Kanyakumari 2007

Day One Saturday

Well the day started well, at 05:50 Phil was pulling up outside the studio to whisk me off to the station. All of 2 miles away. Although it wasn't cold, it was foggy. The mist lays in that valley at the best of times. Standing all alone on the platform by 06:05 it was like a ghost scene from some spooky film, the track disappearing into the fog. And then right on time it appeared like an apparition through the fog, first the lights and then the outline of the 06:18 to Charring Cross. As luck would have it the driver remembered to stop. Some years ago when friends where leaving from the same platform to go home to Tonbridge, the driver forgot to stop. You just can't get the staff nowadays. 

Arrived at Gatwick without delays and proceeded to the check in desk. I like Qatar Airways, as I approached the desk the security man spoke to the girl in charge and said, "get this man leg room" all the way through if you can do it I added. And she did. I also arranged to get the rest of the team seated together and then went through security (a little hold up but not too long). I soon took up position at the designated spot, Habitat shirt, Habitat hat, standing out like a beacon amongst the little folk.

I found 4 of the team already there and the rest followed soon after. Following the introductions and a short chat they all wanted to disappear in different directions for coffee and breakfast and shopping etc. Poor little Enya (18 year old Irish student) Not only did she not get her passport and Visa until just hours before she was due to fly out of Ireland bound for Gatwick (panic, panic) but she had to spend the night in Gatwick airport sleeping on a bench. I must say she looked fine on it (not the bench that is, you know what I mean). I arranged to meet them at the gate and I then shot off to the VIP lounge. (I kept that one a secret). 

After my VIP refreshments I met up with all bar two of the team at the gate. Everyone on board except Adrian & son Geoffrey so I waited. They eventually arrived but did not get through the check desk as it appeared that Geoffrey had lost his ticket. After a complete strip down of his hand luggage, the girl at the desk decided she actually had it in her hand, what did I say about can't get the staff nowadays. Panic over we were all on board and a pleasant and uneventful flight was had by all. 

I had a talker next to me (hell, just what you don't need) but he soon fell asleep as he had left Houston the previous day, woke up on landing, (a blessing). So here we are at Doha, it's 19:00 hrs UK time 21:00 

On stepping off the plane it was like being hit with the oven door and the fan blowing at full throttle. The team have dispersed around the airport which has changed dramatically since last year. It is about 10 times the size and very modern. And I told the team to expect a poky little place with no seating. What kind of leader am I? Oh yes and you guessed it, I'm in the VIP lounge. 4 hours on a leather sofa with free coffee and snacks and "wifi" to boot. That privilege card is worth every penny on these long haul flights. 

The flight out is at 00:30 and then about 4 hours to the destination. You thought I was going to spell it then, I can't even pronounce it let alone spell it. So I will just sit here and suffer the excellent service until the flight is due. 

Day Two Sunday

Arrived at Thiruvananthapuram airport, Trhivanthrum for short. Met Mcloud as arranged and made the two hour journey by bus to the hotel. Oh yes I remember now what the driving was like in Sri Lanka. It certainly is no different here, in fact possibly worse as it is more densely populated. Risk assess the bus and weigh up the driver, that's OK but what about everyone else on the road.. 

We arrived safely as I new we would, and to a pleasant surprise. Air con and a swimming pool, Habitat are spoiling us this time.

Lunch, chill, in country orientation, dinner, crash out and catch up on lost sleep. We are 4 ½ hours ahead of UK time whatever that is. Sleep is calling.........................

Venture into Habitat GB 2007

As you know, I posted the last two trips out of order. So Costa Rica was my third trip as a team member. I already had Nicaragua and Portugal booked for 2008 because they were being lead by the inimitable Mr Terry (Matao) Mattson my very good friend. But at this point I wanted to lead my own team and try to extend the good work being done by other leaders within HfH.

To this end I approached HfH International in the USA and explained what I wanted to do. I was told that maybe I should approach HfH GB as I am based in the UK. Even after all the time I had spent on HfH projects and trawling through their web site. I did not know HfH GB existed. I had never heard of them in the UK. If you mention Habitat here, people immediately think of the furniture store of the same name.

So after locating the GB arm of HfH, I applied to become a team leader with them. Their mode of operandi is different to that of HfH International. They only have about 6 open trips a year, no team leader involvement in creating the team. The trip is sold as a package and the team leader is no more than a tour rep, with less responsibility. That said. They do a great job. The projects are the same as HfH I projects, the teams still work their socks off to complete the task. And they do a great job. For me, I preferred the International way. So much more involvement, not only in putting the team together but also choosing a destination, working with the in country affiliate to put the project together. So much more rewarding and I believe a better experience for the team members.

But that said, I did my training and became a team leader for HfH GB. I was initially offered a team to Ethiopia.  Great I thought, and accepted. As I started to get excited about Ethiopia and began researching the country, HfH GB changed their mind and offered me India. Ok so that's fine I thought and waited just in case they changed their mind again.

They didn't, and that is how I took my first trip into the depths of India. In doing so, I fell in love with the country and it's people.(for that I have to thank them) Not quite so the organisation of HfH GB. and that was the first and last trip I was involved in for them. To summarise, I was not sure some of the people who took part in the trip actually knew much about Habitat or it's ethos, or in one case why they were even there. But in every team there are a few people who shine through. One of these team members has returned on one of my Projects since, and is currently booked on another in 2013. He had previously been on another trip with HfH GB and certainly understood why he was there. A great guy and a pleasure to have on any of my trips. Another completely surprised me. At the time I thought he was quite disappointed with the trip but I now believe he and others were swept along on the misguided thoughts and opinions of one female member of the team. I was obviously wrong about him because he became a team leader for HfH GB  and continues to lead trips when they are offered. In fact it was only one team member who caused the problems that disrupted the team as a whole and maybe I was not yet experienced enough to deal with it. But I soon learnt. 

Upon returning from India, I approached HfH International and explained why I wanted to work with them and not GB. Fortunately  they understood my reasoning and my next stop was Chicago for team leader training International style. But I am jumping the gun a bit here. It is still 2007 and I am heading for Kanyakumari in Tamil Nadu Southern India.

