Day 2 - Sat. June 10th
We moved into our new hotel on the waterfront this morning. It is a much better area for us, more ex pats and tourists, which you actually like here (however, not a huge tourist town really). We went to the orphanage (actually called the "center") that day with Drew, met all the kids, got a tour and just kind of hung around. The center is basically a shanty town that surrounds a dirt common area. The 100 or so children ranging various ages, sleep all over the place, lined up next to each other - in tree house looking structures all around. It's really crazy to see. They are absolutely darling and everyone here are the nicest people. It's really unbelievable. They love all over us, can't wait to see us and love all over each other as well. They are incredibly happy kids -- hanging out all day long, playing with 100 others. They take great care of each other. You never see them without their arms around another kid or dragging around one of the babies. They truly just love the babies. Problem of course is that they have no future. They are actually well fed (not great quality, but not starved) and keep themselves quite clean and nice (relatively speaking). After spending the day there, you just can't wait to shower off though.
We don't have a set agenda, but are taking notes on what to do. Drew has been thinking up projects as we are here. We are going to build lockers for the kids and assign and labels them and provide locks so they can have their own stuff. I brought along a suitcase with art supplies, games, toys and things for them as well. We will have an art day. We are going to give hair cuts -- apparently they love it. We are also going to teach an english classes. We are definitely winging it, but they get so excited to speak english. It's funny because they run up to you and spead perfect english. They ask ""What is your name? My name is ...... Where are you from?". You think they speak english, but that's as far as they go. When we saw the school room, those are the only english phrases on the board -- pretty funny.
After the orphanage, we took a tuk tuk (carriage driven by a moped/small motorcycle) to the killing fields -- about an hour 1/2 away. Pretty moving place and very beautiful drive. It's amazing the genocide that has happened in our life time. Seems impossible.
It is absolutely sweltering here. The kids are always concerned because Michele and I's faces are just dripping. They pat them off and try to take care of us -- their's don't sweat -- probably because they don't drink much.
After that, we had dinner with Drew and we all went next door for the second of our daily massages. Quite an experience. You just remove your clothes, wrap a towel around you in a room with 20 or so futon types beds laid on the floor (nice place though). That night we had regular massage. The night before we had had Thai massage -- which is crazy -- they actually walk on your back and do contortions and stuff. Coincidently, the american kickboxer who fought last night was there as well, so we got to briefly meet him.
Drew is trying to find the fun projects while I am in town. He is going to put Michele to work on the nuts and bolts like de-licing once I am gone :). Tomorrow, we will take one of the boys (Makara) to visit his family in the country.
We moved into our new hotel on the waterfront this morning. It is a much better area for us, more ex pats and tourists, which you actually like here (however, not a huge tourist town really). We went to the orphanage (actually called the "center") that day with Drew, met all the kids, got a tour and just kind of hung around. The center is basically a shanty town that surrounds a dirt common area. The 100 or so children ranging various ages, sleep all over the place, lined up next to each other - in tree house looking structures all around. It's really crazy to see. They are absolutely darling and everyone here are the nicest people. It's really unbelievable. They love all over us, can't wait to see us and love all over each other as well. They are incredibly happy kids -- hanging out all day long, playing with 100 others. They take great care of each other. You never see them without their arms around another kid or dragging around one of the babies. They truly just love the babies. Problem of course is that they have no future. They are actually well fed (not great quality, but not starved) and keep themselves quite clean and nice (relatively speaking). After spending the day there, you just can't wait to shower off though.
We don't have a set agenda, but are taking notes on what to do. Drew has been thinking up projects as we are here. We are going to build lockers for the kids and assign and labels them and provide locks so they can have their own stuff. I brought along a suitcase with art supplies, games, toys and things for them as well. We will have an art day. We are going to give hair cuts -- apparently they love it. We are also going to teach an english classes. We are definitely winging it, but they get so excited to speak english. It's funny because they run up to you and spead perfect english. They ask ""What is your name? My name is ...... Where are you from?". You think they speak english, but that's as far as they go. When we saw the school room, those are the only english phrases on the board -- pretty funny.
After the orphanage, we took a tuk tuk (carriage driven by a moped/small motorcycle) to the killing fields -- about an hour 1/2 away. Pretty moving place and very beautiful drive. It's amazing the genocide that has happened in our life time. Seems impossible.
It is absolutely sweltering here. The kids are always concerned because Michele and I's faces are just dripping. They pat them off and try to take care of us -- their's don't sweat -- probably because they don't drink much.
After that, we had dinner with Drew and we all went next door for the second of our daily massages. Quite an experience. You just remove your clothes, wrap a towel around you in a room with 20 or so futon types beds laid on the floor (nice place though). That night we had regular massage. The night before we had had Thai massage -- which is crazy -- they actually walk on your back and do contortions and stuff. Coincidently, the american kickboxer who fought last night was there as well, so we got to briefly meet him.
Drew is trying to find the fun projects while I am in town. He is going to put Michele to work on the nuts and bolts like de-licing once I am gone :). Tomorrow, we will take one of the boys (Makara) to visit his family in the country.
posted by Stephanie Mackin at 2:14 PM
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