Hosting Chernobyl Children in June.

hshortt

This has me up and down like a kite to be honest. The wife told me just this morning and she's totally made up by it and rightly so. I'm just nervous of what to expect and what the children will expect. We know that there's two girls coming to us, one 9 and the other 11. They've been subjected to all kinds of absolutely terrible health issues and social issues and I'm going to help them to have a great time while here, but I'm already thinking of how difficult it will be to say goodbye when they leave and we know they are returning to harsher circumstances.

Lastly, then I've been wondering if there's such 'holidays' for Irish children in need? I've no doubt that hosting these two Children will have a great and happy effect on our family life, but I can't help thinking that we could do something for an Irish child too.

So, can somebody point me in the right direction and offer some advice on the expected? Have you hosted children from Chernobyl and if so how did you get on?

Thanks
Howard

nesf

I've known alot of people who have hosted children from there, I've worked closely with the charity in question and others, and I've been raising money for these kids to come over for the past 9 years. I've not been over there myself, but have been involved with teams who have been sent over there to help out. So I can offer you a little advice.

First off, big well done on choosing to do this, kudos and all that jazz, nice to see people do their bit.

The kids who come over are a pleasure to have over. They genuinely love being over here, bear in mind most of them are in orphanages over there, and for some of them, this is a close to a family as they will ever have in their short lives. It really a very good thing to do and to be part of.

The children that I've met, have been very pleasant and really nice and kind. The hardest part of the experience is seeing them go home from my experience. I've seen it happen where after hosting a child from an orphanage, a family decides to adopt the child. The hardest part of them being over here is when you talk to them about what their home is like. It is not nice over there, and seeing such young children having come through such adversity can be both stirring and deeply saddening.

Have you children yourself? It works well if you do or not, but if you do it can be great for the kids that come over, having children to play with.

Hope the above helps.

hshortt

Hi nesf,

Thanks for your reply, very informative and somewhat calming too. We do have children (3 actually) with one around the same age too so hopefully it will work out. I expect that I'll be in bits when they leave, but I know that my family will give them a great break and time that they'll remember.

Thanks
Howard

dl

Howard

This summer will be the tenth year that we (my wife & myself) will host an interpreter from Chernobyl with whom we are now extremely good friends. Over this period we have also hosted seven different children, one of them for three years in a row. Yes it is hard to see them go, but after 3 weeks they are happy to go home to see their families too.

You mention that the children come from orphanages, however the charity we deal with do not allow children from orphanages travel to families in Ireland as it would be unfair to put a child into a family environment and take them away again after three weeks. Instead children travelling from orphanages are usually kept within their own group and stay together in one house (large) with the people the know so as not to totally confuse them..!

If you (and most likely you will) become attached to the child (children) you bring over, it's normal, we all shed a tear when they go home...... but then the next day they ring you and tell you how happy they are to be home and in reality you are just happy that they got home safe and sound. The house might feel a bit quieter for a few days and this you may even enjoy....!

The contact doesn't stop there by the way....... you will hear from them at Christmas and Paddy's Day and Easter etc, be it a phone call or a card in the post..... they like to keep in touch.

Don't get hung up about things, just enjoy the time you have with them and the fact you are giving them a much needed health holiday, which will boost their immune system for up to two years, and from experience, treat them as you treat your own kids..... no special dispensations as some may try it on.... they are kids after all..!, It will mean a happier home environment all round.

Hope this is of some help to you, best of luck and remember you won't regret any of it..!

hshortt

Thanks DL. I expect you are right about the Children not coming from an orphanage, I had just thought they would.

Anyway, I'm more relaxed about it all now and looking forward to the experience. I'm sure we will all learn something valuable from it.

Thanks again,
Howard

RainyDay

We hosted 2 kids for a weekend a few years back, just to give their main hosting family a break. They were a real pleasure. As it was just a weekend, we were able to spoil them in terms of things to do. We had a very pleasant day at the Zoo on Sunday with a picnic, which the girls really enjoyed.

The language block is quite a problem, but they will give you a photocopied glossary of frequently used words & phrases, so you can communicate by pointing to words reqired.

I'm sure you'll have a great time with the kids.

Bri

I'd just like to say that I highly admire what all of you have done/are doing. You've inspired me to pursue this when I'm in a suitable position myself.

Well done.

hshortt

Thanks for the comments guys! I'm truly happy to be able to help now. I guess that it's making me feel good about myself that I can do something so positive for someone who truly needs it.

But that said, I do wonder about Irish children too, and while any child who needs help will make any parent try, I'd especially like to be able to help Irish kids.

