Updates!

It's 6:20 PM and I'm sitting at the Internet cafe in our hotel on a friend's computer and randomly accross the rice patches being grown, I'm hearing the Namaaz, or the Muslim call to prayer. Very cool.

First day of Build:
I woke up super early and had an amazing breakfast. The breakfast everyday is more of a buffet. There's noodles, rice, pancakes, eggs, bread and lots of fruit. We started working hard on our kitchen, and because it's SWELTERING hot, we are constantly sweating and even when we are just sitting, we are still sweating. This time around, our build is way more intense. I'm constantly doing hard work, whether it's mixing cement, digging trenches, cutting rebar and that kind of stuff. There were lots of family members working to help build our kitchen and we are way ahead of schedule. That night, we had dinner, on a black beach next to the ocean. It was all seafood, and I had Mahi Mahi which was delicious. I'm going to start trying to eat fish more often haha.

Yesterday:
Ashley (my roommate and travelling buddy from Camrose), decided to wake up and watch dolphins in the ocean. It was just amazing and beautiful. We were out in the water for about an hour and half and and at first saw the dolphins from really far away, and then the dolphins ended up coming super close to my boat, and we got a wicked video. Definitely posting it on Facebook when I'm back home. I didn't go to the chicken sacrifice that morning, I couldn't watch the neck get cut off and then the blood being drained. When we arrived after, we were told that that chicken already was dead when they arrived, which was nice to know haha. We dug trenches, mixed cement and carried buckets of cement to the kitchen to do the foundation. We really got to know the family alot more, and they are starting to open up. I learned Balinese! Tarima Karshi means Thank you and Sama Sama means your welcome. It's AWESOME to speak, no one understands English so it's nice to know some words to try and communicate more. We had dinner at a local restaurant and there was Balinese dancers, it was wonderful. I took some amazing pictures. This weekend we are going to Kuta for some R and R and staying at a different hotel next week.

Today:
Today was probably the best day since I've arrived. We started working right away, and as usual, I was mixing cement, moving gravel from one end of the kitchen to the other, and pouring cement into the reinforcements. Some of you had donated money towards the gifts for the kids, and today I decided to give some away. I gave some coloring books/phonics books with crayons, lollipops and other stuff. The kids LOVED it. They immediately opened up and became friends with us right away. The little boys danced for us, and gave us high fives. They are adorable, I have tons of pictures.

We are about to leave for local dinner tonight. They are serving suckling pig :(
They have chicken for me and Beth but I'm nervous to see a baby pig with an apple in it's mouth ahha.
I'll update my blog hopefully tomorrow.

Thank you for all your comments, it really means alot.
I'll get into greater detail tomorrow about my feelings.

Much love and Carpe Diem,
PS: I hear that there is crazy rainstorms in Calgary, and all I can say is Ha-Ha. :)

Shabana