so i'm back home. hiding out at my parents house. i've been out once in 3 days. partly fatigue, partly not really knowing what to do with myself.
i was so exhausted and ready to leave when i left, that i didn't think i'd miss the kids so soon. but i do. i really miss them. i wish i had the ability to pop in and see them over a weekend - but that's not going to happen.
the luxury that i'm surrounded with now that i'm home just emphasizes how little the kids i was working with have. it's unsettling.
that being said, i'm glad to see my family again - i'm lucky to have all this to come home to. i feel like i've won the lottery.
i was going to write a blog summarizing my trip. the pros and cons, the good and bad. right now that doesn't feel necessary. there were a lot of frustrations, and the work could be overwhelming - but i have no regrets. advice for those who might want to volunteer or donate to an organization is to thouroughly research the organization, talk to present and past volunteers before jumping into anything major. that being said, all the description and advice will not prepare you - it's definitely about going with the flow.
on a final note - if you're looking to help, and wish you could take a bite out of poverty - start by looking at the companies you support on a daily basis. try to shop locally - avoid where you can companies that exploit third world countries. do a little research.
and remember, when you're watching t.v. or reading magazines and comparing yourself to the rich and famous - wondering why you don't get to be so lucky - you are lucky. no need to feel guilty about it - just be aware.
thank you so much to everyone who has supported me on my journey - it's wonderful to have so many people out there who have my back.
happy holidays to everyone - i hope you and your friends and families are happy and healthy.
Tuesday, December 16, 2008
Friday, December 5, 2008
alison has left the building
i´m on my way home. i know i haven´t blogged in a while, but the final few weeks at the hogar were super busy - and to be honest, i really don´t feel like blogging right now. way too much to try to convey on a blog.
that being said, i will be sure to write on my experience in general once i get home and have time to process it all.
that being said, i will be sure to write on my experience in general once i get home and have time to process it all.
Monday, November 17, 2008
a busy week and some good news
it´s been a crazy week and a half at the hogar. the head couple (full time honduran couple) had to leave for a family emergency which left the volunteers working double time without breaks. everything has gone pretty well, and the kids have been cooperative - so although we´re tired, it´s worked out just fine (slash: i need a vacation)
to update you on santos - his operation went well, and he´s now up and about as normal. he definitely milked the situation for all it was worth for as long as he could - sleeping in the volunteer room and getting as much extra attention as possible. the night before we went to the hospital he was knocking on our door at 2am crying and saying he was afraid. so we dragged a little mattress into our room and had him sleep with us. this wasn´t enough, however, as he kept us up saying ´tia alison, i want to sleep in your bed, i´m scared´. i finally conceded to lay on the floor with him til 5am, when we had to get up. he then repeated the same routine with the other volunteers the two following nights. (but i figure that every kid should have the chance to sleep with a parent figure when they are scared, and for the most part the children here don´t have that opportunity.) it was cute when we returned from the hospital - all the children crowded around the car then ran through the halls saying ´they cured santos!´.
other great news - my childhood (and my parent´s) church in kelowna recently raised a very generous sum of $ to completely correct the plumbing at the orphanage. this is going to make a huge difference to cleanliness and hygeine at the hogar. it´s something that has been needed for a long time - but was much to costly to fix with the lack of funds the organization currently has.
so to the donors at st. david´s church in kelowna -
THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU!!
to update you on santos - his operation went well, and he´s now up and about as normal. he definitely milked the situation for all it was worth for as long as he could - sleeping in the volunteer room and getting as much extra attention as possible. the night before we went to the hospital he was knocking on our door at 2am crying and saying he was afraid. so we dragged a little mattress into our room and had him sleep with us. this wasn´t enough, however, as he kept us up saying ´tia alison, i want to sleep in your bed, i´m scared´. i finally conceded to lay on the floor with him til 5am, when we had to get up. he then repeated the same routine with the other volunteers the two following nights. (but i figure that every kid should have the chance to sleep with a parent figure when they are scared, and for the most part the children here don´t have that opportunity.) it was cute when we returned from the hospital - all the children crowded around the car then ran through the halls saying ´they cured santos!´.
other great news - my childhood (and my parent´s) church in kelowna recently raised a very generous sum of $ to completely correct the plumbing at the orphanage. this is going to make a huge difference to cleanliness and hygeine at the hogar. it´s something that has been needed for a long time - but was much to costly to fix with the lack of funds the organization currently has.
so to the donors at st. david´s church in kelowna -
THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU!!
Wednesday, November 5, 2008
photos
i've uploaded a few more photos onto flickr (the link is in the right column on this page). there's more pics of the kids from the hogar and from the campesino project - solares nuevos - that i work at.
all about santos
this is santos. santos is my sponsor child. he has 2 older brothers and 2 older sisters here at the orphanage. as you can see he marches to the beat of a different drummer... as do many of the kids at the hogar de amor.
sometimes when i look at him, all gangly in his flood pants and his short cropped hair, i think he could be in an 80's pop band.
the two of us have taken some time to develop a relationship, as he's kind of a solitary guy. he's also a little delayed for his age (he just turned 6) and isn't as out going as some of the other kids here.
that being said - we have had some opportunities to figure eachother out. his birthday was in october, so i brought him into town to go to pizza hut and then pick out a gift. he chose bright blue imitation crocs (shoes) and a beach set (plastic shovels, bucket etc.) unfortunately it's the rainy season, so he'll have to wait a while before he can make use of it. [the picture here is him trying on soccer socks and shoes that mary(volunteer) and her mom donated for the kids.]
on friday santos has an appointment to get minor surgery done. we went in on monday to the swiss hospital in la cieba to make the appointment, and in 2 days he'll have an embillical (sp?) hernia removed. this hospital does these procedures for free for people in need, and right now there is a team of surgeons here for a short time volunteering. i've been hoping this could get done since i first arrived here, so this is pretty exciting. i can't tell if he's nervous or not, he's been pretty mellow about the whole thing. the other kids are quite interested and excited about it - but that's the way it always is with santos... the most exciting thing could be happening to him, and he just floats around as cool as a cucumber as the other kids around him freak out and ask a million different questions.
as tyler (one of the other volunteers) always says: "santos, you're so cool..."
