Today we were volunteering at Casa Esperanza for the second time. We came there first thing in the morning and gave our donations. Soon after we went to the playground where we hung out and played sports with the kids, like we did yesterday. We wanted to do something special for the kids, so a couple people stayed behind and went to the grocery store to get ice cream and popsicles. We ate ice cream, played with the kids, took pictures, and before we knew it, it was time for the kids to leave the playground and head back to Casa Esperanza. There we gave them little treats consisting of candy, soap and a pencil. The kids seemed pretty confused and one even put shampoo in his hair (surely confusing it with hair gel).
We said bye to all the kids and a few even exchanged emails, so that we could stay in touch and send them the numerous pictures taken throughout our two days of volunteering.
Next we went to lunch at Pencas, a local restaurant where we talked and enjoyed our food. Next we were off to the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, where we were given a lecture. After the lecture we went on a tour of the Smithsonian facilities, where we saw beautiful fish and even got to touch a starfish. Continuing with our tour, we also encountered iguanas and several sloths. Lastly on our tour, we saw a pool with three very large turtles and surprisingly docile sharks. We took some pictures, and were back on the bus. From there we went on a tour of the Causeway, and then back to the Hostel.
In the evening a few of us went to the Villas to hang out with the other half of our class. We talked, listened to Mike’s guitar playing and just enjoyed getting to know our classmates a little better.
Highs and Lows of the Day:
Liza:
High—Going to the villas to hang out with the rest of our class. I had a really good time just sitting around and talking to the other half of the class that we don’t get to see much.
Low—When some of the kids were asking me whether we were going to have a Fiesta, which, of course, we were not planning to do. It made me sad to disappoint the kids and, worst of all, I didn’t know enough Spanish to say anything to them that would prevent them from feeling disappointed.
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High- watching the kids enjoy the ice cream soo much. Also, the Smithsonian was very interesting, and the surrounding nature was extraordinarily beautiful.
ReplyDeleteLow- watching the children from Casa Esperanza throwing the ice cream wrappers on the floor like it was no big deal. The littering and trash on the roads in Panama is overwhelming. I thought it was sad that these children don't even think twice before throwing things on the ground. I hope we were able to make some impression by forcing them to pick up their garbage and throw it away.
Thursday- Today was the second visit to Casa Esperanza. I was pumped and ready to go today, I wanted to teach them things and play games and really interact with them. So when heading to the park, the young girl that I was talking with the day before ran up to me. We walked to the park together and she asked me more questions and we played with a ball. She had so much personality. She told me she wanted to be a singer, a rap singer. When arriving at the park I sat next to my friend Luigi, he is a sponge when it comes to learning english words. He doesn't get bored and will keep trying until he says it correctly. He was one of the students that really made my day. The whole time at the park he came up to me at different times to learn some more words. By the end of the day he was saying simple sentences in English. It absolutely broke my heart when I had to tell him that would be our last day there.
ReplyDeleteThe time at the park was interesting. I kept asking several of the children from Casa Esperanza to play, anything, soccer or tag. And all they wanted to do was take pictures. They asked for my sun glasses so that they can pose with them. It was as if they were amazed by the camera. They wanted to be in the pictures, take pictures of others and constantly see the pictures being taken. I couldn't figure out why they were so amazed by the cameras. By the time all of the pictures were taken, and all of the ice cream consumed, it was time to leave Casa Esperanza. We gave out the goodie bags before we left and also left confused expressions on the children's faces. I could only imagine what they were thinking. "Why did these Americans give us soap?"
The Smithsonian was absolutely breathtaking and morbidly I kept thinking, I want my ashes to be spread here. I know, kind of depressing but it really wasn't. I didn't want to leave this place, it was so peaceful and gorgeous. It almost took you away from some of the sad experiences from the day and days prier. I also want to reincarnated as a sloth, this was a decision made today. 18 hours a day of sleep and scenery like that, what more could one ask for?
My high of the day were many from playing with the children of Casa Esperanza; looking at their beautiful faces to making friends with Luigi to taking in the beauty from the Smithsonian. I wonder how many of the children from Casa Esperanza visited the Smithsonian?
My low was coming to the realization that those children have experienced and seen more than one should at that age. Through there actions and some stories that I heard from their individual life stories, it will stay with me. When hearing the mission of Casa Esperanza; that they take children that work the streets, I never fully realized the total sense of that, until it was brought up in reflection. I will sleep with that on my chest.
Shivani ^ that was me.
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