Ben R. Esbaum

Yes, it is finally time for the World Cup. There has been much talk here about the Ecuadorian prospects for their second World Cup appearance. Although I haven't particularly bought into most of it, today was certainly impressive. Unfortunately, we were on our way to Machala from Portovelo for seventy minutes of the game. We thankfully had enough reception in the mountains to listen to the radio broadcast of the game. We arrived to our hotel in Machala to catch the last twenty minutes of the game, and were able to see the second goal for Ecuador and the two near goals by Poland, both off the posts. Following the game, we took to the streets, like the rest of those watching with us. We watched in a banquet room of the hotel, which was nice because of the enormous projection screen but a little disappointing in that it wasn't as rowdy and enthusiastic as a bar might have been. Machala is quite a bit smaller than Quito, to say the least, and this time instead of being stared at as gringos, we were assumed to be from Poland. This was an awesome experience because tons of people were yelling either in support of Ecuador or against Poland towards us. It is great to be an environment with so much enthusiasm for soccer. Even older women made comments in support of Ecuador and I can't describe in words how hilarious it is to be yelled at in another language by a guy driving a truck full of his friends with one hand out the window holding his beer.

I'm sure as the next week unfolds and more group play continues more stories will be told of watching games and the intense soccer atmosphere down here.

But there is much more to this trip than soccer. As part of the Globalization module, we have visited mines, flower plantations, and various markets, and have met several mayors. This morning we started out in Zaruma. We had breakfast at Orquidiario Galves for a typical Ecaudorian country breakfast. From there we visited a mine in town, for a brief video presentation, and then returned to Portovelo to see the processing portion of the mining industry. We were able to see the manual process of sifting through ground up ore for gold, and interestingly enough the beginning of the mercury amalgamation process. Which given the highly toxic nature of mercury, it was interesting, although not really surprising, to see one of the miners handle it without gloves. We have read a lot about environmental and worker safety issues surrounding these industries and being able to actually see them in person is pretty interesting.

At most of these visits, it is really hard to gauge the truthfulness of the information presented to us. Many of the mayors and other influential people we have met have stressed the importance of national transparency, and at these visits to mines and flower plantations, we have seen the problem firsthand. Fortunately, the presence of Ben G., "Benjamín Grande," and Adrian, we have been able to get some really candid responses to many of our most important questions. They are seriously invaluable on this trip. Although it is often funny to hear them say they are from Mexico instead of the U.S., they are able to relate to the workers on a personal level through being native speakers and are able to get real answers to our questions. Many of our most important questions would still be left unanswered if it weren't for them.

On a final note, the hospitality down here is amazing. There is no comparison to the treatment we receive while visiting many of these small towns and industrial centers. The people here greatly appreciate our group's interest in their local affairs and the beauty of their town and country. We have received countless drinks, meals, and care packages throughout our trips to various parts of the country. Some of these towns have to develop a stronger tourism market as a response to the poor performance of their other industries, so in a way we are jump starting that developing market. So visit Piñas!! But seriously, the small towns in Ecuador are amazing. Besides being much safer than the big city, the sense of community and friendliness of the people are huge pluses to the small town atmosphere.