Thursday, October 16, 2008
i´m baaaack
i´m back at the hogar - have been for a week now.
i got home to find that i had been breeding lice for the three weeks i was away... totally disgusting. i have to do treatment #2 tonight and hope that´ll cure me. i will spare you the details of the lice... lets just say my discovery of them made me want to throw up - just a little.
the saturday after i got back a group of us went to watch the second canada vs honduras football game - where canada got trampled by honduras much to my dismay. but again, probably better for my safety being a canadian in a room full of crazy honduran football fans. me and the one other canadian with me had our little flag and cheered when canada got their one goal - woohoo!! go canada!!- we got some interesting looks.... stared down is maybe a better description. we were definitely alone on that one... awkward moment in a crowded room....
celebrating a honduran win is much more fun while in honduras than celebrating a canadian win would be. cheering and hanging out of car windows as people throw water at eachother in comradarie vs hiding from angry fans weilding machetes (this is how it is in my imagination). pick one.
anyhoo...
it´s nice to be back to a full staff of volunteers. finally!! we have 4 living at the hogar now, and 4 working at the campesino project i go to every day. teaching and being at the hogar have been reletively pleasant with actual help. i´ll be teaching english classes soon to the hogar kids in the afternoons twice a week, along with a few of the other volunteers. we´re also starting computer classes. none of us really know what we´re doing - but, as with most things here, we´ll learn as we go!
so i´m still busy - but i´m sure it will fly by as i only have less than two months left here!
it´s crazy to think i´ve been gone from canada for 4 1/2 months....
i got home to find that i had been breeding lice for the three weeks i was away... totally disgusting. i have to do treatment #2 tonight and hope that´ll cure me. i will spare you the details of the lice... lets just say my discovery of them made me want to throw up - just a little.
the saturday after i got back a group of us went to watch the second canada vs honduras football game - where canada got trampled by honduras much to my dismay. but again, probably better for my safety being a canadian in a room full of crazy honduran football fans. me and the one other canadian with me had our little flag and cheered when canada got their one goal - woohoo!! go canada!!- we got some interesting looks.... stared down is maybe a better description. we were definitely alone on that one... awkward moment in a crowded room....
celebrating a honduran win is much more fun while in honduras than celebrating a canadian win would be. cheering and hanging out of car windows as people throw water at eachother in comradarie vs hiding from angry fans weilding machetes (this is how it is in my imagination). pick one.
anyhoo...
it´s nice to be back to a full staff of volunteers. finally!! we have 4 living at the hogar now, and 4 working at the campesino project i go to every day. teaching and being at the hogar have been reletively pleasant with actual help. i´ll be teaching english classes soon to the hogar kids in the afternoons twice a week, along with a few of the other volunteers. we´re also starting computer classes. none of us really know what we´re doing - but, as with most things here, we´ll learn as we go!
so i´m still busy - but i´m sure it will fly by as i only have less than two months left here!
it´s crazy to think i´ve been gone from canada for 4 1/2 months....
Tuesday, October 7, 2008
thoughts on the road.
i´m near the end of my little ´vacation´away from the orphanage and have come down with something - possibly a flu, possibly some sort of parasite - in the last couple days.
on a bright note, i´m in a great hostel, in a great town (granada, nicaragua) with a nice little family of travelers that i´ve been lucky enough to collect along the way.
i´ve learned that when travelling through central america, one must allow for delays and obstacles of many kinds.
i had the no-money obstacle in san juan del sur, the natural disaster-weather obstacle on isla ometepe (mudslide blocking bus route 14 km out of town- had to get out and walk til some sort of transportation made it´s way to us). now i have the sick obstacle, which keeps me close to bed, hammock or bathroom.
all that being said, i´ve very much enjoyed my little adventure. i´ve met great people to travel with along the way and had the chance to surf, swim, hike to a waterfall on a volcano and do lots and lots and lots of thinking.
trying to rev myself up for another 2 months of the orphanage. i´m looking forward to seeing the kids, but i´m not looking forward to being isolated out there - or to the constant-ness of it (if that´s even a word).
i´m sure it will only take me a few days to jump right back into the swing of things. and it´s important to me to complete my time there.
i´ve also done a lot of thinking of where i´ll go when i´m done in honduras. after spending the holidays with my family. i´ve thought about so many different options, but for now i´m leaning towards heading back to toronto. my plan a. plans can change, but at least i feel like i have a plan. i also have a plan b, c and d.... there was a moment about a week ago when i was convinced i wanted to adopt a 3 yr old - even though it´s not actually allowed out of honduras - but then i remembered that i´m an actor and have no money. not a good plan. however, it may be something i would do if and when i ever have money.
anyhoo. that´s enough for now.
i think i need to lay down.
on a bright note, i´m in a great hostel, in a great town (granada, nicaragua) with a nice little family of travelers that i´ve been lucky enough to collect along the way.
i´ve learned that when travelling through central america, one must allow for delays and obstacles of many kinds.
