I stopped working over a month ago. The delay has added some new information, as well as 10 lb.
I 'm in contact with the only other Peace Corps volunteer in Torti - a young lad named Anson Lihosit. He has kindly filled me in on a few details. Looks like I'll have to redesign the improved cook stove and the composting toilet. Seems they only use concrete block locally - no brick or adobe blocks.
A few pre-arrival photos of Torti, gleaned from various sources:
 |
| A waterfall near town |
 |
| A Floating hotel on the nearby river |
 |
| Nice little hotel in Torti |
 |
| The InterAmerican Hwy (aka Pan American) looks much like it does in Peru (except for the lush vegetation) |
 |
| A map of the State of Darien, showing Torti and it's proximity to the Columbian border Peace Corps folks are not allowed within 40 km of the border , due to drug activity. |
 |
| Torti landscape. The lush vegetation will be a pleasant change from Peru. The daily , sometimes all- day rains and mud will not |
With all that mud, adobe seems the right direction!? What could be the force behind concrete? Does the adobe not withstand the rainy conditions, perhaps? (On the other hand...showers, albeit naturally occurring ones; will not be a problem!)
ReplyDeleteI'm guessing you're right about the adobe vulnerability to rain. In the rainy parts of Peru, they had to add stones and straw.
ReplyDelete