Wednesday, July 16

I'm writing this entry by flashlight as an uncharacteristically jack-in-the-box-Amy has now decided to darken the room and put on a light show (following an evening of shrieking and jumping into my arms and causing general havoc with a bouncy ball).

Today settled a feeling of comfortable tranquility. After meetings and sickness and outings, my routine has been far from Don Bosco and the kids recently. But today, immune system cajoled into order, it was time for me to adjust myself back into this life. The most incredible thing was the feeling that I didn't really have to do any adjusting! Since being here, everything has been either a routine I'm in the process of conditioning myself to--go to work, return to house, unlock gate, etc--or a gravityless new experience. I know this must seem really trivial, but going back today and feeling that I knew exactly what to do and how to talk to each person and how to interact with the kids was like...hm...like realizing I could still ride a bike after I'd gone a while without riding it (to use the old cliché). No. That's a little stupid, because it was not that I was concerned I had forgotten how to smile at kids or anything. No. I think it is simpler than all that. It was a feeling of old hat in a new country and...
ok. I think these feelings of experienced mastery over my life here may be getting a little inflated by having met a new volunteer a couple of hours ago who is even more of a stranger here than me. Fresh off the plane from France, her spanish a little wobbly, she's come alone to volunteer and stay with Azucena's sister. While she was here, I began looking at myself through her newtimid eyes and thought 'who is this American girl prancing around in the kitchen- making rice and jokes in spanish- putting on her wise face and giving sympathetic advice about how it once felt to be a newcomer in this land, helping with translation...'
ok. this entry is becoming far too narcissistic for my liking.

To get back into the realm of fact recounting, we chatted in french and played with the kids. We'll be volunteering together in the mornings in Conocoto starting tomorrow, which I'm looking forward to.

This morning, I old-hatted my way to Chillogallo and bought paint with Daniel for my mural. After that, we did some workbook photocopy drudgery and I had the pleasure of a more easily understandable lunchtime. Then I lounged in the grass with Andrea and the ever-curious David (who picked my brain about greek gods, roman crowns, spongebob, and something else really odd that I've forgotten.) In the afternoon class, I made some new small friends while they made some new small kites. A very obedient and creative group! With our extra time at the end, I taught them how to make paper snowflakes.