Rio Dulce, Guatemala - Today was my first full day at the orphanage. A full day is from 8am to 4pm. It started a bit hectic. Being the ¨punctual¨person that I am, I asked numerous times what time the boat to the orphanage was set to leave. In was repeatedly told 7:30am. I planned accordingly.

Of course at 7am the boat driver was yelling, ya nos vamos! What? I thought I had 30 minutes to get ready! I went out and explained that I was told 7:30, and that I needed the additional 30 minutes. Well, I didn´t need them, but someone else who was headed to the orphanage did, so I fought the additional half hour. The boat driver was none to happy, but we got there, eventually.

I´m staying at hotel backpackers, which is a 20 minute boat ride from Casa Guatemala orphanage.

The orphanage is huge, and holds up to 250 kids. On the weekends its a bit less, since some kids do have parents, but only see them on the weekends, since they don´t have the means to take care of them full time.

The kids are great. Everything you would expect. The younger kids don´t wait to ask your name before they´re hanging all over you. Some are more outgoing than others. All of them eventually warm up to you if your willing to show some love.

And the full time volunteers are amazing as well.

I´m volunteering for two weeks, which make me a Turismo Solidario. I´m not sure what that means exactly, but more or less, it means i´m a junior volunteer. I don´t stay at the orpanage, and my stay is not longer than three months.

But there are at least 20 volunteers who have committed at least 3 months of their live, most more than 6 months, to live and work at the orphanage. And they don´t get paid, in fact they have to pay.

They´re a diverse bunch. Some from Spain, Italy, Switzerland, the U.S., and a number of other countries. And of course, all speak spanish, but not great.

But their commitment to the kids is amazing. Not all of them have formal training to work with kids, but all have the desire to serve. Their schedules are much more demanding than mine. I leave at 4pm everyday, they live at the orphanage. I´ll be in Anitgua, Guatemala in two weeks ) a huge tourist destination), they´ll still be here.

Today we played futbol, I got burned. Both literally and figuratively. It was fun. And the kids went swimming. Sundays are as they say, fundays at the orphanage.

Tomorrow school starts. I was told i´ll be working in the library, helping the kids with their reading. I´m looking forward to it.

As always, internet time is limited here.

Please excuse any errors.

Hope all is well back home.

Love you all.

-Michael