Sunday, May 1, 2016
Daily Reflection Sunday May 1st
This will be my last daily reflection. This is it! What a month it has been and I am so fortunate that I got the opportunity to do a senior project. It has been the best month I could have asked for. I went through all of my pictures this month and thought about what I should include for my final reflection. Then I blogged for the past few days. After a break, Claire came over and we worked on both presentations for hours. It took a really long time to finish the two presentations but it felt good once we finished them up. Then I blogged for today and logged for my entire project. I also wrote my reflection, but since it is currently 1:11 AM I am going to save all of my readers from reading constant grammatical errors in what is supposed to be my best reflection yet. So, I guess you will have to wait till tomorrow. Technically today because it is so early in the morning. Off to bed I go! Good night! (or good morning) :)
Daily Reflection Saturday April 30th
I can not believe everything is coming to an end. Not just my senior project, but my amazing high school career at Lovett. Some of the most unforgettable moments of my time at Lovett has been in the past few weeks of my senior project. I have learned and seen so much this past month. Once again I went through my pictures for my project and edited all of them. It took some time because I have hundreds of photos. It is crazy to look back on the pictures from a little less then four weeks ago from Sheltering Arms because it feels like a lifetime ago. So much has happened since then and I have met so many people from the oncology internship, to Liberty children's home, to Grady. Even though it took a lot of time editing these photos it put a smile on my face realizing how this whole month has changed my life. :)
Thursday, April 28, 2016
Daily Reflection Thursday April 28th
It is nice to have these last few days to work on our presentations. I can not believe that tomorrow is the last day of our senior project. This has honestly been one of the most life changing months of my entire life and I am so glad that I chose to do a senior project.
It is important that Claire and I got together today to make sure we were on the same page as far as our presentations. We had to figure out what we want to talk about and what our goal is for our presentations. Since we will have two different audiences, the presentation in assembly will be a much briefer presentation. We created an outline for our presentations so when we start to make it, we will have a much easier time putting it all together. Today was a successful day and I can not believe it is all coming to an end!
It is important that Claire and I got together today to make sure we were on the same page as far as our presentations. We had to figure out what we want to talk about and what our goal is for our presentations. Since we will have two different audiences, the presentation in assembly will be a much briefer presentation. We created an outline for our presentations so when we start to make it, we will have a much easier time putting it all together. Today was a successful day and I can not believe it is all coming to an end!
Wednesday, April 27, 2016
Daily Reflection Wednesday April 27th
Today was interesting to say the least. I woke up super early, earlier than I have this entire month and went to meet Claire. We then put on our scrubs and headed to Grady hospital with one of the head trauma surgeons. Once we arrived, there was a meeting for about an hour. The first twenty minutes was an overview for all of the staff of the different patients. Then a resident gave a presentation on something about the esophagus. She kind of lost me with all of the fancy medical terms but I still found it interesting. After that each field broke up into groups. For example, Dr. Morse, is in charge of surgery so we were with nurse practitioners who do surgery, as well as registered nurses, residences, and another physician.
Then an interesting call was paging the nurses that a gunshot victim was in an ambulance to the trauma center at Grady. Since I know Grady hospital has one of the best trauma centers in the entire country I knew that a once in a lifetime scene could be coming my way. But it doesn't actually hit you until you are living these scenes in real life. We were able to go to the trauma center and I watched all of the nurses get suited up. It was like a scene out of a movie. There were dozens of people in this room. Nurses put on protective gowns and a body bag was already covering the bed. I am usually pretty good with blood so I was not worried about my personal state. Then after about twenty minutes I hear "Okay, he is here." My stomach dropped as I saw the feet of a lifeless patient being wheeled into the hospital room. Then he was taken off of the ambulance bed (I don't know what it is called) and on to the hospital bed. There were several paramedics from the ambulance there as well. The patient was quickly assessed to make sure there was no pulse. Unfortunately he was not alive. After that they had to count all of the gunshot wounds. All of the nurses were encouraging us to get a closer look and really see a trauma victim up close and personal. The most important thing that I noticed with these nurses and doctors is that they try their best to have fun and be happy even in difficult situations like the death of this man. It was not too big of a surprise because he had no pulse even on the ambulance, but it is still sad knowing that someone has died.
Did I mention this has already been my morning and it was only 9:30 AM? What a fast pace and interesting experience. After the trauma center, we went up stairs to the surgery clinic for several hours and checked patients with Dr. Morse. This was not as fast pace as earlier this morning but I still thoroughly enjoyed everything. We saw several patients who were there for different reasons. Luckily, they were all in good states! Today was very interesting and informative and I really enjoyed this experience at Grady Hospital.
Then an interesting call was paging the nurses that a gunshot victim was in an ambulance to the trauma center at Grady. Since I know Grady hospital has one of the best trauma centers in the entire country I knew that a once in a lifetime scene could be coming my way. But it doesn't actually hit you until you are living these scenes in real life. We were able to go to the trauma center and I watched all of the nurses get suited up. It was like a scene out of a movie. There were dozens of people in this room. Nurses put on protective gowns and a body bag was already covering the bed. I am usually pretty good with blood so I was not worried about my personal state. Then after about twenty minutes I hear "Okay, he is here." My stomach dropped as I saw the feet of a lifeless patient being wheeled into the hospital room. Then he was taken off of the ambulance bed (I don't know what it is called) and on to the hospital bed. There were several paramedics from the ambulance there as well. The patient was quickly assessed to make sure there was no pulse. Unfortunately he was not alive. After that they had to count all of the gunshot wounds. All of the nurses were encouraging us to get a closer look and really see a trauma victim up close and personal. The most important thing that I noticed with these nurses and doctors is that they try their best to have fun and be happy even in difficult situations like the death of this man. It was not too big of a surprise because he had no pulse even on the ambulance, but it is still sad knowing that someone has died.
Did I mention this has already been my morning and it was only 9:30 AM? What a fast pace and interesting experience. After the trauma center, we went up stairs to the surgery clinic for several hours and checked patients with Dr. Morse. This was not as fast pace as earlier this morning but I still thoroughly enjoyed everything. We saw several patients who were there for different reasons. Luckily, they were all in good states! Today was very interesting and informative and I really enjoyed this experience at Grady Hospital.
Tuesday, April 26, 2016
Daily Reflection Tuesday April 26th
It felt pretty good to wake up today in my own bed! It was weird because I got so used to the daily routine in Belize and now I have to adapt back to my daily routine in Atlanta. For the first part of the day I went back to school! It was nice to see all of my friends and teachers because I feel like I haven't seen them in years. Seriously, the weeks before Belize seem like months and months ago.
Anyways, I got to attend senior chapel which I am so glad I got to do. Then I was able to go to lunch and I went back home to upload my pictures from all of the trip. I went through all of the pictures as well. In a way, I am glad I was unable to take pictures of the children because I think I would have been a lot more emotional. After that I took some much needed time off. Then I logged and blogged. I am so exhausted so hopefully I will be able to get back to my normal schedule! Tomorrow we are interning at Grady hospital so I am excited to see how that will go. I am looking forward to the final few days of what have been an incredible month.
Daily Reflection Monday April 25th
Today was an early and emotional day. The anticipation was intense because we both knew we had to say goodbye to dozens of people we have grown so close to. I already miss these kids so much, so hopefully at some point in my life I will go back to Liberty Children's home.
