Mary, who calls me Che, with another volunteer:
Esther (who helps out with the housework and watches over Grace) walked into the living room this morning holding up the most adorable tiny little hot pink snow pants. I said something like "Awwwwwwww! I loooove those they're sooooo cuuuute!" Jane nodded and smiled, replying, "yes, ideal for this weather!" It was about 75 today, and Grace was walking around in snow pants. I'm extremely confused, because I am told that the hottest it gets here is 80, so I don't understand why it is so cold in 75 degree weather.
A lot of things confuse me. Sometimes I ask questions, sometimes I don't. Sometimes I ask questions, don't understand the answer, pretend to, and then just remain baffled. For a while, I had no idea where the children slept. The orphanage is very small, with only about 20 rooms (1 for each of grades K-12/high school, 1 staff room, 1 office for the principal, 1 for Salome, the head of By Grace) and a rooftop area for cooking. There are 2 storage closets, and 4 toilets, one of which is for the staff. The second grade classroom is the worst; it is literally 16 square feet for 10 kids who share 2 desks. Eventually I found out they sleep in the classrooms, which explains why at the end of the day I watch all the kids carry their tables and chairs out of their classrooms and up the stairs (2 mysteries solved in 1 there...).
Class 2 (2 children aren't present in this pic):
Other mysteries remain. Where do the stands on the side of the road get all their clothes to sell? Some are brands I recognize, like United Colors of Benetton, but many are also of the snazzy 80s fashion variety. Who buys things from the stands that sell nothing but junk? Will anyone ever buy that used Nintendo, sans controllers and games? Why does Classroom 3 smell so much worse than the other rooms? Why am I escorted to and from the orphanage every day? The other volunteers walk alone everywhere, but I do not leave the house until Joel has picked me up, and I do not leave the orphanage until Joel comes by and says "are you ready to go?"
I was not ready to leave today... I started teaching the children songs in Creative Arts class recently, and they liked it so much I made song books for them to share. We were sitting together at the end of the day, singing songs that are a reflection of my love for Paul Simon, and years of summer camp. Along with songs about frogs and bananas, the children can sing Bridge Over Troubled Water and 59th Street Bridge Song.
I have been able to compromise on the personal space issue by developing what can only be described as a symbiosis with the children. I was tired after jumping up and down all day and shouting songs at the top of my lungs (all the camp songs have movements, and the kids sing along with me even though they don't know the words and often even the tune, so I do my best to sing louder than they do in an effort to get them to learn how the songs actually go). So I laid down on the small table I was sharing with 5 kids. There were 3, give or take, sitting on either side of the table as well. My entire perimeter was in contact with children. Both my arms lay in one or more laps. They like to trace my scars with their fingers, cover my eyes with their hands, and run fingers through my hair. They like to tickle my ankles and tummy, and run fingers along the soles of my feet. This produces an extreme spa-like effect. The anxiety I might otherwise feel from being surrounded is totally quashed.
Poor Barack Obama. Ever since he called Kenya corrupt, he has been much-despised by many kids at the orphanage. Why? Because he will not help his homeland that is why! I said his job is to help America first, but this is scoffed at! Even Jane feels he should watch what he says about Kenya. Kenyan media agree, although some pugnacious editorialists argue that Kenya should listen up and work on improving their corrupt bureaucracy.
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