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	My Mexico Madness Words aren't enough to describe how much of an amazing experience coming to Mexico was! I am so glad that I was a part of this. At first when we landed in Mexico I was really stressed and tired, and believe me that's not a good combination! This was because my luggage got lost on the way to Mexico City. I was with my fellow Outreach International volunteers but I was just generally worried! After I landed in Puerto Vallarta, where Outreach International have their base I met Greta (our coordinator) and she reassured me that my luggage would arrive by the next day, and it did! So my only advice to any future volunteers is that you should always take a spare set of clothing and toothbrush etc in your hand luggage! My time in PV was really fun! Because PV is a well established city, I felt very welcome and it didn't feel different. I really enjoyed sightseeing and visiting all the different projects as it gave me more experience, and I also love working with children, so the types of projects we visited were perfect for me! Another bit of my favourites was learning Spanish! Si! Lupita is honestly one of the best teachers you could ask for; she is kind and more of a friend then teacher. At first I was a bit put off by the idea of just speaking Spanish but as the week progressed I got used to the language and now I am surprisingly good at it!! After the first week was over, we set off for Mayto to the turtle camp. The ride to Mayto was very bumpy as the roads were being newly made. Once we got there, I honestly felt like i was in heaven. Arriving in Mayto just makes you forget about everything, you just see the beautiful ocean and the actual place where you are staying is on the beach, you just feel really relaxed and happy. All the people in Mayto are so lovely, I could not have asked to be in a nicer place, everyone makes you feel really welcomed and wants to make friends with you. The important thing is that you are sociable with everyone, because that way you can make friends with everyone. I realised that not everyone could speak English, so I had to compromise and speak Spanish, even though it was not very good, everyone understood what I was trying to say and they appreciated me for trying, which was very nice. Going on patrol was a really good experience, on the first night we found a turtle with 98 eggs, as this was our first night I was absolutely amazed because it is such a beautiful thing to watch. After we collected the eggs we would take them back to the camp and dig them up in a space that we had made for them. After about a week, they would be ready to hatch, so we would all go to release them into the ocean, and it was such a nice experience. Food in Mayto was delicious! We had traditional Mexican food every day, and for me it was something totally different. I helped some days with preparing the food, and it was a nice thing as now I know how to prepare some Mexican dishes for myself! All in all, this project and coming to Mexico was a great idea, I loved every bit of it and someday I really do hope to return as I had an amazing time and wouldn't change a moment of it. Thank you for having me J Loads of Love xxxxxxxxxxx Nikita Parekh. Turtle conservation volunteer Turtle Conservation Project. Mexico

• Evaluation by Nikita Parekh

	I volunteered at the day care centre with children on the rubbish dump through Outreach International. This is a fantastic project that was an absolute privilege to work on. The area has a reputation as one of the poorest parts of Quito. When I first arrived, I was given a tour of the rubbish dump next to the crèche. The workers literally scavenged about to find as much recyclable material as possible on their 12-hour shifts. They hang off the incoming trucks to be the first to grab plastic, card, cans…it's filthy work and the pay is only just enough to meet their basic needs. Just 5 years ago, the children of the workers were in amongst them, playing, eating and living in the rubbish. Their parents would salvage any sealed packages of food thinking them safe to eat, only to make their children ill from expired meat dumped by supermarkets. I was told that when the children first arrived in the daycentre, they couldn't adjust to the nutritious food they were being served and became ill! Each of the 4 permanent members of staff are wonderful people who are really gifted with working with children. As a 16 year old volunteer I have learnt such a lot from their patient and creative techniques. I really felt part of the family and very welcome and appreciated. On my last day, they threw me a massive party lasting the whole afternoon complete with cake, balloons, dancing, singing and presents to thank me. The daycentre cares for children between 3 months and 10 years, (although predominantly up to 5 years old). The kids are split into 3 age groups during the day, each led by a different teacher. I worked 9am till 4pm but the centre itself is open 8-5pm. The first hour is complete chaos, when the kids play together with their toys. At 10, there is a snack and drink prepared by the chef. I was really impressed by the fresh, healthy food the kids were served. This needless to say can be a messy affair, so after the break the tables are wiped and the floors swept. Outreach International also provide an evening meal which volunteers are asked to help prepare. The older children then form a big train to the bathroom before starting their lessons either side of lunch, which is at 12:00. Recently a fabulous new playground was built on a nearby grassy embankment, so many a happy afternoon has been spent up there. Previously, they had had to make do with a very small yard with some basic climbing equipment. During the day, volunteers are needed to make beds, feed and change the toddlers and babies, put the babies to sleep, sweep floors, take them to the toilets, play with the babies and toddlers and help as a classroom assistant with the older children. On top of this anywhere you can see needs help or any ideas you have are very welcome. When I first arrived, I felt a bit overwhelmed. Not having worked with children before I didn't realise how draining they could be. I worked hard with another gap volunteer to plan activities, particularly for the toddlers who spent all morning playing with their toys. Literally by my second day we were buying materials for our first activity, (although I have since learnt that you can find most of the supplies you might want in the well stocked school room). To start: Crowns and masks. There was a real sense of satisfaction watching the children wear their finished masterpiece and I learnt such a lot about the importance of preparation and just letting them be creative. Over the coming weeks I planned biscuit decoration, treasure hunting, T-shirt stencilling, mobile making, colouring, painting and music make crafts. In my last week I helped a volunteer doctor carry out developmental tests using the Denver model. It was really interesting to try and measure different forms of speech, fine and gross motor skills using a whole range of indicators. The tests revealed that the toddlers were above average in their gross motor skills, (hardly surprising as they spend half their time pushing the furniture around the room). Their fine motor skills still need work though, so I think any creative activities, however fiddly are great practice. There is so much scope for games, teaching and crafts at the day centre and the staff are very encouraging. Whilst at times I would have appreciated more instruction on how to help, it's a big challenge to be confident enough to take control were it's needed. I returned with so many thoughts and questions filling my head about children and fully appreciating my own upbringing. I naturally formed really close relationships with the children and staff, even spending the weekend at Teacher Diana's house! I want to briefly describe two other initiatives I had. I am most proud of a teeth-cleaning project I planed with the help of two other Outreach International volunteers. We used Outreach project money to buy each kid a labelled toothbrush, drawstring bag and cup. Every day after lunch, we took the kids to the bathroom in groups of threes, at first brushing them for them and later carefully watching to check they were doing it right. Afterwards, we rewarded them with a sticker on their own paper chart hung up on the wall in the bathroom. Their teeth are in a horrible state so I would urge future volunteers to be disciplined enough to ensure they clean their teeth once a day. Finally, there are two older children of 8 and 10 who I taught individually maths, the alphabet and listened to their reading. I recorded their progress in a logbook and made sticker charts to encourage them. I was so proud to contribute to such a fantastic upbringing for the children of here. I learnt so many skills for the future and awoke a passion for children within me I had never known before. It's a constant challenge as a volunteer to have patience, be proactive and show selfless love. The rewards however will really change your character for the better and teach you a lot of useful skills for life. This project needs enthusiastic, energetic, loving and creative volunteers. You could be on your gap year in Ecuador or over the summer holidays. Your efforts join in the bigger picture to create a supportive start in life for these children. Catherine Porter. Summer holiday volunteer. Catherine Porter. Caring for Children on the Rubbish Dump volunteer. Ecuador

• Evaluation by Catherine Porter