Today was an extra bright and early day. We woke up and went to help cook breakfast. The cook unfortunately got sick so we quickly stepped in and cooked some breakfast for the kids. The breakfast was once again tortillas. I really wish we could some how provide a way for these kids to eat healthy. Unfortunately eating healthy can be expensive so this is difficult for Liberty because they do not have a lot of money to spend. After that we helped set up breakfast and ate our final meal with the children. The mood was very different and quiet. No one was really talking and the cook was still suffering from feeling sick. It was just a different morning and anyone could tell that something was off.
Then we said goodbye to the older kids who leave early everyday. This was probably one of the hardest moments of this whole experience because I really bonded with a lot of the older kids. When I said goodbye to one of the older girls she said to me "I am really going to miss you". This made me feel several different types of emotions because I will miss her so much as well. It also made me feel so happy and lucky that I got to experience this magical children's home in Belize and meet these unbelievable people.
Then we walked the kids to the school bus stop. It was pretty quiet once again and I held on tight to some of the kids' hands one last time. I hugged every child, and my stomach dropped as the school bus was approaching the bus stop. I knew that it was time for them to leave. As they were getting on the bus they quickly got into their seats and were all looking out the window waving goodbye. This was a moment I won't forget!
Once the kids left we went back and cleaned up the kitchen because the cook went home. Then we helped with the laundry one last time. After that, it was time to do some last minute tasks around our apartment. We cleaned up so the staff at Liberty had less to do. We swept and made it look how it did when we got there. Then we said goodbye to all the staff at Liberty and got in the van and went to the airport. It was time to go back home after an amazing experience! This has been the most life changing two weeks of my life.
Today was an extra bright and early day. We woke up and went to help cook breakfast. The cook unfortunately got sick so we quickly stepped in and cooked some breakfast for the kids. The breakfast was once again tortillas. I really wish we could some how provide a way for these kids to eat healthy. Unfortunately eating healthy can be expensive so this is difficult for Liberty because they do not have a lot of money to spend. After that we helped set up breakfast and ate our final meal with the children. The mood was very different and quiet. No one was really talking and the cook was still suffering from feeling sick. It was just a different morning and anyone could tell that something was off.
Then we said goodbye to the older kids who leave early everyday. This was probably one of the hardest moments of this whole experience because I really bonded with a lot of the older kids. When I said goodbye to one of the older girls she said to me "I am really going to miss you". This made me feel several different types of emotions because I will miss her so much as well. It also made me feel so happy and lucky that I got to experience this magical children's home in Belize and meet these unbelievable people.
Then we walked the kids to the school bus stop. It was pretty quiet once again and I held on tight to some of the kids' hands one last time. I hugged every child, and my stomach dropped as the school bus was approaching the bus stop. I knew that it was time for them to leave. As they were getting on the bus they quickly got into their seats and were all looking out the window waving goodbye. This was a moment I won't forget!
Once the kids left we went back and cleaned up the kitchen because the cook went home. Then we helped with the laundry one last time. After that, it was time to do some last minute tasks around our apartment. We cleaned up so the staff at Liberty had less to do. We swept and made it look how it did when we got there. Then we said goodbye to all the staff at Liberty and got in the van and went to the airport. It was time to go back home after an amazing experience! This has been the most life changing two weeks of my life.
Friday, April 22, 2016
Daily Reflection Friday April 22nd
Today was a day that was solely focused around the kids. A lot of them did not have school today, so just like last Friday I played with them almost all day. It was incredibly hot today, but I pushed through it and kept drinking water. It still is hard to believe that a lot of these kids do not have parents because they are some of the happiest individuals I have ever been around. They are truly all amazing children, all 43 of them. I will miss them all dearly and it will definitely be weird not hearing cheerful noises from young children when I get back to my routine in Atlanta.
Since the caregivers had a lot of the kids home today they still had to do laundry and other tasks. They asked us to keep the kids occupied while they did that. We did math problems with them and I helped a lot of the kids on how to do them. Like I have said before school work is very difficult for a lot of these children. Several of them continued to struggle even with these simple math problems. After a few hours of doing problems I played with the kids outside. Then we took a much needed lunch break. After that it was time to get back to playing with the kids. Again, I continued to get better at basketball with some more games. I played some soccer with the kids and just relaxed with them as well. It is nice to just be able to have laid back moments like these. During the week they are on tight schedules because they have to do homework. But, these days are my favorite because everyone is so relaxed. It makes the energy around Liberty incredible, and is not making me feel good that I have to leave in just three days. However, I am ready to get back to the comforts of home but not ready to leave the children. These are bonds that I will cherish forever and hopefully I will come back here to visit and volunteer.
Overall, today was another wonderful day. I am looking forward to more quality time spent with the kids. I also should probably start to pack considering I have not even touched my unpacked suitcase in twelve days! So, a little bit of packing will be done tomorrow as well. I can't wait to spend time with these phenomenal kids these last few days at Liberty Children's home!
Since the caregivers had a lot of the kids home today they still had to do laundry and other tasks. They asked us to keep the kids occupied while they did that. We did math problems with them and I helped a lot of the kids on how to do them. Like I have said before school work is very difficult for a lot of these children. Several of them continued to struggle even with these simple math problems. After a few hours of doing problems I played with the kids outside. Then we took a much needed lunch break. After that it was time to get back to playing with the kids. Again, I continued to get better at basketball with some more games. I played some soccer with the kids and just relaxed with them as well. It is nice to just be able to have laid back moments like these. During the week they are on tight schedules because they have to do homework. But, these days are my favorite because everyone is so relaxed. It makes the energy around Liberty incredible, and is not making me feel good that I have to leave in just three days. However, I am ready to get back to the comforts of home but not ready to leave the children. These are bonds that I will cherish forever and hopefully I will come back here to visit and volunteer.
Overall, today was another wonderful day. I am looking forward to more quality time spent with the kids. I also should probably start to pack considering I have not even touched my unpacked suitcase in twelve days! So, a little bit of packing will be done tomorrow as well. I can't wait to spend time with these phenomenal kids these last few days at Liberty Children's home!
Thursday, April 21, 2016
Daily Reflection Thursday April 21st
Today was another day at Liberty Children's home. It was also a little bit different and probably one of my favorite days. We started out with the same morning routine, especially because there will only be a few mornings left we will be here when they are going to school. Then we went to the main office to return our completed questionnaires and we had to do a video. We had to answer several questions about Liberty, the children, the country, and our experience as a whole. Then Wafi was leaving and told me to jump in the van with him so I did. I went to the hardware store with him and we got a few things that he needed for the transitional home. I helped him load it in the van. It was cool to drive through the village and see that he knows everyone. All people in Ladyville are incredibly friendly. I got to see a day in the life of someone who lives in Ladyville and I am definitely glad I got to do this today. Once we got back to Liberty I helped him unload the van and then I helped Wafi and Moses, a handy man, using the pieces we got with plumbing. It was awesome to see how good our yellow painted room looked all dry in the transitional home.
Then it was lunch time for the kids. We rode with Wafi to a few different schools to deliver lunches to the kids who live at Liberty. There are groups of kids that go to different schools to meet their needs. The first stop we went to is where a few girls go to. It was cool to get to see their school even if it was just from inside the van. Then we went to the high school to drop off some more lunches for a few kids. Then, we had to pick up about fifteen to twenty kids from the school that most kids at Liberty go to. We brought them back for their lunchtime. Then it was lunch break.
