Team #150 has arrived in Ecuador!

In the morning we did team orientation sessions and came up with the following team goals:

1)      To understand and appreciate a new culture without imposing our own
2)      To appreciate simplicity and reset priorities
3)      To use and improve our Spanish
4)      To spend quality time in a new setting with family and friends
5)      To make heartfelt connections with local people
6)      To serve the community
7)      To explore, learn, and have fun

We also came up with the following Characteristics of an Effective Team:

flexibility                     cooperation                 open mind

shared mission             patience                     allowing for differences

risk taking                   attentiveness               persistence

esprit de corps             delegation                   responsibility

kindness                      humor

In the afternoon we headed out to the daycare center to begin volunteering!

I started the day "brillo-ing", that is, cleaning the dirtiest part of the outside wall of the daycare center. The rest of the afternoon I played with the 3- to 4-year-olds, mostly the boys outside. I didn't know what they were asking me a lot of the time, but we figured it out.

Entry submitted by: Madison Missett 

 Daycare Center #2 when we arrived

Team #150 to Ecuador! 

I worked with the kids the entire afternoon. I did their hair and it was so strange - they're playing with building blocks and you do their hair. I learned the hard way not just to put things down in front of the kids: when I put down the hair spray on the table they started aiming it and spraying each other. When Jake came in, a kid went over and just sat on his lap. It was very sweet.

Entry submitted by: Samantha Missett