tag:blogs.bucknell.edu,2007:/brigade//10 2007-02-09T19:13:38Z A Bucknell delegation of 20 students and five faculty and staff traveled to Nueva Vida, Nicaragua, Jan. 7-16 to help at a health clinic in a resettlement community of 15,000 people who lost their homes and livelihoods to Hurricane Mitch in 1998. Several members of the Bucknell Brigade filed dispatches to share their work and experiences during the brigade's ninth year of service learning in Nicaragua. Movable Type 3.33 tag:blogs.bucknell.edu,2007:/brigade//10.117 2007-01-16T14:15:00Z 2007-02-09T19:13:38Z

I woke up and knew right away that this was my last full day in Nicaragua and it felt terrible. I knew that in two days I would be back at school having to deal with classes and having...

Rob Gradoville rgradovi@bucknell.edu I woke up and knew right away that this was my last full day in Nicaragua and it felt terrible. I knew that in two days I would be back at school having to deal with classes and having to concentrate on my last season as a track and field athlete. But the one good thing is that the day was a work day and I knew that meant that I would have a great time and feel worthwhile when it finally came to an end. ]]> The work planned for our last day was entirely centered around concrete and mixing concrete. In the morning, I learned how to "rapeo" the walls on the second floor of the building we are sleeping in. Rapeo involves using a trowel to throw fine concrete onto the walls in a uniform way and then smooth it out to produce the final coating that will be the wall surface for years to come. Everyone was saying that it would be really hard and I just couldn't believe it. It looked so easy and I was sure I could pull it off. Nevertheless, my first throw of concrete landed directly on the ground. I definitely needed some practice. I got a lot of practice and learned how to smooth the concrete onto the wall, somewhat eliminating the throwing part. By the time lunch came around I had rapeod an area about five feet by three feet. I couldn't imagine how long it would take to do an entire building! After a lunch and a powernap, we headed back out and this time I was working on making concrete blocks and setting them out in the sun to cure. This was really tiring work, but it also was interesting to see how these were made. The process involved mixing large batches of sand and cement and water, then shoveling the mix into a block form that was mounted on top of an industrial shaker table. irt was loaded into the form and then vibrated and pressed into the shape of a concrete block. The blocks were then removed on their pallet and set into the sun to cure. t the end of the day we had made around 370 blocks and that was incredibly rewarding. I had a lot of fun realizing that this was our last day and I might not see some of these people that much after tomorrow. Because of that and the intensity of the work, it was a great last day. I have made a lot of friends on this trip and I know some of them I will not see for a while, if at all, since I am a senior with tons of work and track season coming up. I will really miss being here in Nicaragua and staring out at the stars at night and getting to know everyone better in one night than I could do in a whole semester at Bucknell. For that reason and many more, I am not looking forward to tomorrow and saying goodbye to the country and the experience. All I know for sure is that I have never spent 10 days in January in a better way and I wouldn't trade this trip for anything. tag:blogs.bucknell.edu,2007:/brigade//10.116 2007-01-16T04:12:31Z 2007-02-09T19:28:06Z

a>Today was our last full day here at JHC in Nicaragua. It was a work day, which I thought was a great way to end our week. We helped to rapeo (pronounced ra-pay-o) the walls on the second floor...

Hannah Irion a>Today was our last full day here at JHC in Nicaragua. It was a work day, which I thought was a great way to end our week. We helped to rapeo (pronounced ra-pay-o) the walls on the second floor of the dorm in the JHC compound. Rapeo basically means that we fling cement on the wall, smooth it out, fix the holes and spots we missed, smooth it out again, and continue like so. We also mix and make the cement on our own which really helps to develop an appreciation for cement. ]]> On my own, I probably completely finished a five-by-eight-foot wall over the course of the whole day, which is very little compared to how much wall a native Nicaraguan worker could do in one day. We were also told that the work we did would probably receive about 80 cordobas. That's just a little more than $4 for a whole day's work. While the work was difficult and I was covered in cement, I was really glad that we spent the last day working like we did. I had had this experience the last time I was in Nicaragua, but I think I had forgotten the appreciation I had for how hard it is to make a living here. I can't imagine doing the work we did today every day for my entire life for a measly $4 a day. And I'm lucky, because I will probably never have to in my life. But just knowing that, I feel, is enough to remind me how important it is to be thankful for the things I do have and the choices I am able to make. This is probably the renewed sentiment I feel as I get ready to leave this beautiful country - I got lucky being born into the life I have but being lucky requires me to have responsibility for helping others who weren't quite as lucky. Tonight, during our group processing, I shared with the group how much I felt re-inspired being back here and how I have a renewed sense of passion for returning to the U.S. and making my life a representation of what I believe and working my hardest to help those who I can. tag:blogs.bucknell.edu,2007:/brigade//10.115 2007-01-16T00:07:41Z 2007-02-01T20:11:42Z

