Sunday, January 30, 2011

Water is reaching a climactic temperature

With the increasing instability in the middle east, mainly  Egypt, I can't help but comment.


Central America, a place that's past is riddled in; Civil Wars, Drug wars, Poverty, Disease, you name it. But at the same time is one of the Land marks for discovering Earths History. And now, with all this unrest in Egypt, (another Land mark for civilization on Earth) I feel that people everywhere, deep down, feel the problems in the core of their bones. And are simply paralyzed by the massive weight this holds to the future of Life on Earth.


I'm reminded of a famous quote said by Mario Savio.


"There's a time when the operation of the machine becomes so odious—makes you so sick at heart—that you can't take part. You can't even passively take part. And you've got to put your bodies upon the gears and upon the wheels, upon the levers, upon all the apparatus, and you've got to make it stop. And you've got to indicate to the people who run it, to the people who own it that unless you're free, the machine will be prevented from working at all"


And I'd like to combine this with my Motto for life. "BECOME the change you want to see, and rest will follow"

 I treat everyone how I would like to be treated. It's that same old saying our parents and religion teaches us, "Do unto others, as you would have done onto you."


But I don't see this. People complain about the problems. They believe that our system can fix them tho.To lose the system that has dictated our lives for so long seems impossible, and improbable. But what no one is considering is that perhaps our system is keeping our problems, and if anything limited the possibilities of this world.


Governments are happier with the ignorance of people. Same old story. Rich get richer, and the poor get poorer. But its getting out of control now. The poverty gaps and collapse of countries is becoming so common now. That it may soon come time for people everywhere on Earth to decide whether we destroy or save ourselves.


All humans want is their right to live, to have Food, to have Shelter. something that is given to us without conditions simply by being on Earth. But humans have for some reason designed a structure ontop of this right to invoke conditions in which you may live. No Doubt started by the Kings and rich.


It is an unnatural force to think that any group of humans has a right even if we "willingly" give them that right, to control any other human's life. especially through other systems like money economy, and markets, that we also created to keep the problems here.


The Global Human consciousness pours out its love and compassion to eachother in times of need. wherever they are in the world.  We saw it in Haiti, we saw it in Pakistan, we saw it in Chile, and now we're seeing it in Egypt.


People are fighting for their right to live on Earth, and to share the resources we have left with our fellow man. We need to stop looking at this world as numbers game to get ahead. and we need to take 2 steps back and remember where we are.


No doubt I'll have more thoughts on this once I start south. Tho I'll invariably be cut off to climate of the world. I hope Future of Egypt and middle East.


Sarah

Tuesday, January 25, 2011

It was Guatemala in Bizarro World maybe.

So Last night I had a dream that I finally went to Guatemala. But it showed me my worst fear, which is that my luggage will get lost when I stop in Miami for 4 hours and it wont make it Guatemala City. And I didn't pack ANYTHING in my carry on, like spare clothes, my camera, nothing!!

And then me and a group of cute boys
(hee heee) had to defend some hotel complex (vaguely similar to a location in COUNTERSTRIKE... that game still haunts my dreams) against weird Dinosaur/Zombie things.

But I woke up and went back into the dream like 3 times and in another version of the dream we weren't being attacked anymore.

Nothing to do with stoves at all. I just knew I was in Guatemala.

So Long story short I'll be packing an extra pair of clothes in my carry on.

This morning at 5 am when I went to bed, I remembered I have to pack a sun hat, sandles, winter hat, and I wont be able to wear my winter coat to the airport. Which is something I really don't want to think about at this time because its been like -28 Degrees Celsius all week in Ottawa. So I'll be dressing in my warm guatemala clothes I guess for the trip down. I'll have to warm up in Miami for a few hours!! Y'know, get a Mai Tai (even tho I don't know what that is yet, I'm sure I'll find out soon enough..)


Sarah

P.s. I did finally get Travel Insurance today with RBC! And payed my parking ticket I got on the weekend.. 


10 DAYS!!!

Monday, January 24, 2011

Squeezing a melon inside of a peanut

It's almost time to start forcing all my supplies and gear and clothes and immodium into my 2 packs. I have a 3rd pack that will only be holding gifts for people in Guatemala. Like books, toothbrushes. Maybe some skipping ropes, and mini Canadian Flags!

I have a few more things to buy this week before I go. But it's now 11 days till I fly out, and the anticipation is killing me! Today I received an email, finalizing some transportation and sleep accommodations in Antigua and Quetzeltenango (or Xela as the Locals call it).

There doesn't seem to be enough time left to be as prepared as I'd like. No time for spanish lessons, and no time to get that Core strength up to snuff at the gym. I think theres still time to get a tan tho..

But in some cases you'll never feel prepared enough, so eventually you just have to cut the shit and get on with it!

How to build a Stove 101

We're being shown how to mix the mortar properly and what it should look and feel like 
Now we're being show techniques for applying the mortar to our trowels and then how to apply it to the bricks
We're now each given an opportunity to test the consistence of the Mortar, so we'll know what it should feel like
Jim and Phil are showing us the top of the stoves, and roughly how high they'll be once its built
Quick demo of a stove construction
While The professionals are building their stove, we're building a mock one for practice at the other end the Shop.
Quick demonstration on how to apply the cement to the trowel for the final stage of sealing the stove
This isn't the last stage of what the stove looks like. its seal and coated and sanded after this stage.


I took a lot of video of the demo that I will be compiling soon and posting.