What I Won’t Miss About Living in Ecuador

- The diversity of people (predominantly one ethnicity unlike the melting pot in the States)

- Being stared at for being “tall” and “blonde”

- Having to watch my step, worry about breaking my ankle walking on the sidewalk

- Whistles, Car Horns/Alarms, Random Firework Shows every single night

- The no sense of time philosophy shared by every Ecuadorian

- Stores opening and closing whenever they feel like it

- Having to pay for “agua sin gas” (water) at every meal

- Holding my backpack like it was a baby on the bus in fear of it being slashed (aka having to be overprotective of belongings)

- Public breast-feeding

- Public urination

- Being asked for change when I presented a $5 bill or larger

- Nescafe or any of their coffee

- Fake ketchup

- The supermarket being crowded at any time of day

- Lack of personal space

- Coup Attempts

- Squeezing onto the buses and being packed lack a sardine

- The fact that insulation did not exist in the houses, meaning it felt like the Arctic in my bedroom

- The machismo personality (gawking and throwing pick-up lines at every ‘pretty’ girl)

- No seat-belts, No speed limits, No rules of the road

- Having to dart out of the ways of cars, not having the right of way as a pedestrian

- Having to throw away the toilet paper in a trash can rather than in the toilet

- Not having hot water in the faucets or showers (electric showers)

- Indoor smoking is still allowed in business/bars

- Having to haggle for anything (food, taxi fare, any item you wanted to purchase)

- Being begged for money at every corner, street light or on the bus

- Being sold/or asked to buy candy or food at every corner, street light or on the bus

- The lack of seasons

- Having to see stray dogs and homeless everywhere

- Lack of any spicy food

- Rice

- Not being able to eat salad for fear of contracting a parasite

- Slow walkers – they definitely take their time getting to and from places

- The scary stories of rape, robberies, slashed purses, drugs, etc

- Wondering whether or not the laundry people actually washed my clothes or not

- Being told not to walk around at night after 7 pm by myself

- No sense of common courtesy (knowing what the point of a line means, waiting your turn)

- The mission it is to pickup a package

- Overpriced imports (candy from the United States)

- Lack of laundry machines in the house, having to take it to the cleaners who may or may not even wash them