April 16: Day 1 for Team Mix-a-Lot and Team Buddah

Well, today was day one and the team was split in two - one half worked on the school, the other on the monastery across the street. At the school, they threw us into the hardest task on the worksite: mixing and pouring concrete - the ultimate team effort. The average team would be intimidated but Team Mix-a-Lot: Keltie, MJ, Linda, Amalie, Jared, Bruce, Janet and myself finished the floor for one large classroom and started on the second - with the help of our local annual workers, of course. This being my third TRIP I can say this was the hardest first day I've ever had, but we got a lot done and it felt good jumping into the Indian Ocean afterwards to wash the excess concrete off. Over at the monastery, the monks prepared a nice tea break for us as the others got to work building new monks quarters in the back. Team Buddah (Katy, Susan, Hilary, Alison, Jeff, Dan) got down and dirty with some wall plastering and rain trough digging; the former a task of finesse, the later one of brute strength and pure manliness. One can only guess who did what. All in all a fine first day, and I have no doubt everyone will have no problems sleeping tonight!

Kristian 'Loku' Bruun

DWC Participant

Sri Lanka, April 2012