Another scorching start to the day here, and the end of my first week at the project; this week has been about learning the routine of the school and today’s schedule caught me out. After breakfast, both groups of four-year-olds went to a nearby park, so not being prepared for this and without any sun cream or hat I spent the next 2 ½ hours being well and truly toasted under a cloudless sky. During lunch back at the school I could feel the skin on my face tightening up. I will be prepared next time but for now I have a rather rosy glow about me.
Before I came to Ecuador I had this image of everyone wearing hats for protection from the sun; in fact, apart from baseball caps and a few indigenous people, no one wears hats apart from the tourists who stand out wearing their brand new panama hats. Also, and this is something Bailey the American volunteer noticed, few people wear sunglasses, this is on the equator and seriously you need a hat and a good pair of sunglasses here.
At afternoon break at the school there was a party for all the children who had a birthday this week, the staff danced and made a fuss of the kids and jelly and cake was had by all. Thinking about it now, maybe they do not get anything at home on their birthday so the school staff make sure they have their moment of celebration.
So my first week completed at the project and I have settled in and looking forward to the rest of my time here. Along with the other volunteers I am really tired at the end of the day, we have all discussed this and we are doing far less than we normally do but by 8.30 pm we are all ready to turn in for the day. So at 9.25 I am about to get things ready for an early start tomorrow and get some sleep.
