Contemplating life over an ice cube and straw

When a plane touches down there's always a sense of relief that you've made it- I've never felt that so wonderfully than when the plane touched down in Rio, Brazil! 

Having waited 4hrs in miami I had convinced myself that the would be some problem preventing me from reaching the final destination for the beginning of tour. So when the 9hr journey was over and those wheels hit tarmack I was ecstatic. I'd made it to rio- maybe this wasn't too good to be true after all!

I had met a girl on the forum for the tour before we got there so after I got ripped off with a Rio taxi I walked to her hotel to meet. We knew we only had one day in Rio so had to do the obvious- Christ the redeemer! 

Gill and I went and spent 30minutes trying to get selfies and take in the giant and the views of Rio surrounding.

That evening we met the group and I judged books by their covers. Half the group are around 40+ which I hadn't expected. Oh how great they all are- there is a group of 15 of us, and its the greatest laugh ever. Within 24hrs I had been asked to have a vodka night and their all just hilarious! 

Thursday was a day of travelling to Ilha Grande- an island off the coast of Brazil just down from Rio. It was an island of pure beauty and just want to return! It all reminds you a little of Pirates of The carribean with sanded roads and idillic shops on the beach front, with rolling rainforest everywhere on the mountains you can see. We spent a day and a half there, and on one hiked through the rainforest at 9am to visit 3 beaches on the other side of the island. 

A tough hike but so worth the work as the views and beaches were incredible! Rolling white sand that squeeked when you walk on it because its so fine and blue seas with rolling waves. Due to the hike its not massively busy so was a great place to just relax and swim for the whole day- though now a little red! 

Today was a day of travelling to Paraty a colonial town further down the coast! We have walked through the town and now Im sitting in a hammock listening to thunder and rain as there's a tropical storm.

Brazil. Is. Bliss.

Last Of Honduras

So on Friday I had my last day at AFE after 1 month of volunteering there! 
Goodbyes are never nice and this wasn't especially because it holds a place in my heart. Having visited before and balled my eyes out I expected to cry lots- though at school I managed to just about hold it in!

The day was a crazy day as they had a team doing activities for them in the morning and then after, a government team was handing out crocs and had set up bouncy castles and popcorn on the campo! Therefore when the presentation had finished the kids had lots on and so I didn't have much time to say goodbye! 

Luckily the presentation provided a little of that opportunity! Every time a team volunteers at AFE on the Friday they all have a 'thankyou' ceremony. Each year group performs a play, dance or song which they perform. After they then create a circle and pray for the team in the middle, and after the count of 3 when finished- a hundred or so run at the team for a group hug! 

All good when there's a group..!
 After they finished the teams celebration they reformed the circle (I thought that was unusual) and then Ruth led me in to the centre!! (Uh-oh) They were saying thankyou to me for my work (I thought I'd be able to slip away!!) and then Ruth prayed for me (that really jerked some tears!). Then, all the kids on the count of 3, RAN at me! 100kids v. 1Emily. I think it's safe to say I squished 10 feet and almost toppled 20 times! 
None the less, after a hug from pretty much every kid, it was a lovely way to say bye to many of the students I had gotten to know over a month! 

Everytime I come here I fall in love with AFE more and more, so I'm already wanting to return asap- probably next year on a student budget!! 

Till next time AFE XX

Clinic

Hi Guys,

So as I wrote in my last blog I am helping one of the doctors re-paint the clinic at AFE as they were rather bright colours! 

The clinic provides daily care for around 30 people a day with a team of around 4 people working tirelessly from 8am-12.30. They provide a range of health care for trash dump workers and the local community at AFE. 

It also provides a clinic for the students at AFE daily if they injure themselves at school or come to school with a problem.

The clinic has 3 doctors rooms, a pharmacy, a toilet and a waiting area.

When we arrived a month ago and saw the colours I didn't feel they were very clinical and were very bright. 

I don't know how we got on to the subject of repainting (holly and I), but I'm guessing the mention of maybe wanting to spend my afternoons doing a decorating project of some sorts if needed- jogged it! 

3 weeks later in the massively busy schedule at AFE we have started to repaint! 

We are painting most walls a medium grey, and are going to paint feature walls in each room a burnt (I think) orange! There were hopes of me painting a mural but I don't know if I'll have time! We have also had to cleanse some walls and paint mould prevention on them. 

The paints and equiptment initially cost around £80. We began work today once school finished at 12 and have already gone through half a tin of paint for two walls!! It looks as though we may have to buy some more paint! 

I would love to raise the money for the paints for the clinic as its an expense the clinic could really do without spending and use it for medicines and equipment instead! 

So, I guess this blog post is a gentle plea for donations! I would ideally like to raise £150 for the clinic as the original cost of £80 will rise due to the need of more paints! Any extra will go towards the clinics running and equipment expenses! 

