We are down to our last day tomorrow. This trip has gone so fast but yet it seems like I’ve been here forever. We got to Guayaquil Monday night and didn’t do much because we were all pretty tired. Tuesday was the day we were going to help at the orphanage. I was so excited for this day to come. I love playing with kids and especially being in another country and at an orphanage. I was a little nervous at first that the language barrier was going to be tough to deal with. On our way to the orphanage our guide gave us a little background on the orphanage. She mentioned that it was a little run down and that it is struggle. This really brought me back to when I visited the mother Teresa orphanage in India last year. I guess I thought this orphanage was going to be in just as bad of shape and with hardly any help as the one in India. It’s just so hard for me to imagine these kids not having parents as they grow up. I got pretty emotional before going into the orphanage, but I sucked it up and knew I had to make these next three hours be as much fun for the kids as I could make it. We had brought lots of toys like puzzles, balls, blocks, coloring books etc. The minutes we walked in with bags a little boy was already looking in them and picking what he wanted to play with. As soon as we got there the kids all ran up to us and took us by the hands and led us to where they wanted to play. It was if we had been there multiple times before. They were the sweetest and kindest children. I wanted to take them all home with me. Before long I met an older group of boys around ten and they were interested in soccer. I was so happy that I could bond with them simple with a ball. We didn’t need to be able to communicate, but we were all able to enjoy the game together. We juggled, passed, played one on one. It was a great time. I’m convinced they had a lot of fun as well from the looks on their faces. Once the boys needed a break I colored, played Jenga and Connect four, and played on the playground equipment with other kids. These kids more than likely did not have a lot, but they were full of happiness and smiles. It really goes to show how little we need and how much being happy can do for us.
We only stayed in the big courtyard, which looked in pretty good condition. There was a school in the orphanage, which was good to see the children getting an education while being there. We didn’t see the bedrooms, bathrooms, or kitchen, which I would have liked to see but maybe it was for the better that I just have to wonder. This was such a neat experience and similar yet so different from my experiences in India. I will never forget how much of an impact these children have had on me. These experiences are what make me want to keep traveling and studying other cultures. Tuesday was definitely one of the most memorable and fun things about this trip.
After the orphanage we just walked along the boardwalk and ate dinner at this fun restaurant right on the water. It was a very good day.
This morning Emily, Teresa, and I went on a run along the boardwalk. It was nice to have a change of scenery and I felt as though I could breathe again! Finally at sea level. Today we visited a special needs school, which was interesting to see. They were very welcoming and the kids were all so kind. After the school we went to a public health clinic with many services ranging from counseling, to doctors appointments, and learning how to sew. It was a neat facility and very resourceful for lower class people. After that tour we came back for lunch and then visited the university here. The students were on break so there wasn’t much action, but we had a mini lecture on communications by one of the workers at the school. It was fun to see what a college is like here. It looked like it could be a college in the US, a very small and outdoorsy college. Today was pretty low key, but we are all becoming very tired and it is definitely time to come home.
