Quito, Ecuador - First Impressions

Last night, at 11:45pm, we landed in Quito, Ecuador. This is our first time traveling internationally since our youngest, Henry (age 10-months) was born. The 21 hours since we landed have been a whirlwind. Some good, some bad, but it’s safe to say Quito has left a hell of a first impression. Below I’ll share some of my thoughts and lessons learned from our first day; it will be interesting to see how thing evolve over the next month here.

Impression 1: Ecuadorians love kids

We had heard this before coming, but in all fairness, whenever I google “Visiting country-x with kids” for any country, it always says the people there love kids. Well, I can’t vouch for every other country, but Ecuador so far has been so kind to our family. From getting fast-tracked through security, to locals wanting photos with Henry, to shopkeepers handing out little gifts to Ada, the people here have so far embraced our family with kindness.

Impression 2: Quiet is relative in Quito

Full disclosure, this is my first time in Latin America. When I hear a hotel is on a quiet street, I certainly don’t expect any of the following:

Dogs barking most of the day
Club music bass pounding in the evening
Vendors driving by in vans/trucks with megaphones hocking their wares

I think it’s time to adjust my expectations for quiet.

Impression 3: Getting by with only a little Spanish is hard, not impossible.

Over the last 10 years I’ve studied Spanish on-and-off. Over the last month I used a variety of programs to refresh my memory (Duolingo, Babbel, Pimsleur, Collins). I know the basics, and much of what I learned is specific to getting by while traveling. Well, today I walked into a chicken restaurant and confidently ordered a 5-piece chicken strips meal to go, all in Spanish! So proud, until my order came and it was a 2-piece chicken dinner on a plate. Still some learning to do. I did, however, correctly ask for a to-go box later :)

Bottom line: even with just the basics, hand gestures, and an emergency translation app, I think we will survive.

Impression 4: Altitude

Altitude is a real thing in Quito. Our neighborhood, Mariscal, is at 9,200’. We came from South Florida, which is at about 20’. We were constantly out of breath climbing stairs or carrying kids. I’m sure the kids were affected to but couldn’t verbalize it. I’ve dealt with altitude before while climbing, and even had AMS before, so we knew this was coming, but it still hit hard on day 1. We expect to be adjusted in a few days.

The first day was rough with the late flight and high altitude. A rare occasion of Ada sleeping in.

Impression 5: Cleanliness

Another expectation I need to adjust is for cleanliness. Our hotel is nice, but the carpet is still old and stained. The skylights have streaks of grime on the outside. Micro-trash is ubiquitous on the streets. Buildings across the city just generally have a worn-out look, with stained walls and graffiti. It doesn’t bother me too much since I’ve never been a stickler for cleanliness, and I think I’ll adjust quickly. Ada wants to pick up every little thing on the street and with so much trash we will need to keep an extra eye on her.

Impression 6: COVID Restrictions

Compared to the USA, Ecuador takes COVID restrictions very seriously. Masks are worn everywhere by everyone, vaccinated or not. To enter virtually any public building, even grocery stores, you need to show proof of vaccination and sometimes submit to a temperature scan. To me it seems excessive, but I’m not a scientist or an Ecuadorian so will comply and I’m sure get used to it in time.

In Conclusion

No surprise, we’ve had a little culture shock on our first day in South America. I am looking forward to getting to know the city and the culture and the people here more. I hope to continue improving my Spanish, and expanding my comfort zone in countries so different than my own.

-Mark