Stoves!

Stove project got underway this week! I am sore all over and both my brain and body hurt! We had to coordinate the purchase, transportation and delivery of over $500 worth of materials for the stoves this week, all in Spanish. Amazingly enough everything went extremely well, granted our driver was late and we had to go to a different store to get more materials. We managed to get one stove built and the rest of the supplies delivered to the other 3 families. The community, chixal is about an hour walk away up hill. We made the walk the first time to meet all the community memebers and give our charla. I was dead after it haha. Luckily we were able to ride in the delivery truck the next time when we delivered supplies. The delivery was tough as the three families lived at least 100 meters off the main road. This meant we had to carry the 50 pound bags of sand up and down hills to there houses. That was a long day. It was nice though seeing the community come together to help move those supplies, they seemed really excited. I also had to try 3 different kinds of arozz, which is a suggary rice drink that each family has a special recipe for. After three large glasses from each family as thanks, which i couldn´t turn down, my stomach was claiming mutiny!

We also built our first stove of the project this week. This one was for our host mother. For as much as she cooks for us its really the least we could do. I think she thanked us about 10 times in the last week. It was really fulfulling to see that pure joy that the whole family seemed to take in just having a wood burning stove. The stove was tough to build though. This was the first one kevin and I had built without the help of Justin. It took us three days, as we also did not have the help of a local mason. But it turned out awesome and when our host mother saw it the frist time she exclaimed "que bonita!". I am really excited to start on the next three!

When are finishing up our 8th week here. I am really starting to feel comfortable here and its wierd to think that we have about 2 more weeks left in Comi. I think about how nice it has been to get to know our host family as well as the store owners and other peace corp volunteers. I am so grateful for how they welcomed us into their homes and have been nothing but helpful and nice. I constantly see people walking around without shoes, children malnourished, women farming until the sunsets, men drunk stumbling though town. But with all of these harships the people still great you with a smile, and a hello, even though they know that we live beyond comfort, with the best healthcare systems and are always well fed. It truly floors me. I know I am going to miss it and while I am excited to go home, I know a small part of me in going to be left here.

I love all the responses so keep them coming. Also we are taking our host family with some of the peace corp volunteers to Xocomile next weekend. Xocomile is apparently the best waterpark in central america and I have been told it puts American ones to shame. It should be fun!