Crack On!

I will post Kristian´s note below. Computer here is VERY slow and there is a room waiting so I will be brief.

Day two - did not work as hard today. Did I mention yesterday we worked in the rain - well, today as well. Off and on rain. Today more ditch digging, hauling rocks, pouring cement. A lot of progress. The houses are amongst a large group of identical houses, each on is a ´duplex´ technically, although in size you would think ´very large garden shed´. Seriously, very small (humble). There are about 6 streets of identical houses in this development, part of a govt subsidized program, looking like WW2 temporary barracks. The owners were able to work w the govt to get proper title to their places, then they can work w habitat to help build and pay for the additions. We are getting to know the families better, and play with the kids - they are very sweet. If I can stay up late I may try to transfer a few pics later today or this week.

Ciao...

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Hola Amigos!

Ah, we had a Chilean coup of our own just now. The
women took over the men´s shower while they were down
the street drinking cerveza - ah ha.

So we}re two days into the work now. I have become
queen of shovelling rocks. Why? My wheelbarrow
skills have improved but they are still not as good as
other peoples. We are digging out the foundation for
7 houses. Once we{ve dug out all the dirt, it{s a
lasanga of big rocks, cement, big rocks, cement and
then people start tamping. I have taken to shouting
out Tamp On, Tamper! This is a bad habit. I also
shout when people get their pick on. We have some
very enthusiastic excavators.

Many of us now own very fashionable plastic yellow
rain suits. It{s better than getting wet, because we
only stop working when it rains really hard. We were
amusing the Chileans standing under a shelter while it
was raining singing Singing in the Rain and MacArthur
Park.. someone left a pala - shovel - in the rain...

What else. Una and I have to meet with directors of
the board and all sorts of people because we are the
first brigade and everyone is stopping by the worksite
to say hello. We are the jefas. Every night we have
a jefa conference to find out who on the team is
driving us nuts - and they are, blanche, they are.
The main jefa of the site is a woman named Paula who
is a civil engineer. She gets to boss around the
maestros. She is very friendly and we all love her.

I spent the bus ride home learning words in
Mapudungun, the language of the Mapuche. My brain
gets as tired as my muscles sometimes. Okay the
carpal tunnel is kicking back in and there{s a line so
I{m going to sign off.

Also... we{re all very sad to hear about the election.
Booschwin. That{s what Gabriel, one of the
homeowners told us and it seems to be true. He will
be in Santiago on the 14th and so will we. If I{m
late coming back to work it{s because we went to
protest with the Chileans and I{m in a Chilean jail
somewhere. Send bail money.

Chau,
Kristian