The orphanage

Ok, last catch up post. I've been volunteering at the local orphanage here in Gumi for the past few weeks when I havn't been off galavanting around the country. Devon and I go around 10am on Saturday mornings and teach English to two of the college students that live there, then we play with kids for a few hours. Yes, there are university anc college students living in the orphanage. They can stay there as long as they are in some sort of school after they reach legal adult age. The majority of the children are between 3-8 years old (western age) they're really fun. They don't point at us or treat us differently at all, it's a nice change. They just see us as big people to jump on. The orphanage, while not the perfect home environment, is pretty good considering. The kids all live in the same "apartment" their whole time there. There's generally about 6-7 children per apartment, all different ages. There are bedrooms (they share) a kitchen, a common area and a bathroom for them all. They also have a permanent "mother" who lives there as well. In total there are about 80 kids. Some orphanages have part-time/full-time staff, so the children's caretakers are constantly changing, here it's way more consistent which is good. Devon and I get fed lunch every time we go, traditional Korean style. I must say, I do like Korean food, it's a good thing too, because it's insanely cheaper that trying to cook Western all the time.
The orphanage is good, I love the kids, and it's nice to get out of my own neighbourhood once in awhile (the orphanage is across town). It's pretty sad though as well. The majority of the kids will never be adopted, not because they're not wanted, but because their natural parents often never give up their legal parental rights to them. Koreans are very concerned about blood lines, and as such would usually never consider having their child raised by someone else. That could result in a name change or something equally as horrific!! It's a weird country.
You may wonder why the children are even IN an orphanage if their parents are still alive? Well, of course some of the children are there because their parents have died and there is no one to look after them, but sadly a lot of them are in there because their parents dropped them off. I keep hearing about this terrible Korean economy, but honstly, I don't think it's all that bad. The parents use this as an excuse to drop off their kids, claiming they can't afford them anymore. Apparently they've never heard of birth control, I bet it's easier.
So, that's the orphanage. I like doing it, I've always volunteered, and they are SUPER cute. I'd tell you some of their names, but I can never remember. Korean names sound all the same to me. I do know that one of their names (a little girl who's permanently attached to me) is Yoon, Die-Young....and well, you can see why I remember that one. You Die Young? Man, if that girl ever moves to Canada she's going to have to get a name change.
Till next time!