Advertisement
Published: January 21st 2011
Edit Blog Post
Puerto Vallarta
There are altogether 8 of us volunteers working from the same organisation out here, although the others are all volunteering for 3 months, and 2 are staying in a mountain village 3 hours outside of Puerto Vallarta.
After a struggle finding our way through Mexico city airport (confusing terminals!) and a small plane journey, it was a relief to finally arrive here!
We spent our first week exploring, and the co-ordinator showed us around and our projects which was a massive help. She also gave us tips on the good places to eat out etc. We explored the city and got used to the heat before starting our projects on the Wednesday. The city is probably more of a town, but I'm going to carry on calling it a city! The main touristy stretch is called Malecon which is right on the beach front, and there are bars and touristy tequila shops (yet to be experienced!) there. The older part of town is further on from there, called Vieja Vallarta (literally 'old Vallarta') and that is where the flea market is, but also the gay centre of town, as PV is known as the Gay Centre of Mexico!
Puerto Vallarta
View along the beach, Malecon is on the right We're going to go visit their beach, apparently it's beautiful! There are also boutique shops with lovely clothes set back from the touristy places, which are good to look at.
The Apartment
The apartment I am staying in with 3 of the girls is basic, there are 2 bedrooms, a bathroom and a kitchen. It is nice though and starting to feel more like home. It is in a good area, the supermarket is only 20 minute walk away, and the other arpartment with the other 2 girls in it is only a 10 minute walk away. There are reular buses that leave from a clock away from the apartment, oh and it has a swimming pool!!!!
Casa Hogar Refugio
The orphanage is not an orphanage in the conventional sense of the word, most of the children have parents but the authorities have taken them off their parents because they have been abused, or their parents take drugs, in Mexico they are known as 'refugios', literally a 'refuge'. Me and Hebe are in one orphanage, called Casa Hogar, and we're working with babies and toddlers. There are all really sweet, and most of
Apartment Living area
The kitchen is to the right, as is the corridor with the bathrooom and bedrooms them just want a bit of attention anda hug. We work 8.30 am til 1.30pm. A typical day would be playing with the children until around 10am when it's breakfast for them. They always have some kind of soupy stew which has like pasta or rice in it and bits of chicken and some tortillas (like wraps) that you break up for them and mix in. You then have to feed the children.
There are about 10 toddlers, most of them can feed themselves, you just have to spoonfeed them when they get bored and don't want anymore. There are also two toddlers with downs symndrome, who both need spoonfeeding everytime, but they are both very loving, and out of all the children, they cry the least. There are also 3 babies which need bottlefeeding and nappy changing around the same time, which Hebe and I do, which is so cute, you have to wind them and then lie them on mats on the floor and play with them for a bit after changing them. The babies then have a nap so we go back with the toddlers into this bigger playroom, or outside and play with them until it's time for us to leave, with a break at around 12 where they have biscuits and water. Sometimes at around 12.30 is bathtime, so we have to dry them, and find them clothes to dress them in. Their lunch is just when we leave at 1.30. In the big playroom they have lots of toys, and one of their favourite games is to be pushed around on toy cars and bikes all the way around the playroom, so tiring! They also like to be chased and tickled!
My Mexican Hospital Experience
Last weekend i started to feel a little bit ill, with a temperature and headache, but i thought it was sunstroke as i spent the day on the beach on Saturday (though definately DID NOT burn!!!!) but basically the short of it is i had a stomach infection called Proteus and wound up in hospital on the tuesday as i had a rash and a blinding headache. They putme on a drip with strong antibiotics and i was free to leave by 5pm, with a sackful of medicene and a large hospital bill! (definatley will be clainmed off insurance!!) I am feeling much better now, and the hospital was a private one, and very clean and i was treated well. I can say it was an altogether pleasant experience given the circumstances!
Apart from my hospital experience, I am really starting to like it here! i can ee why previous volunteers have wanted to come back for longer!!!!
Advertisement
Tot: 0.162s; Tpl: 0.011s; cc: 5; qc: 44; dbt: 0.1098s; 1; m:domysql w:travelblog (10.17.0.13); sld: 1;
; mem: 1.1mb