After that, I went and helped out Moses and Wafi some more in the transitional home. Then I decided I wanted to ride with Moses to Belize City to pick up some kids from school. There are usually three kids that get picked up. One is named Christopher who is deaf so he goes to a school specific to his needs. The other two, one with down syndrome go to a school in Belize City. The ride to pick them up was beautiful. We passed through a river called the Belize River which is absolutely gorgeous. The ride to pick up the kids probably took about forty minutes. It was cool to drive through the city and I loved seeing the kids wave to me as they got in the van. I feel like a part of their family now. It is one that I will definitely miss. We rode back to Ladyville and stopped at a little shop and got snacks and juice for the kids. Then it was playtime and homework time. I helped with homework and played soccer, basketball, and ran races with the kids. It is starting to hit me that I only have a few more nights left here in Belize. I am sad that it is all coming to an end, but am sure ready to get back home to my family, friends, and my own bed. This has truly been a life changing experience and I look forward to another great day at Liberty, tomorrow!
This is the Belize River!
This is the juice we got on the way back from Belize City.
Then it was lunch time for the kids. We rode with Wafi to a few different schools to deliver lunches to the kids who live at Liberty. There are groups of kids that go to different schools to meet their needs. The first stop we went to is where a few girls go to. It was cool to get to see their school even if it was just from inside the van. Then we went to the high school to drop off some more lunches for a few kids. Then, we had to pick up about fifteen to twenty kids from the school that most kids at Liberty go to. We brought them back for their lunchtime. Then it was lunch break.
After that, I went and helped out Moses and Wafi some more in the transitional home. Then I decided I wanted to ride with Moses to Belize City to pick up some kids from school. There are usually three kids that get picked up. One is named Christopher who is deaf so he goes to a school specific to his needs. The other two, one with down syndrome go to a school in Belize City. The ride to pick them up was beautiful. We passed through a river called the Belize River which is absolutely gorgeous. The ride to pick up the kids probably took about forty minutes. It was cool to drive through the city and I loved seeing the kids wave to me as they got in the van. I feel like a part of their family now. It is one that I will definitely miss. We rode back to Ladyville and stopped at a little shop and got snacks and juice for the kids. Then it was playtime and homework time. I helped with homework and played soccer, basketball, and ran races with the kids. It is starting to hit me that I only have a few more nights left here in Belize. I am sad that it is all coming to an end, but am sure ready to get back home to my family, friends, and my own bed. This has truly been a life changing experience and I look forward to another great day at Liberty, tomorrow!
This is the Belize River!
This is the juice we got on the way back from Belize City.
Wednesday, April 20, 2016
Daily Reflection Wednesday April 20th
As the time is dwindling here at Liberty, I am getting closer and closer with these children. Therefore I anticipate that saying good bye to them in five days time will not at all be easy. I have a feeling that Claire and I will need to use plenty of tissues on the airplane. In the meantime today was another awesome day. It started out with the usual, breakfast and walking them to the school bus. Then, we were able to paint some more. The best thing about this experience is we are able to make our own journey. No one is barking orders at us telling us what to do. However, we have still helped constantly where we possible could have for the past ten days. So today we painted over some cement in front of the dining hall. It looked really nice when it was all finished. We did several coats as well. Then we took a much needed lunch break.
After that we went to the preschool. Once again I am observing how far behind these kids are at age three and four. It is very concerning and I wish there was something I could do about it. However, I am just a volunteer so I can only help out where I can. I taught the children several concepts. Then, it was time for the kids to come home from school. I helped some with their homework and projects. I also met a couple who came to visit for a day who were from Miami. They were really cool and they played basketball with me and some of the older kids at the home. My basketball moves weren't shown through as much today, but I will get it back tomorrow. After hours of playing in the heat, it was time to eat dinner with the kids. After that Claire did aerobics and I sat out tonight. I showered and then blogged and logged about another wonderful day here at Liberty. Since our time is coming to an end here, we were given a questionnaire to fill out. So then I filled out the questionnaire. I am looking forward to our last few days here at Liberty Children's home!
After that we went to the preschool. Once again I am observing how far behind these kids are at age three and four. It is very concerning and I wish there was something I could do about it. However, I am just a volunteer so I can only help out where I can. I taught the children several concepts. Then, it was time for the kids to come home from school. I helped some with their homework and projects. I also met a couple who came to visit for a day who were from Miami. They were really cool and they played basketball with me and some of the older kids at the home. My basketball moves weren't shown through as much today, but I will get it back tomorrow. After hours of playing in the heat, it was time to eat dinner with the kids. After that Claire did aerobics and I sat out tonight. I showered and then blogged and logged about another wonderful day here at Liberty. Since our time is coming to an end here, we were given a questionnaire to fill out. So then I filled out the questionnaire. I am looking forward to our last few days here at Liberty Children's home!
Tuesday, April 19, 2016
Daily Reflection Tuesday April 19th
Today was a day full of mixed emotions. It was also a little bit different than most days spent here at the children's home. It started out with the usual- helping out with breakfast and walking the kids to the bus stop. Then I helped out with the laundry. After that we were directed to the central part of the children's home which is not very big and Wafi, the security guy, instructed us where to paint. We basically could do whatever designs we want. This felt good knowing that he trusted us and our judgement. It especially made me feel good because I am probably the least artistic person you will ever meet. I can not even draw a round circle. But, he still trusted me to paint several benches and stepping stones.
I first started painting benches with a solid coat. Then I thought of a great idea to put hand prints on the benches. I started doing my handprints and then I thought it would be a lot more special to use one of the kid's handprints. So, I asked Wafi if I could use one of the six year old girl's handprints who was home from school today. She had chicken pox last week and she kept telling me she was going to "states" today. Her little brother was home too, so I thought the two of them were just going to states for her recorder. But, then Wafi told me it was their last day here. It all hit me, her and her twin brother were going to the United States. They were being adopted today! This was extra special because I helped her put her hand in the paint and put her hand prints all over the cement benches. We were able to take a few pictures with her, however her face can not show. So I am glad that I will always have this special memory in a photo. It really brought tears to my eyes knowing that this will be the last interaction ever spent with this beautiful adorable little girl. We bonded a lot last week because she was home with the chicken pox, so she had a special place in my heart at Liberty.
Once she helped me with the benches and I could feel the sun scorching and forming probably the best tan lines on my back (not really) I went inside and drank a ton of water. I also had some lunch. After my quick break I went back and painted some stepping stones in a pattern. This took a lot longer than I had anticipated because I had to wash my paint brush after painting each stepping stone. Once I finished I went back and painted two more benches. I painted the benches in a very cool (not going to lie) stripe pattern that matched the colors of the bridge Claire painted. It looked really really good once it was all finished. After painting and a few kids came home from school I played basketball with some of them. Then it was time for the twins' family to take them. I gave them a hug and really took in this last moment with them. I am not a person who cries easily and this definitely got to me. It was so sad to see those adorable children go but I was so happy to see them leave with a loving family who will give them the world. After they left I helped some kids with their homework. They had no idea how to do some of the concepts. This is really concerning because they were concepts that they should have grasped especially at their age.
Then it was play time. I played basketball once again. Not going to lie I have gotten pretty good at basketball. It really is shocking to me considering that I could not make a basket from two feet away a week ago. :) Now I am basically Lebron James. This is by far the best time of the day. The kids are smiling, I am smiling and everyone is just always happy. Overall today was a good day. And if I was as sad as I was saying goodbye to those precious children today, I can only imagine how I will be saying goodbye to the forty-three others still at Liberty Children's home. These last few days spent with these children I am going to try my best to make it the best days of this trip so far! I can't wait to hang out with them tomorrow!!!
