We departed from home this morning in out typical mode of transportation, the back of the truck, ready for our first day of work. As we merged into rush hour traffic we were joined by a man who we assumed was a "jumper" but in fact he turned out to be a "pusher." While we thought we were quietly idling and trying to overtake the stalled vehicle in the middle of the road, we came to realize that our truck had run out of gas. In fact we were being assisted to the side of the road by our friendly "pusher," our new best friend. After a slight delay we continued on our way to the work site.
With much discussion of work site projects, our team of highly skilled labourers set out to dig a trench for piping to assist in improvements to the washrooms. We dug. We picked. We chopped. We scooped (with an empty coffee container). And we dug some more. If a trench can be pretty we did it!
After a lunch break and wifi connection (HOORAY!) we returned to the work site for a meeting with local community administrators to clarify their needs and our skill set as they relate to the projects we would be working on. Now with a firm game plan we are set to go for our two week adventure.
As we ended our work day, since we hadn't had enough exercise we chose to walk home. Approximately forty minutes later we arrived safe and sound and discovered that we're all more than ready and capable of hiking up Sheba's Rock.
Lesson of the Day: Always carry a spare jug (aka Jerry can) and the top part of a water bottle (aka funnel) in your car when you have a poorly functioning gas gauge.
Disclaimer: Unbeknownst to himself, Kelly has officially been suckered in to writing this blog with me - sweet deal for me!
Anya Malda
DWC Participant
Swaziland, July 2013
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