Yesterday, we took more modes of transportation than I can count. After a couple plane rides, during which I tried to make up for the three hours of sleep I snatched the night previous, we piled into a school bus. We drove down some pretty bumpy roads, listened to 80s music, and ate at a place called Tip Top. It was like the Nicaraguan equivalent of Raisin' Canes, except when you open the box you find tortillas, roasted chicken, a cup of refried beans, and some pico de gallo. It was quite tasty.

On a side note, the food here is actually quite good! Everyone had been warning me it would be rice and beans, rice and beans, every meal. But no, it addition to the said rice and beans, we had the thickest corn tortillas and platanos for breakfast and delicious roast chicken for lunch. I doubt I will need to dig into my stash of snacks.

After Tip Top, we crossed over to the island on a ferry and got to watch a thunderstorm across the lake. By the time we reached Ometepe, it was dark. I barely had enough energy to eat dinner and crawl in bed.

Today we hopped right to it. Breakfast was at 7:30, but it didn't feel as early as it sounds, since it is full light by 5 am here. I was up and at 'em by 6:15! This morning I think I excreted more sweat in three hours than I ever have in a week. We were removing the top level of dirt from within the frame of a new house, pouring and spreading volcano rock over it, and moving cinderblocks for a laying house for hens. This afternoon, however, I was one of the lucky few digging a garbage ditch in the shade. I just have to say, working with Grant Ostrander and John Mark Sandquist is like watching a comedy show. Unfortunately, we didn't have the cement mix to pour in the new house, so a lot of people began to panic that Bill Camenisch, my father-in-law and the famed workaholic, would not think we had gotten much done when he arrives on Monday. I guess you'll find out in a later post!

Well, it's almost time for dinner so I'm gonna sign off...