Today is my last day in Nica and it went rather quickly. We worked all day making cinderblocks and slinging concrete onto walls which the Nicaraguans did in 1/10th of the time. However, the day has come to a...

Doug Maynard Today is my last day in Nica and it went rather quickly. We worked all day making cinderblocks and slinging concrete onto walls which the Nicaraguans did in 1/10th of the time. However, the day has come to a near close and it's about that time for a slight conclusion about the trip. Since we'll be leaving in the morning, this is my last entry for this trip. ]]> It's interesting for me to think about the trip and what I've seen and felt throughout. Seing the people here has changed and refocused the way that I look at our world. I knew that there was poverty out there, but to see it first hand and witness the hardships is a completely mind-blowing experience. These people work so much harder than we do and live a life that affords few opportunities which becomes a vicious cycle. This morning, we met with a Nica economist who shed some light on this dilemma. He explained that when such a situation arises and a country is so exploited by foreign superpowers, including the U.S., a country just cannot get ahead. Single-handedly, the U.S. has done anything and everything in its power to stunt the social and political growth of this nation. Amazingly, the Nicas that we've met aren't bitter toward me. It comes down to the basic fact that they aren't spoiled by the basic things that we take for granted. The love that these people have is something that I cannot ever forget. Coming back home is going to be interesting. Going back to a country that enjoys such largess after being here will be hard to see. However, I feel much more appreciative for having this opportunity and all of those that I've had in my life. You become aware of the vast opportunities that are laid at your feet back home after seeing such deprivation here. I just hope that I will be able to, even in some little way, put an end to at least some bit of ignorance. There's so much that can be done to help, but we all too often lose sight of what is important. I'll never forget the great experiences that I've had here and I hope to return sometime very soon. tag:blogs.bucknell.edu,2007:/brigade//10.114 2007-01-15T05:52:04Z 2007-02-09T19:25:24Z

Today, we did a tour of Managua and got to see a lot of the monuments and buildings that are important to Nicaragua's history. We saw a lot of really interesting things but the most interesting to me was the...

Hannah Irion Today, we did a tour of Managua and got to see a lot of the monuments and buildings that are important to Nicaragua's history. We saw a lot of really interesting things but the most interesting to me was the fair trade shop we visited. ]]> There is a fairly new organization here called Esperanza en Accion (Hope in Action) that has two mains goals/purposes. First, they work to provide local artists and producers of fair trade items with markets - mostly in the United States. Secondly, they work in the United States to promote awareness about fair trade in general. This organization has set up a small shop here in Managua to showcase the artists they are currently working with. We got to visit this shop today and hear them talk a little about fair trade. This all is especially exciting to me because it relates very directly with Bucknell's Students for Fair Trade, an organization that I am a member of. It's always exciting to make connections with fair trade opportunities and supporters around the world! tag:blogs.bucknell.edu,2007:/brigade//10.113 2007-01-15T05:35:02Z 2007-02-09T19:24:20Z

Saturday was a very touristy day for our group. We left JHC at about eight in the morning and headed for the Masaya Volcano - an active volcano here in Nicaragua. Smoke constantly comes out of the top and...

