Rising Star Day 2

I think I may need to find another time to blog because it's evening for us right now and I'm always so exhausted at this time. 

BUT today (Tuesday) has been a great day. Yesterday I was feeling a bit overwhelmed and the main problem I had was that I saw a lot of the volunteers making connections with a lot of kids. And I was having a hard time because I just couldn't. Like I felt like the kids didn't like me and I didn't really know what to do with myself. It was just a lot to take in and every new environment takes a bit of adjustment. I think I am finally getting adjusted. 

Today we woke up early, had morning conclave (it's just a meeting...weird name, I know), then we went to our assigned place. We switch between medical (where we go to the leper colonies), education and construction. Today we did construction with Nery. We thought construction was going to be this terrible thing because everyone would always talk super sarcastically about it. But folks, I am happy to report that construction really was awesome. We don't have anything to compare it to thus far, but it was very rewarding. We were helping build a sick bay. A place for the kids to go when they're sick so they don't get everyone else sick. I think so many things we have done and will do are all about attitude. You will have plenty of reasons to be negative, but if you try to be positive, it gives everyone a ton of positive energy. So we all were cheering each other on. The whole time we moved bricks from one spot, to inside the sick bay. But we had music going, and we were working by the Indian workers and we had some good conversation, and it was really rewarding. We. were. so. dirty. We thought we were tan so we got really excited...but no, it was all dirt. My face has never been this red and sweaty. 

Our construction group (this is just a few of the volunteers).

Some funny things that happened:

We took a break and ate lunch with the kids and when we were there we were wearing shorts because we were doing construction (scandalous)  and one of the little girls kept rubbing my leg and asked, "You shave?" Hahahahahaha. Because it felt smooth guys. Not because it was like a hairy gorilla. 

Then while we were taking a mandatory snack break a huge bug landed on one of the girl volunteers and the other ones booked it the other direction. Maybe you had to be there but it was so funny. Basically, if you ever want help getting a bug off of you, we are not your gals.

Also there's a lizard living in our bedroom. 

And when we were done with construction we got together with all the workers and took a picture and then...us volunteers...we danced. The banana dance. And filmed it. So get pumped for the video at the end of this week.

Later in the evening we went to play time and last time I hung around Kirsten but this time I went off by myself cause all the Indian children love her cause she's an Indian prodigy. :) The kids took my little point and shoot camera and took a bunch of pictures:

The girl that I mentioned in my previous post named Mary was so cute today. She kept hugging me and she's just my little friend. There is also this little boy named (Priveesh...or something like that) and he's so cute. He just stole my heart. 

Play time was so fun today and I made a lot of little friends. The trick is learning how to pronounce their names. Then we had prayer time and it went a lot smoother today. One of the little girls said the closing prayer and she said it in broken English and it went something like this: "Thank you for teachers. Obey house mother. Obey teachers. Thank you. Beach. It's night. Amen." Literally, it was exactly like that. So funny and so sweet. 

Now we're all gathered around the best internet connection spot bonding while everyone makes fun of my tummy troubles and problems with people popping my bubble. 

Until tomorrow!!