Anecdotes

Two of our dear troublemakers, Obama to the right

Well well well, here I am writing, really unsure of where this post may take my thoughts... so I think I shall leave you with a few anecdotes about things that have happened the past few weeks. But first of all, to introduce you to someone! Today we have our beloved Obama/Persidente/Jefe as he is lovingly referred... though his real name is Jose Luis. I know I mentioned him once quite a while back and a few people have since asked me to post a photo, so I though what better way than to also tell you a bit about him. Jose Luis, to put it clearly, is one of our troublemakers. The word 'troublemaker' could be used to describe the majority of our kids, so to be one here means you really take things seriously. But despite his habits of skipping class and getting in fights, he can be a really sweet kid. He almost always has this serious look on his face like in this picture, but if you know how to work him he breaks into the most amazing smile. I've found that if I give him a serious look back for more than 30 seconds, he bursts out laughing. We've developed a bit of a friendship, but in quite the strange way. It mostly involves joking around with eachother and making faces... but hey, I'm not complaining.

And now, a few stories about the life here:
-I mentioned briefly in my last post that the boys who live in my house have been asking me for seeds lately and started planting a bit in our backyard. Well, over the past few weeks, it has turned into what one might call a full out family sized garden. Almost all of the land along the fence surrounding our backyard has turned into child sized gardens, each belonging to one of the boys in my house. I am pleasantly greeted at times with children exclaiming "la mata nacio! la mata nacio!" (the plant was born!). It seems much of the excitement has come from the kids learning that gardening is something I believe is important, as it is part of my work here... and wanting to appeal to that. It is really the first time I've felt like the kids maybe understand a bit about who I am. As for now, we have some seedlings and I'm hoping they can continue to care for them well enough to actually get some vegetables!

-My budding relationship with one of the dear old hatian men who I work with on the farm has led me to some wonderful times. If I haven't yet explained, there are 6 workers on the farm with whom I share my time there. Although I would love to say I am doing hordes of hard manual labor, I am spending a lot of time chatting (good in its own way, right?). But the good that has come from it is that I now have 2 great buddies and a few other burgeoning friendships. The two great buddies of mine are a pair of Hatian brothers, Caito and Moreno, who are in their 60s. So keen to share their knowledge of the land and of life. Caito has really taken me under his wing a bit teaching me about how the tropical plants grow and what you can do with different fruits and vegetables. He recently brought be a bag full of acidic oranges from the tree at his house, with special instructions to drink the juice of half an orange every day. No more, as they are so acidic and it can be hard on the system if you have too much. Both Caito and Moreno insist that if I continue with this, my heart will be strong and my body healthy. Funny enough, I've been drinking this juice for a week or so and during that time caught the nasty 'gripe' or cold that is going around the home. It's really knocked me out a bit the past few days, but also taught me a little something new! The first day I went to the farm to work with my cold, I told my pals upon asking how I was "well, I have gripe, so I'm a bit sick. But other than that good" Caito and Moreno replied, "well, it all depends on how you look at it. In reality, someone who doesn't have a cold is a whole lot sicker than someone who does" hmmm. And before long, I was in my housse hearing exactly the same from one of the Tias. Quite a different way of looking at things eh, but heres how they figure. When you've got a cold you're constantly coughing, sneezing, and blowing your nose. All of this is pulling all the bad things out of your body, leaving you a lot healthier. And all those without a cold still have all those things building up in their body. Maybe those of us who aren't sick just dont have that bad stuff in their, but needless to say, an interesting way of looking at things.

-A bit of the situation here is about to change as my dear partner in crime, Ingrid, has decided to move on to a new adventure. I'm sad to see her go, not only for the work we've been doing together, but also as we are very like minded and have therefore been able to share some wonderful times. But also am happy for her, as I know her heart has been calling her to somewhere else (although where has yet to be completely determined) and I know how important it can be to follow your heart. In her preparations to leave over the past few days, she has left to me what we hope to become a bit of a legacy within the volunteers. A perfect climbing tree hidden in a back corner of the property with a little perch from which you can see both the ocean and the mountains on a clear day. What has been her place of refuge to get away from the commotion of life here, a place to sit and think, will hopefully provide me with the same.

-Of course, what could be a post about life here at NPH without mention of frustration. I had a bit of a rough week trying to rest the sickness out of me, and came out of it ready to get a little bit of work done yesterday, only to feel shot down by the house director, a nun from Colombia. She made it very clear to me that she really doesn't give a darn about the program I am working on to have the kids clean up the beach for a short period of time when they go to the beach each Sunday. A simple way for them to give back to the community and learn about the problems of litter in the country (which are HUGE). It is just a rather disheartening feeling to know that almost no one in the administration cares whatsoever about environmental issues, and won't do anything to help me aside from telling me i have permission to complete projects if I do all of the work.

-Last, but definitely not least, this week has brought 5 new kids to the home, one of which is a little boy living in my house now. Sebastian, the new little guy, is incredibly sweet. Yet to be tainted by others in the house, I have nothing but great things to say about him. He seems to have taken quite greatly to me as he is always asking me when I'll be coming to the house if I see him out and about, asking me to stay just a little bit longer, and sitting with me whenever given the chance. It is a funny thing to feel like someone who has known me for all of a few days seems to care and respect me more than those who have known me for 3 months.

so there you have it, a bit of a peak into the life I've been living here at the home over the past few weeks. I know its just a few stories, but life seems to have settled into something more constant, so stories of what has happened seems to be the best way to share with you my excitements and troubles. I hope that life is bringing excitement to all of you, and wish you all a happy thanksgiving if I dont get to writing before then!

paz y amor