Halfway Done

Well, my program is officially halfway done, and I have mixed feelings about it. Depending on the day, 2 more months here either seems like an eternity, or like it's going to fly by. I've started to settle into my new schedule a little bit more. It's still crazy (university, language school or volunteering everyday from 9am-7pm) but I'm adjusting. I always have my daily choco-banano (or two) to get me through the day!

Particular happenings this week:
- I joined a really sketchy Guatemalan gym. It basically only has freeweights (no elipticals, etc) but it offers aerobics classes and is basically the only alternitive to the crowded streets. I'm typically not much of an exerciser (at least not in a gym), but the abundance of sugars and carbs here is starting to catch up with me. Not being able to control your portions doesn't help either. yikes. I don't really have any time to go during the week, but hopefully this will be something I can do during my 3-day weekends.
- I started my volunteer work this week. I am volunteering twice a week at Hogar Temporal (the government's temporary orphanage). The orphanage hosts 95 kids, and really lacks adequate help. The adult to child ratio is pretty overwhelming. My first day there I worked with the youngest age-group (8 mos- 7 years). I was in a small room with about eight cribs and seven beds and 15 kids. Curious George was on in the background, but the kids were more interested in Laura (another CSB student) and I. It was great to be able to give these kids some much needed affection, but discouraging to realize that had we not been there, the babies would most likely not have been held, and the toddlers not given extra hugs. The teachers seem pretty burnt out and tend to leave the room whenever we arrive. The kids are very much on their own. Coming from a six year daycare background, it's tough to see what little resources are available to these kids. While we were there, all fifteen kids were given one tiny box of blocks to share, there were about two blocks per kid. No books. No coloring materials. etc. Four of the kids had the flu, and it appeared that about three others had pink-eye. My program director and his wife were nice enough to purchase supplies for us to bring with us when we go, but most of them are meant for slightly older kids. I might have to invest in some books.
Yesterday I spent my time with an older group of kids. My friend Stacey and I worked in a classroom with kids ages 9-13 or so. None of them are able to read or write, so we helped them work on their fruits and vegetables. Afterward we took them outside to make a craft (name-tags) which was a hit. While not the most organized place, at minimum, the orphanage gives these kids three meals a day and a safe place to sleep. The majority of the kids are there because of abuse or abandonment, so I constantly have to remind myself to keep their history/the alternative in mind before making too many judgements about the instituion.
- Last night a group of political science students from Rafeal Landivar (our university) invited us to a Guatemalan/American dinner with them. They cooked traditional Guatemalan food, and we cooked some American favorites (sloppy joes, hamburgers, mac & cheese, special k bars, etc.). It was SO nice to get a taste of home again. We all decided that special k bars (which I will always call scotcharoos) are the epitiome of MN to us...one bite, and it feels like home.

After lunch today I am headed to a nearby hotel with my host mom. Xela has been really cold lately, so we're headed slightly south to hit up some outdoor pools. I'm determined to get some color before Eric and Katie's wedding in May!

More updates/reflections/photos to come later.
I miss you all very much and can't wait to make my rounds of visits come May:)