If you would to donate, here's a guide of how:

1.On the AFE donate page you will fill out a form about donations. 

2.It will ask you to select an option- please select AFE CLINIC.

3.Select the amount you would like to donate.

4. In the NOTES box please write:

Paints for clinic- h&a. 

5. Submit your gratefully appreciated donation! 

All that's left to say is THANKYOU! It may only be paint but will make a big difference! 

(My blog wont let me upload pics- sorry ): If you have me on Fb I'll put them up there, and will make it public others who dont)


Lots of Love and THANKYOU from me and everyone at AFE X

http://www.afehonduras.org/donate

AFE's clinic

So in my final week at AFE we are going to start painting the clinic at AFE! I've been wanting to do it since I got here but the school have been so busy with other teams here I had to hang fire!

The walls are currently half yellow and green, and half dark blue and light. It doesn't go together and the separating lines for the colours are all messy and an artists nightmare! 

(This is when I can tell I'm my mums daughter!)

So now we are going to repaint it all a light grey, and then I've designed some murals and hopefully one of which will go up on the wall in the waiting area. 

The aim is to make it a sterile but light area, with a bit of fun to give children something to concentrate on whilst waiting! 

Hopefully that will begin on monday- though we may not finish in time for my departure but I know there are people to carry it on! 

I would like to raise the money for the paints that were bought- all in all I think it came to around £80.So if you lovely blog readers would like to donate towards the cost then please do! I don't know how I will work the donations with being here but I will update tomorrow/ Sunday on how that would work! 

Lots of Love, and thankyou for support :)

E

AFE update

Life at AFE has very much become a pleasant routine! School starts at 8 so we get the rapidito bus from the community to school.

Lessons are 45 minutes long and I either have 4 or 5 lessons a day. I'm teaching all grades in Primary school and every class is different. It keeps my day lively as one class I'll have 11 crazy second graders and the next I'll have 5 calm third graders! 

The main thing is that the kids are so loving here- I probably won't have even walked through the gates of school and will have received 5 hugs of 'Goodmorning!' Seeing smiles on the kids faces throughout the day is something so amazing. Amazing to think that they can have fun and learn at AFE, relax and help others, though sad also as when they leave at the end of school they will either go to the trash dump for work or back to bad living conditions.

That doesn't deter the amazing team at AFE though- the kids wouldn't have half a chance if it wasn't for the caring teachers! 

It's sad to think that next week is my last week- a month here has gone very quickly! 

Though now I'm collecting air miles hopefully I'll be able to get back here sooner than I thought! 

E! 

Valetines at AFE

Valentines day was a day I thought would suck being travelling and my other half back in england- though I have to admit I rather felt OK! 

At AFE on the Friday we unexpectedly had celebrations for valentines day instead of lessons! A whole range of activities were played out on the football pitch infront of AFE- all done in a rotation with every year group! 

Teaching can sometimes restrict the level of friendships you build with children as they will always see part of you as a teacher. Not having much time with the kids apart from In lessons- I wanted to get stuck in with activities to try and cross that bridge. I ended up finishing the activities covered in water and flour (a bad mix in hair)! 

I guess it was the 'Emily's new let's get her!' Idea, but it was great fun none the less! At the end we had a presentation for valentines cards they could give to their best friends! It was a lovely little moment and even better at the end when I had been given a total of 5 cards by some of my students! 

If there was going to be something that didn't make you miss your loved ones (as much) on valentines day- that was sure it and it was lovely!! (I obviously still missed loved ones....!) 

Lots of belated valentines love,
E!

Different life from home!

I always took for granted hot water, I never thought about running water and a flushing toilet. Well here I am In Honduras, showering out of a bucket and using a toilet that doesnt flush. At first it was really difficult to adjust too, but its getting easier to shower with a bucket! I do, however, look forward to that first hot shower in the future and flush of a toilet! Oh the simple things in life! 

Teaching is great fun though difficult also. Some kids seem to take advantage of my little Spanish (I don't blame them) and so I had children climbing on tables and fighting whilst I turned my back to write on the board! It may have all been in good spirits- just frustrating for me when I don't know how to ask them to sit down! 

Currently in the school there is also an American team of around 12 people doing some construction work. They are regular visitors and so know the importance of speed to make it better for the kids. I've started to help in the afternoons, doing labour such as digging up a concrete floor and shovelling it in to buckets! Its hard work but good upper body strength building so I don't gain lots of food babies from the amount of tortillas I am eating a day! 

An american team means more american English, and apparently I'm picking up a twang! Every time I Skype or call home I get asked why I'm talking like an american (though many Americans here would disagree)- its because I've encountered aprox 3 Englishmen in the whole of my trip so far, the rest have been american! The teams here still take enjoyment out of my calling my 'pants' trousers, and uderwear, pants! 

Off to now do zumba with a group of students and people from the community! 

Adios, E