are now three more months, so even the half of my voluntary service in Ecuador over and it's time for my second interim report.
Since my first review some things changed in the project in which I work:
were made to some construction and there are now on the farm, a chapel and in the project live young have a new house . get
Now almost all children live in a house and sleeping in a room in bunk beds. Only the four oldest, and children are living by yourself in a previous apartment houses and have their own room.
It was also elsewhere the money was cut and then the external child can not come this year to eat in the "Granja". You still have the opportunity to come to the homework help. This power, however, has never claimed a child, because the motivation was to get into the project influenced by the warm meal.
With this change has also changed my daily routine.
Now I must not help to prepare the food area, as the boys who live in the farm to eat in the kitchen.
Furthermore, there is my homework group now only of the three children of the caretaker and their cousin. Nevertheless, the homework help by the few number of children has not become easier because the children have to concentrate very hard for themselves, have a very poor variation within Zahlenverstaendnis, can only very poorly or not at reading and writing need, and therefore each lot can help or homework and academic requirements not manage alone.
Also, my living situation has changed. I moved from the project and now live with a host family. This I have now fixed working hours and work an average of only 8 hours a day. Like
Life in my new host family to me very well and although I have not been there long live there all right I feel comfortable and at home.
By living with Ecuadorians, I also feel better to learn the language and culture and the lives of the people here better understand and witness.
On weekends, however, I am usually not at my host family, but traveling with other volunteers.
local friends I find it difficult to find. Boys and men show much interest in me because of my different appearance and youthful. If I were alone or only with females traveling'm a lot behind whistled and hinterhergeschrien. Often for a few words of English from the vocabulary of attention to yourself the person you looking for. I find that quite hard and it shows me that I am seen more "different" and that I even if I would live here for many years somehow never quite this would include, but always as a "gringa" (term that originally For girls and women from the USA and the relatives was seen today would mean all white and rich people).
Also, I am often seen as a tourist and some people try to talk to me in English, although my English is usually a lot better than their English is disturbs me greatly. Finally, I've been living for half a year in Ambato, I know from here and I'm not just passing through.
That I will, however, often labeled as a tourist and my language skills are in jeopardy, prevents me from myself really settle.
Weltwaerts program is an educational service, since, clearly raises the question of what I learned during my volunteer service.
I think the last six months in Ecuador have learned a lot. I found myself often in difficult situations that I had to deal with my initial no existing English Kent Nissen.
Moreover, I learned the importance of respect in every human relationship, and that one can demand only so much respect from one person, as one is willing also to give. If respect is lost or not even built it is very difficult to lead a normal relationship with another man. When I came into the project it was for me to be respected by the children very difficult. You tried auszzutesten its limits and made quite a bit of mischief. It is of course difficult for a boy who may have never received the respect of his primary caregivers, other consideration and respect to give. I now have more respect, I realize the fact that the children such as me do not steal any more stuff like. At first, I have given, for example, none of the children my phone and did not want to play with my card games with them because they had stolen the cards.
I can now give my phone or my card and even the children have left the room without fear that my things are stolen. That was unthinkable at first.
that young people have placed in me now I see more respect than a personal success and also as a development of my skills.
general, I had many problems in the project, those who were not able to solve, so I the project would now go.
But I am to have worked happy and grateful for half a year with these young boys, who once lived on the street. Of course there were difficult moments and situations, and many problem situations. But young people are very honest and say when something does not fit them, but can also be very insulting. This I have learned not to take everything personally, and to distinguish between constructive and destructive criticism. For constructive criticism can definitely bring positive changes.
Also I met the fate of individual boys. It took me a long time before individual young people the confidence built up to me and opened my. Of course, I had also once able to speak English to some extent in order to have me talk to the boys about serious topics.
But some boy told me part of their life history, which is very sad. About life alone on the street without a roof over their heads, no food, no warm clothes, but with much fear the dark. be beaten up by drunken people about it, because this hope for a little money by a street boy.
on some things in the project I got used to over time. For example, that this is not so hygienic is, as I used to in Germany was and that the children are not always clean or unpleasant smell.
to the prevailing violence in this project, I've still not got used. The children themselves often beat for fun, but for fun is also the often serious and for me it is difficult to determine when this limit, which is only defined in very vague, is exceeded.
Overall, I think that my work was useful to young people. I have been able to help with various everyday things and get a little place in their hearts.
Well pleased I am on my new project and a new challenge where I will hopefully learn as much as in the first half year of my voluntary service in Ecuador!
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