I first started painting benches with a solid coat. Then I thought of a great idea to put hand prints on the benches. I started doing my handprints and then I thought it would be a lot more special to use one of the kid's handprints. So, I asked Wafi if I could use one of the six year old girl's handprints who was home from school today. She had chicken pox last week and she kept telling me she was going to "states" today. Her little brother was home too, so I thought the two of them were just going to states for her recorder. But, then Wafi told me it was their last day here. It all hit me, her and her twin brother were going to the United States. They were being adopted today! This was extra special because I helped her put her hand in the paint and put her hand prints all over the cement benches. We were able to take a few pictures with her, however her face can not show. So I am glad that I will always have this special memory in a photo. It really brought tears to my eyes knowing that this will be the last interaction ever spent with this beautiful adorable little girl. We bonded a lot last week because she was home with the chicken pox, so she had a special place in my heart at Liberty.
Once she helped me with the benches and I could feel the sun scorching and forming probably the best tan lines on my back (not really) I went inside and drank a ton of water. I also had some lunch. After my quick break I went back and painted some stepping stones in a pattern. This took a lot longer than I had anticipated because I had to wash my paint brush after painting each stepping stone. Once I finished I went back and painted two more benches. I painted the benches in a very cool (not going to lie) stripe pattern that matched the colors of the bridge Claire painted. It looked really really good once it was all finished. After painting and a few kids came home from school I played basketball with some of them. Then it was time for the twins' family to take them. I gave them a hug and really took in this last moment with them. I am not a person who cries easily and this definitely got to me. It was so sad to see those adorable children go but I was so happy to see them leave with a loving family who will give them the world. After they left I helped some kids with their homework. They had no idea how to do some of the concepts. This is really concerning because they were concepts that they should have grasped especially at their age.
Then it was play time. I played basketball once again. Not going to lie I have gotten pretty good at basketball. It really is shocking to me considering that I could not make a basket from two feet away a week ago. :) Now I am basically Lebron James. This is by far the best time of the day. The kids are smiling, I am smiling and everyone is just always happy. Overall today was a good day. And if I was as sad as I was saying goodbye to those precious children today, I can only imagine how I will be saying goodbye to the forty-three others still at Liberty Children's home. These last few days spent with these children I am going to try my best to make it the best days of this trip so far! I can't wait to hang out with them tomorrow!!!
Monday, April 18, 2016
Daily Reflection Monday April 18th
It is insane to think we have been here a week. Today started out with the usual, helping with breakfast and eating with the children. It is really nice to see what their days are like, or at least how they start out. Then we walked with them to the school bus stop. Some were holding my hands even in the burning heat. That puts a smile on my face just seeing that they actually like me:)
Then we went and played with the adorable children in the daycare. Then the security guy who also does everything on the compound came and grabbed us so we can paint a room. We went in this little house that I had never noticed until today. This house is being fixed up for next fall to be a transition home. This will be a place for the older kids to be because they do not need twenty four hour attention but they will still be able to get help if they need anything. So we went in there and we had to paint a room yellow. I have never seen so much yellow in my life. The paint splattered all over me to the point where it looked like I had just done a color run. It was in my face, my hair, my clothes. I discovered today that being a painter is definitely not my calling. A lot of work goes into painting room. Many people under estimate it. We had to be really careful once the brush got high because the paint could not touch the ceiling. So we used a smaller brush to paint the edge of the ceiling. Then we did the same to the edge of the ground and had to go over it to make the paint even. Once we did the whole room we went for a much needed lunch break. Then when we came back we went over the paint once more and it came out really nice. It was a good feeling inside knowing that when these older kids move into this home that I had a small part of making this place happen. I know its small compared to the big needs of their home, but it really is the little things that matter. It was worth every bit of frustration with perfecting that yellow room because now I know that they will not have a boring color to wake up to every morning.
Then once it was time for the kids to come home they quickly changed clothes and I helped them with their Spanish homework. After that I had my phone out and I played some of their favorite songs and we just played some basketball and danced. It is moments like these that I cherish the most at Liberty. When the kids are smiling and happy and everything else in their lives are forgotten is my favorite part of the day and trip. Tomorrow we will have more painting to do around the compound so I look forward to that now that I am basically Pablo Picasso. Then we set up their dinner and ate with them. After that we said good night. I then washed up and blogged, logged, and finally uploaded some pictures. It has been hard to take pictures because for safety reasons we cannot take pictures of the children. But, I will try to keep posting them when we do a successful task on the compound! I look forward to another long but rewarding day tomorrow.
Then we went and played with the adorable children in the daycare. Then the security guy who also does everything on the compound came and grabbed us so we can paint a room. We went in this little house that I had never noticed until today. This house is being fixed up for next fall to be a transition home. This will be a place for the older kids to be because they do not need twenty four hour attention but they will still be able to get help if they need anything. So we went in there and we had to paint a room yellow. I have never seen so much yellow in my life. The paint splattered all over me to the point where it looked like I had just done a color run. It was in my face, my hair, my clothes. I discovered today that being a painter is definitely not my calling. A lot of work goes into painting room. Many people under estimate it. We had to be really careful once the brush got high because the paint could not touch the ceiling. So we used a smaller brush to paint the edge of the ceiling. Then we did the same to the edge of the ground and had to go over it to make the paint even. Once we did the whole room we went for a much needed lunch break. Then when we came back we went over the paint once more and it came out really nice. It was a good feeling inside knowing that when these older kids move into this home that I had a small part of making this place happen. I know its small compared to the big needs of their home, but it really is the little things that matter. It was worth every bit of frustration with perfecting that yellow room because now I know that they will not have a boring color to wake up to every morning.
Then once it was time for the kids to come home they quickly changed clothes and I helped them with their Spanish homework. After that I had my phone out and I played some of their favorite songs and we just played some basketball and danced. It is moments like these that I cherish the most at Liberty. When the kids are smiling and happy and everything else in their lives are forgotten is my favorite part of the day and trip. Tomorrow we will have more painting to do around the compound so I look forward to that now that I am basically Pablo Picasso. Then we set up their dinner and ate with them. After that we said good night. I then washed up and blogged, logged, and finally uploaded some pictures. It has been hard to take pictures because for safety reasons we cannot take pictures of the children. But, I will try to keep posting them when we do a successful task on the compound! I look forward to another long but rewarding day tomorrow.
Friday, April 15, 2016
Daily Reflection Friday April 15th
It is crazy to think that this moment marks the half way point of my senior project, as well as this trip. I am loving the bonds I am making with these children and they are definitely friendships I will cherish for the rest of my life. Today was a laid back and fun day because the kids didn't have school today. There was no tight schedule and no running to the school bus stop. We woke up around the same time, and yep you guessed it... we did not wake up for aerobics. I guess running around with children for hours is enough aerobics in itself. Honestly today was all about the kids. We did not go to the daycare really, other than to help the cook by delivering them their lunch. So basically for twelve hours we hung out with the kids. They had chores to do so sometimes they would go and do that but we played games on the basketball court, had dance parties, and most importantly just saw smiles on these kids faces that made me happy. We also mopped some floors and helped clean up around the yard. We raked outside because the leaves were all over the place so we made it look really nice. We also hung their laundry because like I said, with forty five children and no drier there is a lot to hang up.
Another big project today was to fix a mini bridge that is in the middle of the yard in the orphanage. It goes over a tiny ditch in the middle of the yard. The construction men were fixing it by plastering cement over it making it look cleaner and newer. This was such a big task that we helped them do this by helping them make the cement and apply it on to the bridge.
The highlight of my day today was when I went to the library/computer room and sang songs with the older girls. We have similar music tastes so we listened to songs and danced to the music videos for hours. It was so much fun and when they had to leave to go do chores I could not believe that we had been sitting there and dancing for that long of a time. Today was a really fun, relaxed, great day. This weekend we will enjoy some off time but look forward to more time spent with the children next week.
