Hola familias y amigos,

We are all settled into our new accommodations in Riobamba. Our day consisted of traveling from Quito to Riobamba, checking into our accommodations, meeting the Riobamba accommodations team, dancing with Traditional Ecuadorian dancers, signing up for leaders of the day (LDD), having a tasty dinner and Paco and Jonathan passing the LDD torch to Victor for tomorrow.

This morning we woke up in Quito, Ecuador after a long day of travel. We had a wonderful breakfast with Paco y Jonathan, our PCs, and then headed on a beautiful four-hour drive to Riobamba. On our drive to Ecuador, although cloudy, we were able to see the beautiful countryside, sprawling hills and mountains, and windy roads. We stopped for snacks and a bathroom break and purchased things like mayonnaise flavored chips, cookies and Gatorades in glass bottles.

Once we reached Riobamba, we dropped our bags in our rooms and toured the villas. Our hostel is amazing, with beautiful green trees, flowers, outdoor patios, cats and dogs. After getting settled, we got to meet our wonderful hosts who will be preparing meals and making sure we are comfortable during our stay. Lunch was tasty with lots of great options!

A wonderful surprise was waiting for us outside, after lunch, Traditional Ecuadorian dancers! We danced, laughed and danced some more. Global glimpser, Victor said, “I never have enjoyed dancing so much.” Fatima agreed, adding that, “I loved the dancing, and had so much fun.” The traditional Ecuadorian dancers were kind, patient and knowledgeable. We are so grateful that they were able to share a part of their rich culture with us.

It has been truly amazing to see how resilient our glimpsers have been and how much energy they have. After a very long day of travel, they have bonded, connected and stayed focused and present. At the end of each day, we give “BIG LOVE” to each other. This is a way for glimpsers to be intentional about sharing positives about their experiences. Today’s big love was filled with comments like, “Big love for translating for me.” “Big love for checking on me when you could see I was nervous.” “Big love for being inclusive.” I am so grateful to be with such a thoughtful group.

We are all looking forward to reading your comments!

Buenas Noches,

Jessica