Days Two and Three - Rapid cultural assimilation and project kick-off

Only have about 20 minutes to type up a quick update on Days 2 and 3 ... have to head to our weekly all-team meeting at 7pm - this is a meeting to discuss, brainstorm and collaborate on each of our projects.

Day 2: Sunday, May 8
The day began with a yummy breakfast.  The pousada (Brazilian B&B) that we are staying at has a scrumptious breakfast buffet with fresh juices, tropical fruits, amazing cakes and breads.  The works!  Breakfast conversation was around a multitude of topics incl. the essence of the human spirit and the RoI on community development projects like the ones we're going to be working on.  Again, amazing to hear all the different accents and perspectives.

Breakfast was followed by a tour of the neighborhood with our local consultants - we scoped out the pharmacy, laundromat, grocery store and, very importantly, McD's!  Along the way, also stopped at a beautiful beach and the team took a bunch of pics (have included one below).  I also saw a sugarcane juice stall - the vendor was not around otherwise I would've indulged myself!

Lunch was the default "kilo" buffet - all-natural foods eaten in a treehouse-like setting.  Very nice!


The afternoon was our first team-build exercise - we began with some warm-up and stretches outdoors and then moved indoors where our exercise was to map out a timeline of our lives in whatever fashion we chose (chronological, circular, animated!) and to call out significant events and highlights.  The intent being for the team to get to know each other better.  It was a fun and very insightful exercise - despite our differences in background, religion, national origin etc. etc. - there's a common thread that ties us all together - we're human and we're in the pursuit of happiness!  And while we are all unique, more often than not, we are decent folks looking to make a better life for ourselves and to help each other out.  One of my fellow participants referenced the 2005 Standford commencement address by Steve Jobs and how  he talked about the dots connecting when we look in the rearview mirror of our lives - could not agree more and I'm so thankful that our combined dots intersected through this unique opportunity in Salvador, Brazil.  Still finding it hard to shake the sense-of-disbelief!  For those who haven't read or seen Steve Jobs' address, I have included links below.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UF8uR6Z6KLc

http://news.stanford.edu/news/2005/june15/jobs-061505.html


Day Three and Day Four update to follow...