Day Four - Tuesday - Team Paulie

This morning we were served a typical Nicaraguan breakfast which consisted of rice, potatoes, cornmeal and pork mixed all together and then wrapped in a banana leaf.  This was then boiled for 12 hours.  It was spicy and delicious.

Arrived at the build site where we divided into Team Paulie and Team Tony.  Team Paulie definitely has the "spa site"...lots of shade, lots of room to move around when working, all surrounded by lovely corn and sugar cane fields.   Our architect, Claudio, was on site, and made good use of his eager volunteers.  He speaks very good English.  The first two rows of blocks were already laid.  While Gerry and Barry helped in laying more rows of blocks along with the mason, the rest of us broke into groups.  Some mixed concrete, some sorted blocks, some chiseled to make "U" blocks, some filled mortar.  The day moved along quickly and we were all happy to see the outcome of our efforts...walls growing higher! 

The most rewarding part of today was being on the build site with our family.  Rafael and Rosa worked along side us while their children, Fernando, Francis and Fabiola played on the jungle gym (a.k.a. the huge pile of blocks).  In no time, their cousins came to play after news got out there was candy to be had.  There is nothing more amazing than giving a small kid candy and watching their face light up like you just gave them a piece of gold!  The other amazing part of today was giving our leftovers to the family.  I know that most of us cannot fathom this idea.  We were well fed at lunch and had lots of leftovers and we couldn´t throw them out. We sorted our rice, potatoes, pork and corn into containers.  We gave it to Rosa and her face lit up.  We´ll just end this post with that thought.

Day Three - Monday

Up for breakfast at 7am for pancakes with fresh fruit and fantastic Nicaraguan coffee.  Off to the adobe factory at 8am.  An adobe factory is not the software but a brick making factory.  Not in a building but out in the open.  This factory is all manual labour.  The only machinery available is to press the bricks, and ours was broken today, unfortunately.  In the meantime there was plenty of work to be done.  In the center of the site was a huge pile of dirt.  Some of us had to break up the dirt while others shoveled the dirt through the sifters.  The sifters are metal frames that stand over the wheelbarrow.  Others in the group were using the sifted dirt to mix the adobe brick recipe which consists of dirt, lime and dry cement.  Others were moving already made bricks onto the flatbed truck to be transported to the building site.  This was back breaking work, even more so in the hot sun.  Because the brick press was being repaired, we broke off into small groups to do other jobs around town in the afternoon.  Some continued to shovel and sift.  After lunch, we were joined by about 30 local families who were there to do their allocated work in order to earn their Habitat home.  All of the women and men showed up wearing flip-flops and not a single hat.  They worked solidly without the breaks that all of us Canadians needed to take.  They seemed unaffected by the heat.  We soon made some new friends.  We needed to sift enough wheelbarrows full of dirt in order to make an allotted number of bricks.  We surpassed the number needed thanks to our new friends.  

Some of the team members who were looking for adventure headed off to deliver materials to other job sites.  They all piled into the back of the flatbed truck....safety standards are not even on the radar here!  Little did they know that part of their job was to change the flat tire they soon had!  A third group of real keeners felt they needed a good workout and set off to dig a foundation.  Not only did they finish the foundation they completed the cement footings!  They worked overtime for this one!

Nelson, our bus driver, brought us back to the hotel at 4pm.  We all headed straight for the pool to cool down.  We had a dinner of chicken, beef, sausage, fried plantain and the best Pico di Gallo I have ever tasted.  After dinner, Tony was able to get the hockey game on the TV in the dining area!  We spent the evening playing Euchre, chatting and sharing lots of stories and laughs.

Day Two - Sunday

Breakfast at 8am...beans, rice and bit of bacon with toast.  The bus picked us up at 9am.  We met Elisa from Habitat Nicaragua.  She and Adrian took us to see the hilltop site of the former presidential palace of the dictator, Anastasio Somoza.  The palace was destroyed by the 1972 earthquake that leveled much of the city.  We also saw the notoriously brutal prison on the grounds of the presidential palace.  We learned about the recent elections and how difficult it is for the average Nicaraguan to have a fair and just vote.
We then departed for the town of San Rafael del Sur.  Our trip took us through the beautiful countryside.  The ride was very bumpy because we realized the whole highway is paved in interlock bricks rather than ashpalt.  Much cheaper!  Our hotel is in the nearby town of Masachapa which is right on the Pacific Ocean.  Beautiful beach and very quiet.

Following a nice lunch and a very informative orientation by Elisa, we headed to the housing development called La Gallina to meet the families we will build for.  We saw where they are living now.  Their new homes have the footings poured already so we have a good start.  Both families will be working with us and we will get to know them better in the next few days.  The community is full of shanty homes, a few completed Habitat homes, and beautiful lush greenery and hibiscus flowers.  It was nice to see that even though these people are living in some of the worst conditions, they still try to make their "home" a home.

