The Scoop on Ecuadorian Junk Food

I’ll admit... this title is a bit misleading.  Most of the junk food that exists in Ecuador is the same junk food that exists in the United States.  What makes it Ecuadorian is the experience of choosing and buying it, AKA the ridiculously low price of it and the fact that it is (dangerously) available on practically every street corner. Lucky for you, you’ve got me to help you navigate through all your future guilty Ecuadorian junk food purchases.  Let’s dive in.

Pictured below is your typical corner store. There’s usually a fridge for ice cream, a fridge for drinks, racks for cookies, crackers and chips and shelves for the 18+ items (mainly boxed wine – which tastes like the box itself - and the occasional bottle of liquor). To avoid early onset diabetes (which is a serious impending doom many tourists face upon arrival because of the prevalence of such corner stores), I’ve detailed some do’s and don’ts, some price ranges and some tricks and tips to help you out.

Perhaps what makes junk food purchases the most difficult here is that nutrition facts are fairly nonexistent.  Some products contain nutrition facts, but the majority of them just have labels in red, yellow or green that tell you that a product is alto, medio or bajo (high, medium or low) in sal, grasa or azucar (salt, fat, sugar).  Kiss your concrete numbers good bye; Ecuador only gives you a rough idea of how much damage you’re doing to your arteries.  I know it’s hard, but you’re going to have to exercise all the self-control you promised yourself you’d have…from all your New Years’ Resolutions combined.

Ice cream:

Topsy Bars

Your typical vanilla ice cream and chocolate shell.  Particularly dangerous because it can be finished in about 5 bites and only costs $0.30… which naturally begs the question… why not just buy two?  Sixty cents and 10 bites? That math totally adds up.

Magnum

These are a splurge. Think designer ice cream bars.  Comes in either coffee-chocolate or strawberry.  I have yet to hear praise for the strawberry bar, so if it’s a treat yo’self day and you’re willing to drop the $1.25, pick the former.

Bon ice

These might single-handedly be fueling the energy of the youth of Ecuador. $0.15 ice pops.  All flavors… and practically all you can eat because of the price. Perfect for if you need a lil’ somethin’ somethin’ that’s cold.

Topsy Cones

One-buck-chuck’s. Fairly fancy: cone with ice cream and chocolate syrup, sometimes with M&Ms on top. Sometimes get soggy in the packaging and never truly fills me up. Not sure about the calories, but I tend to think it’s more economical to get two of the Topsy Bars instead… and still have change to spare!

Drinks:

Soda

Usual suspects are available.  250mL bottles all the way up to the 2L bad boys.  You can feel less guilty and quench your caffeine cravings all for $0.50!

Water 

Hardly ever more than $0.50, unless you’re in a particularly touristy area.  No excuse not to hydrate.

Guitig

Carbonated water.  When you ask for water it’s important to specify “sin gas” or “con gas.” Don’t forget that detail!

Manzana Soda

(Apple Soda).  Step awayyyy from the bottle.  It’s a horrendous combination of sugar and DayQuil and food coloring.  They love it here. I guarantee you won’t.

220V

Energy drink.  Also tastes like liquid candy.  Far better flavor than Manzana, though.  Chances are, if you need the energy that badly, you’ll endure the sugar overload.

Snacks:

Crackers

Ritz are available, as are Salticas (think Ecuadorian Ritz knock-off).  Prices are usually about the same…Salticas are slightly healthier (smaller in size, less buttery).  Of all the snacks to buy at a tienda, I recommend staying away from crackers.  You will inevitably come down with a stomach bug in your time here and end up on a strict cracker diet.  Best not to get sick of them before they’re all you eat for a week straight.

Oreos 

Rather dangerous because they are only $0.50.  Almost never Doubled Stuffed, so in my humble Oreo connoisseur opinion, no sense in bothering with plain old Oreos, even if they are only fifty cents.

Chips Ahoy

Hard to come by! If you see them, don’t think twice! Buy them!!

Amor Wafers 

Never a bad choice.  You can have your pick from vanilla, chocolate, lime and strawberry.  Solid impulse-buy.

Chifles

Banana chips. Probably one of the best purchases you could make from a tienda. They come in personal bags as well as family size bags.  Be prepared for the addiction. Don’t say I didn’t warn you. Picante (or spicy) chifles are the move if you want a little more zest in your life.  

