This weekend was ace, we went to PapaGayo, a farm near here and
>for those I didn?t tell, went horseriding, milked a cow and hiked some of
>the way up Cotopaxi! The altitude neearly killed me but the views were
incredible
>and we saw the glaciers, which will be totally gone in 10 years. Cotopaxi
>national park looks like a moonscape, just flats and rock! Nothing can grow
>there. Its due to erupt in the next 10 years....</P>
><P>Monday was a national holiday but spent it in hospital with Hannah! She
>had a colon infection. We were there for aaaages because noone told her
she
>couldn?t pee before an ultrascan. They said to tell them when she wanted
>to pee and we did, someone took her to pee, then an hour later they said,
>ooh no she wasn?t supposed to pee! we have to start all over again! arrrggghh!
>We were there 6 hours! Will never  complain about the NHS again! And
>now Hannah owes me $130!</P>
><P>Volunteering going ok but finding it tough with the kids. They are very
>smart and its a homework club which is obviously not the most fun ever!
Any
>ideas on discipline?! It?s hard because they deliberately come with no
equipment,
>etc. I think the parents just use it as a sort of daycare. The teachers
just
>let us get on with it and as volunteers there?s not exactly any way of
punishing
>them or having any authority. The only thing some of them listen to is a
>beating. And there?s not a lot for them to do after their homework, so they
>get bored and run around and misbehave. It?s a shame. Some of them are very
>cute and affectionate and want to learn but others couldn?t care less. I
>got upset about it until I figured that the sad thing is, one day they will
>know that they had a chance of education and didn?t take it. And I?m going
>to try and concentrate on the good kids who need help, not
>the naughty ones because they need to learn that to get attention they need
>to be GOOD. No point punishing the nice ones. Anyway we have a new volunteer
>with us who the kids love, they are drawing pictures of him in his honour!</P>
><P>Still want to be a teacher! This is great experience. Will overcome the
>little b******* one day. I love reading with them  and helped one
>write a poem (an acrostic no less) the other day. Was very proud of
>little Jorge. He?s one of the sweeties! Just wish the others wouldnt ask
>me to help with their long division.....