The most impactful part of Day 1 for me was the people. Having researched Ecuador before the trip began, I knew coming in that I would not have any issues with the locals not being kind and warm. What I was most impressed by was the determination that all the people we interacted with shared. Whether they were trying to sell items, teach us, or understand us, they were very persistent but patient. I think this is an admiral quality because they balance characteristics that most often do not go together. In my experience with street vendors in the states, if people don’t seem interested off the bat, they typically back down, if someone speaks a different language, they don’t think it is worth their time, etc.
Starting the day at La Iglesia de San Francisco, the streets were packed with vendors for Mother’s Day. Even though we were staying in the hotel district, a lot of the shops were geared towards the locals for this day. Despite this, no local shied away from approaching us. No matter how many of us said, ”No hablo mucho Español” they continued to speak Spanish. Instead of speaking in an abrasive way, they would speak slower, use gestures, and hold eye contact with those of us who seemed to be following along the best. Their patience and determination with us felt comfortable and welcoming and ultimately got them some sales and some great souvenirs and memories for us.
When we toured the church, our guide did not speak a word of English, but she still communicated with us using facial expressions, gestures, and other verbal cues. She would laugh while telling a story about a man tricking the devil, and before the story was even translated, we were all laughing as well because her laugh, eye contact, and presence prompted that reaction. When our translator struggled to think of the right words to use in English, she reworded her speech to allow for more generic words to be used.
The flexibility of everyone was motivating and made me think about situations I have been in in the past where it would have gone a long way if I simply would have been patient, took a breather, and thought of a new way to say something. After some of these interactions, I also felt more aware of my facial expressions. Walking down the streets, many people would smile at us while others simply smiled with their eyes. Such small simple gestures go a long way to build relationships, make people feel welcome, and create a mutually beneficial experience for everyone.