Hannah Irion Saturday was a very touristy day for our group. We left JHC at about eight in the morning and headed for the Masaya Volcano - an active volcano here in Nicaragua. Smoke constantly comes out of the top and we were told that from the side of the crater opening that we are not allowed to walk to you can see lava inside the crater. I had visited Masaya Volcano last time I was here, but I don't think I appreciated it then like I did yesterday. Sarah, a member of JHC, told us a story about how the volcano keeps her humble and focused when she is doing the kind of work that they do here at JHC. The last time the volcano erupted it spread out very, very far and we could see the line between where the lava ended (which was covered in big volcanic rocks) and where the lava did not reach (which is green and still has houses and buildings). The distance that the rock traveled, both being thrown out of the volcano and melted into lava that flowed out, is astonishing. Sarah told us that when she thinks about the kind of power and force it takes to make that happen she is reminded that she is not in control. This is important when you consider the kind of work she does where the end goal is enormous. She commented that the power of the volcano reminds her that it is not her job to fix everything but that she simply must continue to chip away at the problem and continue to fight. The whole analogy is perhaps too difficult for me to convey in my own words but the feeling behind her analogy makes me feel better about my own goals when I do work both with the Bucknell Brigade and other organizations.]]> After Masaya volcano, we traveled to the shop of Pedro Guerrero, one of the most famous potters in Nicaragua. He spun a wheel for us, which he does with no electricity and completely on his own. He also talked more about the work he does with pottery. One thing I was particularly impressed with was how few tools he has to make the beautiful things he makes. This is how most of the artists here in Nicaragua work and it makes me appreciate even more their artwork. After visiting Pedro, we ate lunch at an outdoor restaurant with an amazing view of the Laguna de Apoyo, a dormant volcano crater filled with water. We swam in Laguna later in the day and it is amazingly beautiful. Eating at the restaurant, however, was uncomfortable for me. We were surrounded by people and dogs that were eyeing our food and it was hard to eat and not feel a certain sense of guilt. The incident that really hit hard was when I noticed a younger boy, probably nine or 10 years old, who was sitting off to the side. When one of the waiters would clear a plate from the table that still had food on it the boy would whistle to the waiter and gesture for him to bring the plate over. The waiter never did but watching this boy do this the entire time we ate was heartbreaking. After lunch, we spent about two hours swimming and then headed to the market to do some shopping. I really enjoy the market we go to because the actual artists are often in the shops and you can meet them and feel confident that they are receiving a fair price for their product instead of being exploited by numerous middlemen. We returned to JHC for dinner and then headed back out to attend a "discoteca" for the evening. It was a lot of fun and almost everyone really showed off their dance moves on the floor! It was nice to have a nice outing where everyone could let loose a little, especially for me after several very emotionally trying days. tag:blogs.bucknell.edu,2007:/brigade//10.112 2007-01-15T05:04:55Z 2007-02-09T19:12:34Z

Apparently, the Brigade leaders have figured it out. Pack 30 people into a bus that is definitely too old to pass vehicle safety inspection and just go! That pretty much sums up the day today. We all woke up around...

Rob Gradoville rgradovi@bucknell.edu Apparently, the Brigade leaders have figured it out. Pack 30 people into a bus that is definitely too old to pass vehicle safety inspection and just go! That pretty much sums up the day today. We all woke up around nine this morning after our very late night at the "discoteca" and no one had much energy, but this ain't no vacation. It's the Brigade. So, we got up and packed into a bus probably meant to carry half of us, and we were off.]]> Our goal was to get to know Managua as best as possible in just one day. We stopped by an FSLN monument that memorialized a cliff side which had previously been used by the Somozas to literally throw people to their death. It was a very real reminder of the gross cruelty this country has endured and wants to make sure they never will forget. After that we headed to a Fair Trade shop run by American kids about our age. They told us all about fair trade and then we had a chance to purchase some of their locally bought products. While I was waiting for people to get their purchases wrapped, I had the pleasure of watching a local Nicaraguan trying to hit on the girls of our group. His style was to call them "bonita baby" and throw in some squat thrusts and couple high leg kicks. He wore a bandana and blue sunglasses and a cutoff shirt, and constantly performed his somewhat karate-like skill in order to woo the female Brigadistas. It was definitely a Nicaraguan experience! We then headed to lunch and had a local food that is somewhat like a pita filled with chicken or cheese. The lunch was good, but I was still dragging from the night before and it took a soda to wake me up. After lunch, we headed to downtown Managua and we toured all over. We saw the wall that surrounds the newly elected president's house. We saw a lot of the old churches and capital buildings and also saw some that were damaged beyond use by earthquakes but were still standing. We also walked down to the coast of Lake Managua and saw firsthand why they say you should not swim there. The water was pure brown and the beaches were littered with everything from tires to trash to pieces of scrap metal. Nevertheless, the view across the lake was gorgeous. We toured around some more and then finished up the day by attending a local church service. Although I didn't understand much of what they were saying because I know such little Spanish, it was still an enjoyable experience and I'm glad I got to be a part of it. tag:blogs.bucknell.edu,2007:/brigade//10.111 2007-01-15T02:06:31Z 2007-02-01T20:07:33Z

Let's start at the beginning... Yesterday was a day of touring the Managua area. Specifically, we went down to Masaya, a suburb of the capital. First we visited an active volcano in the Mesaya area. This volcano is steaming and...

