July 19th: A Warm Welcome to the Job Site & an Amazing Day One!

Today was the first day at the work site, and it may have been the best day of our lives. We were welcomed to the Unako House by the mothers, who showered us with flowers on our way to the building. Once inside, we were greeted with tikkas, which are red or pink powder markings on the forehead to show their blessing. Our hosts then performed a variety of performances to show the significance of our project. The energy of the locals made the entire experience surreal.

We then went straight to work, making concrete for the floor. It was mix of sand from a local beach, gravel, and cement. It took the entire group to spread the concrete, as we made an assembly line from the mixing station to the rooms being spread. Everyone was engaged during the completion of the floor of two rooms.

When on break, we were occupied by the local children who were the most happy and energetic kids we've ever interacted with. These children truly made this an experience of a life time. Words cannot express this display of passion and happiness.

Overall this day involved hard work, energy, and passion for an unbelievably important cause. In conclusion, words cannot describe how amazing this day was and our whole team is extremely eager to begin tomorrow!

Jordan McDonell
DWC Volunteer Participant
Nepal, July 2014