Senior Volunteer: Day 3

Date Of Service: Saturday, March 26

Time Spent: 5 hours

Total Time So Far: 15 hours

Actions I performed: Brushing, and washing the horses.

How am I doing?:
Volunteering is starting to become really fun. Right when I get there I jump into cleaning the horses, so the children who are early for their appoinments can start early, and stay longer. I'm enjoying making relationships with them, and trying to figure out how they work. One of the children, Patrick, has autism and doesn't really speak, but he communicates through hugs, so whenever he is really happy, he hugs something. He's always really happy, and has the biggest, happiest smile ever. He's one of the first riders, and he makes my day in just a few minutes. His favorite thing is to trot, which is when the horse "trots" or runs.

Senior Volunteer: Day 2

Date of Service: Saturday, March 12

Time Spent: 5 hours

Total Time So Far: 10 hours

Actions I performed: Cleaning the ponies, leading the ponies, leading the stretches.

How Am I doing? This time was only a little bit less awkward than last time considering I hadn't been there for almost a month. My mentor was unable to have riding because of all the rain. It causes a muddy surface which is dangerous for the ponies to walk on while children are riding on them. I did everything that I did last time, but this time with a lot more ease. Last time I waited for my mentor, Sarah, to give me directions, but this time I knew what she expected to be done, and did it right away.

Senior Volunteer: Day 1

Date of Service: Saturday, February 19th

Time Spent: 5 hours

Total Time So Far: 5 hours

Actions I performed: Brushing the horses, talking to the children- trying to keep them busy, walking the children around on the horses, assisted my mentor.

How Am I doing? I honestly think I'm doing pretty good. Today was my first day, so I was a little awkward as I'm not used to being around so many children, and I'm not yet familiarized with their disabilities. I did enjoy being with the two ponies - Daisy and Olof. I actually felt a lot more comfortable being with one of the ponies and the child, rather than being alone with the child. I learned the basic stretches that the children were to perform while riding, and my mentor tasught me how to lead the pony around the coral- allowing the child's hip muscles to relax, and get a really nice stretch.

What is The What Blog #20

After finishing this book, I felt bad for Achak. So many people from other countries fight and try their hardest to move to America to have better lives, and be free, yet so many don't get that. They are treated so unfairly and struggle to get a small amount of what they came for. I like the fact that although he had gone through so many hardships, Achak has learned to move forward. He put the past behind him to begin new, and try to get what he dreamed of when he came to America.

What is The What Blog #19

Continuing to read this, I seriously feel like I've heard this story before. I know for sure that I have never actually read this book, but Achak's stories seem to be something I've already heard. It must be that so many of the stories from people travelling from Sudan are very much the same. They experience a lot of the same things, and go through the same hardships. I'm actually glad that we had to read this book. It makes me realize how much difference there is in the world.

What is The What Blog #18

Reading this book makes me feel like I'm watching a documentary. Achak keeps going from present to past, back to present. It's set up in my mind to where I feel like I'm actually watching it, not reading. I'm still not really "into" the book, although it has a lot of interesting events in it, it just doesn't seem to catch my attention. I'm close to done, and trying to enjoy whats left of the book instead of fighting to read it.

What is The What Blog #17

Just reading all of the stories that Achak is telling, is amazing to me. I don't understand how a person can suffer so much, yet come out of it positive, still hoping for a better life. Something that would never happen to me. After traveling for so long, they finally reach Ethiopia, only to be driven out. I find it amazing that half of the Lost Boys haven't given up. Achak mentions that he lost his vision for some time, which after reading "How to Read Lit Like a Prof." I'm thinking that this loss of his vision may symbolize the fact that maybe he did give up. He gave up on living, on trying, and seeing. Maybe he had eventually lost his hope.