Doug Maynard Let's start at the beginning... Yesterday was a day of touring the Managua area. Specifically, we went down to Masaya, a suburb of the capital. First we visited an active volcano in the Mesaya area. This volcano is steaming and massive. It was used by the Somozas in the past to murder people opposed to his dictatorship. Next, we visited Pedro Guerrero who is credited as being one of the best potters in the world. He showed a basic throw and explained his craft. These clay creations were some of the best I've ever seen and he does it all with primitive equipment. He uses a hearth for his kiln and a kick wheel for his throwing. In the end, however, his talent shows through with magnificent work. Afterwards, we went out to a volcanic lake to spend the afternoon swimming and basking in the warm weather. The market followed which is much like a flea market back home, but with hundreds of shops selling similar items. Bought a few necessities including a painting, a dried frog, etc. The good times weren't over though. We went out to a local dance club where we partied the night away with the locals. That was fun. ]]> Today followed a similar suit as far as the touring. This time we went to the streets of Managua. In order to pick up some food/beverage items, we visited the local supermarket where only the rich Nicaraguans shop for food. They had some Guava jams, hot sauces, etc., which I just had to bring back. A taste of "Nica" if you will. This afternoon had a much quicker pace. We did our heavy duty Mangua tour which was led by a JHC leader. We explored the rich history and various landmarks associated with the revolution and the recent inauguration of Daniel Ortega. We finished the day with a church service in Spanish. The message was simple, but powerful. The sermon explained that the only way to truly succeed would be to share even though they have so little. Now I'm back and group time is almost here so I must call it a night for writing. Tomorrow is the last day and I'm looking forward to a great final day. tag:blogs.bucknell.edu,2007:/brigade//10.110 2007-01-14T01:39:05Z 2007-02-09T19:11:19Z

Today was an extremely long day and very different from every other day we have had so far. It was a day of volcanoes and pottery and restaurant lunches and some local shopping. While I can't say what I bought...

Rob Gradoville rgradovi@bucknell.edu Today was an extremely long day and very different from every other day we have had so far. It was a day of volcanoes and pottery and restaurant lunches and some local shopping. While I can't say what I bought and for whom, I will say that this was a very memorable day.]]> The first thing on the agenda was driving to a dormant volcano and hiking around for a while. The volcano had an amazing story: it had erupted and completely devastated the community so many times in the past that it was considered the gateway to hell. Locals erected a giant cross on the crest of the volcano in an attempt to exorcise the area and prevent further tragedies. Needless to say, the whole area had a certain feel projected onto it by the large cross overhead. We hiked around the area and took some pictures and then we were off again. Next, we headed to San Juan where we met Pedro Guerrera, an extremely skilled potter and artisan. He gave us a demonstration of throwing an entire vase on his foot-powered pottery wheel. The whole process only took about 10 or 15 minutes and the result was amazing. The whole time he worked on the pot he was also explaining the steps to us and hardly even looking at what he was doing. After he had finished, we were all amazed and had a chance to buy his pottery. But only a little time was allowed for that and soon enough we were off again, headed for lunch at the volcanic Lake Apollo. The view from the outdoor table we had at the restaurant was one of the, if not the most, spectacular view I have ever seen. Below us was a huge volcanic lake with green forest and volcanoes on the sides and in the distance the north edge of Lake Nicaragua could be seen. We were served steak and rice and some delicious frescos and then pretty soon, just to keep up the trend, we were off again. We headed down a long and winding road that took us to the edge of the lake, where we had about two hours to play in the lukewarm water. We had kayaks and tubes and a dock to jump from and, for a while, I completely forgot I had been doing manual labor for the past couple days. It was a surreal area and I still can't believe how gorgeous and secluded it was. But we are not a group to stay in one place long. We had a schedule and pretty soon we were off again. Next we headed to Masaya for the famed Masaya Markets. We had about an hour of shopping in the markets and I know I was completely lost. There was so much stuff to buy that I was completely overwhelmed. I walked around the markets for about 45 minutes just trying to see what they had to offer (although I have to say a lot of my time was spent gawking at the machetes and other large knives that were for sale) and then I got down to business and made a couple purchases. We left Masaya at around 5:40 and headed back to JHC. Arriving back at JHC, we showered and ate a quick dinner. We are currently getting ready to go to the discothèque. Apparently, it is a combination bar and a club with a live band. I don't know what the chances are that I am going to have another seizure out on the dance floor tonight, but I guess anything is possible. So, keeping up with the trend of the day, I have to get going because we are leaving soon! This entire day was not expected and a very nice surprise for the whole Brigade experience. tag:blogs.bucknell.edu,2007:/brigade//10.109 2007-01-13T06:34:58Z 2007-02-09T19:10:00Z