i had the no-money obstacle in san juan del sur, the natural disaster-weather obstacle on isla ometepe (mudslide blocking bus route 14 km out of town- had to get out and walk til some sort of transportation made it´s way to us). now i have the sick obstacle, which keeps me close to bed, hammock or bathroom.
all that being said, i´ve very much enjoyed my little adventure. i´ve met great people to travel with along the way and had the chance to surf, swim, hike to a waterfall on a volcano and do lots and lots and lots of thinking.
trying to rev myself up for another 2 months of the orphanage. i´m looking forward to seeing the kids, but i´m not looking forward to being isolated out there - or to the constant-ness of it (if that´s even a word).
i´m sure it will only take me a few days to jump right back into the swing of things. and it´s important to me to complete my time there.
i´ve also done a lot of thinking of where i´ll go when i´m done in honduras. after spending the holidays with my family. i´ve thought about so many different options, but for now i´m leaning towards heading back to toronto. my plan a. plans can change, but at least i feel like i have a plan. i also have a plan b, c and d.... there was a moment about a week ago when i was convinced i wanted to adopt a 3 yr old - even though it´s not actually allowed out of honduras - but then i remembered that i´m an actor and have no money. not a good plan. however, it may be something i would do if and when i ever have money.
anyhoo. that´s enough for now.
i think i need to lay down.
Wednesday, October 1, 2008
haitus
i´m in nicaragua on the way back from renewing my visa in costa rica.
it´s nice to have a break.
however, i´ve run into problems with my bank card.
it´s frozen.
and i´ve just been on the phone to royal bank, talked to about 5 different agents, and have been told that i wont be able to use my bank card til i get back to canada.
i think i need to call them again.
i hate dealing with the bank anytime... but especially overseas.
some days i meet people who are so helpful i can´t believe my good fortune.
then other times i call my own country and have to deal with people who are just counting the hours til they get off work.
grr.
on a bright note, i attempted surfing again, and actually did very well! go me!
it´s nice to have a break.
however, i´ve run into problems with my bank card.
it´s frozen.
and i´ve just been on the phone to royal bank, talked to about 5 different agents, and have been told that i wont be able to use my bank card til i get back to canada.
i think i need to call them again.
i hate dealing with the bank anytime... but especially overseas.
some days i meet people who are so helpful i can´t believe my good fortune.
then other times i call my own country and have to deal with people who are just counting the hours til they get off work.
grr.
on a bright note, i attempted surfing again, and actually did very well! go me!
Friday, September 19, 2008
not so bad
the last two days have been pretty good.
no major poo incidents.
the kid that said i was a gringo, not her teacher, drew me a picture today.
she can be my friend again.
and the showers work, and the toilets seem to be flushing, and we got a hitch all the way back from our project today (cutting out the 40 min walk), and i'm going to buy the best smoothie ever, and i get two weeks off starting now.... well, technically monday, and i got a couple much needed donations.
one of the girls at the hogar has taken to calling me gorgita and poking my tummy. this roughly translates to 'little fatty'. although another one called me flacita today which is the opposite... i think she figured i was offended.
i'll just take both as terms of endearment.
no major poo incidents.
the kid that said i was a gringo, not her teacher, drew me a picture today.
she can be my friend again.
and the showers work, and the toilets seem to be flushing, and we got a hitch all the way back from our project today (cutting out the 40 min walk), and i'm going to buy the best smoothie ever, and i get two weeks off starting now.... well, technically monday, and i got a couple much needed donations.
one of the girls at the hogar has taken to calling me gorgita and poking my tummy. this roughly translates to 'little fatty'. although another one called me flacita today which is the opposite... i think she figured i was offended.
i'll just take both as terms of endearment.
Wednesday, September 17, 2008
crazy
i am starting to go a wee bit mad here living at the orphanage.
the only volunteer living here for 10 days.
but i'm leaving next week to renew my visa in costa rica.
some super budget style traveling.
escape at last...
until then, the poo incidents will continue... i lost a shirt to poo today....
and along with 20 children banging down my door 24/7 b/c they want a book or a puzzle or a colouring book.... will i stay sane?
i think i can i think i can i think i can i think i can........
the only volunteer living here for 10 days.
but i'm leaving next week to renew my visa in costa rica.
some super budget style traveling.
escape at last...
until then, the poo incidents will continue... i lost a shirt to poo today....
and along with 20 children banging down my door 24/7 b/c they want a book or a puzzle or a colouring book.... will i stay sane?
i think i can i think i can i think i can i think i can........
Friday, September 12, 2008
from good to stress fest
so this week was not so great as last.
there was a rather large incident with poo which inspired mary to head up a cleaning and painting project of the youngest kids´room.
poo is actually an ongoing issue with dogs who really need to not be at the orphanage, and kids who aren´t grossed out by it.
wednesday was kids day, which seemed to be somewhat disorganized - especially at the campesino project i work at (the hogar kids seemed to have a good day). it didn´t even really happen there until 2 days late. someone who was supposed to be in charge of bringing and organizing gifts and cake really wasn´t on the ball. i wish we had been given some notice as to what was going on with this holiday, and we could have made it something a little more special for the kids. at least we managed to get some games and skip rope in with the kids once we realized that class wasn´t going to be as usual today. i got to teach them a politically incorrect skip rope song-game... the one that goes¨"not last night but the night before.... etc." they loved it, and have no idea what the words are, but it kept going on and on as each kid wanted a turn.