Stay tuned for Kanyakumari 2007

Sri Lanka part two (day 5 to 14)

Day Five

I have never worked so hard in such heat in my life. 100+ in the shade. And we were not in the shade. All morning Patrick and I sifted sand for the mortar. All afternoon we dug up earth to make the floor of the house. Back breaking to say the least. Patrick (an Irishman) was like the energiser bunny once he got a pick axe in his hand. A Hoe actually but he swung it like a pick. The family are still as hospitable as ever with tea and rice cakes (like rice pudding pressed into a cake) but you eat them with chilli. That wakes the taste buds up. 

The house is rising fast. It is only two rooms and will have a tin roof but compared to the conditions the family live in at the moment it's a palace. The current house is bamboo covered with baked mud and a roof of banana leaves. The roof needs replacing every year and the house every two to three depending on how it stands up to the monsoons. They have very little in the way of creature comforts. A mud floor with a mud stove. One bed and a tin wardrobe (a luxury). No electric or running water. They fill up a water but behind the house when the irrigation hoses are flowing. Failing that they have to go elsewhere and bring it back in containers. Not sure where they go to get it but it must be hard work carrying it back.

  

Lunch today was as good as ever. I had grilled fish with bread plant curry and I went back for more. I only had a slice of French toast for breakfast as I can't keep up with all the food on offer. 

Tonight when we walked back to the bus. The other group appeared from the other direction. when they got to the road we saw they were being escorted by at least twenty kids. Road races began and loads of picture taking. When you take the picture you have to show them the back of the camera so they can see it, wondrous. 

  

Got to go for the cooking demo now so will catch up later. The chef at the village is letting us into his kitchen to show us how it's done.

I'm back. Its 23.50 the cooking demo was good, not fantastic but good. More fun than instructive. The Americans don't have many East Indian restaurants, unlike the UK with one on every corner. I did manage to burn my hand on the curry the chef produced. I'm screaming it's hot and the others are saying "spicy" no HOT, is that the chillies in it, no it burns. even though I'm running cold water over my hands they still don't get it. . 

Dinner was good. I think I have already said I prefer the lunch menu. after Miriam (our leader) had done her meeting bit and bored the pants of everybody (it was funny though) we adjourned to the terrace. with the last bottle of beer gone we had to raid John's duty free scotch. 

Today's personality is Jennifer. American from Houston. She is 22. I have never ,met such an animated hyperactive person. When she talks its like a barrage from a Gatling gun. Every muscle in her face is twitching, her hands are gesticulating, her speech is sort of erratic. I can't begin to describe her, I may have to take a video clip at some time. For all that she is such fun and great to be around. She certainly keeps the spirits high. 

We finish work a bit early tomorrow so that we can visit each others project as they are not all in the same location. That will be interesting. 

For now It's sleep time. Made better by the fact that I put two mattresses on the bed. 

Day Six

Well here we are at the end of day six. Hope you didn't worry about the bomb news. It was big over here, even in the jungle. About 64 dead. We are so far into the jungle I don't know how our driver ever finds the work sites. So I'm sure we are safe.**

**This was when the Tamil Tigers blew up a bus and killed about 64 people. They also started to attack Colombo and the navy blew up one of the Tamil gun boats of Negumbo Beach. It was the start of the final uprising. All HfH projects stopped for a couple of years after this, only restarting in 2011.

Today I was a scaffolder and labourer. Scaffold consists of bamboo poles freshly cut from the jungle, stuck into holes I dug with a steel bar and a coconut shell. Then more bamboo tied with string and resting on the wall we had already build. 

  

We also went further into the jungle and to other houses to collect stone that was left from their build. I have a picture of the tractor (I use that word lightly) that we rode on. As a joke the driver ran us through the vegetation so that I got whipped by the branches. I was trying to snooze on the pile of stone we had collected at the time. He was only a school kid, they let anyone drive out here. Great kid though, we got on really well.

  

We left site early so as to visit other homes and families who are either in the scheme or about to enter it. They are currently living in mud huts as is the family Patrick and I are building for. I have pictures that you just would not believe. We are also ambassadors for Global Village as our presence enforces the commitment by HFH to work with these people. The more villagers that see us and see what we are doing, helps them believe in the project and more are joining the scheme all the time. It also gives them confidence in building their own homes with the support of HFH.

   

We also visited some homes that Habitat completed a few years ago. The families are so welcoming, so proud of their home. It is a great honour to be invited into a Sri Lanken home and they just loved to talk about how it had changed their lives (through an interpreter of course.) Some have even built extensions onto the original Habitat construction. It certainly has improved the quality of life of the owners of these properties.

  

The scheme Habitat run here is different to Portugal and every thing I have explained previously about the way they work. Here the families have to save in a scheme before they have the house built. That way there is no mortgage at the end because they already own the land, We build next to their mud homes on their farms. It takes about 4 years in the scheme before they have enough to pay for the house. With about twelve members in a group. Each family saves about 15 cents (USD) per day for six months. During this time , home-owners also collect rocks and sand both freely available throughout the countryside and make their own bricks. At the end of the six months, the group's savings are sufficient to build one house, consisting of a single room with an attached kitchen (not as you and I know the term) and bathroom (again nothing like you can imagine as there is no plumbing or electric). Within 27 months all twelve families complete their houses. If they choose to continue with the save and build program, the families can add an additional room to their house by beginning the savings and brick making process again.

The fact that we are here and visible in the community encourages other families to join the scheme and improve their lives. So we are not only builders of homes but are an encouragement to others, visible proof that the scheme works. 

We found an Internet cafe in the town. But there it is only dial up and I could not access an e-mail account that I could use. I didn't have my lap top with me as we only went in for beer. After speaking to the owner it would appear that I may be able to connect the lap top to the dial up network and send these emails.

Day Seven

Today we constructed the ring beam that ties the house together around the roof line. Sounds technical doesn't it. It's not, although in the UK it would be, as it would be over engineered and over priced. 

