The Beat Goes On at the Everest Build

Hi All! Evertyhing is going well. Weather is quite warm but we have learned to trim bamboo and we can weave the stuff as well. Great team with several New Zealanders on our team. Great workers. Richard is in heaven and seems to be enjoying every minute. Lots of opportunities for adaptation. Today is the last full day of building so we are elbow deep in slurry and mud (see photo of Anne working hard.) We are hoping to get a primer coat on the outside today. It's hard to describe the beauty of this place. Pictures don't do it justice.

As the Everest Build comes to an end, we are preparing to participate in a celebration in a nearby park that includes a visit from the President of Nepal (very big deal since until recently, Nepal had a king). We were told that the President has never been to western Nepal region before. It should be a great event.

More to come.

S.E.

Second Day of the Everest Build

Any of you who have ever worked with Richard on the construction site know he is a great construction supervisor, but learning to build with bamboo certainly has its challenges. After all, if we are going to weave every wall in the 18' by 18' home we had to have pliable bamboo, thin enough to weave. Wow, what an adventure. Even Richard was out there with a sickle trimming bamboo as we were all working to get the entire house woven by the end of the day so they could apply the corrugated aluminum roof. With the hot temperature and high humidity, we had our work cut out for us.

Although we have a few high areas to finish tomorrow, we managed to get the walls almost completely woven – and lived to tell about.

Today was World Habitat Day so we all had work shirts from our respective affiliates and had flags hung near each home. Our house had the New Zealand and USA flag - quite a colorful day!

Lunch again on the top of our mountain and back down the hill around 4:30 PM – a little more tired today. I'm sure every muscle in my body will be talking to me when I wake up tomorrow morning :)

S.E.

First Day of the Everest Build

Up at 6:00 AM and on the buses by 7:15! Our team, Adelle Yeaton, Anne Thorward, Jaymie Fisher and I, were ready to begin learning how to build a bamboo house in beautiful Pokhara. Our house leader, Richard Martinez, had arrived before so he had been to the site and was ready to lead us!

After a 45 minute bus ride – an adventure in itself – we were asked to exit the bus, walk across the bridge and then rejoin the bus on the other side. Children greeted us with Namaste, flowers and more scarves. It was extremely touching and brought all of us to tears.

Once back on the bus, we traveled up the winding road to our destination. Hopped out and began hiking farther up the mountain. Our house is #27 and is clustered with #28 and #29. The view is breathtaking! It looks out over Phewa-Tal Lake, the green mountains and the Annapurna Range of the Himalayas. Hopefully the pictures will help to convey the beauty of this country!

The foundation and the bamboo framing had already been done so our job was to measure and cut smaller bamboo sticks to be added to the frame in preparation for our weaving of the walls. Wow, we had lots to do and the weather, which is hot and humid, didn't help. Drinking water and trying to stay hydrated was a task - lots of watching out for each other to make sure no one was overcome by the elements.

Lunch was served under a beautiful tent on the side of the mountain. Going back to work after our wonderful lunch was a shock to the system as most of us would have loved a little nap.

We finished around 4:30 PM, trekked back down the mountain to our waiting bus and the E-ticket ride back to the hotel. Showers and a jump in the pool were certainly high on the "To Do" list. Dinner was at the hotel and then most of us headed for bed.

S.E.

Pokhara

What an adventure to travel from our hotel in Kathmandu to the airport. Once there, getting our tickets and passing through security took some time. But once we were in the terminal, we were excited to begin our adventure at the Everest Build.

Once we arrived in Pokhara, we were separated from our luggage, which went off to our respective hotels while we were transported to the Mountain Museum and a Habitat Welcome. Children greeted us with Namaste (welcome, hello) flowers and scarves commemorating the Everest Build. Mountain Museum was great, kids were wonderful and dinner (served in the middle of an open field) was lovely. We were entertained by children from a partnering organization - SOS Children Villages - who entertained us with beautiful folk dances from regions of Nepal. Time to go back to our hotel and get some rest.

Mount Everest

Habitat for Humanity Nepal representatives took us into the city of Kathmandu. It was a wild ride into the city as there are no lanes to speak of, and if they did exist, no one pays any attention to them. Whether it's a bus, van, truck, small tractor, little truck, motor scooter, bicycle or pedestrian, they all seem to share the road with give and take. It made the 405 look like a Sunday drive!!

