Jay Snedeker

​Today we visited the orphanage. I had been excited to visit the orphanage ever since we left the disability center on Monday. I had already gotten over most of my nerves about what to expect and the fear of the language barrier, because on Monday we learned that language wasn’t even needed to make the kids’ day. We arrived and when I got out of the taxi, I could see the fence lined with the smiling faces of the kids waiting to meet us and spend the next two hours with us. Moe asked us if we want to do a tour like we did at the disability center or if we wanted to just dive right in and start spending time with them. We chose to just dive right in. They were all so nice and welcoming. They greeted us with smiles and handshakes As soon as we went in, the kids swarmed us and started pulling us off in different directions. 

I was pulled over into a big circle where they were playing some kind of volleyball game. Much like at the disability center, it was a way of interacting with them without needing language. It was a really fun game and I met several of them through that game. Two of the younger boys really took a liking to me and kept running over to me and hugging my waist or jumping up and wanting me to carry them. One of the boys had me carry him around on my shoulders for a while, as you’ll see below. I did notice that language wasn’t extensively required there, but there was more of a barrier today than there was at the disability center. The kids would come up to me and try to talk to me and I wouldn’t be able to understand them or talk with them, which I found very irritating.

Then towards the end I met a guy named Fahd. He also spoke English. That opened up a door which lead me to connecting with around 10 more of the guys because we all were able to communicate through Fahd. We all talked for a while and then they showed me around the building. They showed me their computer lab and their library and they were so excited to do so. Fahd and a few others have Facebooks, so we all added each other, so we can still keep in touch after I go back to America. I took so many pictures with all these kids and I will share a few with you. I am so happy that I was able to have this experience. It made me realize how lucky I am to have a family that is here for me and to have that form of a support system. There has been many life  I have learned and that I will never forget. Today was a really amazing and impactful day for me and I will never forget it.