Here we used old timber, tie wire and bamboo, stuffing any gaps with mud or wet cement bag. Most of the day was spent mixing and pouring concrete (not as we know it) into the shuttering. 

Another hot humid and hard day. but at least tomorrow is an R & R day Sunday. Although we have to get up earlier than normal so as to get in everything the affiliate has planned. 

Whilst we are off having fun the new owners of the house will be trekking up to the mountains to cut timber for the roof trusses. You need a permit to cut timber here but they are sneaking in during the night to cut down a coconut tree.

Day Eight

R&R day today, early start as we needed to get to Sigrea before the crowds. An old temple with over a thousand three hundred steps to the top. The view was worth the effort and the guide was very good. Then lunch and on to the elephant safari. That was brilliant. 

Standing in the back of a Landrover ( 2 for the whole group) we set out through the national park in search of elephants. We eventually found them and took the obligatory photographs. On the way we came across water buffalo, eagles, tortoise and much more.

 We went further into the jungle to locate more elephants, which we did, after which we turned for home. On the way back we came out of a bend in the road to be confronted by a bull elephant. The driver headed off the road into the undergrowth thinking the whole pack was on the road, It wasn't, it was in front of us as we exited the bush. After some nifty manoeuvring we were back on the road home. 

A bit further down the track we rounded a bend (quite fast) to be confronted with another Land Rover bearing down on us from the opposite direction. Both drivers took evasive action and we nearly rolled over onto the bush. The front of our vehicle just clipped the rear side of the other one. Not too much damage done and no one hurt. We carried on and eventually made our way out of the jungle and home. 

Back to work tomorrow, must get this house finished for the dedication at the end of the week. 

Day Nine

I don't know where to start. The owner of the village in which we are staying arranged for us to be transported to the work sites by tuc tuc. This is the local 3 wheel vehicle that replaced the old rickshaw. It was manic. There was 6 tuc tuc's racing down an unmade road at break neck speed. We also took a look at one of the other builds, as yet we have not seen any other site. 

  

The morning was hot and hard. It's difficult to work when you are soaking wet from the minute you leave the air con of the room. The daughter in-law of the owner of the property Patrick and I are working on, also wife of Buddika the guy we are working with. Likes me in her country, This is a great honour, I think it's is because I save on scaffold costs. 

In the afternoon James joined us. A 21 year old army student from the USA. So far he has been very quiet. Eats a lot but seems very distant from the group. That is until after dinner when we played this game called MAFIA. Some people played it the other night ( I opted out, well you know me and games). Tonight I was drafted in to it. It was and is a great game, I only hope I can remember the rules. Any number of players. News years eve I have my game. 

I can't put into words the feelings I have about this trip. The country, the people, the culture. The friendships forged here will be with me for a long time. These people are so welcoming, humble and gracious that it makes the western world seem even more materialistic than I envisaged. 

As for today's personality, it has to be James. First impressions were that this guy was a bit of a mummies boy. 21 in military college, doesn't say much but eats for the USA. not a lot of him, fit kind of guy. Not a conversationalist. That was until he introduced us to "MAFIA" Now he is focused, vocal, in control and definitely officer material.

As for the work sit, we are nearly finished on this house. The only problem was a hornet attack after I disturbed their nest. This was not intentional. I just moved some of the roof covering so as to make an accessible path. They attacked in great numbers. We all ran for jungle cover. The funniest thing was to see Buddika try and hit the nest with a stick and run away, I wish I had a video running at the time. 

We eventually smoked them out so that we could carry on working, not without nearly burning down the original mud home that was to be the owners home for a few more days. 

Day Ten

This morning we visited the local village school. After a speech from the principal all the kids were assembled in the hall (space with a roof) and performed a couple of songs and dances for us. 

I remember when I was at school we had to go to assembly and listen to visiting dignitaries who were on the stage. Strange feeling being the one on stage. 

Then it was off to the work sites for the day. We are now up to roof height and are installing the timber that will support the tin sheets. James joined us on site again and helped Patrick dig the toilet. A hole 2 metres diameter by at least 2.5 metres deep. 

The timber for the roof was that cut down by Budikka and friends. A villager turned up with a chain saw and proceeded to cut the tree into lengths of 4 x 2 just by using the chain saw. Absolutely amazing. I'm surprised the guy has any toes left let alone legs. "Health and safety" I don't think so.

After dinner we went back to the site which had been prepared for a cultural exchange evening. Talk about feel like royalty. We all sat in specially built and decorated shelter whilst speeches and dances were performed. All the local dignitaries were there including the wise man. It was just so special. Music and dances carried on for some time. Again this was reality. not a tourist attraction. This is the real people doing what they do on special occasions. Just so moving.

  

I have had to download the pictures from the camera just to free up space. I can't believe I have taken so many. 

Tomorrow is another day on site and as it's now 1,30 am. Some of us stayed up for a drink when we got back to the village. I had better get some sleep. 

Day Eleven

Today started with the monsoon coming in. Certainly not cold but very wet. The rain stopped and started frequently. Every time it started the locals ran for shelter and put on hats and coats. It was hilarious. They couldn't understand why we carried on working. 

Patrick and James went back to their hole. They are so proud of it and rightly so. I did a little landscaping and clearing up of the front yard ready for the dedication tomorrow afternoon. Then it was down to fixing the roof and mixing concrete for the floor. The day just whizzed past. 

I am still amazed at the resilience of these people. They are so hospitable and friendly. Nothing is too much trouble for them. Today we had a disgusting looking green drink for morning tea break. And I mean green, bright green. But when I tasted it, it was fine. When I asked what it was they disappeared into the jungle and came back with a plant. Still don't know what it was but apparently it is good for the blood. 

The biggest shock of the day was to find out how old the old boy who I have been working with is. We placed him at about 65 to 70. He is 51. I think I started to get a little respect from him once he found out I was older than him. He still has my respect, if I had to work as hard as he has throughout his life I would probably look about 170. 

