Longitude Blog

Day four in GP Village - India

Jan01
By anonymous (not verified)

DAY FOUR in Gummallapadu Village

Day Three at GP Village - India

Jan01
By anonymous (not verified)

DAY THREE at Gummallapadu Village

Computer Tables and Table Tennis

Dec31
By shawnrubin
I had to run an errand in Accra today so I got a chance to walk around the neighborhood of Adabracka, where Laura and I lived when we first visited Ghana in 2003. It's now five years later and I was caught off guard to see the same woman who was selling grilled plantains on the corner of our street, for less than 5 cents each, is still there. I can remember my feelings of admiration for the stoic and friendly way that this mother greeted everyone who passed her during the day.

Walls are about finished

Dec30
By jack
It is great working with carpenters and helpers and trading methods of fabrication.  We each have something different to offer each other.  It has been a learning experience putting up framework and then paneling without the benefit of power-tools.  Stephen can cut an eight foot piece of paneling so straight and so fast with a handsaw and it looks as if it was cut on a table saw. Jack

The Run-Off is Still Running

Dec30
By shawnrubin
Knocked off work a bit early today.  The highly contested presidential run-off elections were supposed to conclude today with a noon announcement, and we had heard from a few people that we may not want to be out and about at this time.  I was a bit alarmed by this because absolutely everything in Abeka appeared to be running like normal.  Aside from 4 or 5 trucks of police in riot gear who were blaring down the street, nothing seemed out of step with any other work day. We decided to play it safe, so we returned to the hotel to watch the news and wait for the election result to be announced.

If You Build It They Will Get Really Excited

Dec29
By shawnrubin
What an incredible first day of building. Ed and Jack were rocking from the moment they got their fingers on that first greased hand saw. I couldn't keep the wood coming fast enough as I ran from foreign exchange office to lumber yard and back to the school at least 4 times today.

First day was great!

Dec29
By jack
Ed and I are so in our element. It is 95 degrees and 80% humidity working on the third floor with a metal roof over us and we are so happy at what we are doing. This is the first day and we already put up 5 walls. It is going to be very hard to leave when it is time. The folks here are great. Ed gave everyone some gum to keep them going, and it was much too sweet. The kids came back with a sample of sour candy to see what we thought; and we said it was great. They then came back with a package of sour candy for each of us.

The Village - From Tracey Goes to India

Dec29
By anonymous (not verified)

Now for the good part....

On Christmas day, we headed out from our hotel to the village we will be working with for this week. It's over an hour outside of Eleru. The drive is something out of a movie. I wish you could all be here to experience it. We are piled into an old rickety jeep. All the roads are dirt. Cows and goats usually stop traffic. There are women off of these dirt roads, in their little huts, washing their family's clothes in the stream, but they're wearing the most colorful and beautiful saris.

Christmas Day at Gummallapadu Village - India

Dec28
By anonymous (not verified)

More than one person in our group today has said that the feelings they experienced upon arrival in Gummallapadu village are practically indescribable. Try to imagine the most welcome you have ever felt – coming home for a holiday after a long trip; an induction into a fraternity or sorority; seeing a old friend after many years and knowing that no words need be spoken to bride the gap of years that have tried to separate you. None of those can relay the welcome we received as we drove into Gummallapadu.

Longitude Volunteers Arrive In India for Winter Work Camp

Dec28
By anonymous (not verified)

Arrival and Hyderabad Orientation

All 13 members of the Winter 2008-2009 work camp have arrived safely in India and met on the 24th of December for orientation in Hyderabad, the capital city of Andhra Pradesh. We are elated to be graced with the presence of the film crew, Something Worth Doing, who will not just be helping one or two villages building homes for 100s but will raise awareness about Dalits in AP and will uplift millions of Indians.

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