So, volunteering so far… I’m working at a daycare center in a poor area of Bangkok. Most of the people in the area are day laborers, and since parents work, without the center they’d have no one to watch their kids. The center also provides the kids with clothes and other items, and gives them milk and lunch everyday.
My role is to help the Thai aides take care of about 50 kids ages 2-5, and to help both the kids (and the aides) get a little exposure to English in the process. It’s very hectic, because all the kids are crowded into one small room. The older kids do pretty well with following directions and doing what they’re supposed to, but the littlest ones tend to just run around and go wherever.
First thing in the morning everyday, they sing the national anthem (well, scream is a better word) and then scream their prayers, and then scream a few Thai songs that the head of the school leads. One song is about 10 ways to be a good little kid, and another is about alligators and elephants. Then we read them stories, and they color and play around, and then after that they have lunch and then take a nap. They love to tell stories and ask questions, both of which are all in Thai, and I have no idea what any of the kids are saying all day, or what any of their names are for that matter, but it’s still a lot of fun.