Monday, August 27, 2007

So today started out good but did not finish so hot. I got up feeling pretty good and very well rested. I did not go to any other locations today, so I got to spend the whole day with the children. We sat around for most of the day, just simply relaxing. I got to experience their version of time out today. One of the girls was throwing rocks at another, so she got put in time out. At the Orphanage, time out is making them go into the middle of the courtyard and get on their knees on the stone and stay there. It is supposed to be painful physically (because of the stones) and mentally (because everyone else can see them). She was not happy at all and we all heard about her unhappiness they whole time she was being punished. Then we had a little incident with one of the boys getting a tiny cut on his leg. His experience with the nurse, however, would have made you think we were cutting it off. Once he was calmed down Roland and I went around to the different family locations and took some pictures of the workers for the Orphanages website. That was really funny to do because the Haitians like to be warned about photo time so they can put on their Sunday best. However, Roland is such a smooth talker that we got some of them to pose today. One interesting thing I learned about the families is that they always wonder why people want to take their pictures and then they never get to see them. So I am going to have them pose as a family for me on Sunday and take family portraits for them and have them developed and framed when I am in the states for the holidays. They are all really excited about that. When we went to one of the families to take their picture, they were not ready but they wanted to chat for a little bit. It was nice, because they told me how excited they were that an intern was coming to stay at the Orphanage. They also told me what they would like me to do for them and asked me my thoughts and dreams for both the children at the Orphanage and the “parents.” I had not really thought about it from that perspective before. I really expected to walk in here and just help them entertain and be a positive influence, but some of these family leaders are looking for advice and criticism. I guess since this “family thing” is only a year in the making, most of these “parents” are “new parents.” They are looking for ways to change an already conditioned group of children. When I say conditioned, I mean up until this family system the kids were watched by one or two people total and not much order instituted, so it is a challenge to try and change them now. I guess it is a good thing I am here then, because I like whipping kids into shape. After lunch, I spent the rest of the day with the kids’ playing cards, laying on the slides, or just sitting and watching the big boys play soccer. By the time dinner came around I was ready to be done. So after dinner I retired to the apartment. Here comes why the day did not finish out so well. Since I have not been feeling well, I decided to stay in the apartment instead of my room, because they have a fan and more comfortable beds. Well I decided to take a bath tonight instead of a shower. No big deal I thought. So try and picture this, they do not have a drain or a drain plug in their bathtub, just a very deep hole, leading to the pipes, that is like 2 or 3 inches in diameter. And to clog this hole they use a hand towel. Well once I was in the tub, I took my glasses of and tossed them in the water to soak. Also, not a big deal, except that when I was done in the bath, I pulled the hand towel out, forgetting about my glasses and down the drain they went like a bullet from a gun. Shocked and confused at what I heard I reached for the drain with the hand that had the towel in it and down the drain the towel went. So now their tube is still full of water, I am down one pair of glasses and a hand towel, and the plumber has to come in the morning. Silver lining, if there is one, is that I brought two pairs of prescription glasses and a pair of prescription sunglasses, WOO-HOO. Ok I am going to bed now. Peace.