Yucca Chips

Stay away from these. They are merely a constant disappointment when compared to the magic of chifles.

K-Chitos

Essentially cheese doodles.  Stable party snack.  Great to munch on on long bus rides.  Majority of the time we only buy them because we like saying “K-Chitos.”

Yogurt

Comes in small packages (think Danimals) or bigger containers with granola or cookies on top. Great idea if you’re in a hurry and want to pretend you’re being healthy.  Just be warned that these containers come with a plastic spoon (a VERY TINY plastic spoon), so it will certainly take you longer than you’d like to finish this yogurt.

Candy:

Manicho

$0.50 chocolate and peanut bars.  Life-changing. Ecuadorians like to hold them in their hands for a while until they melt and then eat them like Go-Gurt. I prefer my chocolate bars solid, but if you’re feeling adventurous, I say go for it. As if a $0.50 chocolate bar wasn’t problematic enough, Manicho also comes in King Size boxes with at least 10 bars in them, for about $2.  Self-control, people.

Lollipops (Chupetes)

Another $0.15 purchase.  Generally only available in flavors like cherry and grape. Unless you’re a lollipop addict, need to use up the 15 pennies you have lying around or have a small child to please, you can generally stay away from chupetes.

Kit-Kats and M&Ms

They exist, but taste different.  If you’re really missing chocolate from home, buy it, but chances are you’ll be slightly disappointed.  Stick to Manicho.

Panaderias:

If you’re lucky (or unlucky depending on how you see it) many tiendas double as panaderias, or bakeries. It is nearly impossible to walk by a panaderia and not stop in to make a quick, guilty purchase after being unwillingly subjected to the heavenly scent of the sweet, fresh bread.  What’s worse, almost every piece of bread costs a mere $0.30.  Better start lovin’ your love handles.  Below is a quick list of the usual carbolicious teases you’ll encounter:

Standard rolls

Come in white or wheat.  Always soft and warm.  Sometimes come in other shapes (braids, buns, etc.)  

Pineapple or guava bread

More like a pastry (on the flakier side). Has a sweet yellow filling (can be pineapple or guava).  Both are delicious… if you’ve got allergies to either one, make sure you ask before just blindly grabbing something!

Cheese bread

These are usually called empanadas (even though they look like your standard roll).  They come with sugar on top, which is an incredible combination with the salty cheese. This is highly recommended!!

Croissants

Flakey, buttery, soft and warm.  There is really no better combination of adjectives.  Croissants are obviously delicious, but for the sense of practicality, I’d avoid staying away from them because there’s no neat way to eat a croissant.  If you grab one to eat on the bus, only 50% of it will end up in your stomach… the other 50% will end up on your stomach.

Chocolate bread

This is a bit of a disappointment.  It always looks better than it tastes.  I’m not sure what it is about the chocolate that’s used for this bread… but it usually lets me down.

Corn muffins

It’s not very often that you see these, so if you do stumble upon it, by all means BUY IT AND EAT IT!

Consider spending some time in Ecuador to try these tasty treats yourself! Learn more about Manna Project's volunteer opportunities on with our upcoming online info session on Monday, November 21st at 8PM EST. Join the Info Session here: https://global.gotomeeting.com/join/766371197 

Seventy-Two Memorable Hours in Colombia

One of the many perks of being a Program Director is being able to travel around and outside of Ecuador on our off days.  I fully took advantage of this during the holiday weekend of Guayaquil’s Independence by traveling to Colombia.  As both a history and current events buff, I knew Colombia would make an interesting trip because of its recent developments in finalizing a peace deal with its long-time civil war opponent Fuerzas Armadas Revolucionarias de Colombia (FARC).

It would not have been possible to truly see the beauty of Bogotá and the areas surrounding it without the help of hostel owner, Lili.  While I was there, she was also hosting study abroad students from Mexico and a backpacker from Finland.  Lili showed complete Colombian hospitality with the added bonus of helping me practice my conversational Spanish and pronunciation.

                                                        Vincent and Lili

                                                        Vincent and Lili

Early on my first morning, I left the city and traveled north to Zipaquirá to visit Catedral de Sal. Yes, you read that right: an underground salt cathedral in a cave. After a tour of the cathedral, I walked around the historic center and enjoyed some true Colombian arepas.