We woke ever so groggy and had a quick breakfast before the Vice Mayor of Ciudad Sandino, the city in which we are staying, came to talk to us. He seemed like a very personable guy and he answered whatever...

Rob Gradoville rgradovi@bucknell.edu We woke ever so groggy and had a quick breakfast before the Vice Mayor of Ciudad Sandino, the city in which we are staying, came to talk to us. He seemed like a very personable guy and he answered whatever questions came his way with as much truth as he could. He was a government figure, though, and you could tell that he was skilled at answering questions in a safe way. He talked about healthcare and education and utilities and also mentioned his thoughts on the effect of the newly elected Daniel Ortega. After the talk, we headed out to Nueva Vida to get a second oil-based coat of paint on the new health clinic building. ]]> We left JHC at around 10 a.m. and painted until around 11:30 a.m. We then had lunch and then went back until around 4:30 p.m., until the entire inside of the building had been coated. The painting was actually difficult because the paint was so thin that if you put too much on it ran and if you put too little on it didn't look even. After the painting, we got a chance to play with the local kids. They were enthralled by the fact that we had cameras and we could take photos and then show them what they looked like. I heard "Toma una foto, gringo?" so many times that afternoon. But it was a great time and we played with the kids for almost an hour. Finally, the end of the day had come and we had to get back to JHC to shower and change because we were going out to eat at a restaurant! So we showered and dressed up as much as we have been this whole trip and headed for the restaurant. The place was amazing. It had a leef-thatched roof and was set on the edge of a ridge. Dinner consisted of tortillas with rice and beans and roasted chicken and kabobs of beef and onions. It was all delicious. After dinner, we got back on the bus and thought we were heading back to JHC. The bus had other ideas. We all packed into the bus and Rogelio, our driver, tried to start the bus and we listened to it whir three or four times. Then we all started joking that we would have to push the bus. A second later, Rogelio came back and told us in Spanish that he needed a little push. So, we all got out and pushed the bus to a roll at which point the engine finally started! We all got back into the bus and headed home. It was a hard day of painting and playing followed up by a rendition of "Little Miss Sunshine." All in all, a great day. tag:blogs.bucknell.edu,2007:/brigade//10.108 2007-01-13T04:19:01Z 2007-02-01T20:04:21Z

Just another great day in Nicaragua and much to recount. After waking up too early for my liking, we met with the vice mayor of la Ciudad Sandino of which Nueva Vida is part. He told us his many...

Doug Maynard Just another great day in Nicaragua and much to recount. After waking up too early for my liking, we met with the vice mayor of la Ciudad Sandino of which Nueva Vida is part. He told us his many plans for the city and the general daily happenings of the city. It was rather interesting to hear a first-hand perspective of a high-ranking government official who deals primarily with the social aspects of Nica life. Now that the Sandinistas are in power, the schools have become truly free which was an original promise of the Nica constitution. Though not a lot, this is definitely a step in the right direction.]]> Afterwards, another shift of work ensued with the painting of the new health clinic. In the afternoon, I switched to the phamacy where I had the opportunity of giving medicine to the people of the clinic. I told them what the medicine was, how to take it, etc., which was exciting to see the behind-the-scenes clinic work. The best part of the day, however, came when the workday neared completion. A small crowd of little Nicas had formed outside the clinic and the brigadistas had been playing and taking pics with them. I felt like everyone was in elementary school again just enjoying themselves with the local kids. Tonight, we experienced some of Managua's finest dining in a back-road restaurant. The meal cost $10 a head and it included EVERYTHING. We had two drinks, chicken, steakcabobs, rice, beans, the works. Nica food is now among my favorites. Other than having to push the bus out of the parking lot after dinner, the night is coming to another comfortably cool end as we gather for some night-time relaxation. Adios from a faraway land. tag:blogs.bucknell.edu,2007:/brigade//10.107 2007-01-13T04:03:21Z 2007-02-09T19:22:31Z

