Relaxing Weekend!

Yesterday was a pretty relaxing day. We have about 30 suitcases of medications that have to be inventoried for the spring clinics, so the 4 volunteers that are here helped me with the inventory of some of the suitcases in the morning. In the afternoon, I was supposed to go to dance practice at the English Institute. For Independence Day, Feb 27th, they have a big parade in town and then everyone meets up in the gym of one of the schools and different schools/groups do small performances. The English Institute students are performing the Miley Cyrus Hoedown Throwdown.

However, I felt a little sick to my stomach and decided to stay back and took a 3 hour nap! When I woke up it was almost time to greet our new volunteer. Her name is Dorothy and she is a world traveler. She is probably around Granny's age but she is awesome. She has volunteered in 14 countries, and traveled in 70 countries! How awesome is that! She even wrote a book that got published in 2007 called "At Home in the World: Memoirs of a Traveling Woman". I'd like to read this one day, I bet it has some great stories!

So, I greeted her, we ate dinner and then I headed out to play with some of the kids. I sat most of the evening inside the kid's comedor while they watched TV. They have been watching a lot of TV lately, I think one because the mosquitos are bad from the rain, and two because it is "cold", at least to them! :) So, Luis Alberto was sitting in my lap and watching some TV. At one point we both got kind of bored with the show so we started to pretend fight. I would "punch" him in the face and then pull him down to the ground like he was falling from the force of my punch. Then he would do the same and I'd throw my head to the side. It was fun. We did this probably for 5-10 minutes off and on and he was giggling. He got a little aggressive at times, and I had to remind him to do it "suave".

At 8pm, we had a volunteer game night and played Apples and Apples and enjoyed some cookies that Julie and Heather baked for us. They were tasty chocolate chocolate chip cookies! After that I hung around with some of the multi-week volunteers and learned how to play Euchre. I think I've got it down now, after living in Ohio for 4 years and people being OBSESSED with that game!

Today was a pretty calm day. I'm team leading this week so I sat down with Dorothy and went through orientation in the morning and took her on a little tour around the orphanage in the afternoon. I then hung out with a few kids and they colored before time for lunch.

After lunch, we did some planning for tomorrow. We are going to a batey to do some reading, crafts and recreation with the kids there since there is a national holiday and no school. It should be fun. I've only been to the bateyes to do health related stuff so it will be fun just to play with the kids, who have even fewer opportunities and activities like this than the kids here in Monte Cristi! Should be lots of pictures tomorrow!

I walked into town trying to chat and catch up with Dr. Garcia but he wasn't home. However, it was nice to get out and walk around on a beautiful day. When I came back, Franchesca wanted to hang out so I went and got some books to read with her. She wasn't too interested so we found some other little girls and read with them. I read 2 Bizcocho books (about a little dog named Bizcocho) and Lola en la biblioteca (Lola in the library). I read with Joanni and some of the older girls read the books to themselves. Thanks Courtney and Evie for the books! The greatest was reading the Lola book the second time through. Joanni, Ari and I each read a page (however I was the only one that could really read). So they would make up what was going on but Joanni already had some idea because she had heard the book once. However, Ari who is 4 just kept saying Lola vino, Lola vino, Lola, Lola (Lola came, Lola came, etc) and would try to come up with something. It was hilarious! At one point she said, Bola, and then "what is her name again?" I loved it!

After dinner, we went to church and then played a card game called May I after church. Mom and DJ you would like this. It is like rummy but when someone lays a card down that you need and it isn't your turn you can ask to take it but have to take an extra penalty card with it! I won the game by 1 point! Woohoo!

Good night, I'll try and post some pictures tomorrow. Also, Bryson made a video from our first clinic week so I'll work on getting that link to put on my blog! Miss you!