9.6.10

Mo Money Mo Problems

For the next two years, I am here in Ecuador as a volunteer. Volunteer: somebody who works without being paid. Now, that’s not exactly the case with the Peace Corps. PC volunteers receive a monthly stipend to cover the cost of our housing, food and daily transportation that is based on the economic levels of the communities we’re placed in.

One thing I love about Ecuador is that I can buy fresh vegetables, meat, bread etc. that will last me all week for less than $20. On the other hand, things like appliances and large electronics seem outrageously expensive. I realized how quickly my views about money had changed when my sister came for a visit a few weeks ago. Now, my sister currently lives in Chicago and is probably accustomed to a slightly higher standard of living than Tena, Ecuador. I spent a lot of her visit apologizing for not having much money to spend and trying to budget what was left in my bank account here. My spending habits are a lot different here- I was concerned for my sister when I told her it would be easiest to take a cab from the bus station to the airport for her flight home because I knew it would be around $15. To me, that seems outrageous now. Let me explain why with a quick list of common items to give you an idea of what sort of money I’m spending regularly:

bananas 12 for $1

bus fare from my house to the office where I work .$20 each way

taxi to anywhere in Tena $1

2 lbs of tomatoes $. 70

1 golden retriever puppy $80

lunch at a restaurant $2.50

my rent each month $85

small, refrigerator (like for dorm rooms) $250

the latest Blockbuster on DVD $1

10 eggs $1

Last week I was doing some mental math while riding my bike to the office. (I don’t really enjoy arriving at the office covered in sweat after biking for 15 minutes in extreme heat, so I stared considering the costs of taking the bus): $.20 each way from my house to the office- once in the morning, once to arrive home for lunch, again back to the office for the afternoon and finally home for the evening= .$80 each day. $4.00 each week spent on bus fare could instead get me a nice dinner, almost 4 beers, 48 bananas! When I think of money in this way, I just can’t seem to justify giving up all those bananas when I have a transportation option that is free.