oh... and then, the abuela of the village (like the leader) made me feel guilty for not bringing gifts earlier (even though it wasnt my job) and also said i had to bring more on monday... while the other lady (who´s job it was to bring the gifts) told me not to b-c she had brought enough and the abuela was basically conning me.... (is that a word?) plus both of them were speaking to me in spanish super fast, thinking i understood them, when really i only caught the drift... or at least i think i did.
who knows.
all locals here seem to think foreigners are all super rich (ha ha) and should just be handing out random presents like some sort of santa clause person. it´s pretty warped. it´s so backwards.
i could go on and on in a big anti-capitalism rant, but i´ll spare you.
on the bright side, the showers are functioning now - so hopefully they won´t break again!
the toilets, however are not yet operational in the kids bathrooms - so it´s difficult to teach the kids propper hygeine.
i have so much going on in my head and i can´t write fast enough! i appologize if you are reading this and wondering what the heck i am talking about...
the height of it this week was me, the only volunteer at the hogar for now, doing laps around the halls last night, bar of soap in one hand, towel in the other, bypassing kids as they bathed making sure they used soap, and returned the soap- stopping along the way to clean up dog poop or get a kid a toy or book or helping a kid bathe or look for underwear etc for kids getting ready for bed, or yelling at someone for chasing someone or accidentally giving another kid a semi black eye.... i felt like miss hanagan from the movie annie... i think she was just misunderstood...
i need to watch that movie again.
oh, and the puppet project is on hold. we´ve made the puppets and will try to put together a little show once i get back from renewing my visa. but the kids can be such brats. one ripped the nose off my puppet, and others have let me know that they dont want to take the class anymore.
they have the attention span of gnats.
all that said and done, i´m still glad i moved in - and hopefully can afford to continue living there- as i´ve really gotten to get to know the kids much better being there at night. it´s actually pretty cute helping the little guys brush there teeth.
it is the weekend now, and i get to escape for a day... go to the beach or something and try not to think of dog poop, money and non functioning toilets. horray!
there was a rather large incident with poo which inspired mary to head up a cleaning and painting project of the youngest kids´room.
poo is actually an ongoing issue with dogs who really need to not be at the orphanage, and kids who aren´t grossed out by it.
wednesday was kids day, which seemed to be somewhat disorganized - especially at the campesino project i work at (the hogar kids seemed to have a good day). it didn´t even really happen there until 2 days late. someone who was supposed to be in charge of bringing and organizing gifts and cake really wasn´t on the ball. i wish we had been given some notice as to what was going on with this holiday, and we could have made it something a little more special for the kids. at least we managed to get some games and skip rope in with the kids once we realized that class wasn´t going to be as usual today. i got to teach them a politically incorrect skip rope song-game... the one that goes¨"not last night but the night before.... etc." they loved it, and have no idea what the words are, but it kept going on and on as each kid wanted a turn.
oh... and then, the abuela of the village (like the leader) made me feel guilty for not bringing gifts earlier (even though it wasnt my job) and also said i had to bring more on monday... while the other lady (who´s job it was to bring the gifts) told me not to b-c she had brought enough and the abuela was basically conning me.... (is that a word?) plus both of them were speaking to me in spanish super fast, thinking i understood them, when really i only caught the drift... or at least i think i did.
who knows.
all locals here seem to think foreigners are all super rich (ha ha) and should just be handing out random presents like some sort of santa clause person. it´s pretty warped. it´s so backwards.
i could go on and on in a big anti-capitalism rant, but i´ll spare you.
on the bright side, the showers are functioning now - so hopefully they won´t break again!
the toilets, however are not yet operational in the kids bathrooms - so it´s difficult to teach the kids propper hygeine.
i have so much going on in my head and i can´t write fast enough! i appologize if you are reading this and wondering what the heck i am talking about...
the height of it this week was me, the only volunteer at the hogar for now, doing laps around the halls last night, bar of soap in one hand, towel in the other, bypassing kids as they bathed making sure they used soap, and returned the soap- stopping along the way to clean up dog poop or get a kid a toy or book or helping a kid bathe or look for underwear etc for kids getting ready for bed, or yelling at someone for chasing someone or accidentally giving another kid a semi black eye.... i felt like miss hanagan from the movie annie... i think she was just misunderstood...
i need to watch that movie again.
oh, and the puppet project is on hold. we´ve made the puppets and will try to put together a little show once i get back from renewing my visa. but the kids can be such brats. one ripped the nose off my puppet, and others have let me know that they dont want to take the class anymore.
they have the attention span of gnats.
all that said and done, i´m still glad i moved in - and hopefully can afford to continue living there- as i´ve really gotten to get to know the kids much better being there at night. it´s actually pretty cute helping the little guys brush there teeth.
it is the weekend now, and i get to escape for a day... go to the beach or something and try not to think of dog poop, money and non functioning toilets. horray!
Sunday, September 7, 2008
at the hogar
my first week living at the hogar was actually great!
i love being around the kids when i´m not their teacher.
and going to work at the other project for the morning to afternoon gives me a good long break from being there.
so far so good.
and my roommate at the hogar is great. we´re getting along extremely well. i can be my regular, somewhat inappropriate self with her.
and she´s big on the working out. so we work out together at the hogar in the afternoons (and some of the kids join in, which is pretty cute... or just dance around to our workout music).
so it was a positive week, although i was pretty much completely dead by friday. kind of like a zombie. i think that´s just an every week thing now. end of week is zombie exhaustion time. (sp?)
last night a small group of us went to watch the honduras vs canada football(soccer) game. canada lost. lots of happy hondurans driving around honking with flags hanging out the window. i brought my canadian flag just for kicks. it´s probably a good thing we lost or i may have gotten shot.
maybe.
