Week One of volunteering has flown by! Since we arrived we have gone swimming with the "blind kids" twice. The first time went well, as we were in the pool. The second time, we were able to go to the beach with the kids. The water was warm, but that's about the only good thing I can say, as the sand was hot and littered with shards of broken glass, and the water was a murky green, with dead fish and other atrocities floating in it. Many of us got cuts and scratches on our feet and legs from mysterious objects underwater, and BG got peed on (insert karmic chuckle here.) None of that matters, though. The kids had a good time for the most part, and laughed and splashed about with all of us, with the exception of one kid named Hot Dog who proceeded to climb his volunteer's torso until he was practically on his head for fear of getting wet. We've been to the drop-in center, the Home for Street Kids, and my favourite, the Orphanage, where the babies are cute and cuddly.
Even though they are technically orphans, these kids definitely are loved and have family -- all of their nannies and the volunteers are constantly around, and they have regular visitors from all over the place. Also, they have twenty-odd brothers and sisters in the nursery in them, not to mention the older orphans who come to visit whenever they can. It's my new happy place.
Next week: We become English teachers. Hilarity will ensue.
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