Monday, June 8th, 2009 1:58PM Portadown Base Camp
So as you can see I am getting less diligent with this. I’m really tired now, and just don’t have the energy to get out my laptop and start typing away. I feel like I need a vacation haha. You probably all think I am on one, but I’m not. It’s really stressful, for many reasons.
We had our second concert on Saturday night in Portstewart, where I was last weekend. I got to meet Ray Barnett, he’s a very very nice man. He liked that I was Canadian. This concert was much better than the first.
My host family was very nice. One of the daughters friends told the girls a funny bedtime story, they liked that. My host family lived a block away from where Heather’s sister lives. It’s right next to the ocean, along The Strand. I didn’t take pictures again because I have some from last time. In the morning we went to the beach. It was extremely cold. The girls were collecting seashells. I went close to the water to wash one off and got my shoe filled with water when the tide came in, that wasn’t fun. They didn’t have internet which is why you didn’t hear from me. I went to sleep right after the girls because the mom gave up her bed for the girls so she was sleeping on the couch. It was very sweet of her.
Now we are back at base camp and I’m feeling quite tired.
I know most of the children’s names now. There’s a few boys I get mixed up from time to time, but I’ve pretty much got it.
I have to say that I’m already sick of eating sandwiches. I have bread at almost every meal and my body isn’t handling it very well. I try to avoid it when possible. but it isn’t easy when that’s the only option and you are hungry.
Today we finally started school. It’s weird but it was my favorite part of the day. I’m a tutor for 6 children. Some are at higher levels than others so it may get switched as time goes on. We did classroom rules, they copied it into their notebooks and then we did some literacy (English).
Tuesday, 9 June, 2009 4:27PM Paddy Wagon Limo Bus
I just realized I wrote the date differently. That’s how they do it here, and I have to write it a lot for administration stuff, so I’m just getting used to it. I’m not yet used to the way they say the time. Something like 4:30 would be said “half past 4” where I would say “four thirty.” I don’t even use the terms “quarter to” or “quarter after” I guess that’s why it seems so foreign to me.
Anyway, today we went to Dublin, Ireland to meet the President. We first went to the Dublin Zoo, which was cool. I got some neat pictures. The children were filmed and aired on the afternoon news. The presidents house is connected to the zoo. Part of the land was given to the zoo so they could have more space for the animals.
You may not know the President of Ireland is a female. Her name is Mary McAleese. She’s extremely nice. The choir sang 2 songs for her. They were planning on doing a “pop/soda can dance” but the performance was done on carpet, which doesn’t work for the dance.
They made us fruit platters and juice, and there were some really yummy desserts. We got a group picture so hopefully I will get a copy.
Right now we are on our way back to our base camp in Portadown, Northern Ireland.
I didn’t realize it would be this long that I wouldn’t have communication with anyone. It really really bothered me yesterday. I tried to not let it show, I told Michelle, but I eventually got over it. It still bothers me greatly, but I really don’t have a choice so I just have to deal with it.
We are going to Belfast on Thursday to the Parliament buildings and doing a concert for a Business in the Community event. Friday or Saturday we are heading to Scotland and are there until July 13th. Then we are off to Dubai! I was told we are there for 2 weeks. Our next concert isn’t until August 10th, so we may take a week off and do a fun camp for the kids. I can’t believe how much time has gone by already. I think my time here will be finished before I know it. In ways I’m very happy, but in ways I am sad. I want to enjoy all the time I have with the children. I’m doing this for them, it’s not about me at all.
We are getting going again, and I’m using up my battery power so I’m going for now.
I honestly have no idea when I will even have the possibility of having internet. I’m guessing my next host family or possibly at the next church we perform at, but I don’t know when that is. Probably Friday is Scotland if I had to guess.
Wednesday, 18 June, 2009 11:32PM Motherwell, Scotland
So it’s been a while since I’ve written. I’ve gotten a hold of internet, but not too much. So I have ignored this for a while. It’s late and I’m tired, but I know if I don’t do it tonight, it might not be til next week. We have 3 concerts this weekend so it will keep me quite busy.
Last Friday we did leave for Scotland. I’m here now and there is a big rain storm. I haven’t missed the rain. I talked to my family and so I’m feeling much much better about things. I stayed with a wonderful family in Carstairs. I had 4 boys with me, I was quite nervous, but it ended up being fabulous. I really enjoyed them. They behave much better in host families, so it’s quite easy. The hardest part is getting them in and out of the shower and into bed. They seem to think its play time still. Boys will be boys.
I’ve had internet 3 times, 2 of them were on someone else’s computer which is why you STILL haven’t seen this. I’m a bit mad at myself for not being able to do it when I had the chance, but I was replying to emails instead. They were important. I just feel like this is so outdated, and if i was more diligent you would have more info.
