Monday 11 June 2018

Day 5 from Greg and James


As we've been much quicker than habitat expected we got to have a bit of an easier day today. We started off with a trip to the crocodile farm just up the road from us where we learnt about the crocodile trade. The farm manager had been working there for 21 years and told us they breed 6,000 crocodiles a year. Everything they produce is for commercial use and they have main exporters to Italy, Korea and Africa. They have a crocodile that is 55 years old which the life expectancy is 115 years.

After that it was time to drive to the site. On the way we saw a few kids hitting a round stone with a stick and some other school children wearing paper graduation hats, just another couple of luxuries we take for granted.

On site we finished off the floors for the first house and carpenters were putting the structural support for the roof on. During our lunch break the community football came out so we had a kick around with the kids who put us all to shame. When we got forced back to working on the house we finished off the floor on the second house while silent parrot filmed us working. We really just wanted to go back to playing football with the kids so once we'd finished the floor we ran back to the ongoing game the kids were having. Seeing the smiles on all their faces was something special for all of us who have been working so hard to help the community, so special that we had to be dragged away by the bus as we just weren't going to leave unless someone forced us.

While in the bus the kids started pointing and laughing, we were trying to work out what they were laughing at. We realised they were pointing at their reflection in the window because they'd never seen their own reflection before. It's amazing to think simple things like a mirror just isn't anywhere in the community.


On the way back to the hotel we stopped off at a local market where they had a wide variety of locally made crafts to take home as souvenirs. Everyone enjoyed going through and bartering with the owners to get what they wanted, then it was back on the bus back to the hotel.


Another amazing day coming to an end and it's just becoming harder and harder to think we'll soon be leaving this community behind but knowing we've made a difference to their lives. The memories of the whole community and everything we've seen will stay with us forever.
 

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