The boys are back!

The boys are back! I was feeling apathetic about this place, about work, about China, and then my favorite boy came back home. Monica came back early from her surgery in Spain, and organized for the boys to come back early as well. Rimu was the first one back, and the other two didn't end up getting back for a week. So the two of us hung out, and he reminded me of why I wanted to be here, and why this job is important.

He was FILTHY when he got back. His underwear and socks were both black, and we showered him three times before the water finally stopped coming off of him brown. He's still adorable though.

He loves to steal my phone and take selfies

 We went to the lake this weekend! It's the main tourist attraction here, and I still hadn't been, and I though it was a good opportunity so I could go without 6 kids.

The lake had a mini amusement park with bumper cars!!! It had other rides too, but I wondered the last time any of them had passed any sort of inspection. So we stuck with bumper cars, and he still bumped his head and bit his tongue. He got better soon though.

The other two boys got back while we were at the lake, and I noticed how shy they were. They had taken so long to warm up to me before, and now it's like we have to start all over. I know their families hit them, even if they can't talk about it yet, because every time I move to touch them or hug them now they immediately flinch away. I want to punch their family members in the face, but violence only begets violence, right?

The week after I got back from the rural school, my boss gave me a new assignment to go to the same school in the city that I went to at the beginning of the semester with the all-girl middle-school class that we support. My assignment was to compile a report of all of the girls' improvements over the course of their time under our assistance. It is an all-girl's class because of the male-favoring Yi culture. Most of the girls would not have had a chance to go to middle school without us, and would probably be married off by now. I spent the week going to the school and interviewing them during their breaks, and just hanging out with them and talking. They are all so smart and hardworking, and come from really poor backgrounds. Many of them had never seen a car before coming to the city, and all of them have dreams of bringing their families out of poverty.

They are freaking adorable. And there are over 50 of them, so it was a long week. Their stories made me cry. One girl was one of three girls in her entire village that had ever been to school before. Many of the girls don't have parents anymore or have parents who are not home because they have gone out to work in factories for $1.50 per hour wages. Most of them whose parents had died were because of illnesses. Health and hygiene standards are frighteningly low here, and health problems take people at very young ages.

I know my last post was negative, there are a lot of problems here. But these girls are proof that they are getting better, because of us. It is difficult, but things are changing. 

In short, all is good! And I am so excited to keep working and trying to help out these amazing kids. 


China pic of the day:

I love you, America!