B - Buenos Dias

Buenos Dias

“He just grinned, shook my hand; “No” was all he said.”

There is something very simple that happens in Ecuador, especially on the coast, that most people take for granted: saying hello.

We’ve all heard the stereotype of a New York City sidewalk: heads down, on the phone or some other “don’t talk to me” non-verbal message. In the coast towns, the behavior couldn’t be more different.

When we first arrived in Ecuador, we spent three months in Guayaquil getting our visas set. Being the largest city in the country (combined with our newness) meant that we kept our eyes down, focused on our destination. That didn’t last long. We quickly learned to say hello to shop owners and some other regulars, but we were still intimidated.

Puerto Lopez is a walking city. (I’ll probably repeat that line ten times in other blog entries). Being small and having all of the services packed in to a 2x3 block grid makes walking very easy. As such, I see many of the same people everyday (and they see me).

Courtesy is key, and greeting another person is at the top of that list. I try to walk looking up and making casual eye contact. If it happens, I’ll say “Buenos Dias”; I may or may not get a reply, but most of the traditional (read “older) people in town still use that custom. Most teens don’t say much, of course, but the young can be enthusiastic about it.

FYI - “Buenos Dias” is used for anytime before lunch; “Buenos Tardes” is used for anytime between lunch and sunset; after that, “Buenos Noches”.

(Here’s a simple addition to that. If people are eating when you walk into a room or restaurant, say “Buen Provecho”. It basically means “Enjoy your meal” and substitutes for “Buenos Dias”.)

People talk about “Minnesota Nice” and the friendly attitudes of people from the north Central US. I think it’s mostly true, but the cynic in me thinks it’s necessary because the person you’re not nice to might be the only person that drives by when your stuck in a winter ditch.

There is no cynicism when it comes to “Ecuador Nice”. It’s pretty genuine.