Differences in the American and Ecuadorian Culture Essay

Tyler Copier Autoethnography Com. 3190 Differences in the American and Ecuadorian Culture Culture makes up who we are, what we believe and how we behave. About four years ago, I had the opportunity to live in Ecuador. I found the relationships and communication perspective to be very interesting and after spending two years there, I was able to notice several distinct intercultural differences between the American and Ecuadorian cultures. Since my analysis of Ecuador is only based off of my personal experience, I’ve also invited my friend Luis Salas from Quito, Ecuador who is currently attending Brigham Young University to give his own insights. By gaining his perspective of what it’s like to live in America as an†¦show more content†¦Ã¢â‚¬Å"Whether it’s international politics or economic trends, there is always going to be some level of uncertainty in any culture.† (Davidson). I noticed that Ecuador is very different from the U.S. in its acceptance of uncertainty. Most everyone works for their specific needs and not their wan ts, risk is not affordable in the Ecuadorian Culture. Failing to succeed at any sort of risk could cost someone everything that they’re worth. Most of them are very comfortable with their finances, and find no reason to take a risk. Luis says that he noticed from the beginning of his time spent in the U.S., that he has noticed that we take more risks when it comes to money. He also stated that he appreciates the American ways in that change is acceptable to us. We view change as a good thing that adds variety to our lives. Luis recognized that taking risks has allowed many people to be successful. The fact that the idea of risk is new to Luis concurs that the U.S. has lower uncertainty avoidance. I imagine that since the U.S. is made up of several successful companies and distributions, taking a risk would not be as â€Å"risky† as taking a risk somewhere else with high uncertainty avoidance such as Ecuador. Since the action of taking a risk could always result negatively in a down fall of something, it is predictable why so many people would be against doing so. In a place such as theShow MoreRelatedLiving Up to Ethical and Social Responsibilities: The Case of Occidental Petroleum Corporation1394 Words   |  6 PagesLiving Up to Ethical and Social Responsibilities: The Case of Occidental Petroleum Corporation Introduction The recent assassination of a U.S. ambassador in Libya and the rampant anti-American sentiments being expressed in other parts of the world is proof positive that many American-based multinational are faced with a hostile operating environment that demands informed and timely responses. 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