Poverty in Manta Ecuador

 Spoiler alert - I am a lot more disturbed by Portland.

At one point I looked up the percentage of people in Ecuador who live below the povery line.  It was more than the US, but the numbers were going in the right direction.    What was shocking was that the wealth gap was actually BETTER than in the US.

I am going to write about Manta specifically, because that is where we live, and what I can directly observe.  I was describing Portland, with all its homeless empampments and crime to one of the drivers, and he was very perplexed.  He then described in detail what one needed to do to survive on the Ecuadorian minimum wage of about $425-450 (some where around there) a month.  For starters, very basic shelter can be had for $80 a month.  It is not fancy, but it is a roof over one's head, in a gentle climate without extreme weather.

Also, food grows everywhere, all year round.  The freshest, most delicious produce I have ever tasted.  We went to one of the local produce markets yesterday, and Brian was charge 20 cents for 2 onions.  You can get a bundle of most things for a dollar.

The first moring I awoke here, I wandered into the kitchen to make breakfast.  From muscle memory I hit the first egg against a bowl to break it.  It did not crack.  The shell was too thick and strong.  Perplexed I hit harder, and was successful.  A yolk so rich it was deep orange fell into the bowl.  Like the very expensive oragnic eggs at home that cost 6-8 dollars a dozen.  

These were the standard issue eggs, available at the western style Fred Meyer like store, for $2/dozen, likely considerable cheaper at the local market.  Oragnic produce, rice, beans, and fresh eggs for a small fraction of US prices.  Even the most humble of Ecuadorians seem considerably better fed than their conterparts in the US.  They do not allow GMO food, and you can clearly taste the difference.  For one thing, there is more taste....and people eat healthier.

So we have not seen any tent cities.  We certainly have seen run down shacks, but people have a roof over their heads, with the exception of some of the more severely mentally ill.  And some people in this catagory are still trying to do their part, picking up trash and recyclables in the street, which is quite a bit cleaner than areas of Portland.

Theft, as I have mentioned, is a problem.  All the buildings are secure with gates, and barbed wire, and many are guarded, in addition to security cameras.  There are few guns, because they are extremely hard to get.

There is an extremely strong work ethic here.  There is a small government stipend to assist those that aren't able to find work, but it is not enough to live on, even here.

Many, however, take Sunday off, which is refeshing to see everything slow down, and deliberate family time.  Social networks seem to be quite extensive.  This evening we have been invited to someone's family get together, which will have 80 people - about a 1/3 of the relatives that live here locally.

I do not see nearly the extent of substance abuse here - much more selling than using.  Overall as a society, they seem more stable.  Health care is also free.

Education is free or at a fraction of the cost as well.  

I strongly approve.  I have become more critical of charity, and more in favor of simply making housing, health care, education, food, etc affordable for everyone, not just subsidizing some, creating a specific underclass, and leaving others that don't quite make the cut out in the cold.  And there is a pride in being able to pay one's own bills.

All of now.