this wednesday is national kids day so it´ll be busy and interesting. all the kids in the program get a gift, and i think there will be a bar-b-que and a piñata, fun!
next week mary (my roommate) will be gone renewing her visa, so i´ll be the only volunteer at the hogar. that´ll be interesting. i´ll be sure to write about that... and after that i´m going to renew my visa and take a couple weeks for travel.
always something new.
i hope everyone is healthy and happy at home or wherever you are.
i love being around the kids when i´m not their teacher.
and going to work at the other project for the morning to afternoon gives me a good long break from being there.
so far so good.
and my roommate at the hogar is great. we´re getting along extremely well. i can be my regular, somewhat inappropriate self with her.
and she´s big on the working out. so we work out together at the hogar in the afternoons (and some of the kids join in, which is pretty cute... or just dance around to our workout music).
so it was a positive week, although i was pretty much completely dead by friday. kind of like a zombie. i think that´s just an every week thing now. end of week is zombie exhaustion time. (sp?)
last night a small group of us went to watch the honduras vs canada football(soccer) game. canada lost. lots of happy hondurans driving around honking with flags hanging out the window. i brought my canadian flag just for kicks. it´s probably a good thing we lost or i may have gotten shot.
maybe.
this wednesday is national kids day so it´ll be busy and interesting. all the kids in the program get a gift, and i think there will be a bar-b-que and a piñata, fun!
next week mary (my roommate) will be gone renewing her visa, so i´ll be the only volunteer at the hogar. that´ll be interesting. i´ll be sure to write about that... and after that i´m going to renew my visa and take a couple weeks for travel.
always something new.
i hope everyone is healthy and happy at home or wherever you are.
Wednesday, September 3, 2008
new home
so i moved into the orphanage for the next 3 ish weeks b-c they are short on volunteers there for now.
so i´m living with all the kids.
i told the other volunteers that if i start talking about hating the kids that they have to make me move back to the volunteer house!
all the supplies for the kids are kept in the volunteer room, so most of the ´free time´is spent answering the door as every kid asks for a book or a toy or crayons etc etc etc.
they are quite demanding.
cute though, but demanding.
i´m hoping to get a quote for the price of a propper plumber and for someone to repair the showers. these are huge issues at the hogar, and i´m hoping i can raise some funds back home to cover these costs. for sanitation reasons alone.
today at the campesino project i was telling the kinder to stop talking while ´their teacher´ was talking.
i was told that i´m not their teacher, i´m a gringo.
fantastic.
thanks kid.
glad i came all this way.
i can laugh about it now.
so i´m living with all the kids.
i told the other volunteers that if i start talking about hating the kids that they have to make me move back to the volunteer house!
all the supplies for the kids are kept in the volunteer room, so most of the ´free time´is spent answering the door as every kid asks for a book or a toy or crayons etc etc etc.
they are quite demanding.
cute though, but demanding.
i´m hoping to get a quote for the price of a propper plumber and for someone to repair the showers. these are huge issues at the hogar, and i´m hoping i can raise some funds back home to cover these costs. for sanitation reasons alone.
today at the campesino project i was telling the kinder to stop talking while ´their teacher´ was talking.
i was told that i´m not their teacher, i´m a gringo.
fantastic.
thanks kid.
glad i came all this way.
i can laugh about it now.
Wednesday, August 27, 2008
more changes
so i started the week with some more engergy.
after a weekend at the jungle river lodge for some food drink, rest, hiking and swimming... i also sort of got offered a job there if i decide to stay in honduras for longer... very tempting. very very tempting.
we'll see.
we have 4 new volunteers this week. since i'm the old volunteer, i've been semi 'training' the newcomers at the 2 locations i'm working at. it's not been as draining as i thought it would be though as they are all quite pleasant to work with. i've learned that the people you work with make all the difference when dealing with the kids. when everyone is working together, even if the kids are horribly bad, at least you feel like a team. so, that being said, i'm rather happy with my new coworkers so far. unfortunately my one roommate and co-volunteer is leaving, but that's how it goes here. people come and go.
i've resumed the after school classes this week, and the monster puppets are starting to look very cute. i'm thinking of putting together a october halloween type performance with the kids if they are interested in participating.
today was pretty exhausting, as the kids at the campesino project decided to revolt - but overall things are getting a little easier as far as knowing what to do and knowing what to say... i think my spanish is getting better - although i don't want to speak too soon because tomorrow is a new day...
and as usual, i have no idea what it will bring.
after a weekend at the jungle river lodge for some food drink, rest, hiking and swimming... i also sort of got offered a job there if i decide to stay in honduras for longer... very tempting. very very tempting.
we'll see.
we have 4 new volunteers this week. since i'm the old volunteer, i've been semi 'training' the newcomers at the 2 locations i'm working at. it's not been as draining as i thought it would be though as they are all quite pleasant to work with. i've learned that the people you work with make all the difference when dealing with the kids. when everyone is working together, even if the kids are horribly bad, at least you feel like a team. so, that being said, i'm rather happy with my new coworkers so far. unfortunately my one roommate and co-volunteer is leaving, but that's how it goes here. people come and go.
i've resumed the after school classes this week, and the monster puppets are starting to look very cute. i'm thinking of putting together a october halloween type performance with the kids if they are interested in participating.
today was pretty exhausting, as the kids at the campesino project decided to revolt - but overall things are getting a little easier as far as knowing what to do and knowing what to say... i think my spanish is getting better - although i don't want to speak too soon because tomorrow is a new day...
and as usual, i have no idea what it will bring.
