The House Project

This morning we left at 5:45 to our other project: the house project. HELP partnered with an organization called Choice. Choice does some awesome work here in nepal and while on one of their projects they decided they wanted to help this family build a new house.
So we walked a bit and then boarded a public bus. The bus put more and more and more people on it until it was insanely crowded and people were hanging out the front. After a bit we got off the bus and then into jeeps. 4 across the row which was fun, like sardines. I was next to Elyse and Jace and Jackson. We had so much fun on hour 3.5 hour ride. I love Elyse she is amazing and so much fun. We chatted and played some car games.
When we arrived at the site we dropped our stuff and had some toparamen for lunch with some egg in it. We are sleeping in a giant concrete box. Literally it's a building being built and has a square room all concrete. We are in sleeping bags on the floor and surprisingly it's cold which is worrisome because it is wet cold. The people who bought "sleeping bags" from help have fleece liners for real sleeping bags which is crazy bc they are going to freeze. This is roughing it. Three days no shower, a squat toilet, and concrete floors. Mud and rain.
Okay so drop the stuff and then pick up some tools and hike 1/4 mi to the work site.

Then we saw that there is nothing there and we are the first there to begin cutting out the spot.

For the day we carved out the mountain and tossed dirt until the crazy rain came.

Also I'm pretty sure we found a pot farm.

Now we are laying on the cold cement floor, wet, waiting for dinner. This is going to be an interesting three weeks. Also the first time in my life I've been three days without a shower.
I will tell you my group is such a huge blessing they are making this experience much better. :) I love them! Day 2. This morning after a hell sleep we awoke and headed to breakfast. Did we talk about how we paid a man for cardboard in order to have insulation? I hope we did because we straight up bummed it last night and let me tell you when it's cold and wet with humidity ain't nothing dryin anytime soon. Including your sleeping bag and your body. We kind of look like a homeless community. Bunch of stuff strewn about, sleeping on cardboard on the floor, no showers and covered in dirt. Makes me so grateful that I have a home with a warm cozy bed at home.

So we ate eggs and rice and then headed to the work site. The food here is great!

Oh I forgot to tell you Elyse and I have the sickness. Got the sore throat, ears, nose. Ugh. :(

Also it poured rain while we picked away at the mountain which was just funny.

We hiked back and ate lunch and then hiked back and whacked some more at the mountain. Then it once again began to pour and yah know... at some point one runs out of clothing....
oops.
Hindsight.
Anyway. Today was funny. Laughed a lot at our circumstances because it's just so funny. I mean how many people have slept on cardboard cement in Nepal while hacking away a mountain in the rain with a squatter potty? Ok yeah the 50 people from help but not many others.
Move had some crazy experiences.

Tonight we ate more ramen and eggs and are currently hiding out in the shack they deem to be a restaurant that makes good food!

Maybe the rain will stop? The only clothes we all have left are the panamas we are wearing...

Day 3 This morning after another restless sleep we awoke around 7am. Elyse and I went down to the little restaurant while everyone slept and we had some boiled hot water which was nice because it helped us to breathe and to be able to swallow. I'm so nervous about the hike tomorrow because I can barely breathe.
Then we headed back on the small hike to the worksite.
This is the house that is falling apart that we will be replacing:

Today we worked on moving the huge rock and demolishing the mountain.
We moved that huge rock which was quite the accomplishment!
If you look closely you can see a blue dot- that is Carli on the hike to the worksite. Really pretty right?
It's still wet and cold and we are all in wet clothing- it's the perfect storm for sickness.
At 3 we got into the jeeps and started to head back down the mountain. There was major construction so it took awhile to get home.
Then we had to board a public bus which was very full. We got about half the volunteers in there and then realized we wouldn't fit so had to take them all out. We did make ourselves fit in the other bus though. So funny. So packed.

Then we had to get off the bus and walk up the hill to the shelter. We only got lost once woohoo!