Hey to you all from today’s Leaders of the day, Lisa and Kaitlyn!

Although today started off pretty hectic because it was our first early wake-up, we definitely pulled through. We started the day with our first English Tutoring Class and even though everyone was nervous, we all found the energy to have a productive and fun class. The students were very welcoming and taught us just as much as we taught them. One interesting thing the students in Ecuador taught us is that “if you say one bad thing about someone, you have to say two good things about them.” We really appreciated how sweet and caring they were towards each other and us. It was very comforting to see that our worries were for nothing!

After a quick change of clothes, we got on the buses and visited COPROBICH, an organic quinoa cooperative that promotes fair trade. Throughout the tour we learned about not only the financial and business aspects of the cooperative, but also the agricultural and manufactural aspects of the creation of quinoa. It was interesting to see that it only took 5 people to clean, dry, package, and export the quinoa. The cooperative is family based and it was eye opening to see the difference of how the process of the production is in comparison to the U.S. It was also inspiring to see how passionate the people were about their work; they truly believed and knew what they were doing was not only good for themselves, but also the environment. The fields of quinoa were a beautiful view, with their shades of green, yellow, and red.

On our free time, the group overall, bonded over a game of volleyball, UNO, and we even had deep thought-provoking conversations. After having an exciting day of being leaders, we compassionately pass the torch to Matilda and Jose, so stay tuned for their post tomorrow!

P.S. Hi Mami a/nd Chelsea, I hope you guys are keeping up with the blogs. I love & miss you very much! Xoxo, Kaitlyn
Soy yo Stacy, mami te extraño mucho, igualmente a Manny, Mikel, Larimar, y Naylia. Los amo con todo mi corazon, y los veo pronto!
(It’s Stacy, Mami I miss you so much, as well as Manny, Mikel, Larimar, and Naylia. I love you all with all my heart, and I will see you soon!)