My Travels

I sit here in my room alone, paralysed. Correction, i sit here in my room, with my illusive gecko friend, paralysed. Physically and emotionally I have been drained. I came here knowing that it was going to be hard work and I was willing and ready for the challenge. But somewhere along the way, I think it may have been my holiday in Thailand, it got left behind. Or perhaps I was naive to think that I could prepare myself for this at all. My day got off to a rocky start. When I was supposed to be merrily riding my bike on my way to save the world I was instead stuck in my room with diahorrea and vomiting. Whether it was the food, ice or my suspicion, the malaria tablets, i did fortunately start to feel better in time for the afternoons English classes at the orphanage.  With an hour or two to spare I decided to drop into the NGO CONcert to see if they could assure me of the legitimacy of the orphanage I'm working at. They could not vouch for the orphanage directly but provided me with a lot of helpful information to stay aware. After a long conversation, a lot of reading material and a morning of contemplation, the realities of the situation over here really started to sink in. I was told to make sure that the orphanage does background checks on their staff, have you sign off on a child protection policy, provide adequate living conditions. I turned up to find none of these things. Although I feel confident that the place isn't using the orphanage as a front for the sex trade, or to make personal profits to greedy business owners, the living standard does not meet that of the WHO but the intentions and will is there. When I asked a girl if she was happy here she smiled and said "yes, this is my family".