We found another internet cafe. It is like ten feet from where we are staying. It is in this random ass mall in the middle of shacks. I have no idea where it came from but I'm pretty sure God was involved somehow. There are even giggly, annoying teenagers here. So some things are universal. Malls being one of them.
Another universal thing: Firemen are hot everywhere. We are building a house for a fireman and his wife and the past couple of days all of his fireman buddies came out and helped us build. And by "help" I mean "actually took over doing all the more difficult work". We heart firefighters. The first day we had to dig many a ditch all by our poor, out of shape, used to sitting in front of a computer all day selves. Those very bodies were nonhappy about all of the newfound need to participate in manual labor. When I woke up the second day I wanted to cry. Not because I was so moved by the humanity I'm seeing, but because I knew that we still had many more ditches to dig.
Then, as if sent from heaven (the same sender of the mall) we arrived at our work site to find 6 fireman digging said ditches. Did I mention we heart fireman? They were awesome. And today they took us to their firehouse, which was very nice. And then they did some drills to show us how good they are at being firemen, as if we needed more reason to adore them. One of the guys in our group is a fireman in Canada so the man whose house we are building presented him with a fireman belt buckle and told him he was giving it to him in the spirit of love and brotherhood. Then they hugged. Then we all cried. And that time didn't have anything to do with sore muscles.
There are 17 people on the trip, ranging from 27 to 7-friggin'-five years old. Yeah. The 75 year olds are totally kicking the younger people's butts. I think it has something to do with the fact that perhaps the older people might have actually worked a day in their lives, unlike my generation, who have done nothing beyond sit in front of a computer for hours at a time. We don't really know what work is all about. And now that I know what it is all about I'm quite glad that I've been in the dark for so long. The dark is fun. And it's not sore.
We are seeing great things, working with great people and doing great things.
And we're only halfway through.
More to come...
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5 comments:
Starbucks there? If not, then maybe I need to buy a franchise and move myself down there. You could build my house! Then again...they probably couldn't afford $5 cups of coffee. Proud of you girl! See you when you get back. 13 more days 'til RENT.
Firefighters??? NOW it is starting to sound like a vacation!
I heart firefighters!! :)
Nice to hear the poverty and lack of tivo has not had a negative effect on your libido. Of course, if I were there and a bunch of nurses started digging ditches I'd feel the same way as you!
Have you found any Twinkies???
Dawn - you rock! I'm so proud of you for doing what you do! I could never imagine doing something so humble. I've decided when I grow up, I want to be just like you.
Did I ever tell you, I'm a fireman?
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