Blog Post #11 - The Changing of the Guard

Although I’ve never experienced ceremonies similar to El Cambio de la Guardia in countries outside of our own, I do find that there are definitely differences and similarities between El Cambio and, say, the changing of the guard at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in Washington, D.C. Similarities include a very serious attitude and approach to the ceremony by those involved in it, namely the guards who participate and change places. Others include uniforms in bright colors and the carrying on of the ceremony rain or shine. People also come from all over the country, especially those that identify themselves as very patriotic, to come and see the changing of the guard in both Ecuador and the U.S. I find that there are many more differences than similarities, however, including the absence of the president in the United States at the changing of the guard ceremony. Others include the silence that occupies the changing of the guard at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier as opposed to the loud orders and the music, from both the singing crowd and the marching band, in Ecuador. In my experience, The Tomb of the Unknown Soldier is much more somber than the changing of the guard at the Presidential Palace, which seems to be, judging from only my experience today, a happier, more energetic occasion.

I believe that this weekly ceremony is incredibly important to Ecuadorians because it ensures that they can see the President, and he can see them, every single week. And although the crowds that fill the palace yard cannot really communicate face-to-face with the president, they can get important messages across at the weekly ceremony using signs and protests and show a general lack of enthusiasm or show full support for the decisions of the president. I also personally believe it is important for a leader to know and see the people he/she is working to benefit, and seeing the Ecuadorian people each week serves as not only a duty but as an opportunity to remember who you’re fighting for.


As far as public transportation goes in the U.S., I don’t have a lot of experience. Any time I’ve done any traveling it’s always been with my family for the most part. My only stories of public transportation are the direct result of my spring term from a year ago to Chicago. In order to get to the Windy City, we took a train (my first time in one!), and during our stay in Chicago, we rode the Metros around town. In the U.S., public transportation is, I believe, pretty equivalent to the public transportation here in Ecuador. Both have buses and taxis and both are reasonably cheap when comparing the economies of the two. Buses are typically faster than taxis in both countries and are often cheaper for frequent riders. Trains are not a type of public transportation I’ve seen much of here in Ecuador, and although we’re warned about pick pocketers on the buses here in Ecuador, I know that such crimes are also committed on/in public transportation in the U.S. as well. Because of this, I believe public transportation in both the U.S. and Ecuador are pretty similar.  

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Meng - Blog 16

1. In Paige's Blog(#14), she mentioned that she used some nonverbal communication to communicate with teachers when they were cooking. It is an effective way of intercultural communication. I totally agree that sometimes, if you don't know how to express yourself, body language helps a lot, and it even works better than language. 2. In Blog12, Tyessa said that she feel not close with her host family, and usually, they don't communicate with each other too much, which makes she felt upset because she wants to get closer to them. In my points of view, it can be seen as an ineffective communication. I think in the process of communicating with people, sometimes you should learn to be proactive. Break the silence first, and take the initiative to communicate with others. If you are especially enthusiastic about other people, they will feel it. 3. An example of effective communication came from  Linsey. She talked about how the communication way changed ...
Read more
      I will admit that the thing I am looking forward to the most when I get back home is some good, processed, junk food. It seems strange, because I like the food in Ecuador, and am almost always willing to be adventurous and try new foods. But that sense of adventure is exactly the problem. I rarely feel as though I can just gulp down anything placed in front of me, secure in the knowledge of exactly what it is and what it will taste like. The classic foods from home will allow me to eat with that security intact, and that security is what I really miss.      I think the thing I will miss the most about Ecuador is the sense of adventure that I could feel every time I left the house, whether it was just to class at the academia or to some other attraction. I loved the feeling that I was going to see new sights, experience new things, and accomplish something impressive every day. The quote that struck me today, as we were le...
Read more

Blog post #15

1) what are you most excited about returning to in the US? What I am most looking forward to about heading home is the opportunity to share my experiences with others. I want to share the funny stories of my host family with my friends and family here in the U.S. so that they too can be exposed to some Ecuadorian culture. I am very much looking forward to returning home because I will use my experience of Ecuador to further think about what it is I want to do with my life. Not having a clear path for my profession is a challenge for me, but through using my travel experience to discover what my passions and interest are, I am always one step closer to knowing what it is I want to do with my life.   2) what will you miss the most about Ecuador? What I think I am going to miss most is the walk to school Carolina and I shared in the mornings and afternoons. In the two mile hike to school I saw mothers sending their kids off to the bus, adults off to work and busses ...
Read more