The House

Someone send me booze, fast and lots of it.

I went out to site yesterday to help do some repairs (...who are we kidding...I stood there and chatted with the villagers while the guys worked) and that house is OHMYGOD.

My job of taking photos of the issues had me literally RUN out of the hut, with the workmen hot on my heels....bats FLYING at us, and cockroachs spilling from the inside of the walls they were tearing down. I just started laughing and was like -- seriously?! You're all kidding right?

As I was sweeping - I moved a piece of wood and three toads hopped out -- swept those guys right out the door.


So I will be commuting to work - if you will.....

Most of the house stuff is repaired - they made quick work of tearing down, SPRAYING and then putting new walls up for me. The inside of the house is done (I even got a little new concrete on the floor, the laterine is build, the shed/wash house has new concrete) and one side of the outside is completed....I'd say it's 90% done. I would just stay in the city til Monday (due to all the spraying of insectide and the concrete...I can't be there with the fumes) BUT...

Enter the new issue - the Durotank (rain water collector) had dead bats and worms in it...so the village dumped it. That is AWESOME, expect we are in dry season and that leaves me with no way to get water. So today I go back to talk to my counterpart about what to do -- honestly, what do I do!? Anyone? Ideas? So far I've come up with lugging it bucket by bucket from the river -- I'll be one buff lady by the end of dry season that's for sure. But river water is really not good to be cooking or drinking - even after a really good filter.

Peace Corps the toughtest job you'll ever love.

I'll update tonite as I will be going to site and returning to the city again today.

Luckily the driver knows 'a faster way' (a back road - literally the width of a deer path....and the bumpiest ride yet - this is saying A LOT, roads here are pretty bumpy....he's also the fastest driver I have EVER driven with too....so send hair dye as I'm going gray!) to make it there within 4 hours driving. Thank god for Land Rovers, 4 wheel drive...and seat belts!

Love,
your jungle job commuter