My first week at MoP

Tue, 25 Aug 09 10:13:38 +0200

Hey folks!

Well ive been at Mother of Peace (MoP) for just over a week now and actually cant believe how fast the time has went!!
Last week was quite strange as we wernt really given anything to do for the first 2/3 days, as they like to let you settle in and just get used to your surroundings (middle of nowhere surrounded by hills covered in sugar cane everywhere you look, the kids are always chewing at stalks of sugar cane so i must try it before i leave...i may need a fairly large toothpick though when i'm done!)
On thursday and friday we were starting to get more involved in the activities here...the orphanage is much more structured than i thought and the children have very long and busy days.
They get up at 5 in the morning and go to mass at half6 for 10mins, then there are two schools runs starting from 7, as there isnt a big enough bus to take them alll at once and they go to a few different schools in the area. They are home from school between half12 and half2/3.
Homework room runs from half3 to half5 and the children are split into 4different groups depending on their level, where they can get help with their homework or get other exercises if they have none. At the same time there is babies and daycare, which is kids from 0-5 where you plays games and things with them (very tireing). They then have mass again at 6 and dinner. Some of the older kids have to go to school on sat mornings aswell if they are behind. So its not an easy day, but they seem to cope fine!
On friday afternoons ther is nothing on, so some of us played games with the younger kids, we played dunking for apples and they loved it...fruit is like a treat 2the kids here!
At the wknd us volunteers went on a safari wknd...was totally amazing but awful at the same time as most of us ended up not bein that well. We wer up at half5 sat morn and headin 3hrs north, where we did a 2hour trek through the bush...was pretty cool and seen lots of antelope, wildebeest and zebra. Then later we had a 2hour boat trip where we seen lots of hippos, crocs and a giant heron (looked like a little old man with a birds head!). Had dinner in Ocean Basket amd had the nocest calamaris on earth, stayd in a gorgeous wee b&b. Had to get up at 4:45 the next mornin to travel 45mins to be at safari park for 6 in the morn!!...drove through the 96,000hectare park for 6 hours (was absolutly freezing so we wer all wrapped in blankets), saw giraffes, zebras, wildebeest, antelopes, lions, cheetah, elephant, buffalo (about 2die), rhino, python and some cool birds and a little lizard with a bright blue head!!lol
I'm doing speech therapy with a 5year boy here, he is such a wee sweetie, and I'm going with his house mother and him today to his speech therapist. On thursday i have to give a one hour lesson at the local primary school on the theme culture and religion, so I'm going to ask them to colour the irish, dutch and belgian flags as thats where the volunteers here now are from.
We have a volunteers day tomorrow so we get to have a look around the other local projects aswell, which will be good and we go 4dinner in Durban(yumyum my favourite pastime!!lol).
I foud the childrens names very difficult int he first few days and felt bad when i kept having to ask them again, but im getting much better now and it really helps when you see the name written down rather then just listening to them saying it. Plus the kids are getting more used to me and are becoming much more interactive and comfortable around the new volunteers.
So having a brilliant time so far!!...just hope the weather gets i little warmer this week!!

Settling in

Wed, 19 Aug 09 11:19:08 +0200

Well this is the start of my third day at MOP. We're still all settling in to things here...getting to know the ropes. Had an intro to MOP yday with Byron, to understand how the orphange runs and whats allowed or not allowed.
Hes giving us HIV/AIDS training today and then we are meeting with another volunteer Nikki to discuss making a timetable for the next week.
Rachel and myself went 2 the babycare class last night, where a care giver plays games with 0-5 year olds. The children were a bit weary of us 2begin with, but by the end of the class they were all round us.
We've each been assigned a house, where there is a housemother and usually 6children, so I need to go and meet her later.
Thats all for now!!
x

Helen McDonnell

My first week at MoP

Settling in