I’ve decided to become a morning blogger, as I now wake up at 5:45 and don’t have the distractions of anyone else being awake (ie. new e-mails, facebook or AIM). So I hope you will bear with me at this ungodly hour. I also think that I am better in the morning, with any lingering bitterness dreamt away and a new day ahead. That or I am just too tired to have a good filter.
After having been here nearly A MONTH I realize I haven’t shared anything about Guatemala, the country, culture, climate or my random thoughts. So here are my observations in no particular order:
1)Every man, woman and child eats with a fork in one hand and a rolled up tortilla in the other, alternating bites.
2)The stars are amazing, I look at them every night breathless (from the extreme stair climbing I must do) while listening to the sprinklers watering the crops of the entire vegetable and herb supply for the orphanage. It is grown on-site which is amazing and has provided for the orphanage funding to add foods to their diet, like fruit and ice cream treats.
3)The country is extremely mountainous. Much more than I thought. My expectation was more of a jungle climate. There are four active volcanoes: Pacaya (where you can see a lava flow if you climb it, which I have every intention of doing by the way), Santa Maria, Santiaguito, and Fuego
4)I imagined everyone to speak a sort of Spanglish…not so, it’s real, fast, full on Spanish…all the time. I am the ONLY one who consistently speaks Spanglish, and I totally make it work!
5)Crucial point! The coffee here is amazing. Drinking it with milk however is an absurdity. Just sugar is allowed.
6)It never rains. It is a perfect 75 and sunny everyday, and I have every reason to believe that will continue forever (or at least until a volcano erupts).
7)The trade off….. lots of mini earthquakes.
8)The biggest meal of the day is lunch, complete with vegetables and meat. Therefore everyone goes comatose and rests around 2pm. Dinner is just downhill from there, rice and bean…always. I do, however, like eating this way, big meal in the middle, light before bed.
9)It takes me 3 days to complete a shower, I am on a rotation: Day 1 hair washing, Day 2 shaving, Day 3 enjoying forty-five seconds blissful seconds of hot water.
10)You will be able to find ANYTHING from the United States here, anything you name it! They do not have their own brands or unusual labels, everything in stores is in English and recognizable. For example, my roommate, who has never been to the US, and I have the exact same Old Navy sweatshirt.
11)Every single person has been mugged, once if not more. It’s a shame that it is so risky to travel, because the country is so beautiful, but the poor economic situation has created a gang lifestyle. All anyone wants is money and cell phones (a huge commodity), but it is so unfortunate. They are also frequently pick-pocketed
12)I am really tall. Or everyone is short. Either way I stand out because of my height. I am even as tall or taller than most men.
13)Off the back of the orphanage you can see the rich portion of Guatemala City’s population. The houses are huge, Beverly Hills style and the cars are amazing too. The contrast is so drastic.
14)Every sentence is completed with “verdad”- meaning “true?” It is usually posed as a question, not a statement, even if it is meant to be.
15)People are more relaxed, time is a framework for the day and everyone greets you like you’ve known them for ages.
In short, I am really loving it here!
Friday, February 12, 2010
Thursday, February 11, 2010
Once Upon a Time, We Were All a Baby
I love how babies don’t conceal their emotions, at all times the express exactly how they feel. If they need to throw a temper-tantrum and cry, exactly where they are is as convenient a place as ever. And a moment later they will smile and laugh. They can be over it just as quickly. When someone or something makes them mad they give it a slap or shove. They run with joy and squeal as loud as they want. If they want to play they just start the game. They talk to themselves and no one thinks it’s weird. And if a baby needs a snuggle, they can approach anyone and no one will turn them away.
Sometimes I think the world would be a much better place if we developed less inhibition and acted more like we were as babies. What if we spent one day, acting on every emotional up and down we felt to its fullest extent?
Sometimes I think the world would be a much better place if we developed less inhibition and acted more like we were as babies. What if we spent one day, acting on every emotional up and down we felt to its fullest extent?
Wednesday, February 10, 2010
Some Things Are Just Weird and Freaky
I ate my last Dove today, the quote: "Volunteer from your heart."
I kid you not, and life is not a series of coincidences. Thats not Dove, thats me.
I kid you not, and life is not a series of coincidences. Thats not Dove, thats me.
Tuesday, February 9, 2010
My Latest Brilliant Idea
A SCHOOL STORE! And it’s going to work too.
