I think it’s safe to say that syncretism is our end goal here in Ecuador. We didn’t fly 4,279 miles across the world for a vacation. We all knew that we’d be in home stay families and that we’d still be attending college level course through the 3 months that we’re here. Our goal, or at least my goal, is to learn from another cultural. I don’t think it’s healthy to live with the view of only your home cultural therefore I have sought out different ways of living to supplement the way I live my life.
But also it’s been interesting to observe how Ecuador in general is beginning to industrialize. But with industrialization comes many conversions of beliefs and daily rituals. I think this is greatly emphasized in my host family. When I arrived they asked me what religion I affiliated with. Over the last year I’ve learned the better response includes saying something about not being sure and wanting to learn about all of them to avoid rapid fire about how it’s impossible for me not to affiliate with a religion. So I went with I’m still discovering as my answer and they took it pretty well but then told me that they were very catholic. In the two and a half months I’ve lived in the house I have yet to see anyone pray, go to church or talk about a religious event in any other means than the food that comes with it. It seems really strange that you could consider yourself a devout catholic but no longer participate in their celebrations. But I think that it clearly shows the differences in Catholicism here today and the practices in the past. It’s a clear example of blending your devout feelings about religion and the ever changing priorities of industrialism.