Arrived at the airport in time to pick up Jen...and two All Hand tag-a-longs...one from Belgium (Emma) and other from Russia (Sveta). We crammed in all the luggage plus pillows & sheet sets we'd picked up to use at base & off we went to Barranquitas. Up, up, up, using switchbacks after switchbacks for about an hour & a half. Pulled into the AHV base about 6 pm . Dottie, (base director who we'd met in Denham Springs AHV base last year) was there to greet us & assign us to a bunk...Rog & I top bunk & Jen a lower one. Two males & 4 females are our bunk mates...and new friends. We settled in for a snore fest!
Up at 6:30 & after a quick orientation, we fixed our breakfast, packed our lunch & were headed to a work site by 8. Rog & Jen's crew cleaned out a house with a leaky roof. Jen said it broke her heart to see the kid's toys & clothes having to be trashed. Jane got garnished up & climbed up on an old leaking roof to remove the CGI (correlated galvanized iron). Our homeowner sent over a huge lunch of rice/beans/chicken...most I saved for Rog's lunch tomorrow...and ate my peanut butter. We all got back to base in time for a quick cold shower (only way to do it) and the 5:30 group meeting where each crew summed up their day's work. I love the sense of pride & accomplishment that permeates throughout the room of about 60 volunteers. After dinner that was prepared by local cooks (yup included rice & beans), we lingered & visited with other volunteers. Such a diverse group with fascinating stories! Amazing how quickly you feel like you've been friends for a long time.
We had entertainment during night 2...Conor was laughing, yelling, whispering in English, Spanish & using Irish slang too. All in his sleep. We actually thought he had someone in bed with him! When we teased him in the a.m....he was so very apologetic. It sure got lots of laughs. Rog was sent off to finish cleaning out the house he'd worked on yesterday. Jen & I joined "Jesse's Crushing Crew" putting up rafters & purlins. (Aren't you impressed with my new vocab :). The homeowner was there living in what was left of her home. She was so very appreciative & spoiled us by making us delicious breakfast sandwiches & later bringing us Pringles & Coke (not Diet). We'd been told that she had cancer & getting a roof was so her young son could live there was her dying wish. Talk about pulling on our heart strings! Jesse's "Would You Rather x or y" questions & a kid racing his horse past us over and over & the awesome view of the largest valley in PR were all bonuses to the satisfying work.
Saturday night's meeting & dinner was at Nado's...the local bar. We stood in line waiting for hamburgers that were being grilled by a young man as he grooved & danced to music & slurped down Medalla beers. Jen even bought him a Medalla maybe to show how much she appreciated the hamburger or his dance move! Back at base, Rog & Jen played Scrabble with 2 mates...23 yr old Jordon cleaned their clocks! So great to be back with All Hands people.
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