Our first days in Scotland were wonderful. We went to the beach in Ayr, and the children loved it. There was also a really great swing park, I got a few pictures, which I am finally uploading onto my computer as I type this. There are a lot, so I am using the time to do this, even though I’d rather sleep.
My last host family was in Carstairs, where I had the 4 boys. It’s a very very small village where everyone knows everyone. I love it. The people at the church were just amazing at how much they supported us with everything. So loving. They set it up that all the children got bathing suits and they got a pool reserved for us to all swim together. We had our first 3 night stay here, so the first night the boys went out to play football in the village park across the street, and literally ALL the children from the village showed up. Everyone knew we were there, a few other host families joined us, so there were about 12 of the choir children. All the girls were talking pictures and interviewing the boys. It was really funny to me. We were pretty much celebrities to them. The people there said it was nice to see everyone get together to play with them.
It was on my day off that we went swimming, but I don’t regret going at all. It’s cute because all the children just latch on the adults and want to be pulled around. It was only their second time in a pool, so they are still somewhat getting used to it, so they aren’t too adventurous yet. None of them are afraid to be in it, though some will stay in the kid pool still. It’s nice that way because I didn’t feel too nervous knowing they pretty much all stayed near an adult on their own. I think Dubai will be different because it will be public pools with a lot of people in them, so we are going to have to be watching them all like hawks.
The earlier part of my day off was spent with Michelle. My great host family woke up the boys and got them all ready to go, so I got to have what they call a late lye. (sleeping in) I woke up just to make sure everything was smoothly and to remind the boys what clothes to wear. It’s a daily thing to remind them of what clothes they need to wear.
My host family drove us into New Lanark where we did a little bit of shopping and looking around. It’s a very small place, but quite cute. We wanted to go out to eat just for something different. So we went to a pizza/fish n chips place. We ordered our food and the seating area was separated, then they put our food in bags and we asked if we could eat it there, but she said no. We had to sit there and order it on the other side if we wanted to eat inside. It was strange. So we ate in a Tesco’s parking lot. Tesco is one of the major supermarkets here. It’s closest to our Super Wal Mart, but its more of a grocery store, the other departments aren’t very big, but bigger than a normal grocery store. They have a store called Asda, which is owned by Wal Mart, it’s supposed to be better than Tesco and it’s 24 hours. I haven’t yet been to one. I’m excited though. There isn’t really malls anywhere. I’ve been to 2 so far, but didn’t spend much time in them, they are quite similar to ours, just smaller. Most towns just have the stores on the side of the road in old buildings.
It was really hard to leave Carstairs, it’s my favorite place so far. I actually got teary eyed leaving. I wouldn’t want to live there I don’t think, but the people are infectious and make you want to stay, I didn’t notice that there was nothing to do because I just enjoyed my time with the people, it makes you realize what you really need and don’t need to survive. This whole trip I’ve been realizing that more and more everyday.
I also heard there is a slight chance we will be going back, everyone is really excited. We all pretty much felt the same way about the experience. We also will get to stay with the same host families.
I am now in Motherwell, and staying with 3 girls. Two are quite noisy, still good, so it takes a bit of extra effort to get things done. One of them is my partner on the bus, she’s soo soo sooo cute.
My host family is very nice and let me use their phone and computer, they are rather shy, so I wasn’t sure if I should stay down and talk to them, so I just told them I had things I needed to get done and they were fine with it.
The wind is quite strong here, at least right now it is. It also just got dark. It took forever for the girls to settle into bed because they still think its daytime. It looked like it was Noon outside when they went to bed at 9ish tonight. It’s sometimes hard for me to get used to as well.
Anyway, things are getting a lot better for me, I feel more comfortable everyday, and enjoying myself more, and learning so much. It’s really nice. I’ll fill in any other details I may have forgotten later.
Oh, four of the children got sick on the bus coming here because we were driving along the coast in the bus, the road is very curvy, it wasn’t a pretty picture. Pictures are done downloading, I’ll have to name them another time.
I burnt my hair on my curling iron... I got a new converter and it is obviously too powerful for it, my other one says the same voltage, and it didn’t happen with it, so I don’t know what the issue is. My flat iron turns on, but it doesn’t get hot. I don’t want to leave it in too long and have it blow up on me or something. I might buy a cheap one here, haven’t decided yet. I don’t get much time to do cool things with my hair. Busy waking the children up. I’m totally living the life of a mom. Moms deserve more love people. You don’t realize what they go through until you have to do it yourself.
P.S. Yogurt is Amazing here! I love it. It's soo soo much better. Sorry people. It has way more flavor to me. Ive tried so many brands too. They are all so yummy.
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