This picture is of the Old Town district in Quito, Ecuador.  In this area of Quito one can see clearly the remnants of Spanish colonial rule. One of the main lessons I took away with my from Ecuador is the fact that big cities are not as different around the world as I had once thought. A big city is a big city. I found I could thrive in Quito and it has in turn given me the confidence to travel more and explore other big cities around the globe. The people may speak different languages, have different customs, or value different ideals, but you will find most of the same infrastructures and institutions in Quito, Ecuador as you would in San Francisco, California. This, to me, is very reassuring.