On our last team call, we had a big problem: Lucille had received a bunch more Intel paraphernalia: speakers, keyboards, and more! It was basically enough to fill a whole other suitcase. “How am I going to fit all these things,” she sighed. #firstworldproblems. In the end, she did what she could and is the first one of the team who is on her way while the rest of us frantically pack and check things off our list…
Bug spray, Intel sunglasses, Hydration tablets, check, check, check. When it seems like we’ve thought of everything there’s always one more thing we forget to pack.
Like any other trip, I’ll probably forget something, but hopefully it’ll be: “I forgot a hair tie,” not “I forgot my passport!”
Shoot… did I pack enough underwear? Maybe one more, just in case…
At some point you just have to stop and look up, make sure you’ve got your wallet and passport. The rest is replaceable.
Like me, most of my team members have been packing in the past week, running around to stores to buy that last item for our IESC (Intel Education Service Corps) trip to the Philippines.
We’ve gotten our vaccines, rounded up equipment, gear, made lesson plans, and asked for tips from the past two teams who have gone before us. We’re 100% ready, confident (right?), and excited to go. But also a little nervous, mostly about the little things. But what if my bag weighs 50.5 pounds, I hope I don’t have to pay extra!
Over the next two and a half weeks, I will be covering the IESC project where six Intel employees including myself will be traveling to the Philippines to educate in digital literacy and inspire children whose whole world was literally uprooted 2.5 years ago by Typhoon Haiyan. Since then, Intel has sponsored to rebuild their school building in Tacloban, and we’re the third group going back to give them technological immersion and digital training.
Lately, Intel has received a lot of negative media with the layoffs affecting employees worldwide, but the company still finds it important to support this type of high social impact project. My team and I are ecstatic about being able to participate. While we’re on the ground, I will be publishing stories, pictures, and media via the following outlets:
Tumblr: http://iescphilippines.tumblr.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ihtoth
Twitter: https://twitter.com/ihtoth
Blog: http://www.ildikototh.com/index.php/category/iesc/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ihtoth/
Here are team Wandzil’s members:
Wilbert Go (Montana, USA): Technical expert
Aziz Bandeli (California, USA): Project Manager
Nora Moolenkamp (Oregon, USA): “Onboarding Project Manager” who will not be able to travel with us, but all her contributions to our project are very much appreciated by the team
Damir Bajramovic (California, USA): Technical expert
Zipporah Stephen (Swindon, United Kingdom): Trainer
Ildiko Toth (Oregon, USA): Social media expert and blogger
Lucille Held (Arizona, USA): Trainer
Why Wandzil?
Wandzil is a derivative of the word “Wand”, a word this team coined in their first meeting, and is an accurate description of the team’s chemistry, enthusiasm, passion and their commitment to make a difference to the global community.
Can you guess which set of gear belongs to which person?
A
B
C
Answers: A – Wilbert, B – Lucille, C – Ildikó
The last three coming soon before they take off!