On my second day, I traveled just an hour outside Bogotá to a town called Choachí, which holds the tallest waterfall in Colombia (La Chorrera).  It stands at 590 meters (1935 feet) and is such a beautiful sight to behold.  Lili brought some of the other hostel guests on a day trip of hiking and swimming.  La Chorrera was one of the most incredible landscapes I’ve seen, and I was so surprised that I didn’t see more tourists along the hike coming to visit such a natural wonder.

Of course, a trip to Colombia wouldn’t be complete without a visit to the Historic Center.  This was an area I was looking forward to seeing, not only because of its history but also because of the high attention it's been given during Colombia’s recent political developments.  We made our way through museums, some of Bogotá’s first restaurants, oldest universities and colonial-era government buildings. Perhaps most interesting was passing the peaceful campers protesting in Bolívar Square.

Despite only spending three days in Colombia, I was quickly able to realize how warm-hearted Colombians are and how deep of a history Colombia has. I will always be grateful to Lili for making my trip unforgettable, and I hope to return as soon as I can.  

See yourself spending a weekend in Colombia? Apply now! 

Climbing Guagua Pichincha

Where do I even begin to explain the day I decided to climb a 4781m mountain-volcano-crater combo? Let’s start with its name, shall we? Aside from its alliteration and rhyme scheme being on point, it’s also a chance for you to pick up some Ecuadorian slang, so pay close attention! The mountain we climbed is called Guagua Pichincha; guagua is a word for baby (although the mountain was anything but a baby).  The name stems from some riveting folklore (that I’ve already forgotten because my guide explained it to me when I was thousands of feet in the air and completely out of breath) involving alien abduction, a worried father, and some drama with the surrounding sibling mountains. Guambrita, or guambra, is another Andean term used to describe a “youthful” person. So, to translate: American Youth Takes on Baby Mountain Volcano Thing. Now that that’s cleared up, we can dive into the actual events of the day.  

To start, let me share a little bit about me.  I’m athletically challenged, I have a slight fear of heights and I hate the outdoors. Given these characteristics, it is questionable as to why I decided to put on a helmet and harness and wrap myself in ropes to risk my little life scaling rocks for hours. I actually had no idea what I was signed up for until morning of when I decided (unfortunately) to google what the mountain actually was.  That’s when I found out that good ol’ Guagua Pichincha was actually an active volcano (but that I shouldn’t worry because its last eruption was all the way back in 1999).  A Wikipedia page had never freaked me out so much. 

Despite that “minor” concern, we were certainly given the best conditions for the climb.  We left at about 7am to begin the 2-hour drive through Quito to the reserve at the base of the mountain. It was quite possibly the clearest day I have ever seen ever in Ecuador. We were able to see every mountain and volcano across the horizon, including Chimborazo (the highest volcano in Ecuador and hardest to climb). There are almost no words to explain how incredible that view was; photos can barely do it justice.  

Upon reaching the reserve we were met by a team of mountain guides training for their International Guide certification. They handed us all of our (somewhat terrifying) equipment and we began almost immediately with the rock-scaling.  It was uphill for hours.  We were attached to our guides by ropes; they would go ahead up a rock face and after being given the “all clear” we would follow.  I was lucky enough to have Diego, one of the best rock climbers, as my mountain guide.  He was extremely patient with my lack of rock climbing grace, especially when I was expected to take bigger steps than my tiny legs could reach.  Every now and then we’d stop to eat a quick snack, grab some water and take in the views.  The higher up we climbed, the colder it got and the harder it was to breathe.  Great combination, I know.

Everything was a first for me that day. Everything. From the incredibly unstylish orange helmet to the act of wearing a harness to the rock climbing itself to the REPELLING DOWN THE SIDE OF A CLIFF. Yup, you read that right.  My life was completely in Diego’s hands every time I had to repel. 

