Polar Opposites

Guayaquil, the largest city in Ecuador, has all walks of life: from Latin America's most affluent, to the impoverished people of the slums. I was lucky enough to experience both of these in a single day and relay back to you what I will always remember as one of the more interesting days of my life. In the morning and afternoon, our group spent time working with Hogar de Cristo to build a home for a single mother with two children. The house, a simple one room raised structure, would be one like the tens of thousands I saw coating the hills for as far as the eye could see. Its foundation required 11 wholes, 40 centimeters deep that were made by driving a 6-foot metal stake laboriously into the tough bedrock, in some places breaking apart stones in a way I only thought could be accomplished by a jackhammer. Once these were completed, the hot Ecuadorian sun began to punish us in the afternoon and staying hydrated was of utmost importance. 

With the help of local carpenters, we watched as post after post was erected and cemented with concrete. All this done by hand and with very few tools other than a shovel, saw, measuring tape, level, and strings. The ease and raw skill impressed me as these carpenters guided us in rapidly putting together a house in the space of 7 hours. Finally we hoisted wall after wall up onto the raised structure to finish the project and successfully give a much needed home to a lady and children in need. Oh, the sense of accomplishment in helping those in need!

Now for the most abrupt, unexpected 180' turn in activities. As I return to my host family from a long and hot day of work, the 28 year-old brother who also has a keen interest in photography informs me that I will need nice clothes and my camera. For what? I was expecting to have some beers with him that night and relax in some local bar. Oh, but how uninteresting that would have been! Instead he picks out a nice shirt and sports jacket from his younger brother's collection telling me I have to look 'professional.' As I look at myself spruced up in the mirror, my fellow photographer takes one glance at me and with a snap of his fingers undoes my top button exposing my chest hair. "That's better," he says in English. That may be better, but in reality I have no idea what to expect as our destination is the top-floor of one of the larger if not largest skyscraper in downtown Guayaquil to view a high-end Ecuadorian fashion show amidst champagne and ceviche. I go with the flow, armed only with my camera and a good familiarity of the Spanish language. The elevator whisks us to the top floor where we meander up a 90' turning two-story staircase into a high ceiling ball-room. I act casual, although I am not sure what me acting casual looks like with my shirt unbuttoned, following closely to my host-brother for fear of getting lost amidst surely the more affluent members of Guayaquil with their tuxedos, all the while deciding whether or not taking a picture at that particular moment would make me look professional or like a doofus. Regardless, let's take it the next level of absurdity as we enter the back room and my jaw hits the floor as women taller than me sport the newest fashion of the year. 

       

I continued to look like I belonged there as I snapped photos while girls struck a pose and smiled my way. They were all so attractive I was beside myself. Later, the show started with bumping bass and a long runway for these ladies to strut their stuff down as the super-rich golf clapped and the shutterbugs like me took care to take as many photos as possible. In all, it was a day of the extremes. I worked by day in one of the poorer areas of the country only to snag mini ceviche cups by night in one of the tallest buildings downtown. From building a simple one room home to being shot up 50+ stories in a modern skyscraper, Guayaquil illustrates both extremes of the socioeconomic reality of Latin America that I was lucky enough to experience in a single day.