Tuesday, September 20, 2011

Die flowers die!

I am not a flower hater, but this past week we organized total flower annihilation. Now before you think I am the devil hear me out. The flowers happen to be on the airport runway which also happens to be the main rainwater catchment for the city water supply. Unfortunately for the population it hasn't been cleaned for at least 10 years! However, as fortunate as this is for the local bird and bee population it had to end. Fortunately for me it is a high visibility activity to start up regular cleaning, code for maintenance program. We even had a bobcat from public works to help with the domination of nature and destruction of every last flower. Wow was it a lot of stuff. In fact we only finished half and have to go back for more this week. We had all 55 employees out cleaning and then threw a bbq in the afternoon once the plane needed to land.

Last week I spent in Ebeye, the second island I am working on. The place is hard to sum up but is next to a US military base and houses all their local employees. It is basically a slum and neglected by everyone. Most of the services run on a minimal level (in America this would mean unsafe, insufficient, and dangerous). Following up on my last trip there I again hung out a bit with the leadership. The wealth difference is outrageous. Picture a slum of makeshift housing, kids everywhere, and sweltering heat then see this picture. Yes, it is the newly arrived massage chair of the local leader.

lv ya, jesse