Getting to Know Ho!

Day 2 in Ho!  Raegan called this afternoon (they are 6 hours ahead of us, so almost bedtime for them).  After breakfast, which consisted of an egg and one of their very precious protein bars (they are grateful they packed these as Riley mentioned he was afraid those eggs that sit on the table all day might hatch) they headed off to the school (which looks like a shelter at one of our local parks here at home) to teach for the morning.  There were about 20 young (4 - 5  yr old) children and they sang songs and played games.  The children spent most of their time jumping all over Riley.  

Raegan feels bad that Riley is subject to so much 'wide open' breast feeding!  They (the breasts!) are everywhere and children are still nursing at age 3 and older.  This will soon become 'normal' to him I am sure but for now Raegan sends out warnings of nearby "nursers".

Lunch was rice with a sauce that Raegan did not care for but Riley thought was ok.  T  She will be with them for just 2 weeks.  Supper today was yams - with the same sauce as the rice - thus Raegan enjoyed her yam for supper.  Their host mom did offer them each an orange after school today and they really enjoyed that.

Their food comes to their room as they eat differently than the children and adults who they live with. They know that the food they are served is of much higher quality.  The children are eating some sort of play-dough like substance, with their hands, but Riley and Raegan are given a utensil.  What they do not eat is frozen and served the next day.  The bags of water they are given taste fine.  They have not had a single mosquito bite yet but the other volunteer has counted 15 on her legs! (Chloe is from Scotland, and will be with them for 2 weeks).  However she is neglecting to use her net at night.

Raegan was anxious to help a young girl with the dishes yesterday but was told to go rest.  She tried again at supper and again was pushed away.  She checked with her host mom to see if it would be ok to help and was told that "the girl would have to teach you...you use machines...you do not know how to wash dishses"...which is almost true!  But today Raegan made friends with the young girl (14) and was able to help her.