The Old and the New

One of the most striking aspects of Ecuador is the seemingly two different Ecuador’s developing side by side. The old and the new.  Coming from the United States, which is a highly developed and regulated country, and going to a country such as Ecuador, the differences were clearly visible. Seeing the indigenous women all over the city selling their food, handicrafts, and tending their stores alongside the a typical mestizo Ecuadorean is quite striking. It seems as though the city and Ecuador is developing around many of the indigenous peoples and the more traditional culture. This can be seen with the omnipresent street vendors and typical panaderias and the market. But the similarities between the young people of the United States and the young people of Ecuador are amazing. Having the new Blackberry is very important, along with the nice new shoes or clothes. It is amazing to go to a giant market and walk through and see vendor after vendor selling North American clothes and brands at prices that are often much higher than in the US. One thing I have learned from the people here is the false perception that the only brands that are worth buying or are of good quality are from the United States or Europe. This is not limited to clothes. All of the popular brands of shaving cream or deodorant are everywhere and at much higher prices. It is interesting to see globalization first hand everywhere you look. Because much of the technology and goods are imported to Ecuador, there are high taxes on many of the electronic goods. It is common to see goods that would be relatively cheap in the United States for more than double the price. Thinking about the cost of these perceived necessities is very sad considering the typical person only makes about 250 dollars. The force of consumerism is certainly powerful and likely hurting many people who are required to take out loans and spend incredible amounts of money for things that they believe they need. With this shift, it is interesting to notice the merging of old and new. Change does not happen over night, so there is still an incredible level of uniqueness and a glimpse into what life was like in the old days. The interesting aspect of globalization and change in a less developed country is the mixing of old and new, and the gradual but profound change that occurs as time goes on. It is a unique experience to leave the United States and see common products being highly sought after being so expensive. Globalization is certainly a powerful force.