Another big project today was to fix a mini bridge that is in the middle of the yard in the orphanage. It goes over a tiny ditch in the middle of the yard. The construction men were fixing it by plastering cement over it making it look cleaner and newer. This was such a big task that we helped them do this by helping them make the cement and apply it on to the bridge.
The highlight of my day today was when I went to the library/computer room and sang songs with the older girls. We have similar music tastes so we listened to songs and danced to the music videos for hours. It was so much fun and when they had to leave to go do chores I could not believe that we had been sitting there and dancing for that long of a time. Today was a really fun, relaxed, great day. This weekend we will enjoy some off time but look forward to more time spent with the children next week.
Thursday, April 14, 2016
Daily Reflection Thursday April 14th
Today started out pretty rough. All of these kids are really making me miss my family so I will definitely be excited to spend as much time with them as possible when I get home. I know you all are probably thinking, "how is this girl going to survive in college next year if she can't be without her family for four days?!" Yeah, whatever this is different. In college I will be very distracted. We started out the day with the usual. That is saying that we will wake up for aerobics at 4:45 AM but never actually do. But actually we woke up at around 6:00 AM and got ready for the normal 12 hour day. Then we went and helped set up breakfast. The meals are becoming incredibly repetitive. That is another thing I am thankful for... variety in my meals. Which is basically sushi, sushi, and more sushi. Then we walked them to the school bus stop. This is a moment I will never forget. We thought the kids were going to be late to the school bus so we were sprinting to the bus stop. Between the basketball playing and the running with the kids I think I will be coming to ATL in better shape than ever, at least lets hope so. Running with the kids to the bus stop, laughing, holding their hands, and the beautiful Belizean sunshine and winds on our faces was definitely a moment I won't forget.
After it was time for the kids to go to school we went and helped out at the preschool. Today was different because I basically got to teach today. We did the daily routine with counting from 1-50, singing the ABCs, and calling out colors. I led all of this and not going to lie I felt pretty cool. Then I read them a bunch of stories. After being at the preschool for a few hours we helped out with the laundry. They do not have a drier, so all of the clothes are hung on clothes hangers. I helped the caregiver hang all of the clothes. Then we got lunch with one of the awesome security guards (the very athletic one who teaches aerobics every morning). After that we went back to the preschool and taught the kids. Then the kids came home from school and we played with them for hours. They do not have school tomorrow so the energy was much more laid back because they weren't frantically trying to do their homework. One little boy told me he loved me and it was the cutest thing ever. He said "Miss Devyn, I really love you." They have to call us "Miss" as a sign of respect. That statement that he told me validated why I am here and why I am doing this. I really am starting to form bonds with these kids that will probably cause me to be hysterical when I leave. But, in the meantime it will all be worth it. Overall, today was a very good day. I have been drinking a lot of water to avoid another health mishap and have been loving every minute spent with these children. I can not wait to spend all day with them tomorrow when we don't have school.
After it was time for the kids to go to school we went and helped out at the preschool. Today was different because I basically got to teach today. We did the daily routine with counting from 1-50, singing the ABCs, and calling out colors. I led all of this and not going to lie I felt pretty cool. Then I read them a bunch of stories. After being at the preschool for a few hours we helped out with the laundry. They do not have a drier, so all of the clothes are hung on clothes hangers. I helped the caregiver hang all of the clothes. Then we got lunch with one of the awesome security guards (the very athletic one who teaches aerobics every morning). After that we went back to the preschool and taught the kids. Then the kids came home from school and we played with them for hours. They do not have school tomorrow so the energy was much more laid back because they weren't frantically trying to do their homework. One little boy told me he loved me and it was the cutest thing ever. He said "Miss Devyn, I really love you." They have to call us "Miss" as a sign of respect. That statement that he told me validated why I am here and why I am doing this. I really am starting to form bonds with these kids that will probably cause me to be hysterical when I leave. But, in the meantime it will all be worth it. Overall, today was a very good day. I have been drinking a lot of water to avoid another health mishap and have been loving every minute spent with these children. I can not wait to spend all day with them tomorrow when we don't have school.
Wednesday, April 13, 2016
Daily Reflection Wednesday April 13th
So I have finally figured it out here. The weeks go by short but the days go by long. It is very hot and humid here so that does not really help. Also, the mosquitos are awful. But I am finally back to normal so that is good! We started the day with the usual... eating breakfast with the kids and then walking them to the bus stop. Then we went to the daycare/preschool and I did circle time with them. I also helped them learn a little bit and played with them. Like I said before, they are very behind in a lot of aspects. After that we had lunch and researched more cool places in Belize. I made sure to stay drinking water because hydration is the most important thing about being in a different climate. Then I went to help out the cook in the kitchen and I got to meet a young girl who lives in the orphanage and she has cerebral palsy. Again, it made me appreciate everything. I helped out the cook by taking out some food and putting it in storage. Then I went back to the daycare and played with the children some more.
After that, it was a little bit before the kids got back from school so we played with a young girl who has to miss school because of chicken pox. She said she was bored so we kept her company and played with her. Then the kids got home and we played an intense basketball game and just enjoyed the children's company. I really am enjoying spending time with these kids and I know that when it is time to leave it will be really hard. After we played basketball we talked a bunch of girls and had girl talk. We did that for a really long time and before I knew it, it was time for dinner. We helped set up dinner and ate with the kids. After that it was time for the kids to sleep so we went up and logged and blogged. Overall, today was a very good day!!! :)
After that, it was a little bit before the kids got back from school so we played with a young girl who has to miss school because of chicken pox. She said she was bored so we kept her company and played with her. Then the kids got home and we played an intense basketball game and just enjoyed the children's company. I really am enjoying spending time with these kids and I know that when it is time to leave it will be really hard. After we played basketball we talked a bunch of girls and had girl talk. We did that for a really long time and before I knew it, it was time for dinner. We helped set up dinner and ate with the kids. After that it was time for the kids to sleep so we went up and logged and blogged. Overall, today was a very good day!!! :)
Tuesday, April 12, 2016
Daily Reflection Tuesday April 12th
Today was another very long day. We woke up at 6:30 and went to eat breakfast with the children. They were all ready for school. After saying the blessing and then eating with the children we walked them to the school bus. I was not feeling that great but I pushed through and we played with the children at the daycare. We played with them for a few hours and I watched the 1-3 years olds for a while. Not a lot of them really listen to directions but other than that I felt a strong similarity to Sheltering Arms. I helped them for a few hours, and after I continued to feel worse I went to get some water. That made me feel better. I went across the indoor pavilion looking building and helped the kids in the preschool with their classwork. They were four and five years old and they learn in a Montessori manner. They were definitely further behind than the Pre-Kindergardeners at Sheltering Arms. After that we went to get lunch with the woman who now lives here and another volunteer who has been here for a month. We went to this really good restaurant in an area about ten minutes walking distance away. We talked and heard about different tips and important things we should know about the orphanage.
After we walked back we had a little down time while the kids were still at school and we researched locations in Belize. The heat was getting to me but again I kept drinking water and pushed through it. Finally the children got home from school and we played with them for hours. There were a few kids I am really starting to bond with, they are awesome. I also helped them with their homework and then some got washed up for dinner. I played jump rope with this one adorable little boy and I played basketball with other children as well. After hours of playing in the humidity it was time for dinner. Unfortunately I could not make it this evening to dinner because my health continued to decline. I did not want to stay around the children because I did not want to get them sick. Hopefully its nothing too serious. Hopefully by tomorrow I will feel good to go! My number one priority right now is my health and these incredible children that I have the pleasure of getting to know over the past few days. After that I blogged and researched more cool locations in Belize. Then I logged about my long day.
