I recently moved back to Canada after living in Ecuador for 4 years, which is where I began to lose my sight. I have experienced the exact same thing you are going through. I was pushed, shoved, tripped, called a liar and at one point my partner's family suggested I be put in a hospital so I would not be a "burden" to him. The help in Ecuador is scarce BUT it IS there. I was in Cuenca and was eventually able to connect with a group for the blind. IF you can get out of there, I would recommend it, but if not, persevere. Make friends and say NO to the cultural BS. Changes are being made but it is a slow process.

And yes...the sidewalks OMG! I had sighted people ask me how I managed to walk when THEY kept falling.

I have never left the United States with my cane, nor do I have a service pooch. I am sorry that you experience this. It's interesting how different cultures react to the disabled.

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The worst I get is people insisting that I let them pray for me, despite me telling them politely that I don't want that.

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It's usually on buses or confined spaces where people spiritually harass me, but its not nearly as ever present as your experience seems to be.

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YES to the sidewalk issue though. I generally give cars a good thwack if they park blocking the sidewalk or pull into the crosswalk. Middle finger works too.

I’m not really sure what to tell you. The laws here in the United States and in other countries protect us, but if they did not exist, people would react the same way.

I don't know how to help, but do want to say I'm sorry to hear this and hope your situation improves. If you find ways of dealing, come post them here, as I know others would find them a help.

I’m so sorry. Do you know if there’s an association for the blind in Ecuador? Or maybe there’s a way you can connect with other blind people in your community?

Hello, I'm really sorry to hear this
Sounds like you're having a few different types of difficulty. I have not traveled to third world country while blind. The most difficulty I have here in Canada are people leaving garbage bins all over the place on garbage day and periodically being asked if I will let people pray for me. Sometimes I am allowed the decision whether I will be prayed for or sometimes not.
Sometimes people will touch or grab my arm to help direct me but it is always out of kindness and with the best intentions.
Hope your situation improves.

Do you speak Spanish so that you can ask them to stop in a way they can understand? Sorry Im not more helpful!

I'm sorry. I live in Canada and I've travelled to a few European and Asian countries, and I've never experienced anything like this. The worst I've experienced, really, is people trying to short change me or minor bullying.

I wish I had some advice for you. In busier crowds and in messier areas, I've been pushed in a wheelchair for convenience, but this sounds like a societal issue.

Perhaps you could try reaching out in some local Facebook groups. You may find some blind people who have lived in Ecuador their whole lives who have learned to cope with the social environment.

Good luck.

There are plenty of countries in the world where a blind person would have extreme difficulty navigating independently.

You mentioned being able to take the bus--this would be absolutely impossible in certain Asian countries, even in the biggest cities of tens of millions of people! And taking a bus with a service animal? No, absolutely not. Buses can be jam-packed, filled up to the roof, and then the roof is also filled with people on the outside. And the buses don't actually stop at stops--you have to run to catch the bus on a busy street, while the bus is rolling! Note that sighted women also have extreme difficulty riding public transport in many countries across the world, so you are not alone. You really should be thankful you're even able to ride the bus. Seriously.

If you are encountering difficulty with people not believing you, make it more obvious that you are blind. Carry a cane, for example. Carry an official-looking card that explains that you are blind, with a phone number to call for verification (or print your own note on business cards).

I think you also need to accept the fact that your service animal is out of its element there. It's almost like bringing a service llama to Canada and expecting everything to be hunky-dory: no one is going to accommodate your service llama, I guarantee you. In the same way, it seems that no one is going to accommodate your service dog in a small town in Ecuador. Period. Once you accept this fact, you can either go about changing the system (call your public officials, the bus/transport ministry, get petitions going, call shops/malls, ask to speak to managers, go on Facebook/Twitter, make noise) or you can try to get around without your service animal. As for the wild dogs, you're going to have to find a way to repel or distract them; that's your best bet.

As for being short-changed or over-charged, maybe try starting with a prayer? Something like "God bless you and your children, could you please help me pay for this correctly?" And always end with something, "May God keep your children safe. I have paid you correctly, right?" Small-town uneducated people may not feel guilty about taking advantage of you, but they may be God-fearing and moral enough if reminded of it in your small interaction with them.

Sidewalks are also not a guarantee in many countries, yes. Even in countries like Canada, you are not guaranteed a sidewalk on every single street. This, of course, makes it difficult to travel on new terrain by yourself, so you may have to be reliant on others to go with you the first time.

And that brings me to my final point: in a place like small-town Ecuador, you may need to accept the fact that you cannot travel around independently, not without issues at least. So you need to buddy up with sighted persons, repeatedly ask for help, and graciously accept offers of help. This is what people in other countries do. Small-town Ecuador actually doesn't sound that bad, honestly: you are describing yourself navigating all these places independently. I know many countries where you simply would not be able to do that. You would have to have a service human, not a service animal.

I really wish you luck!

Wow. I’m religious I would try to forgive and turn the other cheek. I’m sorry.

I’m so sorry you have to deal with this lack of understanding. Can you contact the organization your guide dog comes? You mentioned your dog has been attacked, which can happen in any country, but sounds like this place and this culture endangers not only your welfare but the welfare of your guide which adds to the stress. I’m sure the organization your dog comes from would want to know if the dog is endangered. Guide dog organizations take the health and welfare of their dogs very seriously and would not want the dog to continue to be in this environment, it would be unfair to the dog.