Friday, August 22, 2008
tired.
i was able to upload new pics onto flickr - just check the link in the right hand column for 'photos'.
this week and last have been exhausting. doubling up on jobs has taken it's toll. i didn't do my afternoon classes this week b/c i've been a bit under the weather - hopefully a restful weekend will get me back on track.
good things though - i had different spanish teachers this week who actually have communication skills - yay! also, justin and i found this roadside lunch spot in jutiapa that is amazing.... basically a picnic table and they serve rice, beans, platanos and fried chicken. after walking the hot dusty road one hour in and one hour out from la bomba - it is much welcomed!
this monday there will be four new volunteers moving into the house - another big change. by the end of next week i should be only going out to the campiseno project and doing my afternoon classes. i may actually have enough energy to do pilates some mornings - we'll see.
i still wish i could do more while i'm here. there are all these little loose ends that i'd love to help tie up if i weren't so tired at the end of the day and at the end of the week.
one thing at a time.
i know i had more to blog about, but i'm starting to do the glassy stare that i do around this time of day.
i think i may need to stop writing and go get icecream.
good idea.
this week and last have been exhausting. doubling up on jobs has taken it's toll. i didn't do my afternoon classes this week b/c i've been a bit under the weather - hopefully a restful weekend will get me back on track.
good things though - i had different spanish teachers this week who actually have communication skills - yay! also, justin and i found this roadside lunch spot in jutiapa that is amazing.... basically a picnic table and they serve rice, beans, platanos and fried chicken. after walking the hot dusty road one hour in and one hour out from la bomba - it is much welcomed!
this monday there will be four new volunteers moving into the house - another big change. by the end of next week i should be only going out to the campiseno project and doing my afternoon classes. i may actually have enough energy to do pilates some mornings - we'll see.
i still wish i could do more while i'm here. there are all these little loose ends that i'd love to help tie up if i weren't so tired at the end of the day and at the end of the week.
one thing at a time.
i know i had more to blog about, but i'm starting to do the glassy stare that i do around this time of day.
i think i may need to stop writing and go get icecream.
good idea.
Saturday, August 16, 2008
the longest week ever.
the kinder has been good and bad as usual.
the solares nuevos is a big challenge with only two people - but i love the kids there.
the spanish classes i'm taking are disappointing as the teacher has poor communication and teaching skills. i've told myself i have to stick it out though.
the last class we had she spent an hour having us read about poverty in honduras - pointing all the starving children without parents over and over again. 'mira' she'd say (look) 'mira a los ninos'.
it was so ridiculous.
she knows why we're here.
we don't need to look at the photos. we're face to face with them.
it hit a point where i thought i was going to cry but then it struck me as ridiculously and inappropriately funny.
i avoided eye contact with justin b/c i figured i'd crack up.
like laughing at a funeral.
laughter is really what keeps me sane here.
the first couple weeks i was crying.
now i'm crying only sometimes. but mostly laughing. probably at things that would offend most - but when you're faced with way too much reality every day, day after day - it's just how you cope.
there's a dog at the solares nuevos community that is the ugliest, most pained, starving ratty looking skinny dog that i have ever seen. all the animals around here are in pretty bad shape - but this one takes the cake. if death had a dog, this would be it. normally i would want to cry over starving animals. but the animals are only a fraction of the poverty here. if i start crying over the dogs i wont get anything done. so instead i've named the dog death, and we talk about episodes of the family guy, and bill and ted's bogus journey.
the two of us got a hitch from cieba the other day with the craziest woman. the car was falling apart. we had to drive 25km per hour b/c her clutch wasnt working. the windows were covered with patchy tinting. there was punta music playing the whole way. in the first 10 minutes of picking us up she stopped at a house, got out and came back to hand me a coat hanger with a parakeet on it through the window. "can you take this?" "um... sure. is he dangerous?" "oh yes, a little.. .hahahahahahaha". the birds name was ito. ito sat on the seat next to me and gave me the hairy eyeball as we drove away. the drive just got weirder after that - if you can imagine. we did get home alive... and killed ourselves laughing over every little detail for about a half an hour.
most bizarre hitch ever.
second puppet class was like the first - good, but like a tornado. the kids are enthusiastic but demanding. the second dance class didnt happen b/c the director of the program came and took the kids to a pool. this was disappointing as i really wanted to keep the classes consistant. but there is always next week.
disorganization and lack of communication still seems to be the number one frustrating thing here for the volunteers. everyone just has so much on their plate. i've been up a few nights with my mind racing - trying not to think too much, but at the same time hoping that i don't wake up one day and stop thinking.
it's been a long week.
i'm going out to la cieba tonight for some unwinding, then back at it on monday.
the solares nuevos is a big challenge with only two people - but i love the kids there.
the spanish classes i'm taking are disappointing as the teacher has poor communication and teaching skills. i've told myself i have to stick it out though.
the last class we had she spent an hour having us read about poverty in honduras - pointing all the starving children without parents over and over again. 'mira' she'd say (look) 'mira a los ninos'.
it was so ridiculous.
she knows why we're here.
we don't need to look at the photos. we're face to face with them.
it hit a point where i thought i was going to cry but then it struck me as ridiculously and inappropriately funny.
i avoided eye contact with justin b/c i figured i'd crack up.
like laughing at a funeral.
laughter is really what keeps me sane here.
the first couple weeks i was crying.
now i'm crying only sometimes. but mostly laughing. probably at things that would offend most - but when you're faced with way too much reality every day, day after day - it's just how you cope.
