Today the group enjoyed waking up from their first night, and breakfast at the Primavera. The group discussed and established the group agreement, a list of rules the group made up that they will follow and respect for the remainder of the trip. Following the establishment of the group rules, the group discussed the safety rules while staying in Ecuador and venturing into Riobamba, and we also reviewed and acted out the Global Glimpse rules.

Following the rules and safety seminar, Glimpsers enjoyed their free time bonding with each other while playing games such as Lucky, Paranoia, and Uno. During this time some Glimpsers were able to talk to Hannah, the Medical Fellow, about their current health and any health-related information that needed to be known such as current medication, allergies, current adaptation to the elevation, etc. Following free time, the group enjoyed their lunch and prepared for the rest of the day.

As the day progressed, the group moved into the downtown area of Riobamba and split off into four groups, one group for each of the GGL’s and PC’s, for a scavenger hunt of historical and cultural landmarks. This allowed Glimpsers to explore the history and area of Riobamba while beginning to engage in conversations with the locals. Some of the places Glimpsers explored were Parque Maldonado and the train station, but we were also able to learn things such as the names of the four volcanoes surrounding Riobamba and the four regions of Ecuador. During the exploration, Glimpsers were able to see Chimborazo, the closest point on Earth to the sun. The group ended at la Plaza Roja, a center in which many indigenous people sell handcrafted goods, and also a space with historical significance. Historically, indigenous people were only allowed to sell their goods on the weekend and the square was also a place of violence where people were publically whipped. Now, the square is painted red as a memory of the past.

We discussed the past of Ecuador and the United States while elaborating upon how the past impacts the future. Another topic we discussed was the similarities and differences between what we learned and experienced while exploring Riobamba and compared that to what we had seen and known through living in the United States.

On the ride back from downtown, Glimpsers were able to enjoy a traditional pastry called cholas and debrief from the day’s trip. We enjoyed dinner and ended the day with our nightly meeting and free time for the Glimpsers to enjoy and bond over.

Other Photos from the Day: