TheBanyanTree: Starting Work at Last

[apmartin at canada.com]

Andrew and I visited the Camino Seguro (Safe Passage)
office today to make arrangements to start work.  We
met with Monique from Belgium, the work coordinator,
who asked if we wouldn’t mind working at the project
site near the Guatemala City Dump for our first week
because they are short-staffed.  Although our
preference is to work at Casa Hogar, the live-in
facility housing 30 children near Antigua, we are
willing to be flexible.

On Monday, we meet Monique and the other volunteers at
the Antigua bus station at 7:00 am and will travel
together to the Project.  For security, the volunteers
always travel in a group.  That means we’ll need to get
up at 5:30 am every morning.  It takes nearly an hour
and a half to get to work (an hour on the chicken bus
and a twenty minute walk through very dangerous
streets.)  We’ll get back to Antigua at 5:30 in the
evening.  It’s going to be a long, long day and will
take some getting used to.  

I’m very excited about the many activities planned for
us next week.  On Monday, we have been invited to
accompany a social worker on a home visit to give us a
better idea of the children’s living conditions.  

I will assist in one the classrooms for most of the
week.  Andrew will go to a different work site near the
dump to be trained as a carpentry teacher and then will
help set up a carpentry shop at Casa Hogar in Antigua. 
We’ll be moving there on October 2 and will have our
own little bungalow in a walled community of
volunteers.  

On Thursday Guatemala has a special day that celebrates
their children.  There will be a fiesta (party) at the
Project and I will help with party preparations.  

On Friday the students' parents meet with the teachers
to discuss their child’s progress and any concerns.  At
that time, Camino Seguro provides the entire family
with a food hamper.  I will assist in making up the
hampers and have been invited to sit in on the
parent/teacher conferences.   It’s going to be a very
interesting week


I’m finally going to start the work I came here for and
I’m thrilled!

Pat

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