Cheerio
Howard

hshortt

I'm opening up this thread again.

We took care of two children on Sunday evening. Both girls aged 9 and 12. Seeing them for the first time coming of the bus, they looked liked rabbits in the headlights. Unsure, nervous and anxious is only how I felt, I cannot dare imagine how they felt.

My wife and I brought them home and we tried to talk to them, but the younger girl - Kat, has no English at all, the older of the two - Nat, has actually pretty good English and has been a great help. But also, very helpful is Babelfish (http://babelfish.altavista.com/translate.dyn) which has a very handy English to Russian translator. This was great to help us Welcome the children, introduce our family and explain standard things, like where the towels are and how to use the shower etc.

Something I was taken aback with was the abundance of gifts that they presented to us, Russian dolls, vodka, champange, glasses, sweets etc etc. I felt very humbled by this, and will of course return these children with gifts of some sort for their own families. I just wished that they didn't feel the need to bring us gifts. In truth these girls are a gift to me and my family for a short period of time.

Yesterday I had an annual leave day off work and after dropping our son to school, we brought them for a stroll along the seafront in Bray. An ice-cream treat and a carton of juice was well received by both Girls, they had not experienced a simple act of throwing stones into the sea before and enjoyed trying to clear up Bray seafront in the few minutes they could bear the cool breeze.

Once home, they rested and then borrowed the kids scooters and bikes and things to play with. They have relaxed around us now and are very chatty and inquisitive and completely delightful. They don't eat much at dinner time but they love their breakfast, Cheerios especially!

I'm dreading their departure already, as they have bonded with us very well. And it's funny sometimes in the words they use. Last night Kat was going to bed at about 9:45 and she stood up, turned to us and said Goodbye instead of goodnight, and she was so serious in her expression that we did have a giggle Already I'd say that hosting these children is something we are likely to do as a family every year now. We can see how they enjoy it and it's a pleasure to help and think that we are giving them a break.

The Lions club have arranged a number of events for them, the first kicks off tonight with a reception in Tescos. It will also be the first time that they can see their friends again, I'm sure the roof will be lifted with the chatter and babbles!

My friends have all expressed interest in what we're doing to help them and I thought I'd open this thread again to provide updates for anyone that cares to read.

BizzyC

My family has been taking in children from the Lions club for about 7 years now.

One piece of advice though, don't give them any expensive gifts to bring home.
These will often just "dissappear" when they're re-entering the country.

As for their appetites, give them easy foods for dinner for the first week or so, chicken, stews etc. Their digestion systems aren't ready for proper meals just yet. Next week they'll be eating like horses.

hshortt

Thanks BizzyC,

We were warned not to get expensive gifts, so we'll be creative and discrete.

I expect the appetites to get better alright! Watch this space.

cheers
Howard

Baffled

We have two girls also, very pleasant girls. Both of them are nine. Is it ukranian or russian that they speak? We have a glossary too but I dunno what the language is. They spend hours laughing at us trying to pronounce their language. I can just imagine how funny it sounds to them.

Zillah

Just my pop psychology opinion, but try to make sure you're own kids don't get jealous. They'd feel bad, and maybe ruin it for the kids your hosting. Maybe you could explain to your own children that for the kids your hosting, this is a special holiday and everyone needs to work together to make sure they have fun. Make it like a mission for them, young kids love to feel they're doing an important job for their parents.

BizzyC

Baffled wrote:

We have two girls also, very pleasant girls. Both of them are nine. Is it ukranian or russian that they speak? We have a glossary too but I dunno what the language is. They spend hours laughing at us trying to pronounce their language. I can just imagine how funny it sounds to them.

It depends, are they from the Ukrane, or Belarus like the kids in Bray?

fozzle

hshortt, first off well done getting up the courage to do this, it can be pretty scary I know. My family had two little girls from Belarus over when I was 17, twas the same ind of situation as the girls were 10 years old, and was the youngest of my 2 sisters. (Bizzarly they were called Katya and Natasha too!)

They really were a joy to meet and we were all really upset to see them go. But they love to do anything at all with the family, go for walks at the seaside like you've done, take them up the mountains, our group organised a day in a local swimming pool for them, just simple stuff that you'd do with your own kids. As for food, I know the girls we had ate crate-loads of fresh fruit, the stuff they have at home tends to be pretty poor.

As for gifts to bring home, it sounds silly but simple games, and fancy paper and colours were the things our girls loved playing with in our house, and they're things they can easily share with friends, which I know made Natasha very happy.

Well done again for becoming a host, it really does make a huge difference to these kids. I hope ye have fun.