On January 3, I took a flight from JFK to Panama City and another one from there to Quito. I arrived in Latin America for the first time in my life. After waiting for like an hour or more at immigration, my friend Oli was awaiting me at Vibes Hostel (cheap and quite okay) in Quito’s infamous neighborhood Mariscal late at night. A taxi took me straight to the hostel for 8 dollars.