Adelle and I took the first three days in Nepal to explore the ancient Buddhist and Hindu shrines in the Kathmandu Valley. There were markets and getting to see some of the handicrafts made by local artists was very interesting. The highlight of three days was definitely our 6:45 AM (local time) flight around Mount Everest! It was breathtaking and we were able to take photos in the cockpit. The stewardess opened the door to the cockpit and invited each of us (18) to come forward one at a time for a panoramic scene of the range. I think we were both humbled by the majesty of the Himalayan Mountains and were blessed to have this chance to see Mt. Everest - as we both know we will never climb it.

Once back at our hotel, we met up with Richard Martinez, Jaymie Fisher and Anne Thorward for a pleasant lunch. Then Richard, our house leader, flew on to Pokhara to prep for the build. We will be flying out tomorrow morning - so more to come...

Habitat OC meets Nepal

Five volunteers from Habitat for Humanity of Orange County, California have traveled to Nepal to be a part of the Everest Build. The Everest Build 2010 will celebrate more than a decade of Habitat’s work in the mountainous nation of Nepal. Hundreds of volunteers from all over the world will join together to shine a light on the scourge of substandard housing and demonstrate what can be accomplished when families, communities and nations come together to build a future where every man, woman and child has a decent place to live. Everest Build 2010 volunteers will focus on building at least 30 houses in one week in a community near the city of Pokhara.

Our groups consists of the following people:

• Jaymie Fisher, Director of Volunteer Services & Special Events
• Richard Martinez, Construction Site Supervisor
• Anne Thorward, Habitat OC Supporter
• Adelle Yeaton, Habitat OC Supporter
• and me, Sharon Ellis, Executive Director

Jaymie and Richard just joined Anne, Adelle and me in Kathmandu. Here's what Jaymie has to say about that -- After 30+ hours of travel we finally made it to Kathmandu, Nepal. WOW!!! I will spend a day and a half here and then leave Saturday for Pokhara, Nepal. That will be our base for building. Thank you for all the positive thoughts. Namaste!

Stay tuned for more on our travel adventures in Nepal's capital and largest city in Nepal, Kathmandu.

On our way to the Everest Build

With the dedication behind us, I began my trip to Nepal early with a couple of my friends, Adelle and Anne. Both Adelle and Anne are Habitat OC supporters and are joining me on the Everest Build. Our first stop, Hong Kong!

After 14 hours in the air with limited sleep, we arrived in Hong Kong and whisked through immigration and customs. We took the speed train into town and spent the day exploring this incredible city. From shopping to sightseeing to eating, the day was full. In fact, we finished the day with a foot massage - and after all the walking we did, it was the perfect ending.

Seeing Hong Kong at night is breathtaking. The lights shimmer from building after building. Some change colors as you watch while others grow brighter in intensity. We are staying with a cousin of Anne at The Summit, one of the highest apartment buildings in the city! Absolutely beautiful.

And now since I can't remember when I last slept, I'm ready for a good night's sleep. Tomorrow will be another day of new adventures, then traveling to the airport by 4:00 for our flight to Kathmandu.

Until then, feel free to share any traveling tips.

Long time no see...

Hello friends! It has been a while since my last blog entry, but you’ll be happy to know that Habitat for Humanity of Orange County has been full of activity for the past couple of months. We are currently getting ready for the dedication of 18 homes, part of the Habitat for Heroes and Foundations for Families™ pilot program in San Juan Capistrano. Local families will receive the keys to their homes and attain the American dream of homeownership. Thank you to all the donors and volunteers who have helped at this site. I'll share photos with you in my next entry for your enjoyment, but here is a little taste of what the site looks like.

I'm also preparing for the Everest Build in Nepal with Habitat for Humanity International. Our goal is to build 30 homes in one week. I am overwhelmed with excitement and am happy I'll be able to share this experience with my dear friend, Adelle Yeaton, a long time Habitat OC volunteer, and over 250 international volunteers. Adelle and I will be writing blog entries and sharing photos with you as we travel and build. In the meantime, feel free to share any tips you may have about visiting Nepal. Until next time…