Night in tonight. I have just got washed and changed ready for dinner. We only have one more day here and then we move on to a tea plantation for Friday night. Saturday back to Negumbo / Colombo where we started this wonderful experience. 

I shall miss the people here, I feel that I have grown attached to them, far more than in Portugal. They are such genuine people, friendly and full of life, hard life, but life. They are a proud people and I am pleased to have known them and worked alongside them. 

Day Twelve

It's a sad day, it's our last on site. The people here have been just amazing. I spent my last morning down the hole. The house is finished and the family are getting it ready for dedication. There are the three of us finishing off the toilet. 8Ft deep and 6Ft diameter now. I spent two hours down there, sweat pouring off me but the determination to finish was great. 

  

At lunch time we went back to our village to wash up and change for the dedication in the afternoon. 

When we returned to the work village, emotions were running very close to the surface. There was a lot of tears from the home owners as well as some of the volunteers. We had built up such a bond with our respective owners that it was heart wrenching to say goodbye knowing that we would wake up in a hotel in the morning with a long homeward journey in front of us. The home owners would awake to their usual routine of hard work and little reward. 

During the dedication the monsoon struck again and we all had to rush into the house for protection from the storm. It was over in a short while but I was pleased we had completed the first part of the ceremony by cutting the ribbon on the door. The home owners had asked for the three of us to cut the ribbon, I can't explain how it felt to be given such an honour from such humble people. The memory will stay with me for ever. 

  

Buddika's wife ( I never did get to know her name) broke down in tears when it was time for us to leave. Such emotional scenes I will never forget. 

The evening was spent on our village over dinner and a local band drafted in by the director of the local affiliate. (not so hot) springs to mind when thinking of words to describe them. It was a little out of place and we were all drained from the days experience. But a lovely thought by the director who wanted to say thanks and throw a little party for us.

Tomorrow we leave for home via a nights stop over in Kandy (second capitol of Sri Lanka). I think I will sleep well tonight. 

Day Thirteen

Not much to say about today other than it has been hot and we have been travelling for hours. Found a great hotel for lunch, unfortunately it's not the one we are staying in tonight. Went back there for a drink this evening, real chill out time. Still missing the families and the work site. The group was very quiet today. 

Day Fourteen

Again we were travelling all day with a couple of stops for lunch and to visit an elephant prison, Sorry, orphanage. Chained up elephants is not my thing so a couple of us went and found a bar by the river. it was not long before the place was swarming with about 30 elephants of all sizes making their way into the river. Mostly unchained and free to roam, tame all the same. Even a three legged elephant (not sure about it's quality of life)

We finally made it to the hotel in Nagumbo from where I will leave for the airport tomorrow. We had final meeting to wrap up the trip and say a few goodbyes. Not only to each other as some are leaving early in the morning, but to our driver and Francis the local affiliate who has been marvellous in arranging everything from R&R to work on site. 

I would have to say that although I have enjoyed the company of the other team members, I have not spent enough time with some of them to get to know them as we were all on different builds. I did get to know a bit about Sue, who has lived for a year in Sri Lanka working at an orphanage (not elephants). It was she who found the bar when we were escaping the elephant orphanage. And of course Patrick.

Most of the team are down by the pool playing Mafia at the moment. But I have a stinking cold. I new I was in for this as soon as I arrived on site and worked with the mason who was obviously suffering at the time. I wasn't wrong. It has developed over the last few days. So a stuffed up early night is on the cards.

I have loved every minute of this trip. The people of the country are so warm and friendly. The poverty I have seen has been far in excess of anything I could have ever imagined. I WILL be back hopefully leading a team next year. For now the next stop is Costa Rica in November. No doubt I will feel the same about that country too. We are so Blessed (to use a Terryism) in the west, we just don't know it sometimes.

Sri Lanka 2006 part one

This post should have been before Costa Rica. But hey, I'm not perfect and the memory is getting a little slow. This was my second Habitat GV trip after Portugal and before Costa Rica. Again these ramblings are taken from emails sent to my then partner (little did I know, she didn't read them as she didn't really care where I was, what I was doing or why I was doing it. When asked if she wanted to look at the photographs from the trip, responded  "If you have seen one mud hut you have seen them all") Such is life, note: I did say "then partner" = "now ex partner".

So this is Sri Lanka 2006 part one.


Day One

Colombo Airport,. Located a taxi with no trouble, not quite Gatwick. Arrived at the hotel and was pleasantly surprised. Set right on the beach. Not what I was expecting. After checking in I took a walk along the beach fending off the traders along the way.

 

Met the group for dinner, great bunch, I'm the granddad of the team. Had few beers afterwards and off to bed.

Day Two

Day two started with breakfast and check out. Loaded all our luggage into a truck and thankfully we got to ride in an air-conditioned mini bus. The trip took 5 hours up to Dambulla. Stopping for lunch on the way. It's just one big game of chicken on the roads here. Bikes, motorbikes, buses, trucks all vying for the open space on the road. But we made it. Again a pleasant surprise. The MPS Village as it is known is a bunch of chalets as we would call them, set around the side of a lake.

Being the granddad of the team has its benefits, I get a room to myself. One of the Irish contingent got food poisoning before he was due to leave so couldn't make it.

I'm now back in my room under my mozzy net. This afternoon has been absolutely amazing. We went to the village where we will be working. The villagers put on a fantastic welcome for us, kids dancing and singing, speeches from the local dignitaries. The thing that made it for me was the fact that these are real people showing thanks and appreciation for the help we bring. Not just a bunch of people putting on a show for the tourists. I can't express exactly how I feel but it was very emotional.

 

From there we went to the town to stock up on beer as the place we are staying has no licence. (well you have to don't you) This little trip took over an hour due to the congestion on the roads. Yesterday and today are holidays because it's a full moon (any excuse)

 

Dinner was very western but we have been told from now on it is Sri Lanken food. The owner of this place used to live in the USA so western it was, with chips.

As the weeks pass I will tell you about the team. So far they appear to be a great bunch. John the 21 year old American is the group comedian. (and he's good at it) has us in stitches.

