prefix

There's somewhat of a widespread phenomenon among the gringos living here in Ecuador to describe uniquely Ecuadorian things/happenings/etc. by attaching the prefix ecua- to the beginning of the word. For example, we refer to the strange consistency of the cheese here by using the term ecua-cheese, the extremely laid-back time schedule observed by Ecuadorians is ecua-time, and so on and so forth. Once you begin, it's sort of ecua-addictive.