Instead of a blow-by-blow update on our days (I did a roof, Sid installed doors and windows with a minor repair crew) tonight I'd like to tell you a little bit about life on base.
There are three dorm rooms, each with 10 sets of bunks. The rooms are co-ed and the bathrooms and showers are at either end of the building. We have to go outside to get there but even when it's raining we are walking under the awnings and the weather is between 75 and 85 degrees.
The dining room is stocked with plenty of food but we cook our own breakfasts and assemble our own lunches (usually sandwiches). There is one stove for the 60 residents. A hot dinner is cooked by a local family every night. Chores are divided up and we take care of ourselves.
We are locked in to the compound every night at 7pm. The power is still out the streets aren't very safe; not crime so much as dangerous driving with winding curves and sudden potholes. There is no local night life anyway.
Every evening is something different. One night they auctioned of a wide variety off random items (hand massages, autographed socks, the ability to prevent a particular volunteer from being allowed to choose the radio station, a week in a Vermont vacation home). $1800 was raised for the program. A couple times a week we have an optional "Spanish School". Last night we learned the names for all of the tools in the tool box. Tonight we had an optional writing exercise to reflect on our experiences here to date. It was held in the pavilion which is where we are allowed to drink in the evenings. Attendance was pretty good.
Lights out is at 10:30pm. Breakfast starts at 7:00am but the roosters are up by 4:00am. By 7:45am we are packing the cars and heading to work. We load up to come back at 4:00pm to be ready for dinner and the nightly meeting. Do it again the next day.
I can't believe we've already been here a week.
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