Comparison Essay Sample: Etiquette and Behavior in Public in the US and Ecuador

The US and Ecuador are two nations that differ in many things. For one, the US is about 20 times the size of Ecuador. It actually might seem intimidating to compare these two nations. However, the etiquette and behavior is something of a big discussion in which size or economic standing does not apply. The US is particularly a multicultural environment that sees the coming together of many different cultures from across the world. As such, it has borrowed many behaviors, etiquettes, and practices from diverse cultures.

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On the other hand, Ecuador is a small nation that has its history and cultures that have been in existent through time although they have been influenced by many aspects such as civilization, technology, and other factors. The two nations have similar etiquettes and behaviors although there are others that differ greatly. This paper aims at comparing and contrasting the etiquette and behavior in public in the US and Ecuador.

Incidentally, both nations exist on the same Western hemisphere and have many similarities in the public etiquette and behaviors. For instance, the two cultures have similarities in addressing people according to their titles which tend to grow less as they get closer and become friends. Other than that, they also tend to greet each other casually especially when they have closer ties. They also lose the titles when they are close friends and Ecuadorians in particular only use the first name for close friends and family. However, they differ when it comes to greetings because Americans tend to shy away from contact preferring to nod or smile whereas Ecuadorians are more into contact in social situations. This is mainly because Americans are more concerned about their personal space and tend to keep a distance with others during conversations. In Ecuador, informal greetings are characterized by kissing the right cheek for women and warm embrace with a pat on the back for the men. Formal greetings have handshakes in both nations.

Gifts are also well received and appreciated in both countries. Both countries have no taboos about giving or receiving gifts. However, Ecuadorians are more into giving gifts for birthdays, Christmas, New Year or any other religious event in life. Bouquets, a good quality spirit, sweets, and pastries are good gifts to carry to someone's house in Ecuador. They are also good gifts in the US. It is discouraged to carry a gift for a business transaction in the US because of the anti-bribery policies whereas lilies and marigolds are considered taboo gifts since they are used in funerals. Cash is considered a bad gift in both countries.

Communication is an area where the two nations differ greatly. The communication is more in the business setting. Ecuadorians are warm and polite which makes them more in tune with nonverbal cues and body languages. Americans, on the other hand, are somewhat cold and are more becoming to show their courteous side although they are not into the whole aspect. Greetings are done before and after meetings in both countries and titles are recognized as was described earlier. Americans come off as aggressive, rude and self-interested, especially from outsiders. This is enhanced by their tendencies to be direct and plain about matters. Communication in a business setting is purely for business and not forming relationships which is what Ecuadorians practice. Ecuadorians can spend more time in a business setting talking about personal issues rather than business.

Dining also has some considerable comparisons and contrasts in etiquette and behavior. They both hold the fork in the left hand and the knife in the right. However, Ecuadorians prefer to use the cutlery for everything they eat including fruits. Americans prefer to use their hands for eating most of their foods. Ecuadorians use dinner as social conventions and enjoy interactions in a social manner, and business pleasantries are exchanged when prompted to by the guest. On the other hand, Americans conduct business over meals at any time of the day. Both these interactions are done in a lively manner with both cultures embracing basic etiquette in meals such as dressing well for the occasions and carrying gifts as well as acknowledging toasts before taking drinks.

In conclusion, the two nations have many comparisons and contrasts in the etiquettes and behaviors. Titles are used in both cultures for addressing different people although they fade away in social settings, gifts are exchanged in all cultures although they differ in some ways according to the taboos particular gifts carry. Communication, especially in a business setting, is also different as Ecuadorians focus largely in relationships whereas Americans are after conducting business with little emphasis on relationship creation. As the world becomes smaller due to globalization, some of these practices will influence each other, and there will be more similarities than differences in the future.