Currently we are on the bus on the way back to Antigua for our last day/evening in Guatemala. Tomorrow we load up and head to the airport for our return home. As I have said before, hopefully tomorrow goes much smoother than last year.
But I think we left of with Wednesday evening and heading to the home of a Habitat family for dinner. So that is where we will pick up!
Our evening cooking dinner with the family was a highlight of the trip for sure (maybe I have said everything was a highlight so far...which means it has been a pretty great trip!). We arrived to some of the most enthusiastic hosts I have ever visited. Their smiles were beaming with pride to show us their almost completed Habitat home and to welcome us to the home of their mother in law.
The evening was spent cooking pepien and learning to make corn tortillas. Dinner was delicious, but the company was even better! Following dinner we had some of the best hot chocolate any of us had ever had. I'm not sure if the food we eat while traveling is really the best or if it is just the expereience adding to it. Either way, it has all been great!
On Thursday we were back to the build site for more rebar bending, tying, and twisting; chipping, cutting, and moving block; and all the things in between. In the evening we were invited to a habi-friend's home for pizza and s'mores. The evening was enjoyed around the fire relaxing before our last day on the build site.
Friday we had breakfast and headed out for our last day on the build site. Moving block and pouring concrete were the main tasks for the day. Work was a little slower as the masons were getting to more detailed items and less hands were needed. The future homeowner for the house made us a morning treat and our caterers provided us with another delicious lunch!
Friday afternoon we had a celebration of the week and the work completed on the house with the family, masons, and local affiliate staff. This is always a highlight of the week as well! They had cake and gifts for us before we said our goodbyes.
One thing we were all amazed at was the way they were digging the hole for the septic. They had to dig 65 feet down and they used a very simple pulley and lever system with some wood, rope, and a bucket. And of course some manpower of a guy to haul the bucket up and a guy in the hole digging. The ground here is different than the ridiculously hard to dig in ground we have in SC because it is a volcanic area. By the time we left Friday, they had dug down about 20 feet and pulled up nothing but soft soil.
After the build day Friday we had time to start packing up and deciding what we would leave behind and what we would take with us. Most of the things we bring for our team, we leave with our coordinator to use for future trips.
Friday dinner was a steakhouse with family stlye options and more great food!
I think everyone has had a great week and enjoyed the work, food, and friendship we have shared all week.
In Antigua today we will have some free time for the afternoon to explore and shop before our last dinner as a team.
Tomorrow we have a later morning and then head off to the airport.
Thanks for tagging along via the blog this week! Hopefully I will get one or two more posts written about the trip when we return. But if not, again I want to thank those who supported the trip financially and encouraged each of us to go. It has been a truly wonderful experience and I am so grateful to be a small part of the great work that Habitat does around the world!
I too am grateful for the work your team has done! Glad it's been a great experience. Prayers for safe travel.
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