So the thing is EESA (my South African program) has me thinking in deliverables. Which means that, although everyone is telling me my loving presence is enough, I do not think this is true. I like concrete things to be accomplished that ideally will continue after I am gone. Because of EESA I have chosen four “deliverables.” In the baby house, my goal is (1) mats/crib toys and (2) a nighttime routine. This is starting to be more successful, even with only 5 of us. We have started to do the baby's dishes while they eat, get them out and changed and then re-seated in the living room. Some nights we sing, sometimes we read, others it’s both. And then we end with a prayer and the ninos RUN to bed…they love this! After they go to bed, we eat, and by holding off we can do this routine. Since last Thursday, we have done this on Friday, Saturday and Monday. Not too shabby, and I think it really makes them happy.
In the school they asked me to give an English test at the end of my time. I am not so comfortable with this. Especially since I am not only in each classroom once a week and try to keep it casual. I want to play games with the kids and get them involved in their learning. If they learn English too it’s a bonus. But after being in the school, I decided that “English” class would be more about interactive learning. That to me is more important. And until the students start having fun with education, they're really not going to learn much anyway. So deliverable 3: An English Concert. I have decided that participation in the class song will be the equivalent of taking a final. Each class is going to have a song, based on some week’s topic, that they will stand up and perform. They also have to help make the poster displaying the lyrics (in pictures for the younger classes) and introduce their class and the song in English.
Finally, the main point, the school store or deliverable 4. The kids don’t get out much, they don’t use money, operate on a system of instant gratification, are only disciplined not rewarded and don’t really have anything entirely their own. So I am going to buy pencils, stickers, hair clips, little action figures, notebooks, candy…basically all that stuff that you would get in an 8 year old birthday party goody bag. I am also going to make some fake money, just fives and ones, which the kids can earn for being good, working hard, helping a teacher, or doing something nice. On Friday’s I will set up my store and they can buy something special for themselves. Hopefully I can get the older kids involved in selling with me, and they can help to keep it running after I am gone. Therefore the learning is three-fold and possilby more:
1)Patience, they will get money, but have to wait to Friday to see the reward.
2)Dealing with money, in general, comparing prices to how much they have, and adding up what they can afford. As well as saving for somthing they want, and waiting if they can't afford it just yet. Not to mention, being responsible, putting the money in a safe place.
3)Working hard and being good leads to having things you want.
I am starting this in the special education classroom next week, and am hoping to go school-wide by mid-March. Start small, see how it all works out, and I have the blend of older and younger in the one room. My concern is this: I am donating the “wares” but after I am gone, they are going to need more things to “sell” and since this is not real money, the products are going to have to be donated or come from some fund that doesn’t yet exist.
Please! I am open to suggestions!
And thank you Janet for the suggestion I teach math this way and Westorchard Elementary for the business concept.
So the thing is EESA (my South African program) has me thinking in deliverables. Which means that, although everyone is telling me my loving presence is enough, I do not think this is true. I like concrete things to be accomplished that ideally will continue after I am gone. Because of EESA I have chosen four “deliverables.” In the baby house, my goal is (1) mats/crib toys and (2) a nighttime routine. This is starting to be more successful, even with only 5 of us. We have started to do the baby's dishes while they eat, get them out and changed and then re-seated in the living room. Some nights we sing, sometimes we read, others it’s both. And then we end with a prayer and the ninos RUN to bed…they love this! After they go to bed, we eat, and by holding off we can do this routine. Since last Thursday, we have done this on Friday, Saturday and Monday. Not too shabby, and I think it really makes them happy.
In the school they asked me to give an English test at the end of my time. I am not so comfortable with this. Especially since I am not only in each classroom once a week and try to keep it casual. I want to play games with the kids and get them involved in their learning. If they learn English too it’s a bonus. But after being in the school, I decided that “English” class would be more about interactive learning. That to me is more important. And until the students start having fun with education, they're really not going to learn much anyway. So deliverable 3: An English Concert. I have decided that participation in the class song will be the equivalent of taking a final. Each class is going to have a song, based on some week’s topic, that they will stand up and perform. They also have to help make the poster displaying the lyrics (in pictures for the younger classes) and introduce their class and the song in English.
Finally, the main point, the school store or deliverable 4. The kids don’t get out much, they don’t use money, operate on a system of instant gratification, are only disciplined not rewarded and don’t really have anything entirely their own. So I am going to buy pencils, stickers, hair clips, little action figures, notebooks, candy…basically all that stuff that you would get in an 8 year old birthday party goody bag. I am also going to make some fake money, just fives and ones, which the kids can earn for being good, working hard, helping a teacher, or doing something nice. On Friday’s I will set up my store and they can buy something special for themselves. Hopefully I can get the older kids involved in selling with me, and they can help to keep it running after I am gone. Therefore the learning is three-fold and possilby more:
1)Patience, they will get money, but have to wait to Friday to see the reward.