there's a dog at the solares nuevos community that is the ugliest, most pained, starving ratty looking skinny dog that i have ever seen. all the animals around here are in pretty bad shape - but this one takes the cake. if death had a dog, this would be it. normally i would want to cry over starving animals. but the animals are only a fraction of the poverty here. if i start crying over the dogs i wont get anything done. so instead i've named the dog death, and we talk about episodes of the family guy, and bill and ted's bogus journey.
the two of us got a hitch from cieba the other day with the craziest woman. the car was falling apart. we had to drive 25km per hour b/c her clutch wasnt working. the windows were covered with patchy tinting. there was punta music playing the whole way. in the first 10 minutes of picking us up she stopped at a house, got out and came back to hand me a coat hanger with a parakeet on it through the window. "can you take this?" "um... sure. is he dangerous?" "oh yes, a little.. .hahahahahahaha". the birds name was ito. ito sat on the seat next to me and gave me the hairy eyeball as we drove away. the drive just got weirder after that - if you can imagine. we did get home alive... and killed ourselves laughing over every little detail for about a half an hour.
most bizarre hitch ever.
second puppet class was like the first - good, but like a tornado. the kids are enthusiastic but demanding. the second dance class didnt happen b/c the director of the program came and took the kids to a pool. this was disappointing as i really wanted to keep the classes consistant. but there is always next week.
disorganization and lack of communication still seems to be the number one frustrating thing here for the volunteers. everyone just has so much on their plate. i've been up a few nights with my mind racing - trying not to think too much, but at the same time hoping that i don't wake up one day and stop thinking.
it's been a long week.
i'm going out to la cieba tonight for some unwinding, then back at it on monday.
Tuesday, August 12, 2008
really quick update
i've more than doubled my work load in the past week, so i don't seem to have so much time for the internet. but i'll try to do a quick update:
last weeks puppet and dance classes went really well! i was very suprised. especially the dance class. the kids loved it. best part was a 'too cool for school' girl about 12 years old, watching with a bit of attitude, and within 5 minutes of the class, kicking off her shoes, sliding to the edge of her chair and jumping right into the class when i told her she could join in. she didn't even sign up.
so some success!
although i think i got too cocky b/c the kinder were rather terrible both friday and monday. sometimes you just have to zone out and go to your happy place when one child spits on the floor and the other drags his hands through it in an obvious attempt to be disgusting.
i've also started teaching at 'solares nuevos', a campesino community with a school house that was built by hhk. so i teach kinder at the hogar in the morning, then to solares nuevos, and i teach puppet and dance class on tues and thurs, and have started spanish classes for myself on monday and wednesday.
oh oh oh..... and.... i visited c.r.i.l.a. - a rehabilitation centre in la cieba and was completely enthralled by it. if i'm able to free up some time when other volunteers arrive, i'll try to do some rehabilitation volunteering possibly once a week... maybe put my pilates skills to use.
i'm starting to love it here. it's not getting any easier at all, and it's still very up and down - but i feel like i actually have some use. and i'm getting along well with my roommate - the two of us seem to be very like minded - so that helps... having someone to talk to about everything that goes on here without feeling like they don't want to hear it.
so that's my super fast update. and now i have to go eat then teach puppet class #2. last week we made the bodies, today we are paper mache-ing heads.
hope that works.
last weeks puppet and dance classes went really well! i was very suprised. especially the dance class. the kids loved it. best part was a 'too cool for school' girl about 12 years old, watching with a bit of attitude, and within 5 minutes of the class, kicking off her shoes, sliding to the edge of her chair and jumping right into the class when i told her she could join in. she didn't even sign up.
so some success!
although i think i got too cocky b/c the kinder were rather terrible both friday and monday. sometimes you just have to zone out and go to your happy place when one child spits on the floor and the other drags his hands through it in an obvious attempt to be disgusting.
i've also started teaching at 'solares nuevos', a campesino community with a school house that was built by hhk. so i teach kinder at the hogar in the morning, then to solares nuevos, and i teach puppet and dance class on tues and thurs, and have started spanish classes for myself on monday and wednesday.
oh oh oh..... and.... i visited c.r.i.l.a. - a rehabilitation centre in la cieba and was completely enthralled by it. if i'm able to free up some time when other volunteers arrive, i'll try to do some rehabilitation volunteering possibly once a week... maybe put my pilates skills to use.
i'm starting to love it here. it's not getting any easier at all, and it's still very up and down - but i feel like i actually have some use. and i'm getting along well with my roommate - the two of us seem to be very like minded - so that helps... having someone to talk to about everything that goes on here without feeling like they don't want to hear it.
so that's my super fast update. and now i have to go eat then teach puppet class #2. last week we made the bodies, today we are paper mache-ing heads.
hope that works.
Monday, August 4, 2008
breathing helps.
i think i may finally be settling in.
i´ve gotten past being angry at the kids when they´re soooo bad. i´m actually rather calm.
now i´m trying to just go day by day, hour by hour. when i think of the big picture it´s just way too overwhelming.
and actually, considering the lives that these children have come from, they are suprisingly "normal" ... whatever that means.
we played with play dough for the last hour of kinder today. joel, the youngest, took much joy in squashing everthing i made... so i started to squash his stuff too. if you can´t beat em´, join em´.
i had a dream that i was in canada and was able to take santos, my sponsor child, out for a day. in the dream he could tap dance and speak english perfectly. i told him this this morning in class, and he and all the kids started to laugh as if this was extremely funny.
this week i´m going to start working with a second group outside of the orphanage. a campesino (peasant) community a little farther away from where i´m living. i´ll be teaching there after i teach kinder in the mornings at the hogar because all of the volunteers aside from one are leaving that project to go back home. i´m looking forward to filling more of my day.
