Just some thoughts...

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Learning about and participating with other cultures is always an eye opening experience that can change one’s personal outlook on life and the world, give light to other perspectives and enhances one’s appreciation of cultural similarities and differences. These experiences can sometimes leave you rolling with laughter, feeling frustrated, lost, appreciative, speechless and amazed all at the same time. Here are some noteworthy aspects/experiences of Galapagean life I have noticed and hope that I always remember....

• ya mismo can signify right now or sometime next week (usually the latter)
• at five o’clock most men can be found either playing basketball or volleyball in teams of three, using a soccer ball and basically just throwing it over the net - you can guess where all the women are...ugh
• on Saturday everyone wakes up early to go to la feria (right by my house) to buy fresh produce and meat for the week, brought into town by the high land farmers. The people start setting up their stands at 2 am to get the good spots
• there is one fire truck on the island - if your house catches on fire, you have to go find the truck and explain where your house is (there is no station and no full time staff)
• everyone drinks bottled water and has to use it in the shower as well because the water is full of nasties...
• perscriptions here are really cheap
• the hospital just got an xray machine - their’s had been broken for two years
• the teen pregnancy rate is 4x higher than that of mainland Ecuador and so is the rate of intimate partner violence
• the majority of the English teachers do not speak English
• most of the money made from tourism here doesnt go into the local economy seeing as most travel companies are not Ecuadorian
• lobster is $1 per pound
• the people often feel that the animals are more valuable than them 
• we found a man in the street, passed out. We stopped to see if he was alright as most others just walked by. He was bien borracho. The police came as the crowd grew. They asked around to see if anyone knew him, someone did so the police just picked him up by his arms and legs and put him in the bed of the truck to take him home.
• Never underestimate the power of a scooter - a wife, husband, two kids and their dog can fit on one
• Americans really are the loudest and largest people ever
• Everyone here knows about world politics and affairs - the US is in the news a lot down here. When was the last time you heard about Ecuador on our news?
• Most tourists here dont know that people live in the Galapagos
• If you eat a meal with a lot of fat, it is okay as long as you also drink lemonade
• Holidays are not decided ahead of time - you know if you have the day off a few days before it actually happens
• To have internet in a house is really expensive
• You can never have too much bread and white rice
• Everyone makes or buys fresh bread, juice and milk
• Coca cola and nestle products are everywhere
• There are no fast food chains
• 70 degrees is a little chilly
• hamacks are in every house
• whining is a polite and appropriate way to get what you want
• the school day is from 7 am - 12:30pm
• almost everyone goes home for lunch 12:30-2:00
• sometimes stores decided to not open after lunch - depends on their mood
• you pay a deposit for beverages in glass containers and you get the money back when you turn it back in
• everyone here knows everyone and all of their business
• a long walk is anything over five minutes
• the town closes down for Ecuadorian soccer games

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