Other than my little health mishap I think that today was really good. Something really hard that happened was when we were playing with the children this one beautiful little girl asked me if I had a mom. This was a question I did not really know how to answer, but I do a have a wonderful, amazing mom so I quietly said "yes". After that she responded with, "I do not have a mom, she is in heaven." Then I changed the subject but in this moment my stomach dropped because I am quickly realizing how lucky I am in all aspects of my life. I can not wait for tomorrow and hopefully I will be back to normal :)!
After we walked back we had a little down time while the kids were still at school and we researched locations in Belize. The heat was getting to me but again I kept drinking water and pushed through it. Finally the children got home from school and we played with them for hours. There were a few kids I am really starting to bond with, they are awesome. I also helped them with their homework and then some got washed up for dinner. I played jump rope with this one adorable little boy and I played basketball with other children as well. After hours of playing in the humidity it was time for dinner. Unfortunately I could not make it this evening to dinner because my health continued to decline. I did not want to stay around the children because I did not want to get them sick. Hopefully its nothing too serious. Hopefully by tomorrow I will feel good to go! My number one priority right now is my health and these incredible children that I have the pleasure of getting to know over the past few days. After that I blogged and researched more cool locations in Belize. Then I logged about my long day.
Other than my little health mishap I think that today was really good. Something really hard that happened was when we were playing with the children this one beautiful little girl asked me if I had a mom. This was a question I did not really know how to answer, but I do a have a wonderful, amazing mom so I quietly said "yes". After that she responded with, "I do not have a mom, she is in heaven." Then I changed the subject but in this moment my stomach dropped because I am quickly realizing how lucky I am in all aspects of my life. I can not wait for tomorrow and hopefully I will be back to normal :)!
Monday, April 11, 2016
Daily Reflection Monday April 11th
Today was the longest day ever. We woke up bright and early, earlier than I would for school. Then I said goodbye to my dad and brother. My mom and I went to go pick up Claire and her mom. We went to the airport, checked in our bags, said goodbye to our moms, and went to the E terminal. We were gate E32 so we had a food court right near our gate. We got some breakfast and then we saw Kit and Journey at the food court! That was cool to wish them a good trip. After that we went to our gate and got on the plane. The plane was pretty easy and we slept some and only took about two and a half hours. Once we landed we went through customs and then got our bags. After we got our bags we saw someone with "A Broader View" sign and she was a really nice lady who went and did a volunteer trip at this orphanage. She loved it so much that she now lives here indefinitely and is a permanent volunteer at the orphanage. That really reassured us that we made the right choice in coming here. Once we got to Liberty we were brought to our living quarter which is right above the main office. We have a little apartment that we share with another volunteer who is leaving in a few days. So for now we are sharing a room. Once we put out stuff down the volunteer brought us down the street so we can get some water. Then she brought us back and let us get settled and unpack. After we unpacked, there were few kids there because they were at school. So we walked about twenty five feet to the daycare next door and swept and helped the teachers and played with the children. Afterwards Claire and I played a two on two basketball game with these two little boys. Its really eye opening seeing these boys with such smiles on their faces and just seeing them so happy makes me happy. Its sad to know that these kids don't have parents so the least I can do is put smiles on their faces. After we played with them for a few hours in the hot humidity we ate dinner with them. Then, we played with them and got to know some of them. Before we knew it, it was time for them to go to bed. So, we weren't complaining because we are both exhausted and we went upstairs and got ready for bed.
Unfortunately, we can not take pictures of the children :( But, hopefully we will be able to take pictures of the orphanage. I can not "Belize" (believe) this day has already come. It feels like we have been here for weeks and I feel like I have adapted quickly to this very simple living. I am excited for what will happen in the coming weeks. In even just a few hours I feel that I have hopefully impacted these children's lives in small ways and hopefully we can continue to do so.
Friday, April 8, 2016
Daily Reflection Friday April 8th
The good thing about working hard all week is that I did not have a lot to do today. And another good thing is that I will not have to do anything this weekend other then pack for Belize. I had a relaxing morning and then went to get lunch. After that I got to work. I spent two and a half hours researching for Belize. This fulfilled my requirement of thirty six hours to spend on my project this week. I researched the basics about the country at first and then I got into the specifics as far as what I need to expect. It made me very excited and happy that I decided to go to this country and get an experience of a lifetime. I really am so excited for this trip and I strongly feel that it will change my life. My research just helped me validate all of those feelings. This was a very successful week for our senior project. Can't wait for next week :)
Thursday, April 7, 2016
Daily Reflection Thursday April 7th
My pediatric oncology internship today at Children's Healthcare of Atlanta- Scottish Rite was so overwhelming and intense but I am so glad I did it.
It was kind of confusing at first to find the oncology hall but I asked people who were headed that direction and they took me right where I needed to be. Once I got to the front desk I asked for the nurse I was meeting, Caitlin. Caitlin was really sweet and told me a lot of things that were very informative. There were twenty patients on the hall and they were all cancer patients under the age of eighteen. All of the nurses got together to have a morning "huddle" which is when they all discuss their tasks for the day. The first few hours were very hectic and I don't think my eyes closed once to blink. That is just how intense this experience was. The patients need to get their vitals checked every four hours. That is the heart rate, their temperature, their oxygen levels, and other factors. After we went to each of her three patients rooms we had to document everything she had just done on a computer. Each nurse gets three to four patients per shift. There are about seven nurses per each shift. Before long I realized that it had already been an hour and a half. Nurses were speed walking up and down the hall making sure they got what they needed. Everyone was working incredibly hard to make sure their patients were doing well.
One of the many things that was very sad today was that there was a "DNR" patient on the hall which stands for do not resuscitate. He is only two years old with Leukemia and this means that if he begins to pass away, then they will let him pass away. Two out of three of Caitlin's patients were three year old boys which was really sad. They were so so so cute I just wanted to hug them, but I didn't because I would have gotten in trouble since I am just a shadow. The last of Caitlin's patient was a nine year old little girl who has a tumor in her femur and her family had to make a huge decision. Her decision was for her leg to be amputated or to have other surgeries done that won't be nearly as affective. It was a huge decision that I do not know what they decided on, but I am thinking about her and I hope she recovers.
After doing rounds of checking each patient once again throughout the hallway the little girl needed to take her medicine. This was also heartbreaking because she hated taking pills even if they were crushed up. She thought about how it was going to make her sick so much so that it literally made her even more sick just thinking about the pills. This was probably one of the hardest moments for me during these several hours spent at the hospital. I was just standing there watching her cry and I felt completely helpless.
As sad and mentally draining as this day was I am so glad that I did this experience. I feel that if I were a nurse I could truly save peoples lives. I realized that if I did go into that field I could never anticipate anything, and it would definitely keep me on my toes. Overall I feel that this internship went incredibly well and I think that it prepared me for more sad yet still wonderful experiences Claire and I will face in Belize! I am very much looking forward to helping people and gaining the experience of a lifetime in just a few days :). I took a much needed afternoon off after this internship and then I blogged and logged! Today was another very successful day!
