ECUADOR

When people ask me how my summer in Ecuador was, I tell them that it is the happiest place I have ever been.
Everywhere traveled would be a new smiling face encountered, a new beautiful land to discover,
and with a new distinct culture completely separate from the village a mile up the road.

Francisca of Salasaca with dye extracted from insects

Looking Out of Bus Window Near Riobamba

Ecuador is a very diverse country, with various versions of Quichua spoken in the Andean region, Shuar in la Amazonia, and Spanish spoken throughout the country. Despite their cultural differences, Ecuadorians share their openness and hospitality in common. And despite the vastly different cultures of Ecuador's indigenous peoples, they are still able to unite and work together to achieve the common goal of preserving their traditional livelihoods.
Read more about what is currently occurring here.

Ecuadorian graffiti has a uniqueness about it --
Click here to read about how the graffiti in Ecuador represents its cultures.

Similar to the rest of its Latin American counterparts, Ecuador has a very high inequality gap. This issue makes the vicious experience of poverty a reality amongst many, and is exacerbated when the global economy trickles down to countries like Ecuador. Read about Ecuador's inequality issue here.

Shuar woman panning for gold in the Napo River