Last Sunday, December 7th, my soccer team played a game in a local community. It had rained for the prior two days. Therefore, the field was in absolutely horrendous condition. My teammates and I grabbed a cab to the game after we hiked to the main road from the village. I had the wonderful privilege of riding in the back of the pickup truck in the middle of the rain. So upon arrival to the field, I was all ready soaked. Our game didn’t start until about 230; we arrived at the field at about 11. Therefore, my team had plenty of time to sit around, smoke cigarettes, and drink sodas before the game….. such a wonderful idea before doing an intense cardiovascular activity. Also to my dismay, the field was literally a giant, festering hole of mud. I would estimate roughly 3-4 inches of mud on the entire field. So there I sat in the rain dreading the impending circus in ankle-deep mud while watching my teammates destroy their lungs and drink carbonated beverages. The game began and was indeed a circus. I’m not even sure what the final score was; I was too busy scrapping pounds of mud off my feat through out the game. The final score was either a 2-2 tie or we lost 3-2. We physically assaulted the field as well. It was utterly destroyed by the end of our game. Well it was actually destroyed before our game even started, and it was further destroyed by the game after ours. Afterwards we had to find a river to wash all the mud off our gear before we ventured home. Overall, the experience was mildly entertaining. The muddiness of this province of the country is starting to eat away at my nerves.
About a month ago, I made plans to move into one of the local houses that was disponible or available. The house is all ready furnished with all kinds of goodness. It had a bed, pots and pans, a stove and gas tank, and even wires run for light bulbs. On Tuesday Dec. 8th, my host father and I drew up the plans for the additions we were going to build for the house. These plans consisted of constructing a rainwater collection system next to the kitchen so I could have water in my kitchen, a shower under the water collection system, a composting latrine, and a solar panel system to charge my cell phone and have light. So Tuesday night we were up till about 130AM drawing up the plans and making a shopping list of items I would need to purchase to build and construct all these system. The following day, Wednesday, I was informed by my host father that I could no longer move into that house in two weeks. I was rather upset because that was the only house available for me to rent. So now I must build my own house. Therefore, I won’t be able to move until it is finished. Supposedly my villagers are telling me that we can cut down all the trees needed for the food and have all the materials ready before Christmas. They seem to insist that we can construct the house in a week and a half. I hope this is true so I can hopefully be moved into my own place by early to mid January. I am hoping to start cutting down the trees tomorrow or Monday. My fingers are crossed. As a consolation prize, my host family gave me 9lbs of freshly ground cacao(chocolate powder). I have no idea what I’m going to do with 9lbs of chocolate. See the pictures below.
Well there are less than two weeks till Christmas it feels like it’s still the middle of January. The days are sunny and hot or rainy and hot, usually the latter. Every now and then I’m reminded that is almost Christmas. I’ll walk around town and see Xmas decorations up, but it just isn’t the same when it’s not cold and there is no snow.
The above photo illustrates the closest I will be to snow this winter season.. Thanks to my mom and dad for sending the little guy.
In my next blog I’ll provide some more insight to actual projects I’ll be working on in my community. Yes I’m actually doing work; I don’t just play soccer, kill small animals, eat bananas, and poop in a hole. More to come next week!
Aqui en la lucha,
Koguira
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