Trying food is such an important and intricate detail of living in another part of the world! Completely submerging yourself in the culture around you includes the fun part of taste-testing tons of different plates and authentic dishes of your host country! Honestly, sometimes it can be a little scary…but no matter what, every time you will walk away with a rich experience under your belt that you’ll likely never forget.
I’ve tried a number of traditional plates here in Ecuador. Most include some form of rice, vegetables, and meat of one kind or another. However, the craziest dish that I have tried has been ‘cuy.’ Cuy is guinea pig, which is a delicacy here. It is expensive and culturally valued by Ecuadorians. It was super hard to get myself to eat it at first, because when I was younger I always had guinea pigs as pets – I could barely bring myself to eat one of them for lunch! But I’m glad I did; it was definitely worth it to be a part of the authentic and traditional way of life here!
Eating different things abroad also includes tasting many different drinks abroad. In Ecuador the harvest season goes on year round due to the good weather here at the equator. This makes for a bounty of constant healthy fruits. The juice here is unbelievably fresh and completely natural. It’s tastier than anything I’ve ever had back in the States! A typical beverage of Ecuador is called canelazo. It’s a cinnamon-flavored hot drink that is very popular to drink at night. It is also the staple of any festival or celebration, so it’s imperative to try it when visiting this beautiful country!