Team Rules

Team Tobati Rules and Priorities

Deal Breakers: The breaking of the following two rules will result in an expulsion from the team and being sent home immediately from the trip. Students would be sent home with the adult leader of their work group. Disciplinary action will be taken by Kingswood Oxford school if these rules are broken. No excuses will be accepted when dealing with these rules.

Section A

No Sneaky Sneaky: We can't have folks sneaking around deceiving the host families and/or the Team Tobati chaperones. The host families and the team leaders don't deserve to be lied to or to put in awkward situations due to student misbehavior. Moreover, as team members we are representing prior and future generations of Team Tobatí and also Mr. Garcia and his family. At night, team members must just go straight to their houses when the team disperses for the evening and must stay there until the following morning. Team members can't be sneaking around to other team member houses or elsewhere. Chaperones must know where team members are and what they're doing at all times.
No Drinky Drinky: This purpose of our service trip to Paraguay is to help the poor of Tobatí, Paraguay. It is vital that no students possess or seek out alcohol or any other type of substance that would compromise the purity of our mission. Be smart at all times and look out for each other. Don't let others make mistakes.

Key Rules: Important priorities to honor. All team members need to know these practical rules and be ready to communicate them to others.

Section B

Team members must have a pocket in their carry on luggage which can be zipped up for their passport and plane ticket. Nothing else should be in this pocket. There will be times when you are in charge of your passport and ticket. You must not lose it. Having a place where these items always live and are secured is the best way to not lose the items. Make sure that it is zipped away in a spot that is safe. At the earliest possible moment, you should give your passport and ticket to your chaperone. Also, keep an eye out for your peers' passports and plane tickets.
Team members must wear mosquito repellent at all times while in Paraguay. Bring mosquito repellent with plenty of DEET. Team members should make sure that their work team comrades and housing mates also wear their repellent. Repellent needs to go on after sunscreen and not before. The more deet the better. Although you won't see many mosquitoes you still must apply the repellent. We do this as a precaution against Dengue, which is a flu like illness spread by mosquito.
If you aren't feeling well, you may not stay at your house. You must come to central headquarters where Dr. Maria Garcia will take a look at you. If you're unable to join your team during a work project, you will rest at Central Headquarters.
We need folks to get into the correct truck when heading out. Trucks will be going to different places. You need to stick with your work team and double check with the driver.
Don't put toilet paper in the toilet. The water pressure in Paraguay is not strong enough to flush the paper and it therefore breaks the toilet. There is a small trashcan next to all toilets. That, my friends, is where you must put your toilet paper.
When you are sent home at night you have to go directly to the house of your host family. You may not visit comrades in other houses or go anywhere else. You must go home and stay at home.
Don't eat uncooked vegetables or fruits or drink tap water. All water has to be bottled water. You should bring a water bottle that can be filled up at the water cooler at Central Headquarters.
Don't go into the houses or into the cars of strangers. Check with Mr. Garcia before changing any plan for the day.
Make sure your entire sub-team gets on the plane, bus, van, etc. before the group departs. Look out for your sub-team.
Keep your shirts on. Don't take your shirts off no matter how hot it is.
Don't make a lot of noise at night. The host families and the chaperones need to sleep. Be respectful. You also need to sleep.
Help out your non-Spanish speaking brothers and sisters. You can't be shy with your Spanish. You'll have to use whatever Spanish you have.
Try to get to sleep as early as possible after being sent home. You guys are going to need rest and sleep. Rest during the siestas and don't stay up late at night. Telling jokes all night is fun but the price to pay the next day is too big.
Drink a lot of water. It's very important that you stay hydrated.
In the airports, stay near the departure gate and again don't lose your passport.
Make sure your chaperones know where you are at all times.
If you take a backpack to your worksite, don't leave it on the ground. Put it in the truck or hand it to the truck driver. We can't leave things around like we do at KO.
Don't wear sandals when we're building things or doing construction work. Sneakers are good for working sessions
Bring work gloves when we're going to work.
Bring good digital cameras if you have them. Mr. Garcia will be asking for photos throughout the trip to put on the team website for our fans back home. He will also be asking for photos from your phones as well.
Wear a watch and don't forget to bring a portable alarm clock. Your phone alarm clock may not work if you don't pay for international data. Your host family won't wake you up. Culturally, it is considered rude to wake up a sleeping guest.
Never walk around outside without shoes or sandals.
Don't leave your money laying around at your house. Make sure to put it away. It's a good idea to keep your money on you if possible.

