We left the comfort of the Royal Hotel at 2pm yesterday and, after a 2hour journey in a pimped up minibus complete with tv screen (which played the Britney Spears DVD pretty much the whole way!) and flsahing coloured lights, we arrived at The Twin House - my home for the next four weeks. I didn't have very high expectations so was pleasantly suprised when we arrived. It is pretty much in the middle of nowhere (but luckily an internet cafe just up the road!) Firstly, you walk into a large open-sided building, which is where meals are served and you can chill out in the evenings. Up a path through a little garden area, past another "chill out" area,is where the little outhouses which are the bedrooms are.
I'm sharing with Anna and Erin, who have been doing the "Thai experience" with Real Gap for the last month and are now working at the orphanage for the next four weeks. I was pleased to find others who are going to be here as long as I am, as everyone I had spoke to seemed to only be staying for 2 weeks. There are lots of others staying at the Twin House and working at the orphanage, so I have spoken to lots of different people since I have been here.
Overall the accomodation seems ok. You share your rooms with a couple of strange looking bugs and little lizards and i think i'm going to feel constantly dirty for the next few weeks, but it's all part of the experience and I am loving being able to get ready in half the time as no hairstyling or make-up required!
This morning we were picked up after breakfast (thankfully no noodles or rice - but fruit and toast) and driven to the Orphanage. It takes just under an hour to get there. Not the most comfortable of rides in an open sided truck, but at least we don't have to walk!!
The orphanage is fairly big, i'm not entirely sure how many children are there yet, but at least a couple of hundred. They all greet you as you walk past - "Sa wa dee ka", and bow their heads. Extremely cute and watch you with such intent.
We got shown around the orphange by our co-ordinator, John, who grew up in Brighton(!) but has been at the orphanage for 14 months. It's absolutely amazing the amount of work that has already been carried out there by the volunteers, but there is always more to be done. Today I have been grouting a tiled floor with blue grout, so i now resemble an oversized Smurf! It gets everywhere. Then this afternoon a few of us started to dig up some of the boarders that surround the orphanage walls so that they can be concreted over and little seats put around the trees. Can you imagine me weilding a pick axe and hacking away at a load of soil. It's got danger written all over it really hasn't it?! But I, and all the girls around me, survived! (apart from having severely achey back and arms!) I'm going to be a DIY expert by the time I get back. John said I might even have to build a wall before i leave. urrrmmmmmm.........
The food has been good so far. We have breakfast and dinner at the Twin House and lunch near the orphanage. We get to choose whatever we like for lunch (obviously within reason - no sausage and mash or stew and dumplings! But any rice, noodles, veg, meat) We just have to tell john in the morning what we want and it's ready and waiting for us when we go for our lunch break.
Apparently the three volunteer houses meet up once a week for a party, so i'm looking forward to that! Not sure when it's going to be but there is so little else going on around here that it seems to be the highlight of the week.
I was just about to say the the weather has been gorgeous all day, but as i sit here the heavens have opened and the noise in the internet cafe is unbelievable. I have never seen rain before like i've seen here. You step out for a second and you're soaked to the bone. Think my internet bill might be slightly more then originally planned today - although it's so cheap I'm going to take advantage while i can.
I'm pleased i decided to do the orphanage work now. It really seems like we're making a difference and the children are all so friendly and want hugs and to play all the time. It's pretty hard work but I don't mind - i'm going to be twigzilla by the time i leave! just in time for my beach holiday with Lauren. Although the bar across the road isn't helping my cause, but we'll see.........x x x x
