EIL Intercultural Learning

I came home from 9 weeks in South Africa on Saturday morning. 9 weeks that felt more like 6 months. I started back at work (www.homelinkbray.ie) today, Tuesday. And now it feels like I never left Ireland. Except for the fact that my heart is still sitting on a chair in the playroom in ThembaCare, Athlone.

I will never forget I and L's tears when I was saying goodbye to them.

Last Friday was the day Ciara and I had to say goodbye to everybody at ThembaCare. I did not get to shower I with the usual zillion hugs and kisses that day because his father was there, a man who only saw his son every other month. I asked him could I possibly take a photograph of him and I together, he quickly agreed, and then asked me to post him the photographs of his son because he was leaving Cape Town too, in order to find work. So for that precious little baby, he had to say goodbye to his volunteer 'mama' (as they all called me) and his daddy on the same day :(.

Two days before I left, I visited L in Brooklyn Chest Hospital (for TB treatment). He will be there for a long time, along with so many other babies for their lonely 6 month, 12 month or 2 year stints... Each time I think of him I remember how I was his only visitor and now that I am gone he has no visitors at all :(. The last time I went to see him he was playing outdoors and as soon as he saw me he ran to me as fast as his little legs could carry him. A beautiful, energetic, fun loving little boy with no one to hug and kiss him - I gave him a lifetime's worth in my last few visits to him.

Contrary to what people might think, HIV is a very difficult virus to transmit. Initially, I thought people with HIV could not gain entry into Ireland, like Australia, which is absolutely DESPICABLE. But it seems that I was wrong (have to do more research but see: http://www.independent.ie/national-news/no-screening-as-hiv-on-rise-4952...). It would be incredible for Irish/Western families to adopt these children, to give them a chance at a happy life, for however long they may live, they are so brave and inspiring to be around. They get so sick sometimes but they just get on with it, and keep smiling. Just one day spent at ThembaCare provides more than enough time to fall in love with at least one of them!