In anticipation of Independence Day, which will be Saturday,
SDCH (St. Dominic’s Children’s Home) had an Independence Day/Celebration of
Heroes event yesterday. The kids gave presentations on national heroes and demonstrated
martial arts, read original poetry, and performed music. I was proud of all of
them. Stage fright is no laughing matter, and these kids did great up there.
The ceremony also included awards for the kids, staff, volunteers, etc. It was
nice to see how much everyone appreciated being recognized for their efforts
and achievements. There also were displays showcasing the kids’ photography,
book reports, and other works. A couple of the children discussed their
contributions with me. I was pleased to be part of the day. And there was food.
I had my first bake and shark, which was quite good, although I ate mine plain.
Apparently it’s like a hamburger, in that you can put anything on it. Oh well.
Next time I’ll try some condiments. Basically a bake and shark is fried shark
sandwiched between two pieces of fry bread. Yeah for fried food! I tried a
vegetable pastelle, which I took one bite of and declined to finish. The
vegetarian thing isn’t for me. During the event, the four boys from my house voluntarily
sat with me. I think it’s nice they’re willing to socialize with me.
More about the food. … So, I have been really anxious about
eating things I might not like. If you know me, you understand how picky I am.
Food is a big control issue for me and my major coping mechanism in times of
stress. And while this adventure has been nothing but positive so far, it is
still very, very stressful in that so much is new and different. My
imagination, prior to the trip, had me coming down here and taking the island
by storm. Instead I’m tiptoeing around most of the time. I feel most
comfortable doing my assignments, throwing myself into training and research.
The people are very friendly, so it’s no fault of the environment that has me
hesitant. It just takes me a while to acclimate I guess. At any rate, I’ve been
shopping and preparing my own food and eating in my room for the most part. I’m
welcome to dine with the kids or the sisters, but I like to process everything
that’s going on while I enjoy my meals. My goal is to start being more social
in the next week or so. But I’m giving myself this week to just conserve my
energy as much as I can, even if that means hiding a bit now and then. That
said, I AM talking to the sisters, the staff, the boys in my house. I’m just
better at one-on-one conversations than groups.
Meanwhile, I can’t express how excited I am to be working on
my lifebook research project. Sr. Arlene says this is cutting edge in Trinidad
and Tobago, as no agencies have used lifebooks in this country as yet. And the
research I’m finding is on foster kids, not residential settings. So this will
be a bit of a twist, implementing it here. I’m grateful for the chance to have
a hand in starting a new treatment protocol. And it’s something I believe in,
not just based on the research but from my personal experience. Journaling and
scrapbooking have been effective therapeutic tools for me, aside from being
just plan enjoyable.
Overall I’m happy and grateful, despite the nerves. Say some
prayers for me, that I’ll continue to be this passionate about the work to be
done, and that I’ll come out of my shell a bit more as time goes by.
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