Riobamba is known to be more conservative socially, and the city is surrounded by beautiful countryside and lots of Indigenous towns, known here as comunidades.
Overall, Ecuador is home to everything from sprawling urban metropolises to very small, rural towns. While lifestyles are extremely diverse across the four regions--coast, mountains, Amazon and Galapagos--one constant is the love many, many Ecuadorians share for soccer. It's a favorite pastime nationwide, and people here were thrilled to cheer on Ecuador in the 2022 World Cup. Another favorite sport is Ecua-voley, a variation of volleyball invented here in Ecuador similar to the traditional game, but played with three players and a higher and tighter net (among a few other minor differences).
Another shared characteristic of urban and rural life is the prevalence of parades and community celebrations here. For instance, during the Christmas season (and beyond) in Riobamba, the Pase del Niño parades, in which an artistic representation of Jesus is marched throughout the city, took place more than daily. I am not exaggerating when I tell you that in this short time, there were over 100 Pases del Niño in the city, with giant dance crews donning colorful traditional outfits, lively marching bands and traditional Indigenous figures like the Diablo Huma, whose two faces (one in both his front and back) are known for driving away demons during harvest season.
Apart from sports and festivities, Ecuadorian families are extremely close-knit, and many people live with their parents well into their 20s and 30s. Dinners and celebrations with extended family are very common, and both city and rural areas are home to family businesses.