So after dinner the drinkers amongst us had few beers on the terrace and now it's bed time. I will catch up with you tomorrow.

Day Three

Day three, first full day working with the families. The group has split into three as there are three sites to work on. I am with Patrick the Irish Guy. We were left at a site with no translator (great fun). We soon managed to understand each other (that's the Sri Lankens not Patrick and I) I still can't understand Patrick.

We mixed mortar and laid blocks alongside the home owners. It took the morning for a relationship to build but when it did it was just something really special. Buddika (the son of the family for whom we are building a house) is great. his wife and mother made tea and cakes (not as we would know them). They also carry bricks and mix mortar, there is no sexism here, not at least when it comes to the work load.

Buddika and his wife

I have never seen or imagined the poverty that these people suffer. I say suffer but they are so happy. The children are not educated as they work on the family farm and education costs money. They live in mud houses with fires inside to cook on and all live in one room. The last time I saw something like this, it was in a book about the Saxons or stone age.

It gets a bit embarrassing when they offer us food as we believe we are taking food from their mouths. But they are so happy to make these offerings and so pleased when we accept. I suppose the only consolation is that their larder is growing all around them in the jungle. Pick it or pull it out of the ground, it will be fresh.

Today we had these cake like poppadoms and when asked how they were made we got a whole demonstration. Then they gave us a fruit called Baraka or Jack fruit as we have learnt it is also called. They had a little joke as when you touch this stuff before you eat it, your fingers stick together like supper glue. (very funny) then they explained how to eat it, Patrick and I decided that it tasted like every fruit we could name. But when you dip this stuff into salt water, wow, the taste just explodes in your mouth, unbelievable.

Aside from the eating, and drinking tea without milk, they are astounded we drink it without sugar but it tastes great, but then it should I suppose as this a great tea growing country. We did actually do some work. We raised the level of the house by 8 rows of blocks. I think they were impressed. Even the old granddad (I placed him at about 70 years old) who was building with us had a smile by late afternoon. (found out later he is 4 years younger than me). If I had spent my life living like this guy I would probably look about 170. (no comment from those of you who know me)

 The Mason

Lunch back at the village we are staying in was again superb. Fish curry and rice with potatoes curry and poppadoms and chutney. Tonight was another Sri Lanken dish (fish for me. They are looking after me already)

The personalities are really beginning to develop in the group, I haven't laughed so much in a long time. We have a teacher who brought games for us to play including crosswords. Well that was a conversation killer. Some of us slipped out for a beer. I don't think she was offended.

As I have a room to myself, I have put the mattress from the other bed on my bed to raise it above the foot board. I didn't sleep to well last night.

Day Four 

Still no Internet. But then I am working in the jungle, what did I expect. Today has been hot and hard-work. The house Patrick and I are working on is apparently the one that will be finished and dedicated by the time we leave. Once again the hospitality has been exceptional. We drank coconut milk directly from the coconut after Buddika hacked the top off. Every time someone came out of the jungle they had a new fruit for us to try. For some reason they dip most fruit in a salt solution but it certainly does something for the taste.

Unfortunately I cant remember the names of all these things. I should try to write it down but all day you are covered head to toe in red dust and dirt. Again building alongside the villagers has become so interesting, we communicate with sign language and a few words we have picked up in Sinhalese and a few they have learnt in English. We are teaching each other, (still can't understand Patrick). We sift sand, move bricks and make mortar. Lay bricks and keep the (old boy) never did get to know his name, such a shame, fed with bricks as he appears to be the mason on site. Buddika was running around organising things (I think).

The food at the hotel/village is wonderful. Lunch today was rice with devilled cuttlefish. Also a couple of veg curies to go with it. I'm sure I will put on weight.

We haven't had dinner yet as we are in town. I hopped I would find an Internet cafe but no such luck.

As it is Patrick and I are working together on one site, I am getting to know him quite well. We only come into contact with the others at lunch, breakfast and in the evening. But they still seem like a great bunch of people. So different from the Portugal team. Not better, just different.

James is a very quiet American military student of 21. In many ways he appears to be very reserved and not willing to open up, but I think given time we can work on him. He has been on loads of Habitat builds in the USA as they have a club within the college that organises week trips throughout the year. I will tell you more about him when I find out more.

I am under my mozzy net and ready to go to sleep. The battery is also going down on the laptop so I had better put it on charge............

Costa Rica Day 9 to the End

Day Nine

Went for a walk this morning before breakfast, it's amazing that there are some really nice houses tucked in between the grotty ones. All the same they are covered with steel cages.  Property theft is rife out here. Even in the town where we are staying the infrastructure is very run down.  You can't take your eye off the pavement for a second or you will be down a hole.

After Breakfast of (you've got it, rice and beans) we headed out to the church and church school to help with some maintenance work. Whilst a couple of the guys and myself put up a stud wall in one of the classrooms, the others got stuck into the painting of the church walls (internal) pink, can you believe it, pink walls in a church and it's not even in Tudley. (http://www.tudeley.org/allsaintstudeley.htm) the church there has windows by Marc Chagall, I believe a kid with a felt tip pen could do a better job, but that's just my opinion.

Lunch at the church and more DIY. I was amazed that no other locals were there to help us, or us to help them. I would have thought that the  Pastor would have arranged a work party but no, just us and a few of the church organisers .

After we finished up there, we went to the ghetto where most of the kids that go to that school live. It was grim. They are living in tin or wooden sheds. But I am starting to struggle with this. Yes it is a poor country, but the more I see of it, the more materialistic I am beginning to find the people. And all for the wrong reasons. They have no idea about financial matters, they take loans at 50% interest to buy items they do not need.  They live in terrible conditions but they all have TV, mobile phones, stereo systems and even Xbox's or similar. Some have cars that are wrecks but fitted with alloy wheels and loud exhausts.

I'm struggling with it because I can't reconcile it in my mind, do these people want help or just handouts so they can buy more "stuff". I don't necessarily mean the family we are building for as they have nothing at the moment anyway and at least the guy is working nights at the Coca Cola factory and then working on his house with us during the day. But the woman who prepares our lunch and coffee etc, she has a Habitat house which does not have a lot in it, but it does have the TV, stereo etc.