2)Dealing with money, in general, comparing prices to how much they have, and adding up what they can afford. As well as saving for somthing they want, and waiting if they can't afford it just yet. Not to mention, being responsible, putting the money in a safe place.
3)Working hard and being good leads to having things you want.
I am starting this in the special education classroom next week, and am hoping to go school-wide by mid-March. Start small, see how it all works out, and I have the blend of older and younger in the one room. My concern is this: I am donating the “wares” but after I am gone, they are going to need more things to “sell” and since this is not real money, the products are going to have to be donated or come from some fund that doesn’t yet exist.
Please! I am open to suggestions!
And thank you Janet for the suggestion I teach math this way and Westorchard Elementary for the business concept.
Sunday, February 7, 2010
Cock-a-doodle-doo
How Guatemala is similar to college:
1) I live on a campus, in a dorm, with a shared bathroom and roomie
2) The food is limited in selection and repetitive
3) I go to school
4) It is an excellently, worthwhile, justifiable way of not being a financially independent individual
5) Apparently I pull all-nighters (which I only did twice in college- and I’m not even sure if they count because I cheated and napped.)
Yes, that’s right; I did my first night shift in the baby house and literally saw the sun rise. Although I did catch a few ZZZZZZZZ’s around 5:30am. The night went really well. I definitely could have slept more, but I was a little paranoid, it being my first time and all, that a child would stop breathing or something on MY watch. Also, it is incredible how much a rooster sounds like a baby at the top note of their most perfect wail. Basically, whenever the rooster would sound (which is fairly regularly, it is a myth that they only “cock-a-doodle “in the morning) I sat to attention thinking it was a baby down the hall. Finally, I hunted the noise down to outside the walls, still it drove me crazy. After tracking it to the window closest to the farm, which is above the shower in the bathroom, not an easy place to get, I was certain that I wanted rooster for lunch.
The older ones (which are the majority) sleep through the night with no problems. Most of the babies wake around 4am an need a bottle and a change, otherwise they are usually good. Its little 2 month old Miguel that will give me my first grays. He sleeps 4-5 hours without needing a bottle which is great. But once he woke up at 12:30 for his first bottle, he could not get back to sleep. This is because he is so congested he can’t breathe through his nose, but uses a pacifier or his thumb to lull himself to sleep. Basically he could not get comfortable.
The thing about an orphanage is the mortal fear of more than two babies needing you. One is enough, two manageable, three and you just have no arms left. And when a cry goes off, you begin to plead, “pleaseeeeee, don’t wake anyone else!” The other thing about an orphanage, babies are really good at sleeping through noise and tuning out crying.
During the night I watched both Amelia, which was EHH and New York, I Love You, which I HIGHLY recommend. Some of the stories were good, some really weird and some had me in tears both laughing and crying. Pretty much sounds like NY, plus the cast is amazing.
I’m really proud that I made it through the day without napping, but now I am crashing fast. Especially, since I had the pleasure of eating dinner with Claudia and her family at their home. It was wonderful. But it has led to a long day. Damn I hate roosters!
1) I live on a campus, in a dorm, with a shared bathroom and roomie
2) The food is limited in selection and repetitive
3) I go to school
4) It is an excellently, worthwhile, justifiable way of not being a financially independent individual
5) Apparently I pull all-nighters (which I only did twice in college- and I’m not even sure if they count because I cheated and napped.)
Yes, that’s right; I did my first night shift in the baby house and literally saw the sun rise. Although I did catch a few ZZZZZZZZ’s around 5:30am. The night went really well. I definitely could have slept more, but I was a little paranoid, it being my first time and all, that a child would stop breathing or something on MY watch. Also, it is incredible how much a rooster sounds like a baby at the top note of their most perfect wail. Basically, whenever the rooster would sound (which is fairly regularly, it is a myth that they only “cock-a-doodle “in the morning) I sat to attention thinking it was a baby down the hall. Finally, I hunted the noise down to outside the walls, still it drove me crazy. After tracking it to the window closest to the farm, which is above the shower in the bathroom, not an easy place to get, I was certain that I wanted rooster for lunch.
