We were so sad to complete our pilgrimage to Santiago and we weren't really sure what to do next. It all seemed so finished. Going back to the UK was a strange experience. It was wonderful to go back to church and see all our friends and family but we didn't have our own home, we didn't have a place of work and everyone had carried on with their lives while we were away. Where did we fit in, did we fit in?
I have been reminded over this last week of the alpha and omega carving on the cathedral in Santiago. Strangely it is reversed. It is there to remind us that one journey finishes and another one begins. And so it has. Project Why is a pilgrimage in itself. Many people have been on this journey for a long time and it's humbling to finally join them on their walk.
The kids here at project why are incredible. It is obvious that many of them are burdened with very grown up responsibilities and it's such a joyful experience to see them come into the project each day, leave their worries at the door and transform into sponges ready to soak up every little bit of information they can. We have soooooooooo much fun everyday and we feel very privileged to share some new things with the kids that many haven't had the opportunity to be part of before.
First time blowing bubbles. The bubble show was a MASSIVE hit. Alan held them captive for 20 minutes and they tried super hard to keep their promise to sit on their bottoms and not pop the bubbles. But like all kids - this was a difficult promise to keep - it was just too tempting and exciting. Alan did us proud and even managed a bit of bubble tennis and bubbles inside bubbles. We took them outside group by group so they could try and blow their own bubbles. We're pretty sure many of them had never blown a bubble before. It was great PR for the project as many local kids joined in.
First time a cow has walked through a bubble workshop.
First time the bubble mix was used to clean the classroom floor after a show.
First time playing with a jigsaw puzzle. I was lucky enough to be helping out in the additional needs classroom when a six year old boy arrived for his very first day at school. The classroom was a hive of activity with half the class painting pots for Diwali and half playing with lovely wooden puzzles. He was very nervous and was sat between a teacher and me as we painted pots. A puzzle was set before him and he had no idea what to do with it. So I tipped out the pieces and put the puzzle back together again. I tipped out the pieces again and helped him to finish the puzzle. He put all the pieces upside down in all the wrong places. Over the next hour we completed a few puzzles together, he was getting the idea. Slowly I walked him over to the kids playing with puzzles and he sat down and started joining in. He kept looking over searching for encouraging smiles which I was more than happy to provide. I'm not sure what my heart was bursting with but it was certainly bursting.
First time being covered in shit. We'll I wasn't actually covered in shit and it wouldn't be the first time. But I died of embarrassment one day as somehow I had managed to step in some dog/cow/chicken/human shit (take your pick, I really wasn't sure). And somehow I had managed to get a bit of it on my trousers. Somehow I was the only one amongst around 50 very clean children to have got themselves into this predicament. I actually thought I was going to die with the shame of it all. The majority of these children do not have running water in their home, I'm guessing many have dirt floors and share their small space with a lot of family members. Yet, here I was, covered in shit. Typical.
First time playing cricket with the teaching staff inside during the lunch break. The staff are so much fun. We eat together, play games together, sometimes sleep and talk and talk.
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