It probably sounds as though I think they shouldn't have anything at all, that's not what I mean and I don't feel that I am explaining it very well. (please note that this is one of my early trips and just getting a feel for this type of community. You will note a change in my attitude as we progress)

Day Ten

Sunday, day of rest. After breakfast we headed for the beach at Jaco in two mini buses. It took a couple of hours including a stop for a coke and a look at the crocodiles in the river. When we arrived it was about 12:45.  Moma D and I headed for the beach bar closely followed by the rest of the team.

I had the enchilada el polo, a refreshing change from the food at the digs. Whilst others went for a walk on the beach I stayed at the bar and had a couple of bottles of beer. They soon returned and joined me. After we watched the  sun set it was time to head home stopping at a roadside bar for dinner. This was late for the Americans 19:45.

I find the food in CR very bland. The Tex Mex enchilada was the best meal so far. The salads at the work site are good but I wish she would make more guacamole.
So here we are back at base and everyone has disappeared off to bed, well it is 20:45 and breakfast is at 07:00.

Had a chat with Terry about my thoughts and troubles reconciling the value of the trip in my mind. I found out he felt the same way about Portugal. It was interesting hearing his  reasons and discussing our thoughts. Unfortunately it did not help with my struggles  as far as Costa Rica is concerned , I shall just have to work on that.

Day Eleven

As soon as we got to site, two of us started shovelling sand into barrows whilst another took them down the hill. Soon a tractor with a trailer arrived. Between the two of us and the young guy who's house we are helping to build, we loaded about 6 ton of sand into the trailer. My shoulders are aching a bit now.  The sun was blazing down and we were working without shade.

Once full, the tractor took the load down the hill but was unable to tip it because  the angle of the hill was greater than his tipping angle. We had to unload part of the load and then help push the trailer up at the front whilst the driver used the ram. It worked at last and the load was delivered.

The others in the team were laying blocks and mixing mortar.  I made up some wooden jigs to help fill the gaps with mortar. (I learnt that on the Portugal trip) . So the day went on until lunch time, hot and sweaty. We broke for lunch and once again the heavens opened. I doubt there will be any mortar left in the joints by the time we get back down there tomorrow.

Marisa is the woman who prepares our lunch,  she made, on special request from myself, Guacamole, Sainsbury eat your heart out, this stuff is the best. I shall try to get the recipe.

Day Twelve

Started late for some reason. The weather was hot. Well there's a surprise. We got two rows of blocks up and concreted in the base blocks. It was hard going but we were on a time line as the rains don't give up here. Rained off at 14:00.

Got back to the digs and found I had a signal, 987 e-mails later I lost the signal so I will still have to go to the  Internet café.

Day Thirteen

We arrived at site a bit early today as it is the last full working day on site. Everyone was eager to get stuck in. Ken had a bet on with another team member that they would get to 5 rows high. I think a large steak was on the table. (That's beef not cash).   Well after a very hot start we made it to 5 high in one section and 4 in the rest (external only) inner walls were at 2 high.

Again we were rained off at lunchtime. This was a disaster as it was our last day. Fortunately we took the group picture just before the rain started. Tools cleaned and away for the last time, we headed back up the hill to the bus and home.

In the evening we all met in the dinning area of the digs along with the young couple who will eventually move into the house, (they are the couple in the centre of the picture above) some Habitat personnel, Merrisa who prepared our lunch and a few more invited guests. After the speeches and presentations, thank you's and goodbye's, karaoke was the order of the night.  That was until 21:00 hrs as you now know Costa Rica shuts at 9.

This was my first visit to a Central American country. My third Habitat Global Village trip as a team member. I will post my second trip next as I forgot about Sri Lanka. I believe as I took on more projects and visited more and varied countries, my whole perception of what we were doing, and why, changed. These trips had such a  profound effect on me that it changed my life (for the better, I believe). It made me more empathetic towards the problems in our world. More tolerant of others. It made me examine myself and my life, so much so that I changed parts of it. After 5 trips as a team member I decided to become a team leader and went to Chicago to take part in the TL training program. That was in 2008. It is now 2012 and I have completed 14 trips to date with another due in a couple of months (December) and two already booked for 2013.

My next posting will be Sri Lanka  June 2006.

Costa Rica days 5 to 8

Day Five

We worked hard today, the ground was still wet and heavy, when we thought we had all the foundations dug, Fabio the main man marks out another trench. It was hot and heavy. That was until about 12:15. We could see the dark cloud approaching from the east. It didn't look that heavy, in fact I thought it would pass over. But Fabio said it was about to rain. The wind started and apparently it was being pushed by the rain. The trees started to rock and Fabio said we had two minutes to get the tools into the hut and clear out. Many of us thought he was being a bit over enthusiastic, but two minutes later the heavens opened. We made it up the hill to the house outside which we were to have lunch. Even under the gazebo (for want of a better description) the water was driving in from the side. We stood our ground and had the best guacamole I have ever tasted.

When it rains it rains

After some time we decided that it was not going to stop. And called the bus to collect us. The day was over. At least it gave me the opportunity to get into the Internet café.

Following dinner (rice and chicken bits in some kind of sauce) we adjourned to the  seating area outside our rooms. Their is a religious discussion going on around the table and I'm plugged in at a side table writing this. Before that I was being beaten at connect four by  Debbie the young  11 year old daughter of Dave & Maurine. Debbie is cute, I let her win really ( I did, would I lie).

Dorothy (the 70 year old) is now known as Moma D, she is awesome on site. If she is not an ambassador for  HfH Global Village I don't know who is. I wish a few more 70 year olds could take a leaf from her book.

Day Six

Short day today. Really hot in the morning digging trenches. A lot of time spent digging out the infill from the storm. The first truck arrived and reversed down the track, bad move. He tipped his load of gravel / stone and then tried to get out. No way. Finally a tractor had to tow it out. Then the truck with the blocks, cement, timber and re-bar arrived. He had the idea that if he drove down the other track he would have more luck.

