Week 3 Continued

I haven't updated in almost a week, but I'll try to keep it brief.

Tuesday 3/24 - At Sarah Fox they were painting the toddlers' playroom so we combined all of the kids into the older kids' ward. Since we had enough volunteers, we took all of the kids outside for most of the day. They loved it.

After placement we visited the District Six museum in Cape Town. District Six is a former residential area in the inner city. Over 60,000 of its inhabitants were forced to move in the 1970's by the Group Areas Act where the government declared the area "whites-only". Most people were relocated to the township areas about 25 km from the city. The museum was designed to serve as a remembrance to apartheid and the culture and history of the area before the removal. So interesting but very intense.

Wednesday 3/25 - Worst Day ever at Sarah Fox. The nurses decided to call an "all-staff" meeting. So basically, two other volunteers and I were left to run the entire hospital. The meeting was held right outside of the door to the older kids' room and we were told not to interrupt for any reason. Since we were short on help, we had to combine all the kids into that one room. One of the kids was screaming in pain at one point, but when we tried to take him in to the nurses they shooed us away. The same happened for multiple kids that had gotten sick or had made huge messes on themselves. After awhile the situation got a little out of control. Fifty kids in one tiny room for several hours didn't go over so well. The other volunteer walked out crying.

When we were about to leave, I went to see how Alex was doing in the baby ward.. and she was crying too. She was trying to feed one of the babies that had come in earlier that day. The baby had herpes lesions all over his mouth but he was so starving that he was leaning in for every bite of food. The food was hot though, and every time it touched his mouth he screamed in pain. He was also bleeding down his chin. It was obvious that the baby needed different food, but there weren't any nurses or other staff around to ask.

A couple of people came in to relieve us when it was time to leave, but the staff were all still in the meeting.

After placement we went into one of the townships called Guguletu to a little outside restaurant called Mzoli's. The restaurant serves meat but everyone is responsible for bringing their own drinks, sides, etc. CCS takes volunteers to eat there about once every three or four weeks as one of our cultural activities. Usually there is a band playing from the township and one of the local residents will paint volunteers faces with cool African tribal-looking designs. When we got there today though a film crew was shooting some sort of movie so we had to eat quietly and didn't really get the full cultural experience.

When we got back Whitney and I went into Rondebosch and bought some more clothes for placement since mine always get ruined at the hospital. We had smoothies for dinner at one of the little internet cafes.

Thursday 3/26 - Much better day at Sarah Fox. I was the only volunteer in the entire hospital in the morning, but the nurses were actually there to help me out a little bit. I combined all of the kids again in the older kids' play room and when the two other volunteers got there, we took all the kids outside. I tried to teach some of the older girls how to "pump" on the swings because they are always yelling for me to push them.. None of them really understand English, so most of them had no idea what I was talking about, but one actually got it by the end of the day. Hopefully she can teach the others.

After placement we had a farewell meeting for all of the 3-week volunteers who are leaving this week. So weird to think we've already been here that long. It seems like we just got here yesterday. Some of the others are leaving too that have been here for almost 12 weeks. More will be coming next Saturday.

The rest of the group went out for a farewell dinner after the meeting, but Bailey came and picked me up for a night away. We went to eat at a little restaurant in Green Point called Manos and then to a couple little cocktail patios afterwards. I don't think I can handle any more meals at the house, so it was so so nice to go to a new place to eat. I had a salmon and avocado salad yum. I saw Bailey's apartment and met her roommate. Both so nice.