'Mingalarbar' , my very first Burmese word, hello. With a whole day in front of us I am excited to get to know all the children. We arrive early at the orphanage to meet up. Within the compound there are 2 two-storey buildings. Having started out with just one small building for everyone, their living conditions have improved greatly. Now all the boys have their own section and the head monk has his own small area to live in.
Although I cannot really speak much to the head monk you can't help but feel so much admiration towards a man who dedicated his life to helping children left in this world with no family. With the support you provide he has been able to take in more little children and this year the amount has risen to 47. We have a sort of mutual respect for each other and I can see that over the years there is a very strong bond that has developed between him and my parents.
Anyway back to my day 2 entry. I finally manage to learn some of their names which are so long! The children hold our hands everywhere we go and we all feel like a big family. The happiness of these children is extraordinary and it makes you want to give them the world. They refer to me as 'Sister Nina' and it just melts my heart to have so much love thrown at me.
We went for a day trip visiting temples and a world famous meditation centre (if you are interested let me know ;-) ). I am not sure if the laughter of the children was well received but it didn't seem to phase them. It was so much fun and the children love getting the chance to get out and about. After a long day of adventure we head home.
In the evening time we play lots of games with all the children and the room quickly becomes a huge playground. The language barrier does not seem to be a problem at all as they are quick learners and everyone wants a turn. A skipping game I teach them is the most successful as its a reason to jump and scream.