It was kind of confusing at first to find the oncology hall but I asked people who were headed that direction and they took me right where I needed to be. Once I got to the front desk I asked for the nurse I was meeting, Caitlin. Caitlin was really sweet and told me a lot of things that were very informative. There were twenty patients on the hall and they were all cancer patients under the age of eighteen. All of the nurses got together to have a morning "huddle" which is when they all discuss their tasks for the day. The first few hours were very hectic and I don't think my eyes closed once to blink. That is just how intense this experience was. The patients need to get their vitals checked every four hours. That is the heart rate, their temperature, their oxygen levels, and other factors. After we went to each of her three patients rooms we had to document everything she had just done on a computer. Each nurse gets three to four patients per shift. There are about seven nurses per each shift. Before long I realized that it had already been an hour and a half. Nurses were speed walking up and down the hall making sure they got what they needed. Everyone was working incredibly hard to make sure their patients were doing well.
One of the many things that was very sad today was that there was a "DNR" patient on the hall which stands for do not resuscitate. He is only two years old with Leukemia and this means that if he begins to pass away, then they will let him pass away. Two out of three of Caitlin's patients were three year old boys which was really sad. They were so so so cute I just wanted to hug them, but I didn't because I would have gotten in trouble since I am just a shadow. The last of Caitlin's patient was a nine year old little girl who has a tumor in her femur and her family had to make a huge decision. Her decision was for her leg to be amputated or to have other surgeries done that won't be nearly as affective. It was a huge decision that I do not know what they decided on, but I am thinking about her and I hope she recovers.
After doing rounds of checking each patient once again throughout the hallway the little girl needed to take her medicine. This was also heartbreaking because she hated taking pills even if they were crushed up. She thought about how it was going to make her sick so much so that it literally made her even more sick just thinking about the pills. This was probably one of the hardest moments for me during these several hours spent at the hospital. I was just standing there watching her cry and I felt completely helpless.
As sad and mentally draining as this day was I am so glad that I did this experience. I feel that if I were a nurse I could truly save peoples lives. I realized that if I did go into that field I could never anticipate anything, and it would definitely keep me on my toes. Overall I feel that this internship went incredibly well and I think that it prepared me for more sad yet still wonderful experiences Claire and I will face in Belize! I am very much looking forward to helping people and gaining the experience of a lifetime in just a few days :). I took a much needed afternoon off after this internship and then I blogged and logged! Today was another very successful day!
Wednesday, April 6, 2016
Daily Reflection Wednesday April 6th
The final day at Sheltering Arms was the best so far. I woke up feeling excited to begin the next part of our project but also sad knowing that I will have to say good bye to these kids today. Once we arrived, I noticed that the class that I had been helping had their assistant teacher, lead teacher, and only five kids. So I went to another class that had eight children of two and three year olds and asked the teacher, Ms. Laronda, if she needed my help and she said "Yes!". This was Classroom #6 and I honestly had so much fun with them. They were very responsible for that age and almost all of them were potty trained which is always a plus. One little girl was talking to me and I honestly forgot for a second that she was three, not twenty-five because of all of the witty and intelligent things she was saying. After a little bit I noticed they were already hugging me when we were getting ready to go outside.
It was gorgeous outside today so I played with them for a good hour. I ran around the play ground with them and made sure they took turns when riding tricycles. It was a lot of fun getting to know a different age group and seeing the differences in development between one classroom to another. Once we went back inside I helped them take off their jackets and got them ready for lunch. I noticed that all the lunches for the children at Sheltering arms have been very healthy and full of nutrients. The children all devour their lunches, which is nice to see them eating healthy and enjoying it at the same time.
Once it was time for them to get ready for their naps Claire and I went to the store to buy all sorts of necessities for our trip to Belize. It still hasn't hit me yet that in five days we will be embarking together on a journey of a lifetime. I guess it won't really hit me until we are there.
After we did that and got lunch we then went back to Sheltering Arms for a final few hours spent with the children. I went to Classroom #5 which was combined with four children from that class and the eight children I played with this morning from Classroom #6. They were having their afternoon snack and I helped one of the teachers put their cots away that they used for their naps. After that it was time for a dance party. The songs consisted of anything Kids Bop. Not going to lie it was all very catchy and I was dancing with the two and three-year olds. After a while of dancing and playing it was time to go back outside. I played with them for an hour in this beautiful Spring weather. I talked to the teachers while I played outside with the kids too. There were a few girls that were incredibly advanced named Della and Michelle. I had to remind myself that they weren't my age. After playing with them for a while I realized it was already time for me and Claire to say goodbye. We said goodbye to the teachers and children and left a place that has been a wonderful experience for us the past three days.
Once I got home I filled out paperwork that I need to have for my pediatric oncology internship tomorrow at Scottish Rite. I also researched some more on pediatric oncology and I feel that I am as prepared as I possibly can be for my experience tomorrow. I wanted to be even more prepared so I even drove to the hospital tonight, because luckily I haven't had to make too many trips there and I am very unfamiliar with the hospital area. I made myself familiar with the location of the hospital and the parking deck as well. Once I went home I started to log and blog about my day that is closing one chapter of our senior project and opening another. :) I can't wait for tomorrow!
It was gorgeous outside today so I played with them for a good hour. I ran around the play ground with them and made sure they took turns when riding tricycles. It was a lot of fun getting to know a different age group and seeing the differences in development between one classroom to another. Once we went back inside I helped them take off their jackets and got them ready for lunch. I noticed that all the lunches for the children at Sheltering arms have been very healthy and full of nutrients. The children all devour their lunches, which is nice to see them eating healthy and enjoying it at the same time.
Once it was time for them to get ready for their naps Claire and I went to the store to buy all sorts of necessities for our trip to Belize. It still hasn't hit me yet that in five days we will be embarking together on a journey of a lifetime. I guess it won't really hit me until we are there.
After we did that and got lunch we then went back to Sheltering Arms for a final few hours spent with the children. I went to Classroom #5 which was combined with four children from that class and the eight children I played with this morning from Classroom #6. They were having their afternoon snack and I helped one of the teachers put their cots away that they used for their naps. After that it was time for a dance party. The songs consisted of anything Kids Bop. Not going to lie it was all very catchy and I was dancing with the two and three-year olds. After a while of dancing and playing it was time to go back outside. I played with them for an hour in this beautiful Spring weather. I talked to the teachers while I played outside with the kids too. There were a few girls that were incredibly advanced named Della and Michelle. I had to remind myself that they weren't my age. After playing with them for a while I realized it was already time for me and Claire to say goodbye. We said goodbye to the teachers and children and left a place that has been a wonderful experience for us the past three days.
Once I got home I filled out paperwork that I need to have for my pediatric oncology internship tomorrow at Scottish Rite. I also researched some more on pediatric oncology and I feel that I am as prepared as I possibly can be for my experience tomorrow. I wanted to be even more prepared so I even drove to the hospital tonight, because luckily I haven't had to make too many trips there and I am very unfamiliar with the hospital area. I made myself familiar with the location of the hospital and the parking deck as well. Once I went home I started to log and blog about my day that is closing one chapter of our senior project and opening another. :) I can't wait for tomorrow!
Tuesday, April 5, 2016
Daily Reflection Tuesday April 5th
Day two of our senior project was another success. Once we arrived at Sheltering Arms we went to our original classrooms. I was back with Classroom #9 which was pre-k, and Claire was back with the one to two year olds in Classroom #4. It was nice to have the kids run up and hug me as if I was Santa Claus or something, but I think they were just happy to see a familiar face other than their teachers.
