This morning, after an early and exciting breakfast at La Primavera and an invigorating mental warm-up, we traveled to a shoe factory in the neighboring city of Guano. In order to learn about global business and its effects on local communities, Dora, a manager at the Zapateria Arevalo, gave us a private tour of the factory. In addition to her tour, we also got to watch the complex process of a shoe being built, the majority of which was done by hand. Dora, who amazed us with her passion and care in her field, also helped to show us the importance of artisanal labor in society. While she described the harsh reality of businesses in Ecuador and the challenges created by the pandemic, what she truly showed us was the passion and perseverance necessary to keep the business afloat. After seeing the intense care that each of the employees put into each pair of shoes, we were then given the chance to buy shoes from the store

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Once all of us were given the chance to browse the store, we boarded our bus and made our way back to La Primavera. Upon arrival, we ate lunch before beginning the final planning for our Community Action Projects. With the planning complete, we were able to send a small group out to purchase all of our supplies. While the group was out, many of us were given the chance to briefly call our families: an exciting yet emotional experience for us. After some lengthy yet sentimental free time, we ate dinner and held a self-reflection in order to truly process the events of the day. Finally, we held the nightly meeting where we discussed the facets of our day and crowned a new Lider del Dia.

Big Love, William