John on Tour: Life at San Damiano

This is a blog I really should have done quite some time ago. However, with my focus solely on hostel life at the moment, and with so much going on, I suppose now is as good a time as any to tell you all about my day to day life with the boys.

My day starts at 6 a.m every day. Most days a week I'll go down to the field with the younger boys and we'll play some football, which is occasionally followed with some cycling training before the sun gets too hot. Any mornings not playing football are spent attending to my tight skype schedule where I thoroughly enjoy catching up with friends or family, making sure I'm still in the loop and up to date with all the gossip!

The morning football crew!

Walking back after a good morning session

At 10am I'll have my first lesson of the day. Teaching has become easier with the addition of the library we've implemented, and we're making full use of the computer facilities with our Country's Project where the boys have to create presentations on a diverse range of countries, thus having to do computer research (not their strong point. most just aimlessly trawl through google pictures). But my favourite addition is unquestionably Scrabble which is now a permanent Friday morning treat for all!

My newly decorated classroom

Me and Billy absolutely smashing a Friday morning Scrabble sesh. I wasn't messing about that morning, ruthlessly took 3 of the triple word scores in quick succession.

After lesson time I've got some time to myself as the boys get ready for school. I spend this time often in the gazebo out back reading my book, overlooking the jungle and river that the hostel backs onto. Especially on a beautiful sunny day, having that view to observe every time I suspend my reading is a constant reminder of just how lucky I am to be here.

The view form my gazebo. Life's good.

Gazebo reading sesh

After lunch, my afternoon is spent preparing lessons or anything else I need to, and a couple of days a week I'll have extra tuition for some of the older boys who have important exams coming up (although they never seem to appreciate me waking them up from their siesta..). Hopefully we'll be able to put some of this time aside this month for some cooking lessons from our very own hostel chef. It's to get some local dishes under my belt! Come 4pm, all work is put on hold and it's time for some sport. If I'm not down at the field playing football again, I'll be playing sepak takraw, something like football volleyball which I'll certainly be taking home with me, outstanding game. I think I'm increasingly becoming one of the big dogs in the hostel as my agility and flexibility is slowly improving (it couldn't have got any worse). I've even gone to play at the school to face some fresh opponents, and I'm pleased to report that I held my own!

A beautiful afternoon view of our open court

The boys playing sepak takraw

Serving like a pro

Sport is followed by a usual delightful evening meal, which is followed by a daily evening prayer in our very own chapel. It's a nice time to get some peace, and even a bit of a massage as the boys sit there prodding and poking me, ruffling my hair and marveling at my abundance of leg hair (they still haven't got over it). Then it's back to teaching in the evening. The lesson is just an hour but there's often someone hanging about that needs a hand with something, so effectively my tuition wouldn't finish till about 10/11pm, by which point I'm knackered! So once I'm done, there's no messing about. I'll fill in my diary (haven't missed a day yet) and hit the sack for an early start the following day.

Had all the boys gathered round listening to Ronan Keating- When you say nothing at all- while they filled in the blanks on their sheets. Top lesson.

Some late night tuition with the cutest boy alive, Ligok.

The weekend program often poses something new and interesting. If there's not a special activity going on, such as a jungle trek or a football tournament, it's time to do some project work. I've been working with the boys closely for our 'Words of Wisdom' project, where the boys have created some cracking designs to accompany inspirational quotes which we've dotted around the hostel, successfully brightening the place up and giving it zeal and vitality. Weekends are beautifully chilled, and I always look forward to my Friday and Saturday nights where I'll just lie with the boys and watch a film. No better way to chill out after a tiring week! Essentially, I couldn't be more content with life here. I've got everything I need, I'm having lots of fun, and I'm surrounded by boys that have seem to have a knack for making my day. When I leave here in 2 months, it doesn't look like my heart's coming with me.