Some Ecuadorian coins feature images of Ecuadorian cities or people, but the main currency is the US dollar. The purchasing power of money here is much higher, so, for example, my monthly rent is only $140, and I can easily buy groceries for the week for less than $30. Although using coins (called sueltos) is very common (especially US one dollar coins, which are very uncommon in the US), it's very difficult to use a twenty-dollar bill or larger because businesses don't have enough change.
A large (1 liter) bottle of water will cost around 80 cents at a tienda, with smaller bottles costing around 35 cents. The word tienda means store, but in this context, it means a convenience store. I also get a botellón, which is a 5-gallon jug of water for $2 that I use as drinking water, but rely mostly on boiling water from the tap to make it safe to drink.
I traveled to Ambato, a nearby city, this weekend and had a delicious breakfast at a local café consisting of avocado toast and an iced vanilla latte. This is not typical Ecuadorian food and can't be found in San Miguel, so it's always nice to treat myself to it when I'm in a bigger city.
I have gotten more into listening to reggaeton through my time here and friends’ recommendations, but I will admit I listen to country music almost exclusively (I know, I know!). I've found that having comforting music in English helps me on days when the language barrier is overwhelming.
