My first day in Calca, I went to go wander the town and see where I was going to be living the next six months. Calca is a dream come true. It is not a known tourist destination so I am the white face around for now. There is a long dirt road from Viviana´s home into the main part of town or ´the plaza´. While walking down the road everyone I passed said Hola and had a smile on their face. I passed a group of children playing futbol and as I walked by they all started to laugh. The youngest boy then started chasing me saying Hola gringo. This has now become the neighborhood kids favorite thing to do whenever I walk into town or am on my way to Niños del Sol. I have at least 8 kids chase me to the end of the road laughing and saying hola gringo, hola gringo! It makes my day. Today, as I was walking to check in at the orphanage a older woman stopped me to say Hola. She didn´t speak a lick of english but told me how beautiful my sweater was and how much she wanted it to calm her freezing body. It was my favorite sweater but now it is safe to say, it is keeping an elderly woman warm and safe.
As for the orphanage and meeting the children, what a trip. The children are between the ages of 6 and 20 and all of them are there by court order because their parents have either passed away or abandoned them. There are 12 girls and 9 boys, all of whom have contagious smiles and unbelievable strength and happiness considering their conditions. Viviana is the new director of Niños del Sol because the other woman who was in charge prior, passed away. The orphanage moved into a new home about 3 weeks ago so for the next month it is all about fixing up the home and making it a little more livable. Viviana and Avishai are looking for a new home because the one they recently moved into is too small and not in the best condition.
My work at the orphanage right now consists of getting there at 9am (the children have school from 8am to 2pm Monday through Friday) and helping the workers clean up and prepare lunch for when they get back from school. At 2pm when most of the kids return we have lunch, talk about their day and clean up. The food here is phenomenal. I have not had one meal, so far, that I have not enjoyed. It is a lot fun helping prepare the meals as well. After lunch most of the older kids go play soccer at the field nearby and the younger kids stay behind and do their homework. So far, most of the children have been shy towards me, but Viviana said this is normal. They are so used to volunteers staying one or two weeks then leaving and never speaking to them again. I hope to gain their trust and friendship and let them know even after I leave I plan on keeping in touch. I have made some impressions though. Soledad (6 years), Rubpert (7 years old) and Fernando (10 years old) all have taken an interest in me. Soledad loves teaching me new spanish words in exchange for english words and Rubpert likes to hide and go seek. Fernando just likes to sit with me at lunch and ask me 100 times in english, Ayla, what is your name.
My time has run out on the computer, I will post more later!
