So i wake up early still feeling sick with nerves and the travelling..... we are given a break of eggy bread and peanut butter (which is melted and watery but tastes ok). In the morning Eddie sits us all down to go through orientation... that last a couple of hours and he teaches us about the culture, the programs were on, and also some of the local language. We also use this opportunity to ask any questions etc.... then we set off!
It takes over an hour or so to get to the pink program (we were dropped off first)..... on the journey we all chat and get to know each other and then look out the windows of the van at our surroundings.... Africa is hot... hotter than I ever imagined..... hotter than I have ever been in my life.....we were melting the whole way... out the window we saw all these little 'shops' which are really just shacks with someone selling something or other.... they try and sell you stuff through the windows of the van too.... all the women and some of the men carry stuff on their heads... the biggest thing I saw was a man carrying a stack of suitcases on his head... i was hoping they were not full.. I can't imagine he'd ever be able to carry mine on his head but i'll never know!
After we had all melted and become a puddle in the back of the van we finally arrived at the volunteer house in Dodowa. We were introduced to the volunteers already staying there, Lindsay (USA), Azar (UK), Crystal (Canada) and Sara (Sweden). Mattison (Matt) and I were dropped off with our luggage and then taken to Worcsa orphanage which is a 3 minute walk away from the house we are staying in. On the way to the orphanage some neighbouring kids ran out and jumped up us for a hug... (this happens every morning since we arrived too)..... When we reached the orphanage a bunch of kids (and I mean alot!) all came running towards us and climbed all over us shouting 'oberoni oberoni' which means foreigner (it's what everyone calls us here). They all wanted hugs and to hold out hands... it was all a bit overwhelming at first... we didn't know what to do or say and the kids were all so excited... We were shown around the orphanage, the 'bathroom', the bedrooms and the place in the middle where the meals are cooked (outside!).... the conditions are shocking especially when you first arrive....you get used to it after awhile though.... the kids all had coughs and colds and are covered in bites, cuts and scrapes.... but the one thing that really stands out is despite all the suffering and hardship and poor conditions... the kids seemed happy... they were smiley and loving and really care about each other.. the older ones look after the younger ones. They are all like brothers and sisters but so caring towards each other (with the usual sibling rivalry thrown in).
That first day we spent some time with the kids trying to learn their names and get to know things and then we went back to the volunteer house for dinner and to talk with the other volunteers. It was a pleasant evening but an exhausting and emotionally overwhelming day and I was ready for my bed!
The volunteer house has running water albeit sometimes rather smelly (a plumber did come and fix it abit so not as bad now but you never really feel clean even afters showering). Its mostly in the dark with lights just in the toilet and bedrooms. There are powercuts often and we are often using our torches in the evenings to find our way to bed. We sleep in bunk beds. I share a room with the girls and sleep on the bottom bunk and the boys sleep next door.... they have a wardrobe but we have nothing in our room except 3 bunk beds... the rooms are small, the beds sparse and uncomfortable.... but we have guests ever night in the form of bed bugs!!! Nice!! But after a busy tiring day a bed is and bed and you are grateful for it.. we have more than a lot of the orphans have and after what I saw yesterday coming from an orphans bed, I'm grateful I just have bed bugs in mine! (will write more about that later)... my mosquito net is difficult to use in a bunk bed but and i got a few bites that first night when i woke up with it all tangled at the bottom of the bed but i've got it worked out now and am find since. Some of the other volunteers that have been here longer though have some nasty bits which have got infected and gooey.... i have been playing nurse to them and the children!
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