The older ones (which are the majority) sleep through the night with no problems. Most of the babies wake around 4am an need a bottle and a change, otherwise they are usually good. Its little 2 month old Miguel that will give me my first grays. He sleeps 4-5 hours without needing a bottle which is great. But once he woke up at 12:30 for his first bottle, he could not get back to sleep. This is because he is so congested he can’t breathe through his nose, but uses a pacifier or his thumb to lull himself to sleep. Basically he could not get comfortable.
The thing about an orphanage is the mortal fear of more than two babies needing you. One is enough, two manageable, three and you just have no arms left. And when a cry goes off, you begin to plead, “pleaseeeeee, don’t wake anyone else!” The other thing about an orphanage, babies are really good at sleeping through noise and tuning out crying.
During the night I watched both Amelia, which was EHH and New York, I Love You, which I HIGHLY recommend. Some of the stories were good, some really weird and some had me in tears both laughing and crying. Pretty much sounds like NY, plus the cast is amazing.
I’m really proud that I made it through the day without napping, but now I am crashing fast. Especially, since I had the pleasure of eating dinner with Claudia and her family at their home. It was wonderful. But it has led to a long day. Damn I hate roosters!
Friday, February 5, 2010
The Tri-Fecta (or the reason I haven't written in a while)
I’m pretty sure a post is way past due, but I’m not sure where to begin. Babies, English class or special education?
So much has been going on this week, including the season premier of Lost, the final season, which I have traveled to great lengths to procure. And it has proven totally worth it!
In Casa Promesa (the baby house, I think it’s a cute name: House of Promise), the only thin blue carpet, that covered half the play area has disappeared! I’m pretty sure I understand this is because it was holding the potent smell of the diarrhea incident (see Monday February 1st) as well as the remnants of other bodily functions it obtained through the years. This now means that the babies play on a tile floor all the time. Very clean. But it also means that the non-walkers, are now in swings or chairs all the time, and are no longer interacting with the other babies or have toys to play with. In place of the rug is a small mat, think gymnastics class, that is sometimes laid out but never cleaned. Still, I like the idea! After talking with the donations coordinator, I think more of these mats would me better than another rug (hard to clean) and those puzzle piece mats. Apparently they had those once and they accumulate a lot of crud in the spaces that is difficult to fully get out. Needless to say, those mats are now sitting in the corner of my special ed classroom collecting dust.
Tonight however, was really great in the baby house. Some days we have local kids from the wealthy neighborhood behind the orphanage come hang out. There were 4 today so we got the kids fed, changed and ready for bed very fast. We even had time to do some dishes and other clean up. After, we were able to sit them all down in the living room for a story, song and pray before bed. This would be my ideal every night, unfortunately, without 9 people, it is more of a challenge and effort.
I also need to print a retraction: our newest baby, is in fact 8 months old, based on her doctor’s visit. She is only 12lbs though, and so tiny you would never guess that by appearance. They think she was really premature, and has development and mal-nutrition problems.
Which brings me to my next topic: Special education. First of all I should back up and explain that there are two teachers in the classroom. One for the younger set, 5-10 year olds and one for the teenagers. The teacher for the teenagers is much better, she tries to spend forty minutes to an hour with each student personally. Unfortunately, that leaves the other five to be doing things like:
Math: Listing numbers 1-1,000 (that I discovered on Monday they don’t know). I mean they know the order of the numbers, but they can’t say any number above 100 if asked.
Science: aka geography. Learning names of lakes, rivers, ports, mountains in North, Central and South America.
Handwriting: Practicing letters over and over again or copying passages from the Bible
Reading: Ma, Me, Mi, Mo, Mu…. You get the idea. Sounds, small words, not stories. I’m pretty sure they can’t read the passages they copy from the Bible.
Basically, everything is based on memorization; there is no concept behind it. This is probably okay for some kids, but it clearly wasn’t working for these, hence their placement in special ed.
Next: I LOVE Wednesday’s. Why? Because the teacher for the younger kids doesn’t come on Wednesday, and they class is all mine. She leaves things to do, I usually edit this agenda. So kill me. For example, she left a picture to color. I drew some lines on it when the kids were done, made them cut it out and paste it back together on construction paper. They seemed to like the activity and it was a good challenge for some. Then we played color and shape bingo. After went outside and I had them running around after different colors and shapes I would call out.
I am getting much better at communicating instructions is Spanish but it is really difficult disciplining and negotiating with the kids. I feel like that the only way I can get them to behave is by engaging them with fun activities and using rewards (lollypop anyone?).
