This week hasn't been quite as exciting as last, we've been getting behavior reports done for the kids. We spoke to key to find out if there is anything we have missed in our reports and we found out some interesting things. For example one of the girls who is ten years old has been wetting the bed about 5 nights out of 7 due to laziness. Apparently she wakes up and the mas wake her up sometimes during the night to use the toilet but puts off getting up and then wets the bed. Key also told that she was ugly! this seemed a bit harsh but I think what she meant was lazy with hygiene e.g. not brushing her hair or washing frequently enough.
I have been trying to do some work with Rachana and since giving her a big telling off after which i didn't think she'd talk to me again, and doing some activities with her, hopefully making her feel a bit special, she has been quite sweet and I am becoming very fond of her. I haven't done much educational activities with her however as I need to gather a huge amount of energy and patience for that. I had a bit of a scary experience this week when using the 'supernanny' technique, Bros was kicking up (literally) a huge fuss about being made to sit on a spot on the floor, when suddenly 3 kids came running up to me each holding a separate stick to give me I assumed to use on Bros! I didn't, and he gave in to sitting for 5 minutes.
We've been doing a bit more play therapy type activities with Sothy this week. I find it so hard and slightly frustrating, he is just so incapable of anything really. I tried making a 3D picture with him but he seemed much more interested in stacking paint pots, getting as close to me as possible, giving me hugs, which makes painting pretty hard. It sounds sweet and I feel awful saying it but hugging gets old quickly especially in 30 degree heat!
I have been given a couple of cookery lessons by the mas recently, they have taught me to make sweet chilli sauce, cucumber stir fry and morning glory stir fry. I think it will be really useful for university as the ingredients are cheap, simple and it is very quick to make. It has made me aware of how much garlic and sugar they put in food, it's crazy amounts!
We had a dinner with our project trust officer last night and they are coming to visit our project on Tuesday which is exciting.
I'm off to the local hairdresser to get a $2 dollar hair cut now :)
lots of love
Monday, January 30, 2012
Friday, January 20, 2012
Week 18
Sok Sabaye!
I've been back at work for just over a week now after having the best New Year ever in Thailand. We spent a week on a Thai island and then a week in North east Thailand at one of the project trust projects.
It was fab holiday but I wasn't in the slightest bit sad to be returning to work.
This week has been very exciting. The orphanage is making many changes at the moment so our week has been filled with preparations and meetings which have been very interesting and slightly exhausting. We are all moving out of the GH1 building and into GH2 which is very exciting but does mean that some caregivers are being laid off. The office is also moving building.
After the move to GH2 the old children ( 16-19) are stopping the extra English lessons that they have in Phnom Penh, and starting extra English lessons with us every week day evening.
With the move we will have a new schedule with increased activities for everyone including the caregivers who we are encouraging to start cookery lessons and trips out of the home with the kids. We were creating the new schedule this week.
The budget has been a bit of a problem, for example at the moment GH1 doesn't have any shampoo or washing powder so we have been trying to plan further ahead. I'm not sure whether this will improve anything, we haven''t received any money for educational materials since being here which is very annoying. The children's pocket money is being reduced at the moment as currently the children have to pay the teachers money for 'extras' which Magna is going to try and avoid.
Rachana a mischievous child who we believe to have learning and behavioral disabilities, was expelled from school this week. It is due mainly to her biting other children which causes extra worry due to her HIV status, but also due to general inability to concentrate and misbehavior. Including snatching other children's and the teachers materials and toys. Beth and I are especially worried as we don't want her to turn into another Sothy (the disabled child) spending her day wondering around the house with nothing to do. So we are going to do more one on one work with her and try to set up a consistent disciplinary plan to improve her behavior so we can get her back to school. We are trying trying to introduce the 'Super nanny' technique to the Group home. This consists of staying sitting under a red dot for 5 mins, explaining why and making her apologies. Currently she is either ignored, shouted at, or locked in a bathroom occasionally with a smack.
We took Sothy and Raksmey (his brother) swimming this week. They and I loved it. When we arrived they hardly got through the door before they had whipped of their clothes, much to my embarrassment. Sothy spent almost the whole time in the water giggling, I tried to teach Raksmey to swim but he found jumping into the pool far more fun. The session didn't last long as they are extremely skinny so were shivering rather violently by the time we got out.
We are already well over a third of the way through the year! Time has gone so quickly but I am now thoroughly settled and have my bearings on the work. I think and hope I am over the majority of my homesickness which is lovely. I am so so happy and would definitely recommend a year away for a gap year :)
I've been back at work for just over a week now after having the best New Year ever in Thailand. We spent a week on a Thai island and then a week in North east Thailand at one of the project trust projects.
It was fab holiday but I wasn't in the slightest bit sad to be returning to work.
This week has been very exciting. The orphanage is making many changes at the moment so our week has been filled with preparations and meetings which have been very interesting and slightly exhausting. We are all moving out of the GH1 building and into GH2 which is very exciting but does mean that some caregivers are being laid off. The office is also moving building.
After the move to GH2 the old children ( 16-19) are stopping the extra English lessons that they have in Phnom Penh, and starting extra English lessons with us every week day evening.
With the move we will have a new schedule with increased activities for everyone including the caregivers who we are encouraging to start cookery lessons and trips out of the home with the kids. We were creating the new schedule this week.
The budget has been a bit of a problem, for example at the moment GH1 doesn't have any shampoo or washing powder so we have been trying to plan further ahead. I'm not sure whether this will improve anything, we haven''t received any money for educational materials since being here which is very annoying. The children's pocket money is being reduced at the moment as currently the children have to pay the teachers money for 'extras' which Magna is going to try and avoid.
Rachana a mischievous child who we believe to have learning and behavioral disabilities, was expelled from school this week. It is due mainly to her biting other children which causes extra worry due to her HIV status, but also due to general inability to concentrate and misbehavior. Including snatching other children's and the teachers materials and toys. Beth and I are especially worried as we don't want her to turn into another Sothy (the disabled child) spending her day wondering around the house with nothing to do. So we are going to do more one on one work with her and try to set up a consistent disciplinary plan to improve her behavior so we can get her back to school. We are trying trying to introduce the 'Super nanny' technique to the Group home. This consists of staying sitting under a red dot for 5 mins, explaining why and making her apologies. Currently she is either ignored, shouted at, or locked in a bathroom occasionally with a smack.
We took Sothy and Raksmey (his brother) swimming this week. They and I loved it. When we arrived they hardly got through the door before they had whipped of their clothes, much to my embarrassment. Sothy spent almost the whole time in the water giggling, I tried to teach Raksmey to swim but he found jumping into the pool far more fun. The session didn't last long as they are extremely skinny so were shivering rather violently by the time we got out.
We are already well over a third of the way through the year! Time has gone so quickly but I am now thoroughly settled and have my bearings on the work. I think and hope I am over the majority of my homesickness which is lovely. I am so so happy and would definitely recommend a year away for a gap year :)
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