with vegetables.

Vegetarian options are hard to come by. The one vegetarian in my exchange program often orders meals without the meat, but still gets charged full price. Following diets or having particular eating habits that are normal at home is a common struggle abroad. I have a professor whose daughter went to Spain and had trouble getting enough to eat for her first month due to dietary restrictions. Eventually she found a market with options that fitted her and was okay. If this applies to you, research that what you want is available and affordable or consider how important this lifestyle is to you.

Spicy food isn’t that common. There are spicy sauces at every restaurant, but foods aren’t cooked spicy. This is something people assume is true for all of Latin and South America when it really doesn’t apply everywhere.