Studying Abroad in Ecuador (8 points)
This summer, I traveled to Cuenca, Ecuador, as a part of Spelman's Study Abroad program. I was with a cohort of 7 girls, most of whom had a major or a minor in Spanish. I lived in Cuenca, Ecuador, for about a month with my host mom. While there, I took Spanish literature, went on daily excursions to culturally significant sites, and completed a service opportunity. This trip allowed me to witness the social and political dynamics of a Latin American country up close. As a Spanish minor, it is important to study and engage with Spanish culture critically. Growing up, I often heard Latin America being referred to as full of "third-world" countries. Despite my early introduction and familiarity with people from Latin America ( I am from Texas), I know that those biases still colored the way I saw that part of the world. As I got to know Cuenca, Ecuador, I began to notice some similarities between it and the U.S. First, embedded in the culture is a "pull yourself up by your bootstraps" mindset. Whilst talking to my host mom about the Venezuelan immigrants who had recently begun coming to Ecuador, she expressed a sense of distaste and superiority to them. She understood that conditions in their homeland contributed to their migration, but could not understand why they often ended up on the streets of Ecuador asking for help. She explained that anybody could make money and support themselves if they were willing to work. I disagree that economic mobility hinges solely on willpower. There are systems in place in Ecuador and the U.S. that are designed to keep the poor, Black, and Brown people from obtaining financial security. These systems are built on the same foundation: white supremacy. I did not judge my host mom for her perspective. When you benefit from a covert system that keeps others down, it can be challenging to see how much your success is attributed to your privilege and how little their failure is attributed to their work ethic.
By Asheley Jones
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