So no jokes were played on me today which is good. I'm never good at coming up with jokes so I prefer for ones not to be played on me! :)
This week has been a good week. I have gotten a lot of time to relax, catch up on sleep, starting working out again (a little), and spend time with the kids!
The past 3 days we have been doing 1/2 day activities with the kids here and the other 1/2 day is spent out in one of the bateyes doing a impromptu camp with the kids there. The children in the bateyes love activities because often times they have nothing to do but play baseball with a stick and rock and so any American interaction they get, they love!
Tuesday we went out to Batey Madre, which I am not sure we have been to in a while for activities, if ever. The kids there were very calm and well behaved and we had four stations. English vocab, recreation, arts and crafts and reading. We broke the kids up into four groups, small boys, small girls, big boys, and big girls and had our camp.
There was a little Haitian boy there that was so cute and stealing the show. He had an extra digit on each hand which I got a picture of. Check it out!
That day we also did an arts and crafts day with the kids. They had a good time and lasted about an hour before getting crazy!
Wednesday we went to Batey Maguaca which we go to often. They have a lot of kids there, some a little crazy but pretty well behaved for the most part. It has been neat to go back to these bateyes without Dr. Garcia and recognize faces and have people recognize me! One lady asked me to take a picture of her son so that when I come back I can bring her a copy. I brought back laminated pictures with me from Christmas and gave them out to several people in the bateyes and many of them remembered and want me to do the same when I return next time! :)
Wednesday afternoon we had an easter egg hunt with the kids. I watched some but then had to help Dr. Garcia with some English so he could respond to an email. Last night was culto and I sat with Joanni. She ended up falling asleep laid out on me and Sara, one of the interns.
Both Pastor and Dr. Garcia told me yesterday that Holy Week used to be a time of great reflection and worship. People would go to church daily, be calm resting at home, didn't drink alcohol all week, and spent a lot of time praying. Now it has become basically a spring break party week. People go to different parts of the island and party, drinking a lot, going to the beach, and spending very little time worshipping or going to church. Interesting how poverty doesn't change anything, just like in the States, traditions has changed to revolving more around drinking and self-fulfillment!
Today I woke up at 5am or 6am to torrential rain outside my room! It was raining so hard, and to wake me up you know it must have been hard! So, our morning plans got shifted a little and we had everyone stay back and do activities with the kids. We had reading stations and games/puzzles. Ari and Arianni had this long train puzzle of the alphabet that they put together with help and they were so proud! I love that the kids know me so well because even if I'm across the room they'll call out for me to show me what they've done. It's awesome to be a stable person there for them, although that will change soon! :(
This afternoon we still headed out to Batey Isabel and had a successful camp with lots of kids. Once again lots of familiar faces.
We stopped for ice cream on the way back and that was enjoyable as always! After dinner I spent a lot of time outside with the kids. They had a game of volleyball going which I watched while talking to Jochi. Then I spent time sitting on the benches for the rest of the night. I was hanging out with Jochi, Jose Luis (15 and 13) and with Luis Alberto (5). Luis Alberto pointed out a kite in the sky and I told him to run up to the sky and fly with the kite and he wouldn't be cold anymore. So, he stands up on the ground and starts to figure out how to run up but just giggles and can't move he is laughing so hard! :) He jumps about 1mm off the ground towards the sky and then hopped back on my lap. He ended up falling asleep on my lap with Franchesca's pink jacket on. Nena and her crowd of little girls came over at one point and did a mock culto service singing some songs and doing some prayers! I love to see them imitate culto because it is always fun to see the little girls sing and get excited since they don't get to participate a lot in the other services.
I hung out until 9pm with several of the kids and then came back to our side and played Quiddler with some of the volunteers that were here last week and this week.
Tomorrow is the last day for Holy Week camps. The weeks continue to fly by which makes me sad because now I only have 2 weeks left! AHHH!
I'll post my pictures from this week later so you can see all the action that has been going on!
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