Today was another work day and I worked with Dr. Don again in the clinic helping him to translate for the patients. It was a busier day than last time I helped in the clinic and we saw three...

Hannah Irion Today was another work day and I worked with Dr. Don again in the clinic helping him to translate for the patients. It was a busier day than last time I helped in the clinic and we saw three or four times as many patients. There also were a lot more kids in the clinic. It's always more difficult for me to see the kids coming into the clinic with parasites or malnutrition because they aren't responsible for what's happening to them at this point in their lives. All that happened was that they were unfortunate enough to have been born here instead of where I was born. ]]> One baby in particular almost brought me to the point where I needed to leave the room. It was a 23-day-old little boy who the mother brought in because she was concerned about his stomach and bowl movements. When Dr. Don checked the baby to see how healthy he was the baby started crying and, I don't know why, but my emotions were triggered and I began to think about how difficult having a baby in this environment must be and the constant struggle to protect a baby that young from disease or even just the dust. On a positive note, we went out for dinner at a gorgeous restaurant called Mi Pueblo. It is an open-air restaurant with lots of trees, bushes, and vines. It's almost jungle-esque. We ate there two years ago and I really enjoyed the atmosphere. It was wonderful to return and have another really enjoyable meal there. tag:blogs.bucknell.edu,2007:/brigade//10.106 2007-01-13T03:51:39Z 2007-02-09T19:21:38Z

On Thursday, we traveled up to El Porvenir for the day to visit the coffee cooperative. El Porvenir is a very isolated community that is made up of about 285 people. My most favorite part about the whole trip there...

Hannah Irion On Thursday, we traveled up to El Porvenir for the day to visit the coffee cooperative. El Porvenir is a very isolated community that is made up of about 285 people. My most favorite part about the whole trip there is the actual trip it takes to get up the mountain. The total travel time from our dorm to the top is about four hours and during those four hours you are constantly tossed around on the famous yellow bus and on the tractor that drags us the rest of the way. The roads in Nicaragua are rarely paved, especially on side streets. The roads to El Porvenir are no exception. They're dusty and full of "potholes" and I love it. It reminds me of when I was a little kid sitting in the back of a school bus trying to get as much air as possible when we went over bumps. ]]> Aside from the actual trip there, we got to pick coffee beans while we were there. This was something new for me and gave me such an amazing perspective for how the people at El Porvenir earn a living. Anyone in my family would know how much I dislike picking things, like blueberries. Coffee beans were no exception for me. They're little and it takes forever to fill a basket. I greatly appreciate that I have the choice in my life not to be a coffee picker. Even more surprising for me, though, was how little money we made from the amount we picked. Between about 20 students we were able to fill one 160-pound bag. It took us about an hour to do this. Renee, one of the community leaders, informed us that we made about $5. It's unreal to me how little money we made working that hard for an hour AND this is a fair trade cooperative which means that these workers are paid very, very well for the coffee they pick. If this had been any other coffee plantation, it is likely that we'd have earned about a dollar or so for the same amount of coffee. Like I mentioned, this experience was new for me from the last time I came to Nicaragua and I'm glad we were able to do this. Coffee has taken on a new meaning for me when I think about the workers who struggle to pick enough to feed themselves and their families. tag:blogs.bucknell.edu,2007:/brigade//10.105 2007-01-12T23:32:17Z 2007-02-09T19:08:15Z

Today, we all got up and had a quick lunch because we had a long ride ahead of us. It is about a three-hour drive from JHC to El Porvenir, and that is just to the base of the...

