Building Sinks and Painting Buildings

First off I would like to say sorry that I have not been posting a lot of pictures but I have taken over 2000 pictures so to my supporters, you will have a lot of pictures to choose from.

The weather in Haiti's during the work day is around 95 degrees now toss is some humidity and it feels like 100 degrees. When you are working sweat pours down your forehead and armpits like a Tae bo work out. Now that you have a good mental picture lets build a frame for a sink. Haiti is a DIY place to live and work, which makes if fun but also a pain in the ass if you are used to running water and electricity. Gayly and I built a sink for the kitchen in the house. It was nothing major to build just some 2x4's and nails but it was an interesting experience understanding their water system.

Jacmel, Haiti does not have government funded running water but each house can be equipped with a cement well that can be filled with a phone call to the water truck. In the house that I am staying at a water pump has been installed to run water up to a 125 gallon reservoir that is on the roof. Gravity is at work in this house, the two sinks, one toilet and shower are fed from the reservoir. The house has been filled with 5-8 residents for the past 5 weeks which caused the tank to be refilled on average of 3 days, this means water conservation is on every house members mind. Just like my mother taught me I turn off the water when brushing my teeth, or my bro is that we don't flush it down unless it's brown and like living on a US Naval boat I shut off the water during my soaping up part of the shower. My living situation is a nice one in Haiti, a good portion of the people do not having any sort of running water, which means taking a shower from a five-gallon bucket and flushing the toilet (if you have one) by dumping water in the bowl.

One of the largest projects I have been apart of while here has been repainting the Olive Tree Projects building. We applied a new coat of mahogany brown to the bar windows, gates, a stripe on the top and a portion of the face, while the rest of the building has been painted orange. This was a fun job since I was able to see the once white building transform into the eye catching maternity center that brings life into this world.

The Jacmel Experience

This small city is friendly, beautiful and relaxing, well in a controlled chaos sort of way. My second day in Jacmel a group of us decided to venture off to Bason Blue a place that is considered the most beautiful place in Haiti, according to the Lonely Planet DR/Haiti guide book. Gayly and I traveled there alone and a group of 10 other people came in different groups. Gayly and I walked the whole way which started at the rivers edge, we walked through thigh high water and at this point I knew the adventure was in full swing. Walking up to the sign post for Bason Blue I was excited, we walked through a banana and coconut lined path with houses and farms on the side. Then the path started to incline and before I knew it we were walking up a 22% grade that seemed to last forever but it definitely last at least 4 km. Hot and sweaty in this humid place can knock your spirits ability to think you can complete the journey but having a determined friend with you helps keep you going. I had Gayly and he would thankfully not stop walking and this kept me going as I was thinking if it was worth it. We walked to where I paid 100 gourde the rough equivalent to $2.50 to enter and then we purchased a bag of plantains and some chicken pastries for another 100 gourde. The water at Bason Blue is colbalt blue and beautiful. After a while the rest of the people showed up then we started jumping off the cliffs, swimming around in the refreshing water and having a great time. A few hours later we made the trek back home and thankfully it was down hill this time.
Jacmel is a great place I have had the best BBQ chicken here, swam in clear water, met friendly people and have had a few firsts. The first time I held a baby, first time I have ate plantains and ate cow intestine, it tastes like a Slim Jim if you were wondering.