Finally, on Monday we graduated one of our special ed kids to Prepa, which goes in between kinder and premerio (1st grade). Essentially it is pre-first, and while he is the oldest in his class, at least, everyone is at the same place, and will be moved at the same pace. It’s a good move, and we are left with six, two of which are ahead of the other four. It evens the playing field to teach the special ed class as well.
English: I taught pre kinder (age 4) and kinder (age 5) on Tuesday and Prepa (6-7), Premiero (6-8) and Segundo (7-9) today, Thursday. It got much easier with the older grades, but I was surprised that the teachers left me alone in the rooms and did who knows what during my time! Again, I could communicate the material, but it was difficult keeping control at times. I’m pretty pleased with the results, especially with the older groups. For pre-kinder and kinder I think I’m going to have to modify my lessons a little. The thing that’s really nice, however, is because I live here the kids see me all the time and talk to me. Today, for example, one of the first graders caught me walking around during nap time at the baby house and says: “Hi, Miss.” Now I reply in English with them, so I asked “How are you?” and he said, “bien.” So I reminded, “good.” But I was pleased that he at least came up to the right response to my question, even if it was in Spanish, at least he understood.
Lastly, I promise. I am involved in this Secret Santa at school but for Valentine’s day. This week and next we leave little presents like candy or a card for our Valentine, and then next Friday, at the party, we reveal with a big gift. It’s nice, but it occurred to me today that if you translate English to Spanish, the rhymes no longer work! And nothing rhymes with azul the Spanish word for blue.
So much has been going on this week, including the season premier of Lost, the final season, which I have traveled to great lengths to procure. And it has proven totally worth it!
In Casa Promesa (the baby house, I think it’s a cute name: House of Promise), the only thin blue carpet, that covered half the play area has disappeared! I’m pretty sure I understand this is because it was holding the potent smell of the diarrhea incident (see Monday February 1st) as well as the remnants of other bodily functions it obtained through the years. This now means that the babies play on a tile floor all the time. Very clean. But it also means that the non-walkers, are now in swings or chairs all the time, and are no longer interacting with the other babies or have toys to play with. In place of the rug is a small mat, think gymnastics class, that is sometimes laid out but never cleaned. Still, I like the idea! After talking with the donations coordinator, I think more of these mats would me better than another rug (hard to clean) and those puzzle piece mats. Apparently they had those once and they accumulate a lot of crud in the spaces that is difficult to fully get out. Needless to say, those mats are now sitting in the corner of my special ed classroom collecting dust.
Tonight however, was really great in the baby house. Some days we have local kids from the wealthy neighborhood behind the orphanage come hang out. There were 4 today so we got the kids fed, changed and ready for bed very fast. We even had time to do some dishes and other clean up. After, we were able to sit them all down in the living room for a story, song and pray before bed. This would be my ideal every night, unfortunately, without 9 people, it is more of a challenge and effort.
I also need to print a retraction: our newest baby, is in fact 8 months old, based on her doctor’s visit. She is only 12lbs though, and so tiny you would never guess that by appearance. They think she was really premature, and has development and mal-nutrition problems.
Which brings me to my next topic: Special education. First of all I should back up and explain that there are two teachers in the classroom. One for the younger set, 5-10 year olds and one for the teenagers. The teacher for the teenagers is much better, she tries to spend forty minutes to an hour with each student personally. Unfortunately, that leaves the other five to be doing things like:
Math: Listing numbers 1-1,000 (that I discovered on Monday they don’t know). I mean they know the order of the numbers, but they can’t say any number above 100 if asked.
Science: aka geography. Learning names of lakes, rivers, ports, mountains in North, Central and South America.
Handwriting: Practicing letters over and over again or copying passages from the Bible
Reading: Ma, Me, Mi, Mo, Mu…. You get the idea. Sounds, small words, not stories. I’m pretty sure they can’t read the passages they copy from the Bible.
Basically, everything is based on memorization; there is no concept behind it. This is probably okay for some kids, but it clearly wasn’t working for these, hence their placement in special ed.
Next: I LOVE Wednesday’s. Why? Because the teacher for the younger kids doesn’t come on Wednesday, and they class is all mine. She leaves things to do, I usually edit this agenda. So kill me. For example, she left a picture to color. I drew some lines on it when the kids were done, made them cut it out and paste it back together on construction paper. They seemed to like the activity and it was a good challenge for some. Then we played color and shape bingo. After went outside and I had them running around after different colors and shapes I would call out.
I am getting much better at communicating instructions is Spanish but it is really difficult disciplining and negotiating with the kids. I feel like that the only way I can get them to behave is by engaging them with fun activities and using rewards (lollypop anyone?).