Rob Gradoville rgradovi@bucknell.edu Today, we all got up and had a quick lunch because we had a long ride ahead of us. It is about a three-hour drive from JHC to El Porvenir, and that is just to the base of the mountain. That was as far as I was gonna be carried. Julie, Meghan, and myself started our hike from the bottom of the mountain. When we got off the "Ambulance," as they call it and which is really just an old four-wheel-drive with seats on either side in the back, we met Juan who is a member of El Porvenir and the one who supposedly knows the most about good pipeline routes. He is the one that took our Professors Kim and tools up the mountain when they came in November. Juan took us over to the pump house which is right next to their current well. The motor is an old tractor motor which they have directly driving a generator. This generator is connected to a pump which is hung a couple hundred feet deep into the well. ]]> The whole system works well and we have been told that the well is tapped into some kind of underground river which has no danger of drying up (as far as we know). From the water pump, we walked with Juan along the steel pipeline and saw the concrete supports that guide it along the route to the water tower just a couple minutes further. The water tower is about 20 feet off the ground and I would estimate it is a cylinder of about eight feet in diameter and 10 feet in height. It had recently been emptied and Juan told us that it was the last point at which they have water in El Porvenir during the dry season. This was right at the beginning of our walk. From the water tower, we followed Juan as he took us on the route that he felt would be the easiest to install an underground pipe. This is what we would ideally like to find because PVC pipe can be used underground, whereas steel would be appropriate for above ground applications due to the outdoor wear. PVC is a lot cheaper, easier to install, and, therefore, referable as long as the route is not much longer. We followed Juan along his route all the way from the water tower up to the water storage tanks at the top of the mountain. Almost all of the way was along some kind of trail, although there were portions which Juan pointed out that the pipeline would cut through the woods although we would walk around those areas so we could stay on the trail. We recorded all points where underground installation was difficult or where a ravine or other obstacle had to be crossed and marked it on a GPS as well as recording some notes on the obstacle. Our GPS also kept track of our walking trail, showing elevation gain at all points along the route. We noticed that most the route near the bottom had tree cover and would thus make it difficult to use solar power. The second half of the route had wide open areas that would be perfect for solar power. By the time we got to the top, it had taken around two-and-a-half hours and we were sunburned and exhausted. At the top, we documented all of the water storage tanks and Mike Woodard explained how the coffee processing works and why water was needed at the top of the mountain. We had a meal in the home of one of the locals, consisting of rice, beans, and fried eggs. I have never had a better meal in my life. But being the good engineers we are it wasn't long before we were headed back down the mountain. On the way down, we were looking for the straightest path possible, which would most likely be installed above ground. This meant that Juan put his machete to good use as he chopped his way through the jungle and took us down gullies and back up hills. It was extremely painful because every bush and vine that scraped me reminded me how sunburned I really was. We again recorded all important points for this route that will be used to compare the two options. We got to the bottom at around 4:30 and then we met up with the rest of the group and it was a l-o-n-g ride home. On the way out of El Porvenir, we had to navigate our way through herds of cows and bulls and sheep and little kids that all seemed to be traveling on the dirt road at the same time as us. When we finally made it back to paved road, the ride went a lot quicker as we all discussed what we had done that day. At about 8:30, we got back to JHC and after a quick dinner and a group reflection on the day most people were ready to hop into bed. It was a long day, but I am really optimistic about the project after seeing how feasible Juan's route was. It was definitely the best day so far and views from on top of El Porvenir will never leave my mind. Off to the south, was Telica Volcano which had been smoking for the past few days and off to the north was San Cristobal Volcano which had destroyed the region years back when it erupted. The whole community was gorgeous and I would go back any time. I just hope that the next time we talk to these people we can tell them that we are coming to bring them water. tag:blogs.bucknell.edu,2007:/brigade//10.104 2007-01-12T03:08:59Z 2007-02-01T20:01:57Z

Today was a very, very long day. I've gotten into a habit of not looking at the activity sheet each day to surprise myself about the upcoming activities. For that reason, I didn't know what to fully expect today....