The Heart of a Champion rules: These rules need to be followed in order for the team to take care of business and help the poor of the region. We need to be responsible. The team can't be held up by individual players.

Section C

Be very cautious crossing the streets in Tobati. There are a lot of motorcycles and big trucks driving fast and these vehicles will not give pedestrians the right of way. Play it super safe.
Be prepared and ready to go with your work teams. Know the schedule at all times. All team members have to know what's coming up and what is needed for the project. Teams must be together at Central Headquarters and ready to board trucks at the appropriate times. The teams must also talk with the truck drivers and figure out which truck is theirs before departure time.
Work hard and ask the Paraguayans in charge of your project for more work and for guidance. The Paraguayan workers will be shy and reluctant to tell you what to do or to ask you to work more. They will not step forward to show you how to do things. They are very careful not to come across as bossy or rude. We need to approach them and ask for help, instruction, and further assignments. It is up to us to take the initiative. Ask them to work with you and with the group.
Always have solid jokes and entertaining anecdotes ready. You never know when one will be demanded by either circumstance or by an authority figure. When you feel your squad tiring, you need to step forward and pick the energy up.
Be on Time: Be on time in the morning and make sure your brothers and sisters are on time. We need to know where all team members are at all times and we can't hold up our schedule to wait for folks. We have a lot of work to do and we have a pretty complicated schedule. Don't be the one that messes up the plan.
Be a Good Teammate: Make sure all teammates (both American and Paraguayan) feel included and respected by their peers. Be inclusive at all times and in every way. We need to make new friends, get to know people in other forms, and never ever bad mouth any of our teammates.
Be polite and respectful: Shake the hands and/or exchange kisses with the Paraguayans that you meet. In Paraguay, it is considered rude to not physically greet people with a kiss or handshake. Say thank you, please, etc. The folks of Tobatí embrace us with great warmth. We need to return the favor and talk with the Paraguayans and make a good name for the team. If we say nothing to people as we pass them, we will be considered arrogant. We need to say hello or at least give a warm nod to everyone that we pass on the street.

Positive Energy Rules: The breaking of these rules will result in being chastised and possibly one could be called a big baby. Nothing beats good ol' positive energy.

Section D

Come to central headquarters each morning with enthusiasm. Make a point of truly appreciating what you are doing and the uniqueness and greatness of what we are doing.
It ain't that hot. It is counterproductive and against team policy to acknowledge the heat in a negative way. It hurts our momentum and positive energy. Team members may not complain about the temperature, sigh in a way that draws attention to the heat, or sweat in a way that seems to be negative.
We're not that tired. We need to fight and hide any fatigue that we're feeling. The team is going to work hard in the heat with little sleep at times. We need to fight the good fight and persevere. Negative energy and complaining is catchy. We can't let it wear down a sub-team. Yawning is a class D rules violation.
Work team unity: We need all students and faculty to know where their sub-teams are at all times in order to get groups together and depart quickly for different work assignments. We also need to make sure that everyone in our assigned sub-team and our random sub-teams feels comfortable and respected. Team members must always be prepared to answer trivia questions about their sub-teammates.
New little Paraguayan buddy: Each team member must adopt a young Paraguayan boy as his official new little Paraguayan buddy. This must be done by the third day of the trip. Its a good move to purchase ice cream for your buddy on your last day in Tobati.