Care & Community - BOLIVIA Daily Life

Daily Life of a Care and Community Volunteer in Bolivia

I worked in an orphanage for boys and girls, aged between18 months and 14 years old in Combuyo. The children were mostly boys, but there were a few girls as well. They were all delightful. I spent my weeks at the orphanage and on most weekends I went back into town where I stayed with my host family. At the orphanage, the mornings went like this: the children would begin to get ready for school at around 5:30/6:00am. Firstly they would clean up their rooms, making sure the floors were tidy and their beds made. When the children were dressed, I would help serve breakfast which often consisted of bread and rice with milk or api (some sort of grain/powder mixed with hot water. surprisingly yummy). At 8am, the children would go to school and stay there until noon. During that time I helped with cleaning the house - sweeping the floors, cleaning the breakfast dishes and helping to prepare lunch. When that was done I had a bit of free time during which I would usually lie down to read and listen to music.

We ate when the kids got back and after lunch and cleaning up they would have a bit of time to play and then it was time for homework. I helped the younger ones with reading and maths and the older ones with subjects like chemistry. During that time the foster parents would prepare supper and if necessary, I would help out. Lunch was the biggest meal of the day, consisting of potatoes, vegetables and either chicken or some sort of vegetarian dish. The children would help prepare dinner and serve it out. Dinner was similar to breakfast: api, milk with rice, or maybe hot chocolate and bread. Bedtime was generally around 8 or 9pm but sometimes the older ones could stay up a bit later. I'd help the younger ones with washing and brushing their teeth and putting them to bed. Once in bed I'd generally stay up if the foster parents were still up or I'd be so exhausted I'd go to bed at the same time as them.

During the weekends I'd often walk around Cochabamba and go for coffee and visit the huge market which sells practically everything!!!