I cannot believe how much time has gone by without an update! When I last wrote, we had just arrived in Kauai. Now, we have less than a week left on the Island. It is surely about time for a proper account of our time here.
Lot 17- Our House
Our house is wonderful. Maya is once again my roommate, and though we have the smallest room in the house, it is very comfortable and lovely to have a bed again after three months of camping. Though I must say, I never disliked living in a tent and do miss it in many ways.
Our second week here, Janis, the volunteer coordinator for Kauai Habitat, hosted a celebration at the house for all the volunteers who had helped to build it. Typically for each Habitat House there is a blessing of the house with the family who is moving in. Though the volunteer house will not house a family, it deserved a celebration as well!
Our neighborhood is made up primarily of other Habitat for Humanity Homes. We have gotten to know some neighbors more than others, but I must say that overall, it has been wonderful to be able to live next door to people who have benefitted from the organization. We also live surrounded by their dogs. I have never seen a street with so many dogs, all hopping up and down behind chain link fences and barking exuberantly at anyone who passes by. Our work site is conveniently located just down the street from our house, so on a daily basis we each set off the bark chain at least once, back and forth to use the restroom or get a snack from the house.
The dust fence I mentioned in my previous post has mostly consumed our work days over the last few weeks. Before the land and materials were ready for us to tackle the project, we did have other tasks on other Habitat worksites, including at a house on our street. One family down the street from us is putting an addition on their house to accommodate their growing family. When they first moved into the house, they were a family of three. Now with two sets of twins and two other children, they are a family of eight. We started the process for them by setting up the layout for the foundation and digging out the space for concrete to be poured. And let me tell you, it felt pretty cool to use the "mud gun," essentially a jack hammer.
The next day it was time to get to work on the dust fence, which we have been working on ever since. 
The fence is just about done now! Today will actually most likely be our final day of work on the fence. 
We have also developed quite the book and video collection from the ReStore, keeping us entertained in our free time too.
Other adventures over the past few weeks in Kaua'i have included...
Shipwreck Beach in Poipu:
An AmeriCorps recruiting event, running a table at the Kaua'i Community College Job Fair...
which was immediately followed by another trip to the Emergency Room due to Dominique having abdominal pains. Good news, she is going to be just fine and we were able to keep ourselves rather entertained taking silly photos and watching gilmore girls episodes on my laptop. 
Easter weekend was our spring break. Weekend adventures included a trip to Kipu Falls, the beach picutred below whose complicated Hawaiian name I am currently forgetting (but it was in Poipu)
On Easter Sunday, after a lovely morning mass and brunch at St. Raphael's (the oldest Catholic Church on the Island) I headed off to the Kauai Coffee plantation and visitor center with Abby, Carly, and Allison. Carly and I had given up coffee for lent and decided to try as much coffee as possible now that we could!
The weekends here have been jam packed with activity, always trying to fit in more adventures on an island has an endless supply of beautiful destinations. It is exhausting, but fun! I am loving the numerous beach visits!
No comments:
Post a Comment