a typical day

Thursday, November 13, 2008
Twister in the Hospilito
During our morning meeting, while the others drank their chewy coffee, Lulu read her journal entries. She has been saying that she can’t write and is embarrassed to do the journal. Her entries captured the spirit of our experiences with her own twist. Quite good! Laura and Westin left early so he could be in the kitchen to butter the 250 slices of bread. Edith, Lulu, and I followed a short time later to find both of them in the office. Westin reports that he will have to be there by 8 a.m. to do the job. I guess our morning meetings will be at 7:20 or so rather than 8 a.m.
I gathered many items to entertain the children in the infirmary, el hospilito: coloring books, colored pencils, markers, Twister, Candyland, storybooks, 100 piece puzzles, a parachute man, and outlines of the characters of El Castillo de Chuchurumbel, made by Susan Bailyn, who illustrated the book. There were four children; I’d guess all were around 10 years old, in the “day room.” They cheered when they saw me. I took out the “entertainment” and Luis and Marisol played Candyland while Mayli and Julia did the puzzles, with my assistance. Actually they were much better at it than me. When they bored of these activities, I took out Twister. They knew the game and went right to it. They were quite patient with my pronunciation of “left” in Spanish, and we laughed as they contorted themselves and tried to keep off the mat. When that got old, I gave them the Xerox pages of the characters from El Castillo de Chuchurumbel and they colored the castle. They asked me if the pages were “regalos,” presents, and I said “yes” as once they colored them they were theirs. They didn’t get into telling each other the story as I hoped they would. We read books, Luis made an A-frame house of cards, and they really enjoyed looking at the pictures from Macchu Picchu on my digital camera. I think I’ll bring my computer tomorrow and show them the pictures of China.
Lunch at Qubba was again a winner. I had a salad, which was sliced avocadoes and tomatoes, huge corn kernels, blanched green beans, peas, asparagus, and lettuce. The other choices were a skewer of grilled fish or chicken soup. I had fired fish for the entrée and it was delicious. Of course everything is served with white rice, which I can’t eat, but there is more than enough food. The best was the dessert, key lime pie with meringue. Yummers!
We walked back to PPA and Westin went with me for the kinder arts and crafts. When we got there a class of boys was doing exercises along to a Tae Bo video. Hmm, so for the boys it’s exercise and for the girls it’s arts and crafts. There are similar themes for the older children. The boys do welding and the girls flower arranging and cooking. After the boys left, Westin was asked to glue while I cut out the eyes I was supposed to the day before. Then I made a pattern for angel wings for the five-year-old Christmas project. The students were late in coming, but finally showed. They completed their masks, colored insect papers, and I told stories.
I am very impressed with PPA: its caring staff, the high expectations, and the facility. These children are here while in the U.S they would be in foster homes. I know that this is the best Children’s Home in the country, and I am proud to volunteer here.
Edith, Laura, and I took a taxi to the Indian Market, where I bought more holiday gifts. Cui (guinea pig) is a great national dish here. I bought a t shirt for my son that says on the front “Guinea pigs, I love them” and on the back it says “roasted, broiled or fried.”
The team members ate together in the hotel dining room. I did have a Pisco sour and it was delicious. My head is spinning at bit from it. Pisco is a regional brandy. The question came up at dinner at whether people volunteer and do good deeds to make themselves feel better or to help others. I think it’s a bit of both.