Animal Sanctuary.

Monday 17/05:

Yesterday was my first day at the El Puma, the animal sanctuary. It couldnt have gone worse really. Norma [Veronicas mum] drove me over there and showed me where and how to get the bus and took me to the office and introduced me to the man that is running it at the moment. The man that usually runs it had a stroke a couple of months ago and hasnt been able to work since and it seems like he was the one that dealt entirely with volunteers and no one thats there now seems to really know what im meant to do or why im there at all. the man thats running it explained what they do there [something to do with machines on the riverside, breed fish and nurse injured animals back to health.] and then drove me to where they keep the animal and showed me them all and basically told me not to touch any of them.. theyve got these hog pig type things, ostriches, these really big birds called chuñas, loads of monkeys, a few of the furry sandwich stealers that theyve got in Iguazu, a few leopards, an owl, some skanky birds, rats and a proper gammy looking toucan. he introduced me as the new volunteer as we walked past people on the way round and no one looked as though they gave a crap, i mean, i wasnt expecting a welcome party or anything but the best i got off any of them was a grunt in my direction.
he then left me with two women who were rubbing power on the skanky birds to get rid of parasites. i basically just stood there for nearly an hour with my arms folded being ignored with nothing to do and not at all feeling like i could ask if theywanted help. one of they ladies did smile at me after a while and the other repeatedly shoved past me and looked at me as if to say why re you even here? she then left änd the nice lady started speaking to me and she got me to wash some water bowls and then fill them up again for the skanky birds and then i fed the rats. after that she told me that because it was raining there werent alot of jobs to do and that on days when its raining i wont have to go. so i left and walked in the direction of the bus stop knowing that i needed to walk down the now very slushy dirt track to the bus stop. i went totally the wrong way and ended up going in a massive circle and ended up back at the animal area. by now it was pouring with rain and i was way grumpy from the rudeness of the people there and i just laughed at my ridiculuus situation, lost in the jungle with no one nice to ask for direction. luckily my sense of direction got me through and i made it to the bus stop and getting the bus home was fine, i have to change at a bus station just outside posadas but luckily there are massive signs saying what buses stop where. i got home at around half one, after having left at half eleven, very grumpy and soaking wet and complained about my day and then went to bed. the thing i was most annoyed about though is that he told me they have 24 workers at El Puma, and that this sint enough, and i was just thinking clearly, as i have stood for an hour doing NOTHING but consider walking off, it is plently of people, and at the refuge where there are sixty children and about 4 or 5 people that help there- all volunteers, they need me a hell of a lot more.

Tuesday 18/05:
i didnt have to go today because it rained heavily during the night and i didnt feel great so i didnt go to the refuge either, so ive just bummed about feeling sorry for myself and dreading my next day at the animal sanctuary and i went to speak to veronica about it, i told her id like to give it another chance and that im willing to blame my bad day/lack of jobs on the rain, and shes going to phone in the morning to ask what my duties are/when my days will finish/what the general deal is. so tomorrow im going to the refuge instead of bumming around and itl be good to see the kids again :]


Love,
Bethnal x