Day 28: Wednesday 19 May – The first surveys

After my daily routine, we arrive by taxi at the office. After I check my mail and Facebook, Ricardo takes me to CORPEI, the national export stimulating organ. Two people explain the funds that I’ll be working with for EScoffee. The lady especially talks so fast, that I have a hard time following. That and the monotone of the voice, makes my mind wonder and dream and I understand even less of what she says. Her PowerPoint helps a bit, but she reads it aloud so fast and skips the slides so fast, I can’t always read everything myself. I’ll have to make do with the info I can get from Ricardo.

I do 2 or 3 surveys with employees of EScoffee and after lunch Angel takes me to see Tulicorp, the company that produces the chocolate for them and 20 other companies in Ecuador. We don’t get to see the inside this time, but maybe tomorrow.
Back at the office, I take a look at the mail, messenger a bit with Kath, and then I need to go to the shopping mall, because I want to buy some food that I can’t get at the small stores. I want to bake an apple cake for example (but later find out I don’t have the recipe on my laptop). Angel draws me a map of how to get there and Ingrid tells me to take a taxi back to the office, because I’m going to withdraw some money as well. I decide to take a taxi back if it’s dark.
The mall (del sol) is really huge and I’m surprised by how rich it is. I walk all the way to the back to the Supermaxi, while gawping at the enormous amount of shops selling expensive products. The only shops I don’t find are a book store and a music store. Most the music stores in Ecuador sell illegal copies, perhaps a mall like this doesn’t allow illegal selling and legal music can’t possibly compete. Who knows?
The SuperMegamaxi is huge mega! I have no clue where to look. There’s food, clothing, everything. Most types of food are placed so wide, that I think the assortment is the same as the smaller shop, there’s just more space. It takes me more than an hour to cruise through the lanes. The fruit section offers the same as in Quito. The fruit types that the guys told me about yesterday are nowhere to be seen. The imported apples are very expensive, so I decide to go for the imported – but cheaper – pears. But especially at the flour section I take a large time to look. Most of the flours are fortified with iron and vitamins. Being an all-natural guy, I no likey this. But the home-brand is clean, luckily.

When I get out, the sky is dark already, so I take a taxi to the office. The driver tells me it’s $2,50 for a ride, but knowing how close it is, I tell him it’s too much. He lowers it to $2, which is the price Ingrid told me it would be. Because I withdrew a lot of $$ to pay a part of the rent in Guayaquil, Ingrid thinks it is safer to take a taxi back home. I’m not scared, but agree nonetheless. Losing a laptop and a lot of $$ is worse than just losing a laptop (though I’d rather just lose the $$).