Prior to moving to Ecuador I never considered myself to be very privileged. As a matter of fact I could never imagine that I would ever be a "privileged" human being. This perspective changed when I moved to Ecuador and started realizing I am privileged.
The minumum wage in Ecuador is 300 dollars a month. As a Fulbright Teaching Assistant, I make three times as much! This has allowed me to take flights to the coast whereas many other Ecuadorians can only afford to take a 13-hour bus ride. It has also allowed me to participate in certain hiking groups with wealthy Ecuadorians, something the average citizen would have to save up to do.
However, the privlege I've come to know has not come without hard work. I worked tirelessly for nearly a year to prepare the best Fulbright application. My hiking buddies have studied tremendously and have reached the Masters and Ph.D levels in their career, allowing them to enjoy certain pleasures in life.
No matter where we are in life, with hard work and dedication we can ALL reach our goals!
