T - Trade and Quality


“Tried to save a tree, bought a plastic bag; the bottom fell out – it was a Piece of Crap!”


A lot of our manufactured products come from China.

I’m not conversant enough on the politics to provide details, but Ecuador (like other South American countries) has oil-for-trade-benefits treaties with China and select other countries. Import duties from other countries have been stifling for many years, although they are starting to be relaxed.

Here are some of the effects of such policies as it relates to durable good and other items. In many cases, it is the “cutting of a corner” that is most irksome:

  • Our “Zip-Zap” bags are very similar to “Zip-Loc” bags except that the “thumb area” is barely a quarter inch.
  • Until a recent border crackdown, it was commonplace to drive to Colombia for new tires.
  • Most tools are of the “drop forged” quality. Some brand names have arrived (DeWalt, Black&Decker, etc.) but are very expensive ($250 for a cordless drill?!?).
  • I can not find shoes. I wear 47 cm (about a 10 ½), but the largest I can find are 44s. Clothing is also a bit off: pants are just a little too short, shirts too tight (6’0, 190 btw).

There are some positive actions on CPG groceries, however:

  • Food packages have a large label on the front if the item “Contiene Transgenicos” (has GMOs).
  • In addition to an ingredient list, the back of food packaging also shows three large, simple colors (red, yellow, green) to reflect content for fats, salt and sugar.

To compensate for product quality, many US expatriates plan an annual trip back to the States to stock up on clothing or other articles that can only be purchased there. In our coastal community, requests are frequently made to “mule” a product back to Ecuador for others (headphones, bath products, etc.).

After these trips, it is always fun to see what someone brought back; it is like Christmas! Besides, who knew that for all these years, all I really wanted for Christmas were Triscuits and new flip-flops?

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Tales of Puerto Lopez - Theme Reveal

"Moving ahead so life won't pass me by" For four years, my home has been Puerto Lopez, a fishing village of 15,000 in central Ecuador. One of the sayings in town is that you can always identify the new guy because he still wears his wristwatch. This blog is the from the viewpoint of a guy who no longer wears a wristwatch. My Perspective I want to share what the ‘daily grind’ is like here for a foreigner. Magazines and essays do a great job of sharing the highlights and successes of living in Ecuador, and there are certainly many of them to be experienced. (That’s why I live here!) There are also some sundry things that are required for living in a (sometimes) challenging and foreign environment. I hope this blog draws some attention and insight into the mundane but frequently humorous aspects of living in this once-remote area. My Approach I previously wrote a serial narrative on the process of moving from California to Ecuador...
Read more

C - Close to Home

“ I’m on my way, I’m on my way; home sweet home. ” For anyone reading this blog, please remember that this is being written from the context of life in coastal Ecuador and is not necessarily a reflection of life throughout the country. Along the coast, most of the people residing here are born into a town and live their entire lives in or around that town. This is primarily because of family, logistical and financial concerns. (There are exceptions, of course, and those exceptions increase every year; I’m writing about my views over the past five years and the stories that I’ve heard.) The core of coastal societal structure has traditionally been the “comuna” . A comuna is a town where a family (or families) settled and made a living, and many of the social structures (family growth, policies, property ownership, etc.) are built around supporting the town. Laws were passed and decisions were made based on what was best for the community. The development o...
Read more

F - Funeral for a Friend

“ But we’ll be reunited on a new and sunlit shore, when the saints go marching in.” I attended a funeral for an Ecuadorian friend recently. I’m not going to discuss any of the details of his passing; instead, I want to share the uniqueness of the funeral process. As I mentioned in a previous blog entry, coastal families are fairly tight knit and typically take care of their own business. This couldn’t be more apparent than in the funeral process. Some of the practices involved seem different to someone from North America, but hopefully I can explain the why and practicality of what occurs. First, and perhaps most eye-opening, is that bodies are not embalmed. (It’s cost prohibitive and there isn’t a funeral home within a hundred miles of here.) That means that the entire event happens quickly. After making quick arrangements, the body is dressed and prepared for an open viewing where friends and family can pay last respects. (FYI - The brothers an...
Read more