Daycare Duty and Surprises
Trip Start
May 23, 2007
1
15
22
Trip End
Oct 03, 2007
Quetzaltenango,
Guatemala
Wednesday, July 18, 2007
Sorry itīs been so long. I went on a trip 2 weekends ago to Rio Dulce and then I was in town for 4 days before leaving again on another trip. I wasnīt going to travel again but the timing was perfect and I couldnīt pass it up. Iīll explain more later about the trips. I want to let you know about whatīs going on in Xela for me.
Last Monday I began working at a daycare center for children up to age 6 in the mornings now that I no longer have Spanish classes. I work in the nursery for the littlest ones. They barely know Spanish same as me so we do a lot of gesturing together. Last week we had 4 to 5 kids each day. There are 3 right around age 2 and then one close to age 1 and another more like 6 months. It is challenging to watch all of them all the time. They donīt like to share and they think they can hit each other when I tell one of them no for doing something they shouldnīt. I worked there 3 days last week and it was very exhausting. I like the kids but I wasnīt sure I wanted to watch them 5 days a week for 2 months. But this week they are growing on me and I love quirks about each of them.
Danielle is the oldest so of course she is bossy and everything is hers. But she has the cutest look when she doesnīt like what you are telling her. Fernanda is adorable and very good natured with a big smile. Carlos is always willing to share and he likes to touch the babies even though we tell him not to because they donīt like it. This week Pamela showed up and she doesnīt like to listen or follow directions. Sheīs quick and you have to keep an eye on her at the playground. Aldolpho also wasnīt there last week. He was home sick. He likes to walk and bounce in his walker. Lucia is a sweet smiling baby wanting to walk so bad she cries when the others are running around playing and she canīt join. The littlest is Shirley and she is soo cute. I think I screwed up last week because I picked her up every time she cried just because I liked to hold her and couldnīt listen to her cry. I am sure the other woman I work with and her mother dislike me for picking her up so much because now sheīll cry more to be held.
I love giving the little ones attention and affection and they are now getting to know me and reciprocate back. Today they all wanted to be held or sit on my lap. Even after a couple days last week they were getting to know me. Some friends of other volunteers there were visiting and these new people wanted to play with the kids. The little ones didnīt know who they were and they ran to me to hide from the strangers. It was comforting to know they had already accepted me.
I did forget one thing. Kids come with germs. They all had colds last week passing it around and I didnīt really think much about it until I came down with a cold late last week. Luckily it went away quickly.
I really like working at the daycare center. The Rotary Club helped them remodel the building and provided a lot of what they have there. It is a wonderful place for these children who have single working moms. The moms pay what they can for the childcare or nothing at all. I am happy to give my time to these little ones.
Okay now for the big surprise last week. I arrived at the church to teach English last Monday and all these young Americans were hanging out and playing frisbee. No one really said much to me so I approached who appeared to be an adult leader of the group. It was a youth mission trip group from North Carolina. They were to lead Vacation Bible School classes for the week in the afternoon. I explained that I taught English classes to the kids in the afternoons. I was introduced to the group leader, the youth leader of their church. She hadnīt been told about me and I hadnīt been told about them which is normal for Guatemala. I told her I thought the kids would benefit greatly from attending the Vacation Bible School so I would not hold classes while they were here.
The first fews kids started trickling into the church. And some of my students arrived. I explained to them there wouldnīt be English classes but they should attend the Vacation Bible School because it would be fun with games, activities and crafts. They looked very hesitant, but I got them playing games and ushered them in the church. When my second group came I convinced them to join also. When they were leaving for the day I asked them if they had fun and they said Si, Si, Si while jumping up and down. They said they would come back the next day.
The next day I convinced my Tuesday students to join in even the teenagers who reluctantly agreed to participate. It was fun to help my students with games and crafts and sing songs in English that I learned growing up in church. A few of the youth could speak Spanish but I came in handy with my Spanish speaking during these 2 days. I know the youth really wanted to bond with these kids and I think they did, but it takes time. This kids really wait to see who you are and how you act before they warm up to you. I was so overwhelmed when they all left Tuesday and they came running up to me to show me what they had made that afternoon. Senor, Senor look, look. Then we kissed checks, the traditional greeting here, and they left so excited.
In just 2 days I could see everything this group did that I did wrong when I began teaching here. I felt bad, but experience is experience. You donīt know until youīve done it and I had no guidance whatsoever for my volunteer work here. I still have time to make adjustments and I was so happy this group was here. It gave the kids and me energy in the Lord. Maybe someday the youth group at church will be able to do this same thing abroad. This group helped with repair construction work in the morning at the VIM Volunteer Center. They really had quite an experience.
Wednesday I traveled to Mazantenango with a woman from the VIM Office here. She had to meet up with a medical team working near that city for paperwork. I went along because itīs possible I might volunteer in a different town for my last month here. I felt like I could spend time elsewhere and I want to be more immersed to understand the culture outside of tourist town Xela and to improve my Spanish. It was amazing to watch the doctors and nurses heal the long line of Guatemaleans patiently waiting for their first medical first in a year or ever. They also had people teaching songs in the schools to the children. I got to hear dialogue between the head school teacher and the group leaders. They talked about purpose and Godīs love bringing them together. Each group was soo thankful for the other and how they had touched each others lives. It will be much hotter in Mazantenango and there are lots of mosquitos. I will be the only gringa and have no friends. Please pray for me as I try to decide to move there in September or stay in Xela.
I hope everyone is staying cool and enjoying a vacation this summer. Keep me posted on what is going on back home. I wonīt be traveling for awhile so look forward to more upcoming blogs!!!!
dianaj25
