When I first started composing this post in my mind I titled it “Things we hate.” That reflected my state of mind at the time, and a few ugly experiences (my own and Doug’s) that had left us pondering whether we could make it another 6 months in Cuenca. The degree of annoyance varies from day to day… but here are a few of the things that make our experience more like reality and less like a promotion from the Ecuadoran Ministry of Tourism.
Dogs
Ecuadoran culture is experiencing a shift in its attitude toward pets. You see fancy pet stores, veterinarian offices and grooming studios, and some use of leashes with dogs. But the past attitude toward dogs - that they are helpful to guard property and can otherwise defend themselves – lingers, resulting in a large number of stray dogs. In addition, many “owned” dogs are turned out into the street during the day to do their business, meet up with their friends, and procreate. Even “new style” pet owners who dress their dogs in little coats and use a leash are unlikely to do any poop collection. The result? We’ve learned to assess which dogs lingering on the sidewalk are harmless, and which to avoid. We’ve had to teach Gabe to carry a small rock so he can pretend to throw it at a stray dog that gets too close, and actually throw it if needed. Doug has to time his runs to avoid the times when stray dogs do the most roaming. And all walks involves a lot of sidewalk vigilance to avoid the ever present poop. Now that I reflect on it I realize we must be adapting because it has been several months since I’ve had to take a stick to the bottom of a shoe. This series of photos was taken this afternoon during one walk around our block.
This one is hard to describe, and I suspect has more to do with different cultural constructs around courtesy or politeness than any intentional rudeness. Yet we often experience the way Cuencans act as having a lack of common courtesy. For example, people walking four abreast on the walking path, and not adjusting their spacing so others can get past. Cars darting past each other, or into the lane that should be for oncoming traffic, just to get through the intersection faster. People crowding around the bus door to get on, no sense of line or order (although women with babies/toddlers and older people will often be given preference). Or the one that bothers me the most: I’ll be standing in a store waiting my turn for something (say to recharge a bus card, or get a copy made), and someone bursts into the store, and announces what they need. They get served, and I’m left waiting. At times I’ll take the more assertive route, but it is still a stretch for me.
Pedestrian safety.
Or lack thereof. The concept of pedestrian safety is codified in Ecuadoran laws, but doesn’t exist in any recognizable form in daily reality. Yes there are stop signs at intersections, but drivers respond to them by slowing just enough to look for oncoming cars (NOT pedestrians), and then proceeding. Yes, there are cross walks and modern walk signals, but they are taken as suggestions by both drivers and pedestrians. The most considerate driver might see a pedestrian and give a little honk to warn them to get out of the way. The fact that I can count on one hand the times that a car has actually stopped at a cross walk and waved me forward is telling. Drivers often consider the sidewalk an extension of the street. One day on my way to work I was honked at by a car so that I would move off the sidewalk and allow it to get to the corner. The driver was trying to get out of his driveway onto the street, but preferred to use the sidewalk rather than wait for an opening in traffic. The following picture was taken by our bus stop yesterday when a car conveniently pulled onto the sidewalk just as I was pondering how to get a picture of this common event.
I think I mentioned in an early post that the roosters start crowing very early. I have to admit that I hardly even hear the roosters anymore. We routinely hear car alarms, house alarms, and lots of honking. And of course dogs barking. When I complained to Doug yesterday that the extremely loud house alarm in the house across the street that was going off all morning he responded, “was it? I don’t even hear it anymore”. Maybe we’re adjusting, or maybe we’re going deaf. But on those days that the annoyances build on each other, the cacophony of alarms and barks can put us over the edge.
Public Transportation.
It is ironic that this is one of our top annoyances because we chose Cuenca in part because of its comprehensive and accessible public transportation system. And it is true, we can get just about anywhere on the bus at a very reasonable price (25 cents per adult, 12 cents a kid). The buses are even equipped with card readers, so we don’t have to carry cash), and audio/visual systems that announce the current and upcoming stop. The problem is that the bus rides can be so unpleasant that sometimes we avoid them altogether. It seems that the bus drivers are incentivized based on the speed with which they finish their route, and without any consideration for the passengers or any notion of customer service. The buses themselves seem to have chronic transmission issues (or maybe it is driver error), making for a very jolting ride. And popular routes are often so packed that bus drivers skip stops to avoid picking up more passengers. They will stop a block early to let passengers off, and then charge past the stop. When they stop it is more like a pause. Disembarking passengers must be ready at the exit door and jump off quickly to get clear of the bus before it proceeds. And when boarding one must be ready to brace oneself immediately or risk being thrown by a sudden jolt. I’ve opted to walk to work (a nice 25 minute start to the day, provided I don’t step in dog poop), rather than deal with the overcrowded buses, or the frustration of watching multiple buses zoom by the bus stop. We’ve learned to avoid the busiest times, and to choose routes based on bus occupancy rather than the most direct route. Lucia has adapted by mastering the Ecuadoran Taxi hail, sometimes hailing taxis without us approving. Luckily taxis are cheap (usually less than $2), although the quality of the driving and the availability of working seatbelts varies greatly.
Specialized Shops
Don’t get me wrong, I love the fact that there are mom and pop stores for everything in Ecuador, and that people are able to run their businesses on the lower level of their home. But for a family with two working adults, only one of whom feels fully comfortable in Spanish, this results in a lot of time spent seeking out the store where we can a particular item. For example: grass seed and sand for a school project; a pillow that offers a reasonable level of support; socks for an eight year old boy that don’t cost a fortune but will last more than a month; tennis shoes in a women’s size 8 ½, guitar strings, contact lense solution, etc. On a good day these errands provide a fun adventure, and a sense of accomplishment when achieved. On a bad day they take several hours, crammed in between work and dinner preparation, involve a crowded bus ride to a store location that has been vaguely described by a co-worker, and sometimes end in something less than success (yes we have the specialized paper required for your child’s school project, but only in the lined version, not the graph paper. Or sure, we have that size shoe but only in imported brands and at twice the price you’d pay at home). AAAAARG.
En Fin
Facebook and blog posts are more fun to create, and I suspect to read, when they celebrate things that are nice, beautiful, or exciting. Hopefully this post provides a bit of balance, and a peek into the less glamorous and sometimes very annoying side of our daily experience. I think it is safe to say we are getting what we hoped when it comes to experiencing the challenging as well as the beautiful aspects of residing in Ecuador.