Aside from a few scrapes and bruises and an unbelievably sore body, I made it out on top – literally. We climbed three different summits that day, and each one was more incredible than the previous one.  None of my friends or family could believe that I actually climbed a mountain when I told them.  I do know one thing though – I’d DEFINITELY do it all over again. All of it: the repelling, the tripping down the mountain during the descent (even with walking poles) and the seeing my life flash before my eyes every 30 seconds.  I’ve never been more proud of myself than I was that day. I highly recommend climbing something, anything, while in Ecuador, especially if it’s out of your comfort zone.  I promise it will change your life.  

See yourself climbing mountains in Ecuador? Apply now! 

A Beginner’s Guide to Riding the Bus in Ecuador

The bus is definitely the most widely used form of public transportation in Ecuador. What’s it like to ride the buses of Ecuador? Fantastic question. Wonder no longer, I have the inside scoop for you.  What follows is an in-depth breakdown of what to expect on a bus ride, from embarkation to disembarkation, including the key characters you’ll encounter along your journey.

Let’s start with getting on the bus. Most bus routes have established bus stops, but know that you can pretty much make any spot on the street your own personal bus stop.  Here, we “hail” buses the same way we hail cabs: raise your hand out in the street, and the bus driver will know to stop.  I use the term “stop” lightly because the buses of Ecuador never truly stop.  You will never get on or off a bus that isn’t still moving.  While we’re on the subject, allow me to introduce you to your first character in the comedy of errors that is your bus ride: The Driver.

The Driver

His main responsibilities include driving the bus and opening the front and back doors. Usually, he is good about doing the latter because there are buttons passengers can press to alert him to open the door.  Sometimes though, passengers just yell “Gracias!” to get his attention, and he eventually opens the door.  The driver is also (apparently) responsible for never truly stopping, for speeding up right before speed bumps and for cutting every turn REALLY close, especially when passing other buses.

At night, most of the buses have unnecessarily flashy colorful lights on the outside and inside (which I assume is controlled by the driver), and on long bus rides, many buses play movies with obnoxiously loud volume (which I also assume is controlled by the driver… who probably just selfishly wants to hear what’s happening).  You will have almost no contact with the driver along your Ecuadorian Bus Journey, but I figured he was worth mentioning in case you had any curiosity about who the man behind the wheel was.

In reality, the driver is merely a figurehead.  The true person running the show is our next character, The Ayudante.

The Ayudante

The driver’s right-hand man.  Responsible for collecting the bus fare (or pasajes) from every passenger (an extremely difficult job if you remember that they have to walk on a moving (and often really crowded) bus with a handful of coins to collect fare and give change.  Of course, the ayudante (the Spanish word for helper) expertly holds two stacks of coins in his palm and folds either a $20 bill or a $10 and keeps it weaved in his fingers.  Ayudantes are usually seen repping their respective buses by wearing polos with the bus name embroidered on them.  Although I’ve been using the pronoun “he”, every now and then you will be pleasantly surprised by a female ayudante (who usually accessorizes her uniform with a jacket and fanny pack).

IMG_9956.JPG

Other responsibilities of the ayudante include wiping off the fog from the windshield and doors of the bus, yelling to the driver when he should stop/can keep driving and yelling at passengers to get on or off the bus.  Upon waving a bus down, the first person to hop off the bus will be the ayudante who will say the following, repeating phrases in rapid fire Spanish: “Suba! Suba! Suba! Siga no mas!”, which both essentially mean “climb up/get on.”  This is always particularly comical to me because this is partially what makes the Ecuadorian bus experience seem like such a rushed affair.  Of course I’m going to get on the bus! What else did you think I was going to do?? Sit here and ponder whether or not to get on?? Just give me a second, gosh!

It is, of course, worth mentioning that despite the average height of this country being well under 5’6”, the stairs on the buses are HUGE steps, making it quite impossible to “suba” as quickly as the ayudantes order you to.  It is also worth mentioning that the ayudantes are responsible for grabbing toddlers that are trying to get on and off the bus and helping them.  None of the parents seem to mind that a total stranger is grabbing their children and helping them on or off a vehicle that is still moving, so I guess it is a welcomed service.

So you’ve ascended the stairs. You grab onto the handlebars attached to the ceiling while the bus wildly swings left and right.  If you’re unlucky, the bus is packed and you’re crammed against some of the characters I’m about to mention.  If you have things in your hand, you simultaneously juggle them while finding your change to give the ayudante when he or she circles around and asks for it. If you’re lucky, the bus is not too crowded and you’re able to stumble to your seat and more comfortably look for your pasaje in your wallet.  The main question is- where do you sit?