Doug Maynard Today was a very, very long day. I've gotten into a habit of not looking at the activity sheet each day to surprise myself about the upcoming activities. For that reason, I didn't know what to fully expect today. We drove two hours to the mountain where El Porvenir is located. Then we took an hour-long tractor ride up the mountain over some surprisingly rough terrain. A small town is located on the top of the mountain that produces some of the best organic coffee on the market. I knew we would be going up the mountain, but I didn't really know what would take place when we arrived. ]]> While on the top of this mountain, the same one the engineers are working on, we were sent to the coffee fields. Each pair was given a basket and set loose in a mountainous field of unpicked beans. This was one of the weirdest experiences that I've had and it made me appreciate the effort it takes to pick these beans. At the end of the hour, our cumulative total of beans, enough to produce 2,000 cups of coffee, was worth $5 in labor costs! We then proceeded to go on a hike to check out the beautiful views from the mountain which proved well worth the hike. The outlook gave a great view of the Nicaraguan landscape which is mainly flat except for a few mountains and an ash volcano or two. Also on our stop we visited a tree. This was not just any tree, but a massive tree that happens to be around 500 years old. It was so old, it even had other trees growing out of it. We then left the mountain the same way we came up by the rugged trail and then to the magical school bus. The bus, having traveled more than 800k miles, traversed a road that it had no business on. Nevertheless, we made it back safe and sound. It's another beautiful night in Nicaragua after a great day and time to get some R and R to prep for whatever tomorrow holds. tag:blogs.bucknell.edu,2007:/brigade//10.103 2007-01-11T04:23:19Z 2007-02-09T19:06:32Z

Well, today I woke up for the first time when we were woken up. I slept like a rock. We got up and had another awesome breakfast and soon after we had a very knowledgeable speaker talk to us...

Rob Gradoville rgradovi@bucknell.edu Well, today I woke up for the first time when we were woken up. I slept like a rock. We got up and had another awesome breakfast and soon after we had a very knowledgeable speaker talk to us about Nicaraguan history, politics and their relationship with the rest of the world. He really made everything come together and it was amazing how many dates and names he could spit out in about an hour and a half. All in all, it was another eye-opening experience that showed maybe the United States isn't as just as we like to think we are. Either way, I am extremely happy I heard it.]]> After the morning talk, we were told that plans had changed and we were not going to be making concrete today. We would be removing telephone poles from the ground! Luckily, the telephone poles were only about 15 feet high and only about four feet into the ground. But we spent the morning digging out the poles with the sun beating down on us and a whole bunch of Nicaraguans driving by and laughing at the stupid gringos who were digging up telephone poles. I was in a group of six people and I was the only guy. What that translated into was that I had to dig a lot. Luckily, a member of JHC, Juan, also was there to help us and he was better than all of us. After about 20 minutes of us struggling he would jump in and do twice what we had done in just a couple swings of the pick-axe. Apparently, it's all about technique! We had a quick lunch and then headed back out and spent the afternoon the same way. It was nice to be outside even though it was really hot. The Nicaraguan landscape is hard to get used to with a huge volcano standing up above anything else in the background. After all of the concrete telephone poles were up and on our homemade flat-bed trailer we headed back to JHC. We spent the rest of the afternoon watching Daniel Ortega being sworn in as president on a tiny TV. Even though I didn't understand everything that went on it was clear that this was turning point for Nicaragua and I realized how lucky I was to be here at this moment. There were fireworks and other noises coming from the community throughout the process. It was extremely weird to watch how many countries were supporting Nicaragua on TV. There were representatives or delegates from 76 countries. And guess what? The U.S. wasn't one of them. I guess the trip was too far? After watching the ceremony, we had dinner and then a local band came in and played music for us. It was just a guitarist, a bassist, and a singer, but they filled the room with noise. They were really great and I could tell how heartfelt their lyrics were because many addressed the daily struggle of the Nicaraguan. At the end, they pretty much forced us all to dance in the middle of a circle while everyone clapped and laughed. Of course I was chosen to go first! So I went out there and pretty much had some kind of seizure for about 15 seconds until I chose Tom to go in there after me. From then on everyone went in for a second and then pulled someone else in to be embarrassed just as much. I don't know if I said this clear enough, but I would probably be better at dancing if I had all left feet. So, yeah, I'm sure people enjoyed it. After dancing the night away, we had to pack our bags because tomorrow we hike up to El Porvenir and hopefully mark our waterline path. We had been hoping for six hours to work, but it looks like we will only get four. We will just have to hustle. It's only a mountain, right? And on that note, I need to get to sleep so I have something in my legs to push me on tomorrow! Night.