Quito vs. The Rest of the Country

Quito vs. the rest of the country

It’s easy to forget that I live in a developing country when I’m in the sheltered paradise of my apartment complex and surrounding neighborhood. But I don’t want to forget…

The Ecuador I have described thus far in my posts is the Ecuador of the elite, those, like myself, who can afford to live just blocks from beautiful green space, huge shopping malls with any product you could ever think you needed or wanted, restaurants serving delicious international cuisine.

On a walk yesterday through my neighborhood, I passed a pet grooming and dog clothing boutique. This, in a country where most dogs are lucky to get a few scraps a day, are subject to abuse and belong to no one.

Another irony was the “Eating Lite” restaurant I passed. Full of diet menu items-sugar-free this and that. In a country where for most of the poor population, getting enough calories is not the problem (a typical plate of a poor family might be piled high with rice along with a side of potatoes and plantains), but getting enough balanced nutrients is. Protein and veggies are lacking in the diet of many. Malnutrition is the problem.

I’ve done the Peace Corps thing before-fleas, dirt floor, latrine, no showers. I don’t want to live that way again. But, visiting my village and friends I have in the jungle will be a good reminder for me of how simply most of Ecuador (and really the whole world) lives. It is a totally different world.