We returned to the hotel for some relaxing time.  Many of us took walks along the beach and enjoyed the beauty of Nicaragua.  There were many local families enjoying their Sunday on the beach.  We had a dinner of chicken tacitos which was delicious and are spending the evening with lots of stories, laughs and even a game of Euchre!!   Good night to all at home.
Rita

Day One

Travel day!  Early start for all at airport for 6am flight to Chicago.  Eating and shopping in airports has become the pastime.  Chicago to Miami and then into Managua at 7:00pm.  All flights were smooth and on time.  Most importantly, all the luggage arrived with us.  We were met at the airport by Adrian from Habitat Nicaragua.  Onto the bus for the short drive to our hotel.  Managua was busy and there were some nice looking areas of the city.  We arrived to find Paul, Chris, Andrew, Jill, Mehdy, Barry, and Morgan waiting for us with refreshments on ice.  They arrived last night and prepared the lay of the land for the rest of the team.  After a lovely fish dinner, we spent the evening relaxing and catching up with everyone.  It is humid here.
Goodnight Rita

THE FIRST CANADIAN TEAM TO WORK IN NICARAGUA

2010 El Salvador

The Canadian Global Village program started sending teams around the world in 2006.  This will be a very special trip as we are the first Canadian team to visit Nicaragua.

HOTEL ACCOMODATIONS NOVEMBER 18-19

Upon arrival at the airport we will be transported to a hotel in Managua.  On Sunday November 20 we will leave for our build site and our hotel for the week.

Our hotel is on the link below:

http://www.hostalreal.com.ni/losrobles/losrobles_en.html

TRAVEL TIPS

Preliminary needs:

 Passport:         Scan a copy and send it to Paul at tpmack@rogers.com

Health card:    Scan a copy and send it to Paul at tpmack@rogers.com

We will have all the copies with the emergency kit in case of injuries.

 See your local travel clinic re. Shots and meds

2) Packing:

Less is better. Split luggage to include a day’s essentials in carry-on.

Baggage loss and delay is getting common. (No complaining allowed).

Suggested inclusions:

-          Two pairs work pants, two long sleeve work shirts

-          one pair khaki or casual slacks, or skirt, dress tops, shirts for dinner, R&R and travel

-          basic first aid kit, tweezers, travel wipes, hand sanitizer

-          A couple of pairs work gloves, one pair casual/hiking shoes, one pair work shoes or boots (open shoes not allowed on site),

-          wide brimmed hat: Tilley-type, (sunstrokes and dehydration  do occur)

-          sunglasses or safety glasses; bathing suit, sunscreen, bug repellant

-          special foods or medications; travel alarm, tiny flashlight; rain poncho,

-          Spray on sun block is much easier to use on the build site

-          A water bottle that you can refill on the build site

-          Electrolytes replacements..they are available in “jellybean” form, they work great on those days when the tummy is just not right!!!

-          Some snacks of choice (snack or protein bars)

4) Not recommended:

Gifts or toys for locals, on one-to-one basis

Shorts (officially they say no shorts, we have had no trouble with the cargo type shorts) tank tops, halter tops, high heels expensive jewelry, expensive cameras, or video cameras

5) Donations:

 Gifts, tools, books, or toys…may be made through the local affiliate on a group, not individual, basis. It is customary to leave excess clothing behind upon departure.  We have been asked to provide items that would be of use at a children's daycare in La Gallina

6) Research:

Check out Nicaragua as well as the Hostal Real via the following link:

http://www.hostalreal.com.ni/masachapa/masachapa_en.html

Canadian Travel Advisories:

http://www.voyage.gc.ca/countries_pays/report_rapport-eng.asp?id=216000

7) The weather:

Nicaragua has a range of microclimates, and it's always worth checking the weather to see where you want to go first. On the Pacific side, invierno (winter), or rainy season, runs May to November, at its rainiest in September and October when sea turtles nest 3000-strong to a beach. Verano (summer), or dry season, is November to April, the best time for hiking, camping and partying, as it coincides with high tourist season (December to March), most pronounced along the Costa Rican border. As verano desiccates to a close, the Pacific forests lose their leaves and lake levels drop revealing sandy lake beaches that you'll put to good use as temperatures soar from the normal high 20s into the mid-30s or worse.

http://www.lonelyplanet.com/nicaragua/weather

8) Money: US dollars!!

VISA, Mastercard, and Bank Card. In most places, one of these three works in ATMs , for cash withdrawals. American Dollars are also recommended.  American Express and Traveller’s Cheques are not popular.

9) Waters and Diet:

Bottled water is provided, free, continuously. Katadyn water treatment bottles are handy, if you bring them.  If it isn’t cooked or peeled, don’t eat it.

Smile, and expect the unexpected!!!