This one required towing out of here

We just got the cement off (50kg bags) and stored in the bodega before the rain started. We all lined up and started to get the blocks off before it got too bad. The line broke up as people decided they didn't want to get wet so those of us left, unloaded the rest beside the truck so that they could get away. No chance.

They tried all ways to get out but got nowhere. During this time Ken and I carried on shifting blocks from the side of the track to the building area whilst the others ran for cover. The rain was so refreshing we didn't want to give up. The tractor came back and tried to pull the truck out, forwards backwards even sideways when it slid into the trees. At some point the axle started to make a terrible noise.

We vacated the site and headed home. in the evening we went to a restaurant up in the hills. The rain had stopped and the views over the valley were spectacular. All the lights from the villages and towns looked like stars on the ground.

Back to the digs by 19:00 a late night again. Moma D and I sat up and chatted until about 22:00, that's more like it. Slept well after that.

Day Seven

My guess was correct. I thought we would find the truck still stuck on site, we did. Brilliant sunshine again this morning, very hot. At least we didn't have any trenches to dig today. We started on the re-bar, bending and tying, to make the sections needed for the foundations and the uprights. By midday another tractor arrived and pulled the truck out. Other team members were shifting sand and gravel to start on the concrete foundations when (you guessed it) the rains came.

Moma D and I carried on with the re-bar for a while but it was lunch time and we were called up to the road for lunch. Great salad and plenty of it. The rain didn't recede so time was called and we headed home. On the way we saw the truck being rear end lifted, I suspect the axle had broken.

Internet cafe and then dinner at 18:30 finished by 19:00. Tonight it may be early but I am brain dead.

This trip is so different from Sri Lanka, and Portugal. Obviously the culture and the climate, but we are not as close to the people and culture as we were in Sri Lanka. That's not to say I am not enjoying it because I am, I think I am just frustrated with the weather and the lack of progress. The team are good and the banter between us is fun. I even had a lengthy theological discussion with Dave this afternoon. (yes I know I am a none believer but that doesn't stop me enjoying the discussion) He is a good guy to talk with, very knowledgeable.

Geoff the farmer is a great laugh. He reminds me of all the old cowboy film wagon train cooks. full of stories. Bob is a quiet guy, he has also had a heart bypass and some other heart surgery so I try to keep an eye on him. He is so willing that he even tried to shift a 50k bag of cement. I stopped him just in time, but he is there whenever work is handed out.

Bob's daughter, Christine came to the site with us today, a good worker and very willing so long as it was working in the sun. She was after a sun tan. Probably rust first.

The foundations when dry (which wasn't often)

Day Eight

Hot does not begin describe it, we started with the wire & re-bar. I then moved on to mixing concrete and barrowing it to the trenches. Even though it was sweltering hot, the ground was like a bog. I was up to my ankles in it and trying to get a wheel barrow through it was impossible. After I improvised a runway with bits of tin and some scrap wood we carried on. Giovani (yes he is Costa Rican) worked with us today, he is our driver. Also Randal, an ex Habitat worker came to help, boy was he a strong young guy, The two Fabio's worked in the trench setting out the vertical re-bar and the whole thing seemed to come together. We were all working our buts off and at last we appeared to be getting somewhere.

There is so much re-bar used because of the constant threat of earthquakes. It's in the foundations, up through the walls at each corner and at intervals along the length. It is also used to form a ringbeam under the first block and again at 4 high. I assume they run another at 8 high but we never got that far.

Lunch was as good as usual and afterwards Dave, Ken and myself dragged barrows up the hill to load with sand. That was hard enough but trying to get back down with a full load was virtually impossible and back breaking. We made two loads each and that was enough to keep us going. I'm hopping someone else will get the rest down by the time we return on Monday.

We made up another batch of concrete and just got it laid before the heavens opened. It can certainly rain here. It was a shame it all had to end as we were doing so well.

Not so much contact with the local people as there was in Sri Lanka, I miss that kind of contact, I feel that as we don't get out in the evening and only mix with ourselves, I am missing a lot of cultural contact. The team are an interesting bunch and I thoroughly enjoy our discussions and listening to their stories but I still feel like an outsider as it is very much a closed group. I think Ken feels the same way. He bought his trip in an auction at his local church, not sure if he is enjoying it too much. Although he is from the same area in the US as the rest, he frequents a different church.

Local kids having fun during our break time

After we returned to the digs and cleaned up, some of us visited the market. That's not before the storm knocked all the power out. The thunder clap was directly overhead. The vegetables and fruit made a wonderful display. It was good to have Alex along to explain what the items were and what you did with them. Pity I can't bring some of this stuff home.

Dinner was at 18:00. (it's getting earlier) pasta tonight with garlic bread. After dinner we visited the church where the woman from the team had been working with the kids all week. I was impressed with the display of singing. Then there was the certificates to hand out and a few thank you's. It was all quite interesting.

Tomorrow we are going back to the church to help with some decorating and repairs. Not back to the work site until Monday.

Costa Rica Day Three

Day Three.

Awoke about 06:00 hours. Dozed until about  07:00 then got up showered (now that's another experience). Left my room mate sleeping and adjourned to the area outside the room and completed my day two blog.

It's Sunday, breakfast was served at 08:00. Solid scrambled egg and rice with a slice of cheese on the side. There was also a slice of meat, looked like tongue, it remained on the plate.  Time to meet the rest of the team. Even though we met at the airport, everyone was beat and just disappeared into their room as soon as we got to the accommodation. Dave and Maurine I had met before in Washington. The rest I only knew from their bio's. Ken is my room mate, young guy sleeps a lot, missed breakfast. As the day turned out he missed lunch as well, I finally found him in the room watching TV, that was at about 15:00 hrs.

