Yesderday was the first day we went into the village and started the actual work we are here to do: building stoves. Last year we had more people in our group, and another group with us, so about 3 times the people all together. We had a nice welcoming ceremony last year, but since there were fewer of us, we expected less of a to-do. We were so surprised at what we got! Last year we started the trip at someone's home, this year we started out at a school where it looked like the entire town had gathered! They had a little PA type system set up, and a whole row of chairs for us to sit in while they gave us some welcoming speeches and a recital. They had two different groups of children do some traditional dances for us, then follwed it up with some more remarks and gave us all flowers. It was very moving, most of us teared up. Poor Nhoj, his dreadlocks have been getting him a lot of attention from the locals, and yesterday was no different. As we sat there, the kids kept coming up behind him and touching his hair, but he was cool about it. I don't even know how to describe the way the kids were looking at us and acting around us, but it made us feel like royalty.
We headed out for the site, rather different environment from last year, more hilly, houses a little further apart, and built up a bit more. I think I got a realy good team this year, another youth, but a good one!!! I used a machetti to cut up a brick, and DIDN'T hurt myself, so I call the day a success! The day flew by, I couldn't believe it when they told us it was time to pack up and go home. I was dissapointed because we were SO close to finishing our stove, but we needed another batch of mortar to finish, and there just wasn't time for that. Oh well, at least we get to go back and see our family again. The woman of the house was very young, I would guess 16, and had such a sweet baby straped to her back. That didn't keep her, and her mother in law who lived in the same lot (maybe compound is a better term?) from picking up and running with 30-50 pound bags of gravel! Still amazed by these women, even after witnessing the same thing last year.
When we got back from the site we were all wet and dirty and tired, and calling dibs on the showers (2 showers, 8 people). Just before we got back to the Ama house they told us we were to go straight to the dining room to hear a lecuture about myan cosmology, we were a little upset but just sucked it up and went. We all had trouble keeping our eyes open for the hour and a half he spoke! First of all, the chair are way too hard to sit in for that long, and we were exhausted. I was upset that they planned it this way primarily because I thought our sleepiness was disrespectful to the guest, although we tried our best to look attentive, and I, at least, had trouble focusing on what he was saying with my tired brain. I heard it last year though, so I didn't worry too much about that part. Then it was straight to dinner! We didn't have any free time yesterday, after dinner and showers some of us wanted to go out, but they basicaly said no, mostly for safety reasons, and it was raining anyways. Oh well! Now it is time for breakfast, hope today is super productive!
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