Today started out with bang as most of the Glimpsers claim that I pounded on their door so loud that everyone was a awake with the first knock.  After that startling incident we settled down to a light breakfast of a roll and scrambled eggs.  At around eight we boarded the bus for our short drive to th   e ILE institute for English learning.  Once we got there we began having discussions with some of the students to help improve their English learning in context.

After meeting two new people each, we headed up to the theater to have our morning seminar with the ILE students, where we discussed the differences between Ecuadorian and American education and literacy.  We then expanded on the topic when Professor Lopez-a teacher at the school-came to speak to us about her experiences with Primary and Secondary school in Riobamba and her college work in the United States.  I, personally, found her very inspiring because she was able to not only go to college in the US, which many people from Ecuador strive to do, but she also went into literature, a major which is not favorable in Ecuadorian cultural standards.

Once completing the discussion, we headed to our usual restaurant for lunch, and headed back to the hostel for another guest speaker.  His name is Daniel Rivas, and he spoke to us about his family’s pharmaceutical company and a new social conscious type of business which includes customer care and health.  This created the perfect introduction for tomorrow’s theme, which will be Global Business.

English classes began for the second day a few hours later, where from my experience in the Advanced group, everyone was learning and having a good time, especially with the conversation portion of the class, where they could just practice their English in real life situations, which is the best to help learn.  Once English was over, we headed back to the Hostel for dinner and the nightly meeting.

Today was very different from yesterday, in the fact that we went from doing labor in a community to a high-class school to talk with the people who can afford it.  I think the most surprising aspect of the day wasseeing how excited the students at ILE were to talk to us and finally get a chance to put the seven years of English learning they have had to the test.  As we discussed in our meeting today, we have become much more like a unit that functions as a group and have become much more respectful towards not only guest speakers, but our own peers and leaders.

Overall, it was a very thought-provoking day as we discussed the ideas of different methods of education, and why it is so different based on social issues such as racism.  We all had a very good time, and are excited for tomorrow.

P.S.  Mom, Dad, Olivia, Sara, Carson, Spencer, and Aiden:  HIIIIIIIIIIII!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  I’ve been told you guys are spamming the comment section.  Thanks for your support, I love you guys