Let's Think

Every drop of sweat, every step, every piece of trash picked up is to better someone's life. I am becoming a better and happier person because I know I'm helping other people.

Yesterday, I had to pick up trash outside the orphanage as a punishment for turning in my lesson plan late. It gave me a lot of time to think. I decided to not let myself get distracted and really push myself to always be doing something productive. You need to bring change, not just wait for it.

Today, I spent the majority of the day with little kids from the slums and some from the orphanage in the library. The library is nothing like our libraries in America, it is more like a shack with shelves and books. The cement floor is covered by thin mats and there are ants in every corner. It is not clean by any stretch of the imagination, a lot of young, dirty children come in there everyday. Its is nothing like I pictured it to be. There were about 16 kids and they all wanted to be picked up and played with. For the most part, the kids were good. When I was coloring with them, I was imagining what it would be like to live their lives. It confuses me how Americans have so much but are so unhappy and how these kids have so little but are filled with joy. I also found out that you can do nails by coloring them with crayon. My day was filled with laughs and smiles.

We are making a lot of progress on the boys' house. Tomorrow, we will finish the windows, put up the walls, and possibly paint. Today, we cemented the lower sides of the house and the floor. I don't think we could do it without the people that help us everyday, like our lovely translator Meng, the tuk tuk drivers Boo Phat and Boo Lei, and so many more that aren't payed to help us. I know that this experience will improve my skills, self worth, and self knowledge.

“Give them a reason to remember your name.” I want to be the person that changes there lives.