aug 16th 2007

hi again,


so everything continues to be going well. we have been enjoying the weather. it has only rained a couple times since i have been here.

allan had the day off yesterday for indian indpendence day so we were able to take sometime to explore a little more. we walked around downtown and found a dvd store where we can buy any movie we would want. we were also able to find a bookstore which actually seemed pretty good. there is a hotel downtown that is called the fildalgo. if anyone wants to visit it is a good place to stay for very cheap. anyhow, they have a cute little cafe and sandwich shop. i was able to get a chicken sandwich just how i like it.


allan is keeping very busy with work and of coarse is working very hard. he is really liking his new job!!!!!!

i started my volunteer work today. it was very interesting. right now there are 6 volunteers. one women is from england, one from Australia (although today was her last day) and then i think the rest are from london. i got a chance to meet all of the children. they are so cute and polite. all the kids came up to me shook my hand and introduced themselves. something tells me it will not take a long time to get to know them.

the director is super nice. he was really happy to have a social worker on board. right now there are about 40 kids involved in the organization. they go to a public school in the morning and then around 12noon they come to the house (children walking tall house) where they shower, watch cartoons, eat lunch and do their homework. there is a volunteer teacher who comes in the afternoon to teach the kids some more. all of the kids go home at night. only in emergency situations will they spend the night at the house.

each child showers at the house twice a week. most likely those are the only two good showers they get during a week. the meal that they get at the house is probably the only meal they get for the day so they are encouraged to eat as much as they want. there is a cook at the house who makes enough food so that the kids can go up for seconds, thirds and even fourths. whatever it takes to get them full. believe it or not i actually tried the food, it was rice with veggies. it was soooooo good. friday is chicken day so if i am feeling adventures i will try it. all the kids eat on the floor and use their hands to feed themselves. i was told that i had to eat with my right hand. if i ate with my left hand the kids would look at me funny. using your left hand in anyway symbolizes something to do with having to do with use the bathroom. i am a lefty so this might be tricky to get use to. the great thing about this organization (which is a british run organization) is that they do not try to westernize these kids. they are very respectful to their values and culture. some of the kids speak english and some do not. the staff will use sigh lang with the kids who do not know english.

allan and i were invited to go with some of the volunteers for dinner for one of their birthdays. that should be interesting and fun!!!!!! ok i think that is it for now. keep in touch and fill me in one what is going on with you.


love abby and allan