Wednesday 15 February 2012

Orientation and boys are back

Such a massive change going from the freedom of travelling back to Ciudad! Not even nessecarily in a bad way, but took some getting used to! The first week we had back was orientation - a week of information and training preparing staff for the year ahead. First couple of days were mostly team building activities that encouraged us to interact with staff from the other pabellones, which is nice because as I´ve said you can easily get caught in the bubble of your own pabellon. They taught us lots of games as well that we can pass on to the kids and things, and talked about how important play is for the kids. Bit like being back at training in Coll! We went over some dilemas we might face in the next year and discussed in groups how we could ressolve them. Some of the more experienced staff also shared some of the things they´ve learned and awkward or difficult situations they´ve been in over their time here. Then the last couple of days were about child rights, noticing and seeing kids if they´re suffering from problems in their homelife, and a presentation on child development! Was like being back in Y13 studying psychology, we even went over Bowlby and the effects of privation and deprivation! Although in Spanish it was a little more difficult.

During this week me and Eebs also spent a fair amount of time playing voleyball with the older boys that had stayed on to work and staff, which was fun, and a nice way to get to know them a bit better. We also discovered our love for Flor! She´s the hermana mayor in San Antonio at the moment, been here a ridiculous number of years, and just knows her shit. Evie ended up going to ask her advice about some of the problems she had in Sonrisa last year and she was really helpful. So because of their chat, Evie spoke to her hermanas and has managed to get more responsibilities, to be seen more as a tutura than just a volunteer, so she was pretty pleased with that. It made me realise how much I took that for granted in Niño Jesus. From when I started, me and Tania shared the responsibilities of a tutora, then when she got ill with Hepetitus B before christmas I took on the other half of the role.

Then on Saturday the boys were due to be back! Kids talk about the night before Christmas when they can´t sleep because they´re excited about all their presents, and I was literally like that. I was so excited to see my boys again I didn´t sleep till stupidly late. They all came in through the comedor to register with us, then we´d take them down to the pabellon to play. It was soo nice to see my old boys, and meet the new ones of course. We were due to have 33 this year, but on the first day only 19 turned up. Apparently this is normal, and over the first month back kids slowly dribble in. We had two or three kids that just cried all day for their Mum or Dad, which was a pain, but in fairness it´s young not to be with your parents. So we had until Sunday at 6 to get them into shape for Mass. Lots of practicing walking in a line, practicing sitting in silence for mealtimes, practicing kneeling down and saying ´Jesus Te Ador y Te Amo´ on the entrance to church. Ended up going smoothly except for Joseph running out to pee on the grass outside the church. At least it wasn´t in the church though eh!

Ooh also, we got a Peruvian volunteer that´s working in Niño Jesus until the end of March called Natalie and she´s really lovely. Also, the American girl, Amy, we´re living with has been put in Niño Jesus, so lots more help for now! Although because Anita will be so busy with the new boys shes said it´s my job to train them up.

Love,
Moffy xxx

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