Libby's view of the morning

After a short walk, we passed through a gate that we had walked past many times.  This time we went in.  We entered a dark, dirty building where we practiced putting on patience.  We were fortunate that there were many people to keep us entertained.  First, there was the cleaning lady.  She looked about my age, maybe a little older.  She had a resigned expression on her face, not happy, not sad, just there.  She had a short, stiff broom with which she swept the floors of each office.  She was very methodical as she went about her tasks.  After she swept she had to wrestle with a large white bag to empty the contents of the dust pan.  Then she mopped the floors with an interesting mop.  I probably would not have noticed this type of mop if Jill had not pointed out its unique make.  It had a long handle with a narrow board attached to the end.  The lady had a large rag that she dipped in her bucket of water. Then she wrung out the rag and wrapped it around the narrow board, forming a mop.  Every few seconds she would have to remove the rag, wash it out, wring it out and start over.  It seems a laborious way to do it, but very economical.  When she finished one room she would move all her supplies to the next room in the same order:  first the broom and dust pan, then the big, white bag, then the mop and last, the bucket.  She cleaned about five small offices  and the long hallway while we were waiting.  Every few minutes people would come out of a door numbered 2 and enter number 3.  Then they might go back to room 2 or go down to room 4.  In and out the same people came.  Some of them seemed to work there, but some seemed to be customers, maybe paying bills.  Everyone walked very quickly.  Several times we had people ask us a question and had to tell them we only speak English.  Someone else was always nearby to answer their questions.  For the first two hours we only saw grown-ups, but then two adorable children made their noisy entrance.  They looked to be about 3 and 4 years old and came with their grandmother.  They were full of smiles and energy.  Their favorite occupation was to bang the theater style seats up and down and to run away from grandma whenever she talked to her friend or received a phone call, which was often.  They chattered happily with each other.  After several minutes of banging seats the grandmother would speak very rapidly and sternly and they would stop until something distracted her, then they went back to the banging.  Finally, the grandmother had enough and really fussed at them and spanked the girl, but not the boy, and they were quiet for awhile.  Later, the little boy told the friend about some adventure that involved a cow, because he was "moo-ing". They were very cute, but I was glad not to be their caregiver!  After all this excitement we were finally called into the room to write our names on the document and in a ledger.  Every time we have had an official meeting we have signed a ledger.  We took a short walk to the orphanage where Sveta lives and met the director.  He seemed like a nice man.  He had a large office, complete with a tv, a collie dog and a large orange and yellow stuffed gecko on the sofa.  The orphanage looked clean and nice, but empty,since most of the children are at a camp an hour away.