Beginning Some Work

As I have been having a real hard time adjusting, Chandima and Bandula hooked me up with something to keep me busy. I was so thankful.

But this morning was not so good. I was fortunate enough to Skype with my parents which was both happy and sad. I am sad because they are so far away and I just want them to hug me and be with me. But I am happy to be able to talk to them from so far away and show them my room and the building. I also got to talk to Max which was really good. I wish he was here too, or that I was there. I miss my love bug!

So Yamuna (A matron here who is assuming the role of a mother) and I went shopping at 10am for a mobile phone. I just got a basic Nokia phone. I have no idea what the make or model is. But the keys have numbers, English letters, and Sinhalese symbols. It's kind of cool. The system for cell phones is weird. You have to buy a phone, go somewhere else and buy a SIM card, then you have to pre-pay for your service. I have 100Rs credit. Calling is about 1.32Rs per minute, which is $0.01 Canadian. So it's very affordable! This is the main way people stay in touch, so it's apparently quite important that I have it. Many people have already asked if I have a mobile number I can be reached at. We then went to buy a 'dongle' which is basically a rocket stick, or a wireless internet USB thing. I had to buy a SIM card separately for that too. Bizarre. I've got the dongle working but not the phone yet. Hopefully someone can help me. It's a bit confusing.

Yamuna wasn't feeling too well so we went back to Sarvodaya Headquarters promptly. I then had lunch and prepared to go to the Nutrition Center, which is what Chandima and Bandula set up for me. It's a stone's throw away so I left promptly at 12:25 to be there at 12:30. The Nutrition Center is a home for abandoned children, maybe because of court rulings, rape cases, unexpected pregnancies, or other reasons. It is a home for 'needy and malnourished children' with kids 6 months old to a couple years old. I love babies and little kids so I was excited to go! However, when I got there it was nap time so they asked me to come back at 3:00. Sigh.

So I sat in the canteen area and read for about 20 minutes and then my eyes got tired so I went and had a nap of my own until about 2:45. I ate an apple on my way to the Nutrition Center and began my first 'shift'. I watched some babies get changed and then was sent in with the kids that were a couple years old. Well, maybe 2 years old maximum. They weren't as scared of me this time and they were clinging to me a lot! There are 12 children, more boys than girls. I began by playing with some kids and just hanging out. Then the kids were bathed so I got the task of drying the kids off prior to them getting dressed. I noticed many of the kids have sores or bumps, or something going on. I'm not sure if that is from the cloth diapers or a medical condition or otherwise. They kind of looked like bed sores. But the kids didn't seem to notice them and were very happy. Afterwards they played with balls and sang, did a choo choo train line, learned words and climbed all over me. They love sitting on me. We stick out our tongues to each other, make click noises with our mouth, and I tickle them a lot. Even though we don't speak the same language at all, we still have fun. They make me smile, aside from when they pinch my white skin and pull my brown curly hair. That's not as fun. I think I will also skip earrings from now on. They pulled on those too. I took a break for tea time (milk tea, no sugar) and cookies. Then I got back to work! I helped portion warm water into sippy cups and put lids on and distribute. The other ladies were feeding the kids by hand, scooping rice and curry (I think) in their hands and mushing it into a ball before putting it in their mouth. I'm not sure if they'll have me do that soon. Also, I notice that adults are much harder on their children here, with hitting them (sort of lightly) in the back of their heads and pulling their ears or arms hard. Everyone here seems to be rough with kids. Maybe it's tough love?

Bandula came in to see me (from his home) as he had heard I was having a rough weekend. He assured me that everyone has a bad week and it happens all the time and that the staff are like a family and are always here for me, should I need them. He then had to take off, and I resumed my work.

I am set to go back there for at least this next week, something like 9-5 or 'as I wish' and in the next week or two I may also start teaching at a preschool here at headquarters. I'm content doing whatever, just as long as I can keep busy.

Yamuna came and picked me up as it was 6:30 and I needed to get ready for dinner. To my pleasant surprise, a girl named Randy who I had met on my first day came back and will be staying at headquarters for 5 weeks! She is from the USA and speaks some Sinhalese. She is super nice and about my age. She is in the room next to me. And apparently tomorrow a girl from Korea is coming. I won't be alone anymore! It has totally lifted my spirits to have a plan for the week and some new friends... who are girls... who speak English!

After having my shower kit 'vanish' (cleaning ladies moved it to the bookshelf in the common area of my section, which is just me anyways, and now it's gone) I used some of the new stuff I bought and freshened up. I am organizing my room to feel more cozy. Listening to the new Blink 182 CD, trying to Skype with the family.. I feel like a new woman!