Return to innocence

Apart from the HIV/AIDS project, the local AIESEC committee runs another project concerning child rights which is carried out in cooperation with a children's home which hosts many orphans and disabled kids. There are also some interns working there and the other day they organised an international cooking day where they prepared food from their home countries (Canada, Japan, Netherlands) with and for the kids. As I was not busy for that day, I followed their invitation and made my way across the suburbs to the home after I stuffed my bags with the ingredients for the Austrian scrambled sort-of-pancakes with applesauce (aka Kaiserschmarrn).

Once I arrived there I felt a bit uncomfortable as I didn't know what to expect. However, I was greeted by many smiling kids who were excited about the special day and a new visitor. After repeating my name many times and posing for pictures, I started to prepare my masterpiece. I didn't have to do too much work as the youngsters were keen on helping with the cooking and so I just sat there and gave orders - which was totally fine by me ;-) The outcome of our cooking was well received as the kids gave me thumbs up and when they told me "Sister" - (they call all the women sister) - "that food, very nice" all I could do is smile. Although I'm sure that they can be quite troublesome from time to time, the kids were absolutely adorable on this afternoon and I was happy that I could contribute to their joy.

it was sooo hot in the kitchen,
so the children started to provide some cool air

one of my helpers

Don't get me wrong - I'm not trying to show off here by illustrating how nice I am - because reality is, I'm not. Well, not always. Truth to be told, I was feeling some kind of relief knowing that I was able to leave again in some hours, as I totally wouldn't be able to pull off that kind of work and I admire people who do. I was actually never someone who felt very comfortable around little children. Sure, I like them and some are cute and so on, but there are those people who just got this natural talent for handling kids and I'm definitely not one of them; it's just not my thing. So I kind of avoided to answer their question when I would be leaving them again and if I can stay longer.


I'm glad I went there to hang out with them and get another glimpse of how live could look like if some variables in our past might have had turned out differently and it reminded me once again of the fact that our happiness is rather a relative than an absolute concept.



current music: Soul Asylum - Runaway Train