I was expecting the town to be more Spanish, I don't know why I should think that but I did and it isn't. There are no bars with tables outside. In fact there are very few bars. After walking a few hundred meters I could see why. I stepped over three bodies at different intervals, sprawled across the side walk, (American already). The only way I new they were alive was the twitch they had .
Every property has iron bars protecting it. The steel industry must do really well here. The roads have open drainage along the edge at least 300mm deep. You can't park too close to the side or you drop in. Crossing the road you take your life in your hands, pedestrians do not have right of way. The cars are noisy, they have the same youth culture with regard to cars as we do, loud exhausts and booming music all from cars that look as if they are held together with sticky tape.

Being Sunday it is fairly quiet. I walked into the centre where the cathedral sits next to the central park. The people where spilling out of the doors, this is a very religious nation. I walked from one end of town to the other and from one side to the other and back to the park. Sunday is a family day as most people work a six day week. The park became a promenade, locals dressed in their finest, walked there children back and forth, people watching made easy. I sat there for some time just soaking it all in.

The local chapter of the Hells Angels arrived in a noisy parade and parked outside the cathedral. It's the same the world over. Line the bikes up so they look good, stand around  and look adoringly at your bike. When you know everyone has seen you, you move on.

The streets look very much like American streets that I have seen before,  in Upper New York State and on TV. The kind of hick places you associate with downtown . Plenty of rubbish, mainly in the crevasses left in the damaged pathways and the poles every few meters with all the electricity and telephone cable attached and draped across the street.

The team met for lunch at 13:00m (except Ken my room mate) Potato and Rice. I was in a minority when it came to voting on  setting a time for dinner. Being European I suggested 20:00 to 20:30 thinking I was being considerate towards the Americans. I was out voted, dinner will be at 18:30 and that was a concession to the Big Brit. (me)

Following lunch we had an orientation meeting with the Habitat representative. Do's , don'ts and a program for the work schedule (that's schedule not skedule I'm not that American yet).  The building has not been started yet, virgin ground to be broken, so digging , re-bar, and concrete pouring are on the agenda. The site is about 45 minutes out of  town in a village called Gresia and we start at 07:30 on site. So up at about 05:30. I can't wait. I sometimes feel the waiting about before hand is harder than getting stuck in.

It's 17:40 here that's 23:40 at home. My body clock has adjusted  so I'm on CR time. The guys are playing some kind of card game (cards and dice) they are making a lot of noise and it sounds like there is one who keeps winning. I hear the rest complaining about how much they have lost.

I'm here in the corner plugged in and typing away. I haven't got over lunch yet and in 45 minutes it's dinner time.

Over lunch I had a brief conversation with another team member Geoff. A retired farmer from up on the Washington / Canadian border. I was intrigued by his story about mules and donkeys. He packs his mules and he and his wife head into the mountains camping  for months at a time.  I asked the difference between a donkey and an ass. He replied  "one is human".  The other person who interests me is a retired woman of  70  who worked in education, nursing and then in the peace corp. The only part of the world she has not been to is Antarctic and Russia. She is also the only woman in the team that is working on the build whilst the others minister to the children of the ghetto. More about her later.

Day Four.

We arrived on site at about 07:30. The local contractor had started to set out the foot print. It wasn't long before we started digging, and we didn't stop until lunch time and carried on after lunch until 16:00 when rain stopped play.

We met the family who will be taking on the house when it's completed. A young couple with two children. They currently live in a shack. The plot is situated behind a few other houses built by Habitat a year ago along a track leading into the sugar cane and coffee fields. If I thought the living conditions were grim for the Costa Rican families, the Nicaraguans in the area for the coffee picking are even worse off.

They reminded me of the accommodation that the hop pickers used to live in. (Hop pickers used to come from London to Kent and stay for the season, whole families picking hops for the breweries) They look like stables with families living in an area about 80 sq feet. Toilets in a block and washing from one tap at the end of the row.

One of the families who are living in a local Habitat house provided the lunch. You've got it, rice, but it was good with home made lemonade. This is a dry team. There are no bars near our accommodation and the town shuts down by 19:00. Even the Internet café shuts at 19:00. Looks like I'm the only team member that fancies a beer after a days work, so there is no beer run as in Sri Lanka.  (How crazy of me, I forgot that I had been to Sri Lanka before this trip, I will make it the next adventure to publish)

Dinner was at 18:30 and it's now 19:30. Dinner is over and we are back in the accommodation. Plenty of time for me to write this rubbish.

It's not the sort of town you can go for a walk in. So I'm told, and I was warned against it.

In the afternoon we had an audience on site as the children returned from school. They all lined up along the ridge behind us and just watched, not sure what they thought we were going to do, we were just digging trenches. We got all around the outside walls and started on the inner foundations. Tomorrow will be more of the same. They say we will be block laying by Friday. That's more like it, I much prefer building to digging but you have start with the digging to get to the building.

The journey to site takes about 45 minutes and is quite breathtaking as the roads snake through the mountains , the mist hanging in the valleys like curtains.  The ride home was spectacular with the rain lashing down and the roads hardly visible. It didn't seem to phase the drivers though, slowing down wasn't an option.

The team worked well and Geoff and I had a good system going. Geoff is 68 but certainly not work shy. Dorothy is the name I couldn't remember yesterday. Much like Tanya in Sri Lanka she too, didn't flinch at the work load. She is 70 years old and certainly had no problem getting her hands dirty. She apparently built her own house in the States.

Ken (the youngest member) was plugged into his mp3 player all day, We  had to shout every time we wanted to catch his attention. We are sure he was the reason the young girls were watching the proceedings. As you can expect, he is taking some shtick from the rest of us, but he's a good player.

Terry is his usual self. Pick up a shovel when the cameras come out and spend the rest of the time talking to everyone he can. He doesn't do much manual labour but he sure keeps us all entertained and playing as a team.

Mike, who I met when visiting Terry in Washington is a very dry character with a great sense of humour. Very quietly spoken so I find it difficult to hear him all the time but he and Terry have a terrific relationship, the banter has everyone in fits.

So tomorrow is another day and I'm sure it will be another hard one so I'm going to crash out. 20:00 hours, what am I doing. This is unheard of. Must be my age.

To be continued...........