Expect the Unexpected

If there is one thing I have learned from this co-op, it is to always be prepared to have your plans thrown to the wind. While I thought I would be spending this week working on conference applications for the non-profit I'm working for, instead I've been working with a group of volunteers on the actual construction projects at Barzakh Falah. Helloooo roof demolition. 

If you haven't checked up on the blog in a while, then you might not remember that I work for a tiny non-profit called Barzakh Falah. Their goal is to build a transitional home for girls out of sustainable earthbag buildings and an organic farm which will feed the girls as they pursue secondary/ vocational education. 

We recently discovered that the roof of the kitchen building was in desperate need of replacing. There are a lot of unique problems that come with using earthbag building techniques in the tropics that can't always be anticipated. The kitchen at Barzakh Falah was sporting an earthen roof- meaning that a layer of compact clay and sand on top of wooden planks would serve as the roof. Although the clay/ sand layer sported a coat of concrete had held together quite well, water had seeped in over the unusually long rainy season. Once the wood got damp, the termites arrived and a repair became necessary. 

However, we just didn't expect the extent of the damage. We thought that some of the planks would be sturdy enough to leave in place, but the water damage basically dissolved everything. Luckily the support beams were still in good condition because they were cut from a hardwood tree. The picture below shows what we have left. (the dark stain at the top is a kerosene treatment to repel any remaining precocious termites)

It's been a frustrating week to say the least- but one of the best parts of this co-op is getting to meet people from all over the world who come to volunteer with us. The Hval family has joined us for two weeks and they are truly inspiring. Hailing from a tiny town in rural Canada, the Hval family really believes in exposing their kids to a wide variety of cultures and service projects. So far they have been to Belize, Mexico, Panama, Peru & more. Their youngest even wrote a blog about all of their experiences: http://ezrasgreatadventure.blogspot.com/. 

These guys are troopers and have been battling triple digit weather to help us with construction (and deconstruction). They've been so awesome that we've started to tackle a second project- establishing a foundation/ floor for our newest building which will be an 8- bed dormitory. This involves packing in sand, laying steel rebar, and LOTS AND LOTS of concrete pouring. It's super refreshing to meet parents (and kids!) that are this passionate about service learning education. Can't wait to see how much we can accomplish next week!