$

Bus to meet up with new amigos: $0.20
More than sufficient lunch: $2.00
Bottled water: $1.00
Watching our group of 20 gringos sticking out like a sore thumb in downtown Quito: priceless

Seriously though, one of the most eye opening thing about Ecuador is how cheap everything is.  I spent the whole day walking around the Market, buying a few gifts, eating lunch, and taking the bus both ways all for under 5 or 6 dollars.  I heard a few beers will jack that up to 10 or 12 dollars, but that's still not a bad day.  No way could you do that in Boston.

I just found out Ecuador is actually considered a 3rd world country.  One can instantly tell when walking through the downtrodden markets in the nation's capital.  You can get some great gifts for just a few dollars, but it's distressing when you think that this is how these people make there living.  On top of that, they're probably better off than the majority of Ecuadorians.  While it's great for college students to save tons of money, it's a pretty harsh reality that can only be understood when witnessed first hand.  Alot of it has to do with the political system, economy, and general culture, but I'll save those topics for later.

Send me an email, comment, or Facebook message if you have any questions about Ecuador!