Day 5 at The Rising Star: Construction!!

Yay!!  I finally got to skype with Jordan today!! Loved seeing his cute face this morning!  I am starting to miss home a little bit. . but the thought of leaving India, seriously makes me sad. I love this place.


The people here are amazing and even though 

there is poverty EVERYWHERE I see beauty in EVERYTHING!

These churdidars are deceiving. They don't stretch AT ALL so you have to wear like 10 sizes bigger just to try and fit into it.  This is Krissy TRYING to get out of a churdidar that really looked like it should have fit lol.  I am a size L-XXL here. I'm not gonna lie it makes me sad a little.

Today was construction day!! We are building the house behind the elephant house, it is called the green house and it is where the long term volunteers stay.

These Indian women are amazing!! I swear the women do all of the hard labor around here!  We had to move this entire sand pile up into the house.  They would fill those metal bowls and buckets full of sand and carry them on their heads up the staircase and through the house, with no hands!

Cutest little house and staircase.

The first level was already built and the principal of the school lives here. 

We are building the second story for long term volunteers.

Reba carrying sand up on her head.

I wish I would have had someone take a picture of me lol, but you get the idea.

I pretty much look just like this. haha.

Inside the house.

Kaylee!

We were all dripping sweat. Pretty sure it's a thousand degrees here... and we were working HARD!

Pulling bricks from the pile and tossing them up to the workers on the roof!

Yep, squatting and throwing for 8 hours.

Now, THAT'S a workout.

I had to keep switching arms lol.

Cheeeese!!!

Reba

(Boscar and Ari are the workers in the back!)

They couldn't say my name, they kept calling me "Shnall."

A WHOLE TRUCK FULL OF BRICKS!

After lunch we have to bring ALL of these bricks up into the house.

Shoot me.

Tiiiiiired.  

Construction was a FUN rotation but lots of hard work!

This is the Green House view from our house.  All of the gray bricks are what the volunteers have layed since we have been here this week.  From the highest wooden planks up is what we layed today!

Becca at lunch break. 

We got dirrrrrrty!

Holy crap. 

You can't tell in this picture but I am seriously COVERED in a layer of dirt and my clothes are SOAKED with sweat lol! 

After lunch were tossing bricks up the balcony and down the assembly line.

Watch the video it kindof goes down the assembly line.

Carl and Kaylee tossing bricks up.

Kaylee showing off her muscles.

My spot in the assembly line.

Boscar climbing the mango tree for mangoes!

This man was SOO old!

He worked so hard.  I have so much respect for these people. Seriously He had to have been at least 70 and was doing HARD manual labor ALL day in the HOT sun!

Just workin away.

Boscar.

These guys were HILARIOUS!! It was so fun trying to communicate with them.  We learned a few words in Tamil.  Pretty much the only important ones we needed to know for the day. "Kalave" was the cement or mortar that they used. "Kal" means brick. Or they would usually just yell "brrrrrrick." 

There were two Boscar's and Ari were the workers we made friends with.

They kept correcting us on how we said their names so we finally just started calling them Boss-car, Oscar, and Harry. Haha they loved us.  They kept saying "music, music."  

They wanted us to play American music. So I grabbed my ipod, full of mostly Zumba and Justin Bieber and we jammed out all day!

Going through the assembly line.

Phase 1.

Phase 2.

Phase 3.

They would set the bricks into this huge pile.

Getting sick of construction pics yet?

...and more.

Covered in dirt!! Feeling good after a LOOONG day!

Construction went by so fast! It is the longest day hour wise, 9-4 but seemed like it just FLEW by!

I did get a few injuries lol.

 Tossing a million bricks around all day I think everyone got hit a time or two.

But it was awesome!

Oh my gosh a bucket shower has never seemed like such a luxury!! I took a quick shower and ran over to life dance! If we are not there right at 5 we are unable to take the class with the kids. I like that Shawn (The dance teacher) treats us just like the other kids.  He corrects us just the same, and we have to follow the same rules. It's fun!

Didn't eat much at dinner tonight.  They ran out of plates and I just really don't love the food.  

Just snacked on some trail mix/granola bars/snacks etc. 

We tried to take a picture of the sunset on the way back over to the Elephant House from Dance.

You can't really tell but it's a beautiful orange and the sun was shining through the palm trees. 

Another beautiful Indian sunset!

Ruthish made Sam and Me our bracelets!

I love them!! 

Our house mother Kala wasn't there for most of family time and the boys were WILD!!!

It was like nothing I have ever seen, the instant she walked in the door they were silent and laying down.  I'm pretty sure that woman is magic.  

I love her.