Speak as loudly as you like (in many situations). Conversations here are often louder than those that North Americans are accustomed to. Ecuadorians may also interrupt each other by using their hands. Loudness is not an indicator of confrontation or disagreement.
Arrive at a party half an hour to 40 minutes after the stated time. However, be on time for business meetings even though your Ecuadorian counterpart may be late.
Present your host/hostess with a box of chocolates or flowers if you are invited to an Ecuadorian home. However, don’t pay too much attention to the lady of the house.
Defer to older people in conversation or when entering or exiting a building. Age is openly respected in Ecuador.
Feel free to display open affection for children in public. Be prepared to witness much more permissiveness to children by parents and family in public.
Laugh at jokes about Pastuzos. Pastuzos hail from Pasto (Colombia) and this name is given to people from Tulcán, a town near the Ecuadorian–Colombian border who are considered naive. Many Ecuadorians use Pastuzo as the subject of jokes, much as Polacks are in the United States.
An example of such a joke is: “How does a Pastuzo tie the shoelace on his right foot?” Answer: He puts his left foot on a chair and bends down to tie the shoelace on his right foot on the floor.
Keep your hands above the table when you eat. Ecuadorians often rest their forearms on the table while they eat.
Remember that women from Manabí are viewed by most Ecuadorian men as very attractive.
Remember that women from the United States are often seen by Ecuadorian men as being sexually permissive.
Feel free to breast-feed in public.
Accept that begging is common in Ecuador. People just learn to ignore it or give a small amount.
Remember that people from Europe or the United States are viewed by most Ecuadorians as being wealthy.
Be aware that many Ecuadorians group people from Asia into one race, calling them ‘chinos’.
Haggle or bargain in open markets—this is an accepted practice. If you are the first customer of the day, you no doubt will be in a good position to bargain as the first sale of the day indicates good luck to the merchant. If you don’t attempt to get a lower price, you will be seen as being naïve.
Open doors or get a female’s chair for her.
Upon entering a room with a number of people, address each individual with a handshake.
Get used to addressing people by their professions or titles as this is seen as a sign of respect. Men you are friendly with can be addressed as Don, followed by that person’s first name. (In my first few months in Ecuador, I actually believed people thought my name was Don.)
Understand that elephants are seen as a sign of good luck in Ecuador. Many houses have a number of elephant ornaments. There is a phrase that says each home should have one elephant ornament that was given, one bought and one stolen. Many Ecuadorians will have the elephant ornaments facing a window or door for good luck.
Allow women and older people to board the lift first.
Know that Tuesday the 13th is viewed as a day of bad omen.
Give a light kiss on the cheek when greeting a female whose acquaintance you have made. Many women also kiss each other on the cheek.
Remember that conduct in the workplace is generally more formal in Ecuador than in the United States.
Don’t yawn in public. It is considered rude.
Don’t point at people.
Don’t arrive at a party at the designated hour.
Don’t discuss the border disputes with Peru or Colombia. In 2006, Colombia is a particularly touchy subject for Ecuadorians.
Don’t ‘Go Dutch.’ If you invite a friend/s out you are expected to pay. This is especially true if you’re a male and you have invited a female out.
Don’t give money openly to a female in public. This may have negative connotations.
Don’t finish all the food on your plate when eating as a guest in someone else’s home. If you clear the plate, the hostess may feel that the food wasn’t sufficient.
Don’t spit in public.
Don’t clap your hands or hiss for service in a restaurant.
Don’t feel inhibited about seeing others urinate in public. It is a common practice.
Don’t be too direct or frank. The white lie is a practised art in Ecuador. Ecuadorians will often tell you what you want to hear. This is especially true between a subordinate and a superior or between someone from a lower and higher social class.
Don’t ask someone not to smoke in public places as smoking is widely accepted here.
Don’t curse in public.
Don’t extravagantly flaunt your wealth. This is looked down upon.
Don’t walk barefooted in public.
Don’t bare all on public beaches.
Don’t use your mobile phone in banks. Do not forget that, although mobile phones are used in many public places, they are seen as a sign of wealth.
Don’t laugh very loudly.
Don’t expect Ecuadorians to stand in a straight or orderly queue. You will usually notice more of a circling or rounding of the group trying to get to the cash register or service counter.
Don’t forget that people of the middle and upper social classes view manual labour as below their station in life.
Don’t be offended if you are called a hippy. Hikers and campers are often called hippies here, especially if they have long hair.
Don’t forget that formalities and good manners are important to Ecuadorians, much more so than in the United States. Manners also are a sign of education to an Ecuadorian.
Don’t forget to shake the hand of the person you are greeting or parting from. Handshakes here are generally less firm but longer than in other Western countries.