Noodles are yummy.

Thursday, Habitat Build Day 3

After an awesome day of fun & relaxation yesterday, it seemed a few of us were having a rough time adjusting back to work mode-- even the chickens were laughing at us this morning. But, after some quick stretches, a little prayer & a whole lot of music, we were able to get ourselves in gear. :)

Today we wired some more rebar, passed some bricks, dug tunnels for the septic pipes, and dug the septic tank. As Rachel would say, "Gotta make room for the poop!" 

It has been so neat to see the homeowners (Saepuloh and Sandra) really get their hands dirty and help with the build in any way they can. Today the two of them were working hard digging the septic tank.

When we were passing the bricks from their pile by the side of the road up to where the house is (or will be) we made an assembly line. Iman (one of the Indonesian laborers) was at the end of the line stacking the bricks that I would hand to Griffin and Griffin would hand to him. Iman is our favorite-- he has the cutest smile & a bashful laugh (he's always happy!) We are working with some super awesome people here in Batam. :)

In between working, we try to take quick breaks to play with the kids of the neighborhood. Today I met a boy named Addie. (According to Eric, Addie is a common name for boys.)  I asked the little boy, "Siapa nama kamu?" And when he said "Addie," I said "Ahhh me too! Nama saya Addie!" He wasn't as amused as me, but I got a smile out of him.

At lunch the familiar sound of prayers / the Koran being read filled the neighborhood. Every day at about 12:30, we listen as we enjoy our lunch break together. 

After we ate, we blew up a few balloons and played with the kids some more. Eric taught us how to say "good" in Indonesian  ("mon-tob" but you pronounce the b like p) and the kids all laugh when we try out our Indonesian. :)

It's been so fun experiencing a completely different culture. After A&W for dinner at the mall last night, we were ready to try some more Indonesian food for dinner tonight. Our van driver Agung suggested a noodle place that we all LOVED. We sat down on the floor on mats in the restaurant that looked almost like a parking lot and were serenaded by an Indonesian man with a guitar as we slurped our noodles. 

Our dinner was so cheap (it was about $2 per noodle dish!), that Jackie and Eric decided to treat us to ice cream. We drove back to the (HUGE) mall from the night before and got some Baskin Robbins for dessert. Not a bad way to end the day. :) 

We're always ready for bed when it's time. Good night!