i´m also starting puppets tomorrow. the kids will make monster puppets and we will hopefully present "where the wild things are" at the end of 5 weeks. or i may just end up with a pile of paper mache and a hernia.
we´ll see!!
a new volunteer moved into the volunteer house a few days ago. he has a connection with a rehab center in la cieba where he volunteered for a couple days. i´m going to go check that out sometime this week as well - who knows, my pilates experience might come in handy!
adios for now.
oh, and ps. i have lice.
gross.
i´ve gotten past being angry at the kids when they´re soooo bad. i´m actually rather calm.
now i´m trying to just go day by day, hour by hour. when i think of the big picture it´s just way too overwhelming.
and actually, considering the lives that these children have come from, they are suprisingly "normal" ... whatever that means.
we played with play dough for the last hour of kinder today. joel, the youngest, took much joy in squashing everthing i made... so i started to squash his stuff too. if you can´t beat em´, join em´.
i had a dream that i was in canada and was able to take santos, my sponsor child, out for a day. in the dream he could tap dance and speak english perfectly. i told him this this morning in class, and he and all the kids started to laugh as if this was extremely funny.
this week i´m going to start working with a second group outside of the orphanage. a campesino (peasant) community a little farther away from where i´m living. i´ll be teaching there after i teach kinder in the mornings at the hogar because all of the volunteers aside from one are leaving that project to go back home. i´m looking forward to filling more of my day.
i´m also starting puppets tomorrow. the kids will make monster puppets and we will hopefully present "where the wild things are" at the end of 5 weeks. or i may just end up with a pile of paper mache and a hernia.
we´ll see!!
a new volunteer moved into the volunteer house a few days ago. he has a connection with a rehab center in la cieba where he volunteered for a couple days. i´m going to go check that out sometime this week as well - who knows, my pilates experience might come in handy!
adios for now.
oh, and ps. i have lice.
gross.
Wednesday, July 30, 2008
a weekend away
i went to utila, one of the bay islands, this weekend for some much needed r&r with a couple other volunteers.
it´s hard to believe that it´s the same country as honduras.
we all felt as if we´d stumbled onto some lost world. beautiful calm water, amazing scenery, and a culture of people that don´t remind me of any culture i´ve seen or learned about.
ít´s like a bunch of crazy pirates landed there years ago and never left.... actually, i think that´s exactly what happened...
mostly british descendants, i think.... they speak a type of "english" that was more difficult for me to understand than spanish. we stopped into a store for water where they spoke spanish, and i was pleasantly suprised to understand what was going on.
it was carnival, for some reason, so there was a homemade style parade and partying into the night. i swam, kayaked, layed on the beach and did a whole lot of nothing... once i stopped feeling bad about it!
i´m back on the mainland now and back into being completely absorbed with thoughts on the kids and the organization and what i can do to be helpful, efficient, productive etc. three volunteers from the volunteer house are moving back home this week, and the remainder will be gone in about 2 weeks. one person will be moving in, so i wont be all by myself as i originally thought... and there will be 3 more moving in at the end of august.
lots of change!
this weekend will be spent planning my first week of dance class and puppetry class. i could use some energy vibes if anyone has any to spare. i was playing "what time is it mr. wolf" with the kinder this afternoon and could barely keep up with them. it´s probably my fault for suggesting we play outside where they have way more space to run away from me when i try to catch them.... i think i may have some sort of leftover parasite from guatemala that may be slowing me down... that´s it.... blame it on the parasites.... i´m going to need a full medical check up when i return to canada! ringworm, lice, parasites, bacteria.... lots of fun.
well, i´m signing out for now. i want to look up some guitar chords on line before i head back to the volunteer house.
thanks for everyone who has been reading and sending me emails and facebook notes. it really helps to know that i have people back home supporting me!
Tuesday, July 22, 2008
a better mood
sorry if i depressed anyone with my last blog. it´s been a frustrating experience here so far, but i woke up in a better mood today.
it´s difficult to find time to separate oneself from everything that is going on here, but last night i had my first tub of chocolate icecream since i left home. horray for icecream and emotional eating!
the kinder is still as misbehaved as ever - yesterday was good, today they were bad - but that´s the way it goes.
i had a great moment today with some of the older girls during a break from class - i was trying to translate "lean on me" into spanish, and they came up to me and helped me out. after we figured out the first verse and the chorus i got my guitar and sang it for them. i´m so glad i got that guitar. it gives me a way to communicate with the kids at the hogar when my spanish falls short.
and.... i´ve come up with an initial plan for some creative classes. i hope it works out.
i´m still waiting on taking more spanish lessons. it may have to wait until some more volunteers arrive to free up some of my time in the mornings.
we´ll see.
if anything this experience will hopefully teach me patience.
patience patience patience.
i´m on honduran time now.
it´s difficult to find time to separate oneself from everything that is going on here, but last night i had my first tub of chocolate icecream since i left home. horray for icecream and emotional eating!
the kinder is still as misbehaved as ever - yesterday was good, today they were bad - but that´s the way it goes.
i had a great moment today with some of the older girls during a break from class - i was trying to translate "lean on me" into spanish, and they came up to me and helped me out. after we figured out the first verse and the chorus i got my guitar and sang it for them. i´m so glad i got that guitar. it gives me a way to communicate with the kids at the hogar when my spanish falls short.
and.... i´ve come up with an initial plan for some creative classes. i hope it works out.
i´m still waiting on taking more spanish lessons. it may have to wait until some more volunteers arrive to free up some of my time in the mornings.
we´ll see.
if anything this experience will hopefully teach me patience.
patience patience patience.
i´m on honduran time now.
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