Finally, on Monday we graduated one of our special ed kids to Prepa, which goes in between kinder and premerio (1st grade). Essentially it is pre-first, and while he is the oldest in his class, at least, everyone is at the same place, and will be moved at the same pace. It’s a good move, and we are left with six, two of which are ahead of the other four. It evens the playing field to teach the special ed class as well.
English: I taught pre kinder (age 4) and kinder (age 5) on Tuesday and Prepa (6-7), Premiero (6-8) and Segundo (7-9) today, Thursday. It got much easier with the older grades, but I was surprised that the teachers left me alone in the rooms and did who knows what during my time! Again, I could communicate the material, but it was difficult keeping control at times. I’m pretty pleased with the results, especially with the older groups. For pre-kinder and kinder I think I’m going to have to modify my lessons a little. The thing that’s really nice, however, is because I live here the kids see me all the time and talk to me. Today, for example, one of the first graders caught me walking around during nap time at the baby house and says: “Hi, Miss.” Now I reply in English with them, so I asked “How are you?” and he said, “bien.” So I reminded, “good.” But I was pleased that he at least came up to the right response to my question, even if it was in Spanish, at least he understood.
Lastly, I promise. I am involved in this Secret Santa at school but for Valentine’s day. This week and next we leave little presents like candy or a card for our Valentine, and then next Friday, at the party, we reveal with a big gift. It’s nice, but it occurred to me today that if you translate English to Spanish, the rhymes no longer work! And nothing rhymes with azul the Spanish word for blue.
Monday, February 1, 2010
WARNING: THIS ENTRY CONTAINS EXPLOSIVE MATERIAL!
Ok , my day in one word: SHIT. Not my day was shit, it was just consumed with it. Apparently there is some food (I think it was the egg/refried beans combo from last night’s dinner) that coordinates worse with babies than pork bbq. I’m talking diarrhea up the wazoo! Sorry if this is grossing you out, maybe I should preface this story with: put down your food and read on an empty stomach!
So this darling baby was in a swing, not fussing, kind of playing with some plastic keys, but mostly watching the other babies. AKA: no sign of what I was about to get elbow deep in. I pick her up to put her in a feeding chair and she is covered in nastyness. Back, front, legs, feet, outer-layers of clothing, the swing and now me! I mean she even nailed her sweater, which falls above the diaper line. Literally it was immediately to the tub. But I couldn’t get her clothes off without spreading the nasty. Consider this as well, babies don’t stand, the only way to keep them upright is holding them against yourself. If this was the only incident it wouldn’t have been terrible. However, my darling chica was one of the last. This was ongoing all day. There were literally lines at the tub, we were whipping kids out of bed during nap (never done), and trying to get them to sit on the toilet (very difficult). During nap, someone even treated us to a box of nursing gloves it was THAT bad, and considering we deal with poop all day, cleaning it, discussing it and monitoring it, gloves were an extreme measure.
Maybe I should end on an up-note: I’m so “in” they let me administer nightly medicine now! I think anyone who didn’t run away kicking and screaming for a shower today has proved their worth. So that’s the glass half full, the bright side, the greener grass. I am now a medicine distributing member of the baby house team!
Tomorrow is my first English class too…wish me luck!
So this darling baby was in a swing, not fussing, kind of playing with some plastic keys, but mostly watching the other babies. AKA: no sign of what I was about to get elbow deep in. I pick her up to put her in a feeding chair and she is covered in nastyness. Back, front, legs, feet, outer-layers of clothing, the swing and now me! I mean she even nailed her sweater, which falls above the diaper line. Literally it was immediately to the tub. But I couldn’t get her clothes off without spreading the nasty. Consider this as well, babies don’t stand, the only way to keep them upright is holding them against yourself. If this was the only incident it wouldn’t have been terrible. However, my darling chica was one of the last. This was ongoing all day. There were literally lines at the tub, we were whipping kids out of bed during nap (never done), and trying to get them to sit on the toilet (very difficult). During nap, someone even treated us to a box of nursing gloves it was THAT bad, and considering we deal with poop all day, cleaning it, discussing it and monitoring it, gloves were an extreme measure.
Maybe I should end on an up-note: I’m so “in” they let me administer nightly medicine now! I think anyone who didn’t run away kicking and screaming for a shower today has proved their worth. So that’s the glass half full, the bright side, the greener grass. I am now a medicine distributing member of the baby house team!
Tomorrow is my first English class too…wish me luck!
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