Jess' Travel Blog Summer 2006

Hello again everyone!

Well, since my last update about a fortnight ago I have been just as busy. We celebrated Christmas and exchanged gifts with the San Marcos community at the Salon Communal and danced the New Year in at Janette´s house whilst watching a crazy count down show (in Spanish of course!). I´ve been playing nightly cardgames with the local boys, seen freshly slaughtered pigs hanging from trees by the side of the road and watched farmers swim cattle across a wide and fast flowing river one by one beside a very unstable looking canoe.

I´ve learned to accept the diference between clean mud and dirty mud, and become so used to the smell of DEET that I´m starting to like it! (My friend walked past as I was spraying some on the other day, breathed deep and said ¨Jess, what a nice perfume, can I have some?¨ We´ve definitely been away from home a while now!). My perception of distance has also altered. We now think it is perfectly reasonable to walk 20kms to a supermarket...and then another 20kms home!(That was our new year´s day special excursion!)

I´ve taught basic english and karate classes (suprised anyone? he he he), attended art classes (my still life drawing from yesterday is proudly displayed in the kitchen, have attempted to walk slack rope(a close cousin of tight-rope walking and have learned not to freak out when I see an unattended fire, of which there are many by the side of the road. Kids play with matches here, and with fireworks, and their parents don´t seem at all worried.

I did freak out a little when our foreman brought a dead poisonous snake to the worksite for us to see and it turned out to be still somewhat alive! He found it hilarious! We also entertained the locals greatly by attempting with moderate sucess to milk a cow. It amused them almost as much as we amuse them with our crazy gringo dancing!

We are breaking down gender stereotypes merely by being present at the worksite and by working with gusto. Some women have joined us to help out occasionally which is great. The men added the roof of the souvenir shop to the frame we´d built (we can´t work higher than 2m because of our insurace) and we´ve poured the slab. This week we will do the same for the lookout. Work´s going well, and we now have a workplan that exists on paper as well as in our foreman´s head! So we are really happy with our progress. The community conference will be held on the 20th and we are also planning a big Australia Day celebration so there is even more business ahead!

I´m having a fantastic time, and hope you are all having a wonderful summer! Snow on bushfires on Christmas day sounds crazy!

Take care,

Love from Jess

P.S. A special note to Am´s mum: she is safe and well and happy and sends her love!
P.P.S. Andrew can you please add my photos to my blog for me. Thanks sweetie.