Childcare in Mérida

I volunteered at a Foundation that adopted children who had been abandoned by their parents. They weren't orphans necessarily, because they technically had parents, but their parents did not want them, hence living at the Foundation. I volunteered for two weeks with a very tiny background in speaking Spanish. As soon as I met the children, I fell hard in love. I've worked with children in Canada for the last 7 years, and working with the children in Mexico was completely different. I had never met such humble and appreciative children. My presence alone was good enough to make them happy! We helped with homework, brought them paper and colouring supplies, and other arts & crafts. They would get so excited at the simplest supplies, which was such a nice feeling. These children were not spoiled, in fact, they had been removed from one of the most important parts of childhood - having parents - yet they were the kindest, most appreciative children I'd ever met.

The most rewarding part of the trip for me was helping a 12 year old boy with a slight learning disability. He was unable to focus on his homework and would often skip numbers when counting to 10. When I helped him finish his addition and subtraction homework - in Spanish - the look on his face was priceless. A boy who struggled to do homework was so excited to have finished his homework, and he was able to play after that! Being a part of a moment that doesn't seem so special, felt incredibly special to both him and I.

I would volunteer a thousand times again if I could. Volunteering with children has been a life-changing experience. I want to help children who don't have what I was fortunate enough to have, I want to give back because I was lucky enough to have a privileged life. I want these children to live happy lives.