Daily Reflection Saturday April 16th

No work was done on my senior project!

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.

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.

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!!! :)

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 :)!

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. 

Daily Reflection Sunday April 10th

I did no work on my senior project today!

Daily Reflection Saturday April 9th

I did no work on my senior project today!

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 :)

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!

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!

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!

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!