Orientadora de Varones Grandes = Parent of the big boys!!!

I try to outline my daily timetable so that you get a better understanding of what I am actually doing - if that is only possible

4.30am: getting up and being bitten by the first mosquitos

5.00am: waking "my boys" up by turning not only all lights on but also the stereo - important ingredient when it comes to making them "move" somehow! And then, of course, there are some that "need special attention" if you know what I mean

5.05am-5.50am: 37 boys wandering around, holding their toothbrushes into my face (yep, correct, that means they actually need toothpaste which is kept by us) or just standing in front of me having only a towel wrapped around their waists (that means that they want me to put shampoo on their hair which is also kept by us) - you realised that they are not too talkative in the morning but that is ok with me as I need my time as well to wake up! After showering and making their beds, it is time to complete their "morning tasks" incl cleaning the bathrooms, sweeping the floors, mopping, "taking care of the rubbish" (I will explain if you ask me), helping in the kitchen, preparing breakfast etc etc...of course, there are always some "specialists" that try to get around it, no let me correct this, that TRIED to get around it but that have been realising by now that "I have my eyes everywhere"

5.50am: Calling for the "fila" - my "favourite" task, makes me feel like being in the military..."a la fila" = to form a line, meaning that 37 kids are actually lining up in front of the house waiting for you to give the signal to leave together to the dining room. I am telling you, I really had to get used to this one...

6.00am: breakfast - usually rice with kidney beans and corn tortillas

6.50am: A la fila

7.00am: the older boys of the group (31 out of 37) have to go to "agricultura" class, meaning they actually have to work on the farm for a couple of hours before school

7.30am: A la file - the other 6 boys have to go to school

FREE TIME 7.30am until 11am

11.00am: lunch - usually rice with kidney beans and corn tortillas but if we are lucky spaghetti or flour instead of corn tortillas or green beans instead of black beans or pig when they yet again decide to kill one of the pigs (well now there are only 2 left) but I denied once I saw the pig´s head in the pot!!!

11.20am-12.40pm: free time with the kids which actually means just being with the kids, providing them with the things they need (sewing kit, scissors, saw for making jewellery, fishing line/ hook etc), chilling with the kids in their beloved hammock, giving out more toothpaste or new toilet paper or soap or a nail cutter or whatever else they need in this moment - and as I said, you usually have around 4-5 boys standing around you "nagging" for something!

12.40am: A la file - all together back to school

FREE TIME 1pm until 4pm

4.00pm: more free time with the kids and thus more handing out stuff, discussing problems and trying to solve them, having serious talks with whatever kid just misbehaved, holding meetings discussing rules, giving out "castigos", the so-called punishments at Casa Guatemala as a form of discipline, integrating a reward system as a change (I will see how that will work but I am just not a big fan of only "castigo after castigo after castigo" - where is the motivation for the boys at the end?!), trying to help with some homework, listening or dancing to their favourite music or simply watching them which I love to do most

5.50pm: A la file

6.00pm: Dinner - more rice with beans and corn tortillas

FREE TIME 6.30pm until 7.30pm

7.30pm: Giving out more toothpaste and bringing them to bed...surprisingly enough, that usually works very well...well, thanks to the stereo I guess that is used to listen to some "goodnight stories" - Jungle Book is the favourite one of most of the boys and mine too

8.30pm: if the other orientador stays at home (if there is one but another Spanish guy called Manuel will probably come back to Casa Guatemala next week helping me out with the boys!), I can hang out with the other volunteers but to be honest, most of the times I am just so tired that I listen to some "Mogli" myself before falling asleep at 8.35pm

At the end of the day, I am stilll loving my job and this is such an amazing experience that I can only recommend to everyone of you!!! You are not only learning a lot from the kids but also about yourself and it is such a VALUABLE experience in your life...I am enjoying every moment and try to get the best out of it and if only one of the boys suddenly approaches you and gives you a big hug, all the rest is forgotten and you just feel the love these kids have to give!!! <!-- /* Style Definitions */ p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal {mso-style-parent:""; margin:0cm; margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:12.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";} @page Section1 {size:612.0pt 792.0pt; margin:70.85pt 3.0cm 70.85pt 3.0cm; mso-header-margin:36.0pt; mso-footer-margin:36.0pt; mso-paper-source:0;} div.Section1 {page:Section1;}