06.07.2011 Day Three at Placement

06.07.2011

Day Three at Placement                                                                    

                                                                                                                           Ramana

            I LOVE BEING HERE.  The watoto, the people, the dala dalas, the mountains, everything about this place is amazing.  The opportunity for help is so immense and helping people is what I want to do with my life.  Whether it is through nursing or through volunteer work, I want to help others.  The perfect thing about nursing is that I can travel in the USA with short contracts, and then do something like this every single year.  Settling for a year or two in Chicago or at home would be best.  I could pay off my loans and then have financial freedom.  I honestly don’t know what I will do with my life.  I feel like I’m satisfied with where I am for the first time in years.   I am constantly learning and always mentally stimulated.  I am soaking in so much. 

            We practiced letters today in class.  I got a video of Frida singing her alphabet!  I call her my angel.  She has the biggest smile and such a sweet soul.  She is a sponge and soaks in so much information.  Today she was teaching me Swahili.  Tembo is elephant.  When I walked into class today, I greeted Winston and Benny with a hug.  Then I saw little Frida sitting in the corner.  Her head was down on the desk in her arms, like she was sick or sad.  I sat next to her and put my hands on her shoulder and asked her what was wrong.  She lifted her head slightly and looked at me with one eye.  Then I saw this big smile.  She starts laughing out loud and so I tickled her!  She tricked me into thinking she was sick!  As I tickled her, she jumped into my lap.  Her clothes were very dirty today and the back of her dress was wet.  I am not sure why it was wet.  She is potty trained but it’s possible that she had an accident.  Also, her panties were dirty.  Very, very dirty.  I wish I could scoop her up and fly her back to America with me. Next time I go to the store I think I am going to buy her a new outfit.  She likes pink.

            Ramana is the trouble maker of our class.  She needs a lot of one on one work.  She has such a hard time focusing.  I need to learn more Swahili commands so I can get her to settle down.  I know andika (write) and fuma (erase). Those I use a lot. She is a young girl, and loves to play, but she never wants to learn.  I don’t think she has ever had any type of structure in her life.  Even if she had, it doesn’t necessarily mean she would do a good job at sitting down at her desk or standing up at the board and doing her exercises.  She’s a little girl and works when she is home.  Why shouldn’t she play while at the orphanage?  On the other hand, she needs a proper education to get anywhere.  It’s very frustrating for me.  She is so full of life. 

Benny

            Spear was there again today.  He is such an interesting person.  He travels a lot and is very intelligent.  And he is absolutely amazing with the children.  The watoto love him, and he adores them.  He is always smiling and laughing and it is one of the most genuine sights I have ever seen.  His conviction and passion is astounding.

            Michael picked me up and we went into town.  I had a good time.  He has a new nickname for me: Pendo.  Boy, do I have him fooled. Haha.  Pendo means lovely.  He showed me around more and tried teaching me more Swahili. I am such a horrible student.  I want to learn, and I am slowly, but I forget things so quickly.  He left Emmy and I in the car alone and gave us a knife to hold up for protection.  I’m pretty sure he was just kidding, but we held the knife just the same.  He then dropped me off at the internet café and I got to talk to my Lenze for a bit!  Oh how I miss him so much.  I wish he were here with me!  Michael came back to pick me up so I was in a rush to sign off.  Sorry I didn’t say bye Lenze!  I love you!

            Tomorrow I am going on my safari to the Serengeti. I am super excited!