They started the day with a little outside time so I played with four children (one was sick :( ) from Classroom #9 along with four other children from Classroom #10. As I had said in my previous blog there are less children because of spring break. The teachers have been combining their classes because the numbers are smaller this week. After a little bit of outside play time, it was time to head back inside. Beth, the volunteering director came and grabbed me and Claire and told us that she had a few tasks for us to do once it was time for the kids to eat lunch and take their naps. I played with the kids doing various activities for hours. The time flew by after building "houses" out of magnetic shapes, coloring with them, and just simply hugging them because they are so darn cute. Once it was 11:30, Claire and I went up stairs to meet with Beth. They have an event coming up so she had us tying up silverware with ribbon, and tying bows around mason jars. We did this for a few hours until it was time to go for the day. This day definitely validated the fact that I do not want to be a pre-school teacher. I have so much respect for those teachers at Sheltering Arms and everywhere. I definitely do not have the patience :)!
We left Sheltering Arms and I took a well deserved few hours off. Once it was time to get back to work on my project I started researching pediatric oncology to prepare for my internship at Children's Healthcare of Atlanta on Thursday. My research that I did was very interesting and I definitely feel that I have a good understanding on what the field is going into my internship. I am nervous because it is an intense topic but I am excited to see what Thursday has in store for me. I am also excited for our last day at Sheltering Arms tomorrow, it will be bittersweet to say good bye to the wonderful children that we have met. Overall, the first two days have gone great and I can't wait for the rest of the week!
They started the day with a little outside time so I played with four children (one was sick :( ) from Classroom #9 along with four other children from Classroom #10. As I had said in my previous blog there are less children because of spring break. The teachers have been combining their classes because the numbers are smaller this week. After a little bit of outside play time, it was time to head back inside. Beth, the volunteering director came and grabbed me and Claire and told us that she had a few tasks for us to do once it was time for the kids to eat lunch and take their naps. I played with the kids doing various activities for hours. The time flew by after building "houses" out of magnetic shapes, coloring with them, and just simply hugging them because they are so darn cute. Once it was 11:30, Claire and I went up stairs to meet with Beth. They have an event coming up so she had us tying up silverware with ribbon, and tying bows around mason jars. We did this for a few hours until it was time to go for the day. This day definitely validated the fact that I do not want to be a pre-school teacher. I have so much respect for those teachers at Sheltering Arms and everywhere. I definitely do not have the patience :)!
We left Sheltering Arms and I took a well deserved few hours off. Once it was time to get back to work on my project I started researching pediatric oncology to prepare for my internship at Children's Healthcare of Atlanta on Thursday. My research that I did was very interesting and I definitely feel that I have a good understanding on what the field is going into my internship. I am nervous because it is an intense topic but I am excited to see what Thursday has in store for me. I am also excited for our last day at Sheltering Arms tomorrow, it will be bittersweet to say good bye to the wonderful children that we have met. Overall, the first two days have gone great and I can't wait for the rest of the week!
Monday, April 4, 2016
Daily Reflection Monday April 4th
Today was a long and overwhelming day. However, it was a very successful and productive first day of my senior project. I can't believe this day has finally come to drop my classes and start an adventure that I will remember for the rest of my life.
We kicked the project off by waking up close to the same time as school and heading to Sheltering Arms, a childcare development center with 15 locations all throughout Atlanta. The location we went to was the Centennial Olympic Park location, located about a few blocks away from Georgia Tech. The center was very nice and looked fairly new. Once we walked in, we met with the director of volunteering, Beth Zimmerman. Beth was really cool and she placed us in the classrooms that needed the most help. She also told us some rules that the children must obey at Sheltering Arms.
After we met with Beth, it was time for me and Claire to split up. Once Beth took Claire to her classroom, she took me to mine. I had Classroom #9, which was Ms. Rawls's pre-kindergarden class. At Sheltering Arms, each classroom has a specific number to make it easier to decipher which kids and teachers are in their class. I started to pick up the children's names really quickly. A lot faster than I thought I would. Before long, I knew all five names of the kids in the classroom. Since this week is their spring break, there are not as many kids at the center. So I also picked up Classroom #10's kids names rapidly as well. The teacher told me I could take pictures of the kids, so I snapped several adorable photos of the children. However, since they were all already so adorable it was not that difficult for the photos to be that way as well. After hours of playing and me starting to realize that I could never be a pre-school teacher, it was almost time for our lunch break. I had also talked to the teacher for a while and she was really interesting. It was cool to see how much she loves teaching and to witness her apply that in a real world environment with her own students.
After lunch break, Claire and I switched classrooms. Beth gave us the thumbs up to switch so we can feel the different environment of the children. I then got put with Classroom #4, which mostly consisted of nine energetic, screaming, one and two year olds. They were quiet at first because they had just woken up from their naps, but then it got real loud real quick. The teacher was Ms. Desinique, and she was really nice and cool like Ms. Rawls. After an hour of trying to get them to go outside, different ones kept doing things to make them not go outside. When everyone was lined up, one little boy named Logan kept throwing toys, so that would keep the whole class from going outside for a while. We finally got them outside and played with them on this beautiful sunny day for an hour. They rode on tricycles, ran around, pushed the empty swings, and some sat with me and played with my hair on a bench. When it was time go outside they sat at the tables and did their individual "centers". They played with plastic insects and looked at them with magnifying glasses. Then they listened and danced to songs and sang the ABCs. After an exhausting day it was time for me to leave. Claire and I left and told each other about our fun-filled day spent volunteering at Sheltering Arms. We then went home and blogged and logged about our days. I can't wait to see what Sheltering Arms is like tomorrow!
We kicked the project off by waking up close to the same time as school and heading to Sheltering Arms, a childcare development center with 15 locations all throughout Atlanta. The location we went to was the Centennial Olympic Park location, located about a few blocks away from Georgia Tech. The center was very nice and looked fairly new. Once we walked in, we met with the director of volunteering, Beth Zimmerman. Beth was really cool and she placed us in the classrooms that needed the most help. She also told us some rules that the children must obey at Sheltering Arms.
After we met with Beth, it was time for me and Claire to split up. Once Beth took Claire to her classroom, she took me to mine. I had Classroom #9, which was Ms. Rawls's pre-kindergarden class. At Sheltering Arms, each classroom has a specific number to make it easier to decipher which kids and teachers are in their class. I started to pick up the children's names really quickly. A lot faster than I thought I would. Before long, I knew all five names of the kids in the classroom. Since this week is their spring break, there are not as many kids at the center. So I also picked up Classroom #10's kids names rapidly as well. The teacher told me I could take pictures of the kids, so I snapped several adorable photos of the children. However, since they were all already so adorable it was not that difficult for the photos to be that way as well. After hours of playing and me starting to realize that I could never be a pre-school teacher, it was almost time for our lunch break. I had also talked to the teacher for a while and she was really interesting. It was cool to see how much she loves teaching and to witness her apply that in a real world environment with her own students.
After lunch break, Claire and I switched classrooms. Beth gave us the thumbs up to switch so we can feel the different environment of the children. I then got put with Classroom #4, which mostly consisted of nine energetic, screaming, one and two year olds. They were quiet at first because they had just woken up from their naps, but then it got real loud real quick. The teacher was Ms. Desinique, and she was really nice and cool like Ms. Rawls. After an hour of trying to get them to go outside, different ones kept doing things to make them not go outside. When everyone was lined up, one little boy named Logan kept throwing toys, so that would keep the whole class from going outside for a while. We finally got them outside and played with them on this beautiful sunny day for an hour. They rode on tricycles, ran around, pushed the empty swings, and some sat with me and played with my hair on a bench. When it was time go outside they sat at the tables and did their individual "centers". They played with plastic insects and looked at them with magnifying glasses. Then they listened and danced to songs and sang the ABCs. After an exhausting day it was time for me to leave. Claire and I left and told each other about our fun-filled day spent volunteering at Sheltering Arms. We then went home and blogged and logged about our days. I can't wait to see what Sheltering Arms is like tomorrow!
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)