The front is not ideal for a variety of reasons.  If you are claustrophobic, it can seem crowded in the front when people are waiting to get off.  If you are a nervous person, you probably don’t want to see how close the driver always comes to almost hitting other buses. If you are an impatient person, you don’t want to be directly behind the driver’s seat because there is usually a wall there that blocks your view.  Finally, if you are an easily frustrated person, you probably don’t want to read the signs that encourage you to wear your seat belt (because there aren’t any) or the signs that discourage you from getting on or off a moving bus (because you have no choice in this matter).  So the front is out.

The back is also not ideal for a variety of reasons.  To start, it’s treacherous to walk on a moving Ecuadorian bus.  Unless you’re an ayudante, you should try to minimize your time spent walking in the aisle. Next, in the same way the front gets crowded, the back does as well because there’s a back door.  At times, the driver forgets to close the back door so you will often be subjected to the elements (rain and wind). Finally, the back of the bus is the least smooth ride out of all the seating options.

This leaves us to pull a Goldilocks and sit right in the middle. This gives you the vantage point you need, the space you want and the perfect amount of life or death time spent walking in the aisle.

Now you’re sitting in your seat. Different buses have different seat cushions and window decoration combos. (Trust me, you’ll KNOW if your bus is a fancy new one with leather seats, or if it’s been in circulation for a while and needs a tune up.) You pay the ayudante and now have time to people-watch until you have to get up and get off.  Who’s around you?

The Sleeping Old Guy 

Does exactly as his name suggests. No surprise there. Usually is wearing a felt fedora and a sweater vest.  Generally not problematic unless he stops leaning against the window and starts leaning on your shoulder in his sleep.  I mean, who wants to push a sleeping old guy off their shoulder? It just seems cruel.

The Lady with the Huge Sacks Stuff

This lady doesn’t usually sit, because of her huge bags (of vegetables, of blankets, of fruits, of plants).  If she’s an older woman, most people will help her out with carrying her things and offer her their seat. This woman is usually harmless, unless in her huge bags she has other contents, bringing me to our next character…

The Lady with the Live Chickens

Oh yes, she exists. You don’t know what’s in the bags until they move… or make noise…or both.

The Guy with the Adorably Small Animals

One of my favorite frequent flyers.  Bonus points if the guy is cute.  Typically carries tiny puppies, but sometimes these guys also have little kittens.

The Students

These troublemakers come in waves based on the time of day.  If school just let out or is about to start, prepare yourself for an influx of students in matching uniforms popping gum, laughing and listening to music. They’re generally mellower in the morning before school.  But if you’re on the bus in the afternoon, forget it.

The Salesperson

Can be any age and any gender.  Typically gets on the bus from the front entrance and gives a schpeel on what they’re selling and why.  Merchandise ranges from fruit to candy to gum to pencils to highlighters to homemade ice cream. After the schpeel, the salesperson will walk up and down the aisles offering his products to the passengers. At times, the passengers take the products, and when the salesperson returns they either pay him for it or just give it back.

The Entertainer

My personal favorite.  Has a boombox and sings or raps over music.  At times brings a guitar.  After the performance, he walks down the aisle to collect donations from passengers.

Finally, thanks to the ayudante (who yells every single stop as you approach it) you realize your stop is the next one.  If you’re sitting in the aisle seat, it’s easy to get up.  If you’re sitting in the window seat you essentially climb over the person in the aisle seat (because they usually don’t get up for you).  I didn’t specifically profile this person, but I’d call them The Jerk if I were going to make such a profile. The Jerk is the umbrella term for anyone who sits in the aisle seat and won’t simply move into the window seat for you to sit next to them. Conversely, this person does not get up when you need to leave, either.

Anyways, you’re almost there. You climb over The Jerk and stumble into the aisle.  You keep stumbling down the stairs and hop off the bus that’s still moving.  Pro tip: walk off the bus with your right foot so that the bus doesn’t catch it while it’s moving forward.

And there you have it.  You just survived your first trip (and every succeeding trip because they are all the same) on an Ecuadorian bus.  Although this was a painstaking amount of detail, for further explanation, check out this video I’ve spliced together for your viewing pleasure.  

Lost In Translation

Mishaps in Communication

No trip to a foreign country is complete without its fair share of language blunders and miscommunications.  If you’re an MPI Program Director living in Ecuador for an extended period of time, there is even more time to adequately embarrass yourself.  Although we have all taken Spanish classes in school, the Spanish language has still managed to confuse, tongue-twist and humiliate us in ways we just had to share.

We have swallowed our pride to form this list of false cognates (Spanish words that sound/look like English words but have different meanings) that we have either used ourselves or felt the need to warn other English speakers about. The list is organized in categories of increasing embarrassment, so if you’re going to pay attention to any particular section, it should probably be the last one!

Food Faux Pas:

·      Atún: This means tuna. Don’t forget it.

·      Aceituna: This means olives. No clue who made that decision!

·      Sano:  This means healthy. So don’t get worried when it sounds like people are talking about the mental health of vegetables (sane).

·      Limón: Lime. Lemons don’t really exist in Ecuador, which I guess makes this a bit easier.  However, I have heard a lemon referred to as a lima before, which makes my head spin.

·      Sopa: This means soup.  Soap is jabón. This will prevent you from asking your hotel for Campbell’s to clean yourself off in the shower.

You’ve Just Gotta Laugh at These:

·      Bombero: Fireman. The good guys. Don’t panic when you hear this word. Okay, maybe you should panic a little…and probably evacuate your house… but for fire reasons, not for explosives.

·      Codo:  Elbow. You’ll never get the Wi-Fi code if you use this word to ask for it.

·      Bizarro: Brave or valiant.

·      Bizarre: Strange or weird.  Get these straight when trying to explain to your friends about a cute guy you recently met.

·      Constipado: Congested. Relax - the people around you aren’t trying to open up to you about their personal digestive issues; they just have colds.

·      Carpeta: Folder. Usually only a problem if you are a teacher, an employee in a paper store or a person trying to redecorate your home.

·      Vaso: Glass. You’ll be disappointed at the size of the vase they give you for your flowers if this is what you ask for.

·      Librería: Bookstore. (Library is biblioteca). Usually only problematic if you had been expecting to check out a book for free and get to the counter and are asked to pay.

·      Soportar: To tolerate. If someone says this about their opinions of your ideas, just know that it doesn’t mean they’re passionately jumping on the bandwagon.

Now That’s Just Cruel:

·      Billón: A trillion.

·      Mil: A thousand. Don’t even get me started about these.

·      Colegio: High School.

·      Bachillerato: High School Diploma. Yup, I’m sure there are many people in this country who think I am less educated than I actually am.

·      Estrechar: To reduce; narrow.

·      Estirar: To stretch. Told ya these were cruel.

These May Cause Some Problems:

·      Condescender: To consent to; to comply.  You should probably start taking notes now.

·      Delito: Crime. Not as delightful as we’d expected.

·      Fabrica: Factory.  If you go into a store asking for some of this, you may get way more than you had asked for…

·      Éxito: Success. In case of an emergency, although yes, you’d probably want success, I think what you’re really looking for is the salida.

·      Caliente: Hot… as in attractive. If it’s a hot day, say tengo calor. You’ll sound way more humble.

·      Discusión: Argument. I may suggest making flash cards at this point.

·      Grosería: Vulgarity; bad word. Don’t ask for this. It won’t make you many friends.  Ask instead for la tienda or el mercado.

You REALLY Don’t Want to Mess These Up:

·      Introducir: To insert. If you want to introduce your male friend to a girl, use presentar. This will keep you from getting slapped.

·      Embarazada: Pregnant. You’ll be way more embarrassed if you mess this up than you were at whatever caused you to use the false cognate in the first place.

·      Molestar: To annoy; to bother. Don’t call the police if you hear two young kids using this word. He probably just pulled her hair or took her toy.

·      Nudo: Knot.  Imagine the possibilities of messing this one up…

·      Excitado: Sexually aroused.  If you’re just excited to see your friends or family or to start your new job, use emocionado. This will save you a lot of strange looks.

We hope you have enjoyed reading some of our most embarrassing misuses of language here in Ecuador...you may want to study up if you plan to visit!