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Published: September 8th 2006
Before
The before shot of the floor of the dining hall. Well nothing went as expected this week: the dining room floor is being finished as I write this and the water filter showed up and is working properly (I have drank 2 litres thus far and nothing bad has happened). Needless to say, I am a little worried right now because nothing has gone wrong in so long and things are actually being completed in a reasonable amount of time. It's just not Africa.
With all the work though and Julie having gone to Masaka to teach kids there Capoeira, my week has been rather hectic. After teaching Monday, or was it tuesday? from 9-12, I then proceeded to help in moving sand and rock and mixing the materials for the first layer of the floor, all whilst mixing sweety water, handing out toothpaste and dealing with sick individuals. Some time around 19:00 we finished 3/4 of the first layer and decided to call it a day. Between having to go bathe, making more water, and fixing the requisite sandals, by the time I was going to sit down to my dinner the kids were already showing up for toothpaste and their vitamins. Some time around 22:00 I finished all
Photographer
Joseph the photographer. of that and sat down to my now cold meal of rice and some blue, hard, tasteless substance. The next day was pretty much the same and then, finally after 3, or 4 weeks of waiting, the water filter showed up!
It's a very simple concrete structure about 3 and a half feet tall open at the top and with a spout coming out one side. It's rather simple: The dirty water goes in the top, and after filtering through various sizes or sand and rock, comes out of the spout clean. It needs simple cleaning every 2 months or so, and then a little more extensive cleaning every half year or year depending on usage and the cleanliness of the initial water. Pretty simple stuff and I am surprised it has not been around for longer. The only thing left to do is get a jerry can for the clean water that is unlike the rest of the jerry cans. You would think that would be a simple task, but for some reason all the containers here are yellow. We'll figure something out.
Thursday night they figured out that I don't know anything about construction or concrete
Outside
Where the veranda will be. work and sent me to bed instead of helping on the finishing coatings. Apparently they were up until 1am to make sure they got it done in one day so I was thankful that I was not apart of that.
The only other news is that I had to take back all the toothbrushes from the kids because so many of them are losing them. I constructed make shift toothbrush holders out of old vitamin containers to ensure that they are stored neatly in my room now instead of all over the place. The leatherman has been put to frequent use now making the holders, fixing sandals, installing gutters and various other tasks. Never thought it would be so handy.
The only time that I get a little grumpy is around 21:00 when the kids come ot brush their teeth and get their vitamins. It's late, and I want to go to bed, but they are all wired like they have just drank a bottle of coke and want to hang around and talk, bang on drums or anything but go to bed. I let it go for a while nad then usually just pick three of four
Materials
Got flashbacks of the hellish summer when I saw all the truck loads of materials, especially the rock coming in. The scary thing is I actually wanted buckets instead of wheel barrels. Luckily you can't get em in Kampala. of them up while snow plowing the rest outside.
Finally, I think the larium is starting to take its' tole because I swear I am hearing things in the night. Haven't found anything yet but I will let you know if I do.
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Nice
Nice, if frustrating (from the sounds of it), work, mate! ;-)