Thursday, August 21, 2008

New update on work and a short vacation

As my last vacation in Peace Corps a bunch of good friends went to the Comarca Kuna Yala or San Blas. This is a different indigineous reservation located on primarily beutiful carribean island close to Columbia. There was delicious seafood in endless supply!

This was a freind we met who went spear fishing and got these two fish. Ryu is holding up a barrucuda. He said he shot them at 40 meters down using no air tanks!!



I took a recent trip to measure potentional water sources in more remote towns. These towns may be getting a aqueduct from the goverment in the futre. We measured the flow of the spring, the distance and elevation change from the houses. In some places there was fairly thick Jungle like above.
This is us measuring the flow rate. We cut up peaces of a banana tree to use as the make shift pipe. They worked fantastic. I also tried to teach the community members present how to use their watch to count the seconds needed to fill up the 5 gallon bucket and therefore measure the gallons per minute.
We had the inaguration for the Quebrada Cacao aqueduct. There was a religoius invocation, a brief history of the whole project. I spoke on how the project continues in their maintence and charging the monthly usage fee. I also read off some words from my boss. There was also a piƱata!! I mad this out of a box and tissue paper. It lasted a beating!

Since I´ve been in site I´ve been selling condoms for 5 cents each. The UN gave a bunch of condoms to Peace Corps for free but we were told to sell them so there is some value associated with them. When ever someone comes to buy one I try to do a quick demonstration of their use on bananas. I have even walked around town in the afternoon when everyone (esspecially young guys) are playing sports and took the demonstration on the road.
I´m starting to try to tak more pictures with families I´m friendly with so i can develope them and give as gifts, and just for me.