La Hora Ecuatoriana

What a wonderful phrase
La Hora Ecuatoriana
Ain’t no passing craze

It means (almost) no worries
For the rest of your days
It’s our problem-free
Philosophy
La Hora Ecuatoriana


Someone asked me the other day what my favorite part about Ecuador has been so far. "Wow, that's a hard question" was the first thing that came to mind. But just a few seconds later, I had it. Not to discount the wonderful weather or the amazingly fresh fruits and vegetables at all, but the best part of my adventure thus far has been la hora ecuatoriana. Everyone around just knows and expects that Ecuadorians operate on their own time. You really aren't late for something unless you arrive at least two hours after it the appointed starting time. This translates to an amazingly relaxed environment. People aren't running around like chickens with their heads cut off from one engagement to the next (as I have the tendency to do...) but instead or relishing the moment that they are in and the people that they are in it with. To that end (and this is what really drove the point home to me this morning at school), there are very few clocks. I was searching for one in class today and it was no where to be found, and after thinking back on my classes so far, the same holds true. An American school has one in every room as well as up on the walls in the hallways. While at times the inpuctuality can be annoying for an American, learning to be patient and to relax a little more is something that I already know will be a positive lesson to come out of this adventure.