Okay, first thing's first, I have to say a big big Thank You to everyone who sent me good luck messages before I left the UK. They were very much appreciated.
Secondly, I have to apologise for the messed up chronology of this blog. Although there are plenty of places to access the Internet in Montero, and the Hogar itself does have Internet in the Madres' office, I've just been far too busy to sit down and update my blog! Don't worry though, I have been keeping a written journal so that I can remember all my first impressions of the Hogar and all the many characters and stories here...
Thirdly, because this is a foreign keyboard, I apologise in advance for any typos, etc. Eg., for some reason the computer managed to change 'sunny' to 'zuñí' in the previous post, but I'm sure you got the idea...
Okay, so life is still going well at the Hogar. There are over 100 girls at the orphanage, the youngest being only a few months old. Normally the girls would stay at the Hogar till around 16-17, then move to Santa Clara, a house which is also in Montero for older kids where they can continue their studies, even go to University etc.
The kids are great, but rather mischievious. We were warned that they will know that you're a new volunteer, that you don't know the rules and that they will try to take advantage of you. Still, they've been fantastically welcoming to me, and despite a general tendency to lie, they are on the whole good eggs.
Three Madres (Mothers; nuns) run the Hogar and they really are brilliant – working tirelessly for the girls and up for a laugh with the volunteers. I'm sure I'll talk more about them in future posts.
There are other volunteers here too. Every year the US Salesians send a few out on year-long contracts to work at the Hogar. Sarah and Genesse are two girls from Texas who only started a few days before I arrived myself. Not only is it great not to be the only new kid in town, but they're both good fun and we seem to be getting along well.
Sarah and Genesse are replacing Sandra and Olivia at the Hogar who are coming to the end of their year here. They've been so useful – thelling us what to do, where to be, who to watch out for! – and we would have been lost without them (especially since the Madres do just let the volunteers get on with their work and don't get too involved if possible).
A third volunteer from the US will start here in a couple of weeks. She will be working in the 'juguetería' (the toy room where the youngest kids live from the babies up to and inc. kinder age), Genesse will be taking Olivia's hob and running the 'biblioteca' (library) while Sarah is taking over from Sandra and looking after the kids' medical needs, mostly at the 'posta' (clinic).
As for me, I'll be available to help all three whenever they need it, plus help the Madres in the admistration of the Hogar, and even, I am told, I might be trained to help Pancho (the caretaker and general factotum) with driving the girls to and from their schools in town!
It's brilliant to have the other volunteers around, a. to have someone to share the experience with and b. to be able to chat in English. Well, I say English. My (proper) English has not always coordinated with their (American) English, which has kept us entertained no end... Sometimes, Sarah told me, I say things that sound just like it came out of a film. Well living with you guys, I replied, is like living in an extended episode of 'Friends'..!
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