Today I rose at 7 to join a team on one of the hardest days of a build—
putting cement on the roof. As I learned yesterday, the process involves hours of combining gravel, cement powder, water, and dirt, then lifting bucket after bucket of the mixture to the roof, where it is “vibrated” to reduce any bubbles in the cement, then smoothed onto the roof. It’s about an 8 hour process of tough work in the hot sun.
I am proud to say I survived; didn’t complain, didn’t break anything,
and only took a break when the rest of the team did. I even succumbed to peer pressure and stuffed some of the coca leaves into my cheek, much to the laughter of the crew (there goes any potential political career). I think it’s fair to say I passed all the “tests”, except maybe one…
The tradition here for Habitat houses is that the family who 
is receiving the house provides food during the day for the construction crew. I have to say I will likely never once go hungry the next 5 months. I happily fell into my chicken and rice lunch after a morning of hard work.
I was thirsty and incredibly happy when someone brought me a big cup of coke. I took a gulp and my eyes grew wide—it was 90% red wine, 10% coke! This is evidently the beverage of choice during a construction day! The head of construction, seeing my reaction, laughed and took the drink off my hands.
After lunch I was trying to figure out the best way to get a non-alcoholic beverage without insulting the team or the family. I finally just had to ask the father to indicate the nearest place I could buy water. Kindly, he offered to go buy some for me. I was so relieved; something without sugar, without caffeine, without alcohol. I’d get re-hydrated, life was good.
Well, almost.
He returned toting 2 big bottles of papaya soda, pure sugar with a little papaya flavor. And I have to say, it was the best non-water hydration a gal could ask for.
I think it’s important to embarrass yourself early and often with a group of strangers so they feel closer to you. So my non-alcoholic-beverages-in-the-middle-of-day tradition may be here to stay. But I think the coca leaves are gonna go. Some tests you only have to pass once.
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Saludos desde Tarija from your exhausted but happy,
naomi
P.S. For those of you playing along in the “what city is Naomi in now” game (hi Mom!), I’m still on track to get to Villamontes on Wednesday. The rumor on the streets is that the blockades will lift then. I’m not keeping my fingers crossed, but I’ll keep you posted. I hope that some day